Source: SKY_Sports
Not all woe for Wolves
Paul Merson did his best to offer Wolves some hope as they began the Premier League season by being beaten at home by West Ham.
Goals in either half from Mark Noble and Matthew Upson well and truly pooped the Molineux party following their promotion from the Championship.
Mick McCarthy's side can take some solace from the fact that they forced Robert Green into several smart stops and that, says Merson, might just mean there stay in the top flight last longer than a single season.
But, he warned, they need to be able to turn their chances into the most precious of Premier League commodities - goals.
"I watched a lot of Wolves last year when they weren't very good and you worried for them," he told Soccer Saturday.
"I think today was probably the best they've played for a long, long time.
"Robert Green made some really good saves and if they play like that every week, they have every single chance - if they play like that.
"The only downfall is if you keep playing like that for a few games and don't win, then you get dis-heartened. That would be the worry, but they did play well."
If Wolves are going to get goals then Sylvain Ebanks-Blake has to be their main man.
Last season's top scorer in the Championship was one of those to suffer at the hands of West Ham's England keeper and Merson is still undecided if he can cut it at the highest level.
"I'd have to wait and see," he said. "I say that because in the Championship he'd get six or seven chances in a game and he'd score one - he ain't going to get six or seven chances at this level.
"He had a couple today and the keeper saved them so that's all you can ask; if the keeper makes good saves there's not much more you can do.
"The one good thing is they keep getting the ball out wide to the wingers and getting it into the box quickly - and if you keep doing that, then any centre-forward's got a chance.
"Nenad Milijas was very good. He's got a good left foot, he played a great ball for Ebanks-Blake once and he had three or four shots. He looks like someone who is going to open things up."
At the other end of proceedings Noble's opening goal was a delightful curler from the edge of the box, while defender Upson made the most of Jody Craddock's error to wrap up the points on 69 minutes.
And both goals, said Merson, were a reminder - if any was needed - that Wolves cannot afford to switch off now they are back in the big time.
"The first one was a great finish but nobody closed Mark Noble down and when you're in the Premier League that's what people will do to you," he said.
"You might get away with it in the Championship because there aren't too many people who could've done what Noble did.
"But the second goal will have Mick fuming. They were still in the game but it was an easy header for Upson and it doesn't matter what league you're in, it was a bad goal to give away."
