The Roland Harris Column

Friday 12 October, 2001

The big Wolves weekend

I don't know why but I feel like this is a big weekend for City.

We have to beat Wolves to put down our marker as a top two team, if not then I get the feeling that we will be headed for a midtable finish.

I'm not sure what is making me think like this. After all City are in much better shape then we were when we got promotion two years back. We look far more robust than we did them. I always got the feeling that that side could have been wished out of existence if enough people showed doubts. I never would have seen that team recover from a Stockport or a Watford. I think this one can.

I hope this one can.

The month that I said would be so good turned out to be pretty bad. We squeaked the win over Grimsby but looked like a team teetering on the edge.

Forget the midweek Watford affair, City need to be back in the league, which is really all that matters, and back with a bang.

If we beat Wolves we can send a signal to the rest of the league: Bradford City were slumbering, but we are back now and you'd better all get out of the way.

There is no reason why we shouldn't too.

We need to get behind the boys of course. I expect 110% from every man woman or animal in Valley Parade on Saturday. Reaching to the pit of the stomach to cheer the boys on, and I expect the boys to respond.

Wolves have got some tidy players, but they have no Benito Carbone and no David Wetherall. We are better on paper and should be better on the field. In Beni we have the man who can win any game. His pass to Robbie Blake for the goal against Gillingham would have cut open any defence. We have to the ball to Beni and make the runs off him to do that. Ditto Eoin Jess on the other side although for once I would have Blake play.

We also need to stand firm at the back and be aware of their big danger. God bless Wayne Jacobs but I think that Lewis Emanuel should be the man to mark Mark Kennedy. We need the younger man's speed to keep up.

So Blake and Mani in in my humble opinion and a win is a must. Come five on Saturday City should have signalled to the league that we are back in business.

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