Conquest Of Champions Raises Bar

We are back with a new and contributed post somewhat ahead of schedule – but if you can’t do so in the wake of Wolves’ best result for years, when can you?

When foreign influence was low in English football and before money took over the landscape, Wolves routinely had their moments against the likes of Manchester City.

We are not only talking about the 1974 League Cup final here – remember how Leeds were brought down on a dramatic title-deciding night in 1972 and when double winners Arsenal were thrashed at Molineux a few months earlier. 

There was a much stronger British flavour to English clubs in the past and the difference between teams wasn’t as big. And it’s well known in these parts that Wolves were one of the gems of the game as far back as the 1950s.

The last two and a quarter years have also been greatly encouraging at Molineux, though, and supporters hope the glory days are coming back.

Under Nuno Espirito Santo, the side have made outstanding strides, breaking last spring into the European spots by bloodying the noses of some of the top Premier League clubs.

Now, Wolves’ chances in the Europa League are rated well by Dafabet and the club are again impressing those on the continent, just as they did in the 1950s and 1970s.

And dare we say it….might FA Cup fever be gripping Molineux again in the new year?

Such has been the rate of success in knocking Torino out of the Europa League and then prevailing last week in Besiktas – where so many British clubs have feared to tread – that a wonderful battle readiness is being developed.

Any team who can go away to the reigning Premier League champions, beat them 2-0 and miss several other clear chances will be feared wherever they go.

And if Wolves are comfortable in the table in the second half of the season, with or without the lovely distraction of European competition, it is quite easy to imagine them making our most famous domestic knockout a priority again.

They dismissed Liverpool and Manchester United under the famous Molineux lights last winter and went within a few minutes of triumphing in the semi-final at Wembley.

Now, with victory at the Etihad Stadium confirming that a corner has been turned following a difficult start to 2019-20, the next few months hold so much promise again for Wolves.