I, like most of you I'd wager, was finally starting to will against the chains of restrained expectation before the kick-off against Watford, having seen us play some of the most scintillating football we've played in what seems an age in 06/07.

15 games on, and already a third into the season (how time weaves itself seamlessly when you're caught up in a season of football), the ying-yang of optimism and pessimism seems to have dispersed itself equally amongst those who hold Wolverhampton Wanderers dearest.

On the face of it, 15 games played, 4 points from an automatic promotion berth, 5th in the league and an improved goalscoring/defensive record, we should be rather content! Hennessey, who had heretofore never played a full season at this level, seems to be a fantastic prospect, showing glimpses of wisdom beyond his years, with the occaisional lapse expected of one so young. Kevin Foley, a late acquisition by Mick McCarthy, is, without a doubt, just what we've been crying out for in a right-back since the long gone time when Dennis Irwin was strolling about the Molineux pitch along with one time fellow Championship winner Paul Ince. But change needn't be for the worse, and years of yearning have brought us a vibrant attacking right-back with excellent ball control and composure. Kightly, after a somewhat indifferent start (which had an audacious minority questioning whether he'd become to easy to suss out!), has now kicked it into 5th and is running teams ragged, and, perhaps more pleasing and surprising, Jay Bothroyd seems to finally have regained that spring in his step we all knew he had. Oh, and after a supposedly appalling start, we've only lost once in 9 games. Not too bad after all, eh?

Perhaps I should wipe those rose tinted glasses before I'm unable to a see anything at all except for a mighty green pasture before me. 

The ying will tell you that we've only lost once in 9 games. The yang will sharply retort that from a possible 27 we've only accumulated 16. The ying will reply "we'll we've only conceded 7 in those nine games!", the yang will hiss back that we've only scored a measly 10, and so it goes on and on. It seems the ultra optimists and the inherently pessimistic will never see eye to eye, and there's always an argument to negate the other. But, hell, isn't that the process from which debate is borne?

I'll give you one thing my yang following contingent, the Freddy Eastwood saga was definitely something this club could have done without. Hearsay and conjecture are seldom beneficial and the fact that only now the penny seems to have dropped with Freddy and Mick doesn't exactly assure you that things are a-ok in the dressing room atmosphere, and that no news is indeed good news. Especially when you hear that Jay Bothroyd was up for sale unbeknownst to the rest of us back in August. Our goalscoring, as ever, has been a problem, despite us having, in my opinion, one of the strongest strike forces in the division. Whether its a lack of confidence or a desire for exuberance that's keeping us from SHOOTING AT GOAL when the chance craves it is open to interpretation, either way its probably the one thing separating us from West Brom and Watford who are scoring for fun. In spite of an apparent resolution to the "defensive crisis" we apparently had a few games ago, folk will still remark that our slow paced defense will be found out against much quicker customers. 

All that aside, and to explain the title of "Fool's gold in the Black Country" a little better, could the problem be that we're just not as good as we thought? Its been suggested that Mick's golden touch getting the best out of mediocre players has, so far, maintained our position amongst the elite of the division (though perhaps elite is a tad complementary for the likes of Bristol City and Ipswich, though who knows they could well wind up the surprise packages in the end). It was certainly our endeavour rather than outright skill that saw us to a play-off spot last year, and subsequently our demise against a much more skilled West Brom outfit, hence why Mick went into the market for proven quality in Freddy Eastwood, Stephen Elliot, Kevin Foley, Michael Gray and...well Darren Ward is still up for assessment, his performances ranging from fantastic to catastrophic. Perhaps we strengthened in the wrong areas? Left wing was certainly (and has always tended to be) a weak spot for us, and with Daniel Jones seemingly unprepared for a permanent role on the left, and Matt Jarvis injured, Stephen Ward being the only option doesn't exactly instil confidence into the left hand side with Collins having, and at present, filling the left back slot. 

So far, so good for me, with Jarvis and Gray returning our left hand side will look alot stronger, and perhaps our play won't look so lop sided. We're only 4 points away from the Premiership dream and 5th in a difficult league- let it roll I say.

Its all open to the individual's eye, anyway, who am I to tell you what to think? I'm just another point of view floating in the sea of perspective. 

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