For your consideration
Posted by Thomas on 28th July , 2010
Batth gained good experience at Colchester
Despite losing 2-1 at Reading last night, one big positive to come out of the game was the performance of young Danny Batth, who seems to be receiving almost universal praise from the club and supporters alike.
This is the second game the center-back has featured prominently and although I wouldn’t expect Batth to make the starting lineup come August 14th, perhaps he could have a role to play during the season.
Whilst you’d imagine Jody Craddock, Christophe Berra and Steven Mouyokolo are all ahead of him in the pecking order, a couple of injuries could see the 19 year-old thrust into the limelight. If that were to happen, I think we’d all be pleased to see a genuine homegrown talent (he’s from Brierley Hill) grace the Premiership stage.
Batth isn’t the only player to emerge with credit from his pre-season outings though and with Mick McCarthy openly stating that anyone who ups their game could earn a starting place, a few others seems to have raised their game. So, for your consideration:
Richard Stearman – Back from the dead, the former Leicester man seems to be the preferred cover for Ronald Zubar at right-back, with Kevin Foley resuming his duties in midfield. Stearman’s ability to play anywhere across the back four should make him a certainty for inclusion in the matchday squad. So despite making a sloppy error at Reading last night and conceding a penalty, I expect the England U21 to clock up considerable game time this season.
Greg Halford – Fell out of favour big-time towards the end of last season and seemed destined for the exit door. He might yet move on to pastures new, but has featured in nearly all of Wolves pre-season matches, assisting both goals with his missile throw against Charleoi. He can slot into a defensive midfield role, so if the rumoured arrivals of Mancienne and N’Daw don’t materialise, perhaps Mick will keep Halford around as cover?
Carl Ikeme – Another player to have clocked up considerable game-time. Played the full 90 again last night and seems to be pushing Hahnemann and Hennessy hard to break into the matchday squad. He probably won’t be too chuffed with another season of being third choice, particularly with Matt Murray lurking in the background too, so this could be make or break time for Ikeme.
Ashley Hemmings – As I started with a homegrown talent, I’ll end with one. Ashley Hemmings played and scored against Walsall, as well as another 45 minute cameo last night. We’re certainly short an out-and-out wideman at the moment, so perhaps the youngster could make his mark?
So these are my dark horses for the season ahead. Who are yours?
Mujangi Bia is another potential surprise package this year, he didn’t get much of a chance to impress last time round and responded with some inconsistent performances. Given how injury prone a species of footballer the winger is, I’m sure he will get another crack of the whip this season. Having seen some of his goals on youtube and of course the delightful effort against the saddlers, he could come good yet.
From your picks above I think you could be on to something with Halford. I have been worrying all summer about our lack of cover for Henry, but it looks like MM might see Halford and Foley as being able to provide that cover, and Halford’s throw makes him a tempting option. He has also delivered some great balls in to the box with his actual feet during the pre-season campaign, so mick may also play him a la Foley last season, to retain the ball in the middle and keep it simple, providing cover for his fullback against the (currently) bigger teams – considering some of his performances last year though he will have to produce something pretty special on a regular basis to avoid the wrath of the Molineux moaners…
I’ve always rated Stearman too, not quite such a big unit as Berra, but seems quite a classy defender and I really hope he makes the grade this year as well.
Having never seen any of the kids play I don’t want to venture an opinion other than the obvious wish that they all go on to surpass the likes of Lescott and Keane, whilst staying loyal to the Wolves and leading us to total world domination for at least a couple of decades…
Bia’s a great shout. Should be given an opportunity to impress at some point, so just a case of whether or not he takes it.
On another note, I hope Mick gives his preferred eleven a proper run-out together before the Stoke match. I’m guessing that might happen against Bilbao.
Barring injuries, I’d expect that team to be:
Hahnemann
Zubar
Craddock
Berra
van Damme
Guedioura
Henry
Jones
Jarvis
Fletcher
Doyle
Would be nice to see Kightly make that game too.
That line up is too obvious for Mick to choose.
Really hope Kightly doesn’t play. He’s rushed back into matches too quick the last 325828946 times he’s been injured, causing more injuries.
So is Guedioura expected to be on the right? I wouldn’t be surprised to see Foley there again
Guedioura rather than Kightly for me! That boy can shoot!
What about Ward?
Where is he?
Can you honestly think that CL will leave him out, unless both legs are bust?
Surely not?
And Foley?
And Keogh?
What will the world come to if CL actually puts his thinking cap on?
I agree about the kids.
Give ‘em a chance.
Halford is a donkey, must not be in the squad.
FOWB
I’d love to see SEB bang in 4 or 5 more goals in pre-season, and start against Stoke as the central striker, with Fletch and Doyle either side, and Jones, Henry and Guedioura infront of the obvious back 4. We could definitely catch the pot heads napping and stick 3 or 4 past them. Up The Wolves!
Might be a silly quaestion but how do you pronounce Batth? The same as Bath? Never heard his name spoken only written down. Strange times when i’m unsure how to pronounce a fella from Brierley Hill’s name.
I always imagined it to be ‘Bat’ as in baseball bat, with the logic that the second ‘t’ cancels out the ‘h’. I could of course be wrong.
but not like cricket bat presumably.
Ikeme and Hennessey are both home grown. Fantastic to keep two of those spots filled by classy back up keepers.
Greg Halford as a defensive midfielder makes perfect sense. Shame he’s poor at best.
Speaking of the youth players has Mendez Laing played any preseason games yet? He looked bright the couple of times I saw him last season.
And does anyone feel anxious that Craddock has gone past it now, that last season was his last? Said this for the last few seasons but there’s no way he can repeat his form of last season…
Mendez Liang’s gone on loan to Peterborough for the season.
I still think Craddock’s got another season in him at least. He was cracking last year, and is first defender on the team sheet now.
There’s something i don’t like about Halford, maybe it’s his lack of effort or anything really other than a long throw.
I thought the same too Hallam – Craddock can not go on for ever.
I wonder whether the new bloke from Hull will be in come the end of the season. I think Zubar would be a good shout moving into the middle and foley in at right back if he turns out to be a donkey.
Agree too that Halford has to go – I saw most of his pathetic performances last season (especially against Blues). A couple of long throws in a friendly won’t change my view!
The fact he’s a “winger” and that he looks (and very probably is) responsible for the Molineux always running out of balti pies is my motive for disliking him
A winger with no pace and no tricks? Surely we only got him for his long throw after seeing Stokes success? Little did we know that his all round play would be so terrible!
I’m with you on four out of five, Thomas. The exception is Halford. Something has gone seriously awry if he has become a ‘dark horse’ for the season ahead. I’m hoping that Mick is playing him so much just to put him in the shop window for any Championship clubs who might be interested in narrowing their pitch and hoping the long throws pay off.
You’re certainly not alone in your opinion of Halford Kowloon.
I’m not his biggest fan either but do feel he’s been too harshly judged by many.
I personally thought he did well in the opening games of last season, particularly at home to West Ham and away at Wigan. That showed me he had something to offer. He was strong, exceptional in the air and generally neat and tidy.
Is he a flying winger? Certainly not.
Is the right side of midfield even his best position? I’m not sure.
Is he as bad as people make out? Not by a long shot.
People seem to have made him a scapegoat for that horrendous home defeat to Blues, but that whole game was a disaster and four or five others simply didn’t bother turning up
As I eluded to in the article, I think he could shine in a holding midfield role, providing cover for Henry. Equally, I think he could do ok on the right of a 5 man midfield, tucked inside as Foley did last time out.
I wouldn’t say he was the scapegoat against Blues – the whole team was cr@p! However Halford and Mancienne were the worst two players on the pitch that day.
I’d almost forgotten how depressed I got after that Blues game! Thought we were definite relegation fodder at that point!
Me too Stourbridge, it was one of those ‘must win’ games that we actually didn’t need to in the end. We then went on to have a cracking December
We are really bad at not giving our youngsters a chance, when I first started going to see Wolves in 1965, we had reserves, combination side, and another in some other birmingham league south or summat… then if you were good enough, you were old enough. Now, we populate the team with millions of pounds signings, some pay off…Doyle…others don;t… Hoff . Now if I am the Manager and spent 3 or so million on Hunt, I’m going to look pretty silly in playing Hemmings instead….so… the kid won’t get a chance. I often wonder why we have an academy.They either end up injured or sold to some lower league side.
I think that’s the game now unfortunately.
All other clubs follow a similar formula so only the very best kids ever get a chance.
To be fair though most fans would rather pay £3m for Hunt and stay up then play kids and get spanked by teams like Man City who can pay £30m for a single player!
I have spent a bit of time revisiting my Fantasy League team ( saddo)… when you go through the player lists , and work out who has what players etc…you , well I have..realised that our squad is still pretty poor compared to others. I think we are in for a rocky road this season, and need to hope that our key players remain injury free.
We’re all doomed!
I like Stearman too Thomas, nice skillful player but for me he just can’t head a ball (gifted Reading the first goal with a weak header back to Ikeme just one example) Doesn’t seem to have any power or timing in the air which is no good at centre half. Probably a better full back but i’d like to see him tried in the holding position in front of the back four, a natural defender with good distribution.
As far as the youngsters are concerned, as i live not far away, i went to see them at Newport last Friday. They were well beaten on the night by an impressive looking Conference side but Batth looked a solid player and Zubar’s younger brother also looked fairly promising. The stand out Wolves player for me though, and the one most likely to make the step up, was Scott Malone.Not much chance at left back at the moment though.
The highlight of the evening, without a doubt though, was watching the performance of our giant overaged centre forward, the Hoff, which is difficult to find an adjective to describe. Pointless is probably the nearest i can get, nothing much to do with what was going on around him. Very much a personal thing. It was a bit like watching competitive dad but without the competitve bit. Quite sad really.
An aside: slice of history I’ve stumbled on through my Dad – Wath Wanderers.
Amazing:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blackcountry/content/articles/2005/04/25/wath_wanderers_feature.shtml