In a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon at the Golden Palace, our pre-season campaign ended as it began all those weeks ago – with an encouraging victory under our belts.
A great crowd and new-look dug-outs!
But if there is one difference between the Bohemians and Bilbao wins, then it’s the increasing number of options Mick has to consider before the season starts for good.
The spine of the side will surely be almost identical to that of last season with Berra and Craddock centre backs, Jones and Henry in the middle and Doyle up front (if fit and this calf concern amounts to little).
The Frenchman in particular, looked impressive against the Spaniards and allayed any fears I had from his performance at Leeds. He was a massive plus and was a man-of-the-match contender.
But with Mouyokolo coming on for a late cameo, he showed enough to suggest he’ll be pushing for a place sooner rather than later.
Most of the head-scratching however, comes in the full back positions where Foley and Van Damme were right and left backs respectively.
With Zubar out, Foley had the chance to impress in the position many think he should be playing for the long term future. He looked understandably rusty and far from his unflappable self.
He still looked more assured than Van Damme, who cuts an impressive figure with tall, lean and mean demeanour.
The trouble is he got skinned about 4 times, and Max Gradel wasn’t anywhere in sight.
Then the wide positions in midfield will give Mick some more food for thought, as he played Jarvis on the right and Stephen Ward on the left.
The switch looked good for Jarvis as he continued to be our most exciting outlet and helped set-up the first with some selfless fleet footed work that no other Wolves player could have managed.
He was certainly an option that none of us had considered on the blog when predicting who would fill the void left by Hunt and Kightly being injured.
Ward didn’t do enough to suggest he’d be a success out wide though. He didn’t do enough out there three years ago at a pre-season game against Cheltenham (at Aggborough) when his limitations were exposed back then.
But in Mick we trust, and if Ward does get the nod – and you just know he will – then I’ll look forward to getting behind him.
At half time Van Damme moved to the left of midfield and Elokobi came on at left back. The Belgian looked a better bet than Ward with some neat touches, vision and a handy aerial threat.
Up front, more positives with Fletcher looking sublime and mega-impressive. With Sylvan looking really sharp and dare I say leaner, he would not let us down in the opener if the unthinkable happened and Doyle missed the game.
The Scot seemed to drop off SEB behind enemy lines and proved a menace to Bilbao whenever he got the ball. His movement off it was sublime too and his goal was a delight.
It’s not often that you see a Wolves striker bearing in on goal and just knowing he was going to score. When he did the South Bank saluted a new hero. SEB took his goal well in the second half too, and should have had a hat-trick, missing two easy headers.
When Fletcher and Jarvis got substituted, another positive emerged with the late show from Halford. He looks more assured and confident than I remember, and for what it’s worth, I’d start him on the right and put Jarvis on the left.
Or Guedioura on the right, who looked like the player who finished last season so strongly, when he came on.
In any case, there’s lots of little conundrums to consider and it will be interesting to see the teamsheet come Saturday.
Got to agree Ben great afternoon with 45 Bilbao fans singing their hearts out & even getting mexican waves round the ground. Many many positives particularly Fletcher, Seb, Craddock (he has to be bionic doesn’t he?) and Berra who I thought was immense. As for Van Damme though hmmm 2nd week running some great runs but then not a clue what to do as the ball got to him, think we may have bought a pup there, hopefully I will be proved wrong (again). From my seat in the north bank I think we did get another goal as a header did seem to be cleared from inside the goal, I did film it & the video is on my Twitter page (PaulFoz48) all in all though…roll on the Stoke game.
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head with one word Ben – ‘options’.
We’ve come a long way since this time last year. We’re now making statements like ‘I suppose we’ll have to make-do with Foley at right-back’ and ‘If one of our £7 million strikers isn’t fit, SEB will have to do his best’. Anyone who thinks we haven’t moved forward particularly far, should perhaps consider that.
The wide areas are still my greatest concern. Ward certainly isn’t the answer on the left side of midfield. He did a decent job there against Blackburn at the end of last season, but I wouldn’t want to see him there regularly. Looks ominous if he started there in this one though.
Hope van Damme is better than people are making out.
Hope Fletcher is as good as people are making out.
Hope SEB looks as fit as people are making out.
Excellent comment Thomas, I suppose that sums up how I’m feeling about pre-season.
That and – I hope Milijas has adjusted to the English game and can make an impact at the apex of a 5 man midfield (when we play with one).
Yeah, I hope Mick sees sense and goes with (as you suggest) Halford on the wing – though the sooner Kighlty and Hunt are fit the better – cant wait to see them in Gold !
Also, well done Looms for an impressive debut and winning goal, wish you all the best Im sure you will be back in the Prem next season!
Come on you Wolves !
Was happy to see him on the scoresheet too.
Can’t spot the gnome in this picture Ben. Must be your cunning placement.
I reckon the Ward/Jarvis thing is maybe based on a theory that if we play a left-footed player out wide on the left, and a right-footed player out wide on the right, we might then get more and/or better quality crosses in than last season. Interesting …
No complaints though. Good result.
ha,ha,ha Martin O’Neill resigns as Aston Villa manager!
I hope they get Sven – and relegated!
I’m not sure if I’d rather see Ward on the left or Halford on the right but it seems that’s what’s to choose from. Would prefer to see Guedioura but can’t see it happening.
One thing above all is a must for me; start Fletcher. I hope all this talk of 4-5-1 is wrong. With Fletch and Doyle, if fit (please be fit!), i might actually be confident of us winning on Saturday, which is always foolish.
It will not be 4-5-1 on Saturday, maybe later in the season, but not to start.
Agree with Rich, Guedioura would be best bet but looks unlikely to happen. Jarvis was ok against Bilbao but I much prefer him on the left where he can go inside or out. If Ward on left-wing is the answer then what the **** was the question? Halford is going to have to do a bit more than have a good pre-season to win me round I’m afraid.
On a more upbeat note, Fletcher I like and SEB looked the thinnest I’ve seen him in a Wolves shirt – 3 good strikers who can all be fan favourites I reckon. Fletcher is a cuter player than I thought – it looks like the big hoofs should still be directed at Superman Doyle – but the Scot looks a guy capable of good interplay and can hopefully do the one thing Doyle didn’t really get chance to do last season and that’s get in the box a bit more.
As for Foley, in terms of possession the guy is by some distance the most composed defender the club has had in the 25 years I’ve been watching them – can only think of De Wolf and maybe Dean Richards in his pomp that would come close. He remains a virtual unknown quantity up against Premiership left-wingers and Etherington will be a test but I’d like to think he’ll rise to challenge.
Forgot Irwin to be fair (Any more?) – I just loved it when he dribbled the ball to safety in our own area against Bilbao with Elokobi, Berra & Craddock looking at him like was mental..
Something of a culture shock for those 3?
Anyone who was at the game, did you notice how far away the pitch has moved from the North Bank? I hope i won’t need binoculars