It is often said that the real quality of a manager is shown in his ability to change a game. Through substitutions, tactical changes and inspiring half time team talks.
This season’s half-time league table shows Wolves in an unlikely 3rd place. We have a goal difference of +4 in the first half, compared to -9 in the second half. A closer examination of the results shows that the team would be in a similar position had the league shown results up to 75 minutes. With the season only 8 games old, this is not a particularly large sample. However, the discrepancy is stark enough to hold a degree of significance and does perhaps reveal a few problems within the Wolves squad … Time for a degree of wild speculation …
With the ‘young and hungry’ ethos put in place on McCarthy’s arrival at the club, added to the supposed brilliant work of Tony Daley and the oft lauded state of the art medical and training equipment, it is hard to imagine that the fitness of the players is an issue. But anyone who witnessed Saturday’s draw with West Ham will tell you that the players visibly tired early in the second half. Obviously, the pace we played in the first half, constantly pressing and harrying the opposition, could not be sustained for the entire game. Early on, any pass slid in to Scott Parker and co was pressed quickly by Jones and Edwards high up the field. After the break, the West Ham midfield was given plenty of time to pick out passes to the forwards, while Kieron Dyer was afforded acres of space between the lines:
Ultimately, the alarming chasm between the energy shown in the first 45 minutes compared to the second half does raise a few question marks over the strength and fitness of the players.
It also asks questions of McCarthy’s management. West Ham came out in the second half clearly energised, whilst Wolves were lethargic at best. Whilst McCarthy’s tactical nous has always been in doubt, he is very much seen as someone who gets the best of out his players and demands, above all else, work rate. This has been evident throughout his time as manager – opposition teams very rarely ‘out work’ Wolves. But, there is a difference between working hard and working effectively. It could be argued that whilst Wolves undoubtedly work hard, a lot of this is when we haven’t got the ball. When we do have the ball, we seem reluctant to get numbers into the box. An old favourite, Andy Keogh, demonstrates this point perfectly. As all of his fans point out, he does work incredibly hard, chasing down defenders and closing down the goalkeeper. Yet, when we actually have the ball he often goes missing, almost scared to get involved and get into the box – which is why he scores so few goals. Whilst McCarthy gets his players to work hard, does he instil enough belief in them to actually demand the ball and do something with it? Something that becomes more apparent in the second half of games as they become more stretched.
The game against West Ham provides another case in point, regarding substitutions. At 1-1, Steven Fletcher was replaced by Jelle Van Damme. Although Van Damme went on to occupy a similar position to Fletcher, it was very much a substitution to preserve a point rather than go for all three. We could have switched to 4-4-2, as West Ham had done in bringing on Carlton Cole for Kieron Dyer. After all, our first half goal had come about by having 6 players in and around the Hammers’ box in open play:
How often did this happen in the second half?
Similarly, at Fulham, with the score 1-1, two midfielders (Guedioura and Jones) replaced two strikers (Ebanks-Blake and Doyle). Although Fletcher had come on at half time for Van Damme, the trend of reducing our attacking options when the game was level is clear. When 1-0 up at Spurs, Fletcher and Jarvis were replaced by Van Damme and Edwards. In isolation, a totally understandable and probably correct decision, but another game in which we threw away the game late on. I don’t think McCarthy’s substitutions are overly negative, but it does perhaps reveal a slight lack of belief in his players ability to go on and win a game. More importantly, they are not working. We are conceding so many late goals by inviting pressure and not being good enough to repel it.
Wolves second half fortunes contrast wildly with Stoke and West Brom. Stoke are yet to be leading going into half time, yet are still enjoying relative mid table security. Is it going too far to conclude that these teams are fitter and more shrewdly managed during a game? The drab analysis is that it is probably too early to read into the discrepancies in the table and as the league takes shape the relative positions will become more similar. However, it does illustrate some issues McCarthy needs to address if Wolves are to surivive this season. We have thrown away too many leads already for it to be coincidence.
Oli founded GhostGoal with fellow blogger Adam Bate. Follow them on Twitter @GhostGoal
Brilliant article Oli.
Two things in particular you mention are spot on. Firstly, the more general:
“We are conceding so many late goals by inviting pressure and not being good enough to repel it.”
This is true. Second half of last season, when we went ahead, we generally stayed ahead. The personnel is basically the same as last season so what’s changed? I think a combination of stupid errors we weren’t making and a smidgen of bad luck.
Some examples include:
Ward’s tackle at Spurs, Stearman smacking the ball off their player at Spurs, Foley’s needless tackle against West Ham, Henry’s lunge at Wigan.
There are more.
We can’t legislate for these individual errors and gaffes.
We’ve looked leggy towards the end of the last two home games, but it’s concentration as well as fitness. They need to stay switched on for the whole game.
On the tactical side of things, this was dead on in describing last week’s second half shortcomings:
“Early on, any pass slid in to Scott Parker and co was pressed quickly by Jones and Edwards high up the field. After the break, the West Ham midfield was given plenty of time to pick out passes to the forwards…”
My hunch is that Mick told us to drop deeper in order to get bodies behind the ball, which was a terrible error and as you point out, let West Ham off the hook as they vulnerable everytime we got forward in numbers.
I’ve got to believe if he’d said at the break ‘carry on doing what you’re doing’, we would have gone on to score at least one more goal.
But I don’t think he said that.
What a fantastic blog, thanks for sharing
I agree entirely with Daz. Fabulous work, and thank you for posting it. I’d willingly pay to get this kind of information and analysis. I can’t argue with the substance of it either. Well done!
Excellent article Oli – and I agree completely!
What a kick in balls that ‘first half’ table is. I think that’s proof to the pessimists that there is good stuff happening and that we do have the quality to build on. But it’s also proof to the optimists that there’s something inherently wrong in the way we’re operating this season.
ie. Dunno what to make of it overall
But a brilliant post.
Cheers guys, appreciate it. It’s a bit of a trite thing to say, but we clearly aren’t that bad a team, or we would not continually take the lead in games. I think the second screen grab speaks volumes. The intricacies of tactics are all well and good, but the simple fact remains, creating chances is all about getting players into the box. This is something we have, as a general rule, failed to do in the second half this season, which is why we have only scored 2 goals all season in the second half.
Like I said, 8 games is a relatively small sample, so hopefully (providing we continue to take the lead) this is just a statistical anomaly which will even itself out over the season.
Brillianty quote which summed up the blog to me: ‘There’s working hard and there’s working hard effectively.’
Couldn’t have put it better. I’ve no doubt that this team is as fit, if not fitter, than the all conquering one of championship fame.
That team, it was suggested, steamrollered so many teams (seven game winning run on two occasions) because the opposition couldn’t live with our intensity and fitness.
Difference then was we had two flying wingers who caused absolute mayhem and our simple formula put every opponent firmly on the backfoot.
The opposition were doing all the chasing off the ball, not us.
The memorable time this wasn’t the case was when Reading gave us a masterclass, winning 3-0 and Kightly AND Jarvis going off injured as they chased to get the ball back!!
This season is completely different. We are the ones doing the ugly stuff off the ball and a drugged up Olympian would be hard pushed to keep up those levels – particularly when we do this EVERY week.
It reminds me slightly of Sven and his ill feted reign as England boss. We would usually go a goal up like Wolves do now, sit back, chase like mad to get the ball off the opposition then hoof it down the channels, thus repeating the process.
Gerrard and co were dead on their feet – and they were playing in 35 degree heat in Japan! (i think!)
We now look pretty similar. I actually felt sorry for Dave Edwards as he must have covered more miles than anyone else, and probably did just what was asked of him. He was absolutely shattered and sweated blood for us.
Fabulous blog Oli.
Without blowing smoke up yours and your fellow bloggers….name me a better blog than this site.
Amazing stats and Ben I concur – the quote which summed up the blog to me: ‘There’s working hard and there’s working hard effectively.”
We work hard – probably lose concentration and tire…..
And that kind of sh!t would be MM’s worse nightmare because its a hard mother to turn round.
I think we’ll draw with Chelsea, Beat Man Utd, Draw with Man City and draw with Arsenal with the forecoming fixtures…… based on results after 45 mins!
Nice one Oli.
That’s a lovely comment mate – Oli will have to get his notepad out again. He beat my jottings on smtv and charlotte jackson! I have a hunch we’re going to get something from a couple of these frightful fixtures. The last thing we want on sat is a huge spanking though. We’ll surely lose sat, but after that, I am more confident, based on no fact whatsoever!
I concur, a really excellent blog Oli. Going to read it again now and think about it. Well done.
Excellent article. That first half table makes for frightening reading. I thought the Keogh example was an excellent one, and maybe that’s where we’re going wrong. I just don’t see why Mick sees the need changes things at the break. Why does he feel we need to be running scared from West Ham, at home, when we were all over them? Puzzling
On the back of Oli’s post, went and did the guardian chalkboards comparing first half and second half stats.
Totally reinforces all of the above, it’s terrifying how inactive on the ball we were in the second.
Top Notch.
I’ll quote – These are the days
“Without blowing smoke up yours and your fellow bloggers….name me a better blog than this site”.
Ive always been a big fan of this site but the lack of ego is the main thing that makes this place. If Clive wants to make a blog about making a pie made from Wards entrails it would still be put up.
Bravo.
PS- Nathan Lloyd- You’re a bellend, stop spamming people on Twitter.
Talking of Clive, where is the little rascal? Off on his yacht again? There’s a limit to just how much sensible reasoned argument i can take. Hurry back please.
He’s over here somewhere Martin, I met him on Monday for a beer. He was remarkably reasoned – he only referred to Ward as a twat the once!
You can tell he is all Americanised…He was stood outside McDonald’s on Dudley Street with T-Shirt on, despite it being about 2 degrees!
He has been catching up with one of his best mates for his 60th birthday bash, who also posts on here.
Expect some anecdotes from the pair of them, as they have been hobnobbing with an ex-Wolves legend too!
I think we all agree that this blog is a well maintained, well informed and top notch site, ( and thanks to all the bloggers for making it this way)
However, a cautionary note, I have just been told that this blog has been recommended on a thread on that home for twats Molineux Mix, which is basically a closed shop for a few egotistical morons to “ply their trade” . I don’t post on there, and never will, as it is full of irrational comments and arguments, (mainly over the top denouncements of newbies). I only comment on here as it seems a well balanced media to discuss things. I think you should all be very wary if those idiots start coming on here trolling and wumming.
Dazza, you leave them alone. If they’re recommending our site then can’t we welcome them to our warm and milky bosom?!
As long as they don’t refer to their FIFA coaching badges or scold me for not rating Keogh then I’d be happy.
I do go on Molineux Mix and just find it a bit too intimidating for me (soft as I am!)
Basically, I tend to agree with most things Bend it Like Dennison says who then gets a tyrade of abuse, so I steer clear!!
Fair point Ben!
You’re not Bend it Like Dennison are you Dazza?! I once thought it was my old man, as he loved Robbie Robbie Robbie Robbie back in the good old days.
We once saw him in McDonalds off the Penn Road a few years ago. I was typically too shy to even look at him, but my old man wasn’t. He strode up to him, gave him a clamp like handshake and said in his ear: “Thanks for the memories Robbie.”
I loved it!!
Never been on Molineux Mix but my gut feeling is that I’d agree with anything said by a guy with the moniker ”Bend it Like Dennison”.
Dazza, I post on Molineux Mix, yet enjoy this blog immensely. Never felt the need to comment on here before, but please don’t tar us all with the same brush on there! It’s no 606, that’s for sure
Most of us have well reasoned opinions….but there are a fair few condescending, ‘holier than thou’ posters who think their’s are more valid.
P.S Keep up the good work fellas, love reading your insights on the Wolves.
Nice one Nonya.
Please do comment more frequently!
It’s great to see new people chipping in and reading views we haven’t seen before.
I think a lot of excellent forums end up being tarnished by a minority or ruined by cliques that bully individuals who just want to express a view.
We’ll always do our best to ensure that never happens.
Our regulars are obviously the heartbeat of the blog but their views are no more relevant than those of a first time commenter.
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