Hard Luck: Sunderland 5 Wolves 2
Posted by Thomas on 27th September , 2009Well, I don’t really know where to start.
First off, let’s point out the blindingly obvious, Wolves shouldn’t have lost this match by three goals. To say the final scoreline was harsh is a whopping great understatement, after a performance full of energy and endeavour.
Kevin Doyle - Best game in a Wolves shirt?
We were certainly on the wrong end of some bad decisions in the first half. The early penalty that gave Sunderland the lead was contentious, but I can see why the ref gave it. How he failed to spot Dawson’s shove on Doyle is beyond me though, for what should have been the easiest spot-kick award he’s ever given.
The second half also opened with a penalty for the home side, this time far more obvious as Berra clumsily hung out a leg, after Bent had given him the slip.
Two nil and it looked like game over. Well, at least to me.
How wrong could I have been? Excellent play by Berra forced the own goal and if we got a little bit lucky to make it two all, then we certainly deserved it having enjoyed far more of the play. Here’s a question: Should Gordon have been sent off for clawing the ball out from the passback? He deliberately prevented a goal by cheating and surely should have walked. Or am I missing something?
Anyway, from there on out a combination of good finishing, slack marking and bad luck distorted the score badly. The horrendous deflection off Mancienne for their fifth, put an appropriate exclamation point on a match that Wolves just always seemed destined to lose, however well they were playing.
But we must at least pick the many positives out of the performance and take them into next week.
Keogh and Doyle were both exceptional, particularly Doyle. Their interchange and movement was very impressive. OK, you could still argue there’s a lack of cutting edge, but in terms of overall performance, they were both outstanding. Doyle ran Dawson ragged at times and for me, was the quality player on the pitch.
I thought Henry was back to his best as well, winning the midfield battle and using the ball far better than he has in recent matches. Halford was another player I’d pick out who competed well and was desperately unlucky to see his header cleared off the line. If only we put defenders on the posts hey?
Can you say a goalkeeper had a great game if he shipped five goals? If so, I’d be happy to give Hennessy a pat on the back. I’m looking at all of the goals and thinking he wasn’t given much chance. But his handling and kicking was again very tidy and he looked pretty assured throughout.
So let’s be positive. Lets take our medicine, however bitter it is to swallow, and move on to a big, big game next week against Pompey.
The more ‘glass half empty’ amongst us might be smelling a massive banana skin against a Portsmouth side yet to register a single point, but I have confidence that if Wolves meet the standards they’ve set today, they’ll get the result we all want.
Keep the faith.
Up The Wolves.
Lee S. Mason (born 29 October 1971) is an English football referee originating from Bolton, Lancashire. He is chairman of the Bolton Referees Society, and still lives locally. His younger brother Andy is a former professional footballer who played for Bolton Wanderers.
Need I say more!
I wonder if he is having an illicit affair with John McGinlay
If ever a referee cost anyone a game, it was today.That ref should be banned from ever being in the PL again.Utter disgrace. We were the better tea by far and still shipped 5 goals thanks to that clown.Pick ourselves up, dust it down, and 3 points aginst Pompey…it’s a must win game
For the record, you are missing something. I am (was given current knee injury) a goalkeeper and you can’t get a card for handling a backpass. It’s an exception to that rule. That one he got right… That one (there are notable other exceptions). Hennessey played spectacularly, although for Jones’ second goal he might have been able to launch a little more off his plant foot.
Keogh had a game where he would have proved his critics and his fans right at the same time. He did an amazing amount of work and created good space, however at times he slowed down good play with one or two too many touches.
@t’OM – Good points and useful to hear the views of a goalkeeper. You should do a rundown of Hennessy’s performance after every match.
The only reason I ask about the backpass is because I thought there must be a difference between mistakenly picking the ball up, not realising it was a backpass and deliberately preventing a certain goal, knowing it was a backpass but still making the decision to dive full stretch to keep it out.
I didn’t expect to see a red card, but it was only after the game I thought about it and wondered whether it could of been.
Wow, what can we say about that one then? Wolves play, probably, the best we have played in the PL so far and lose 5-2….Disgraceful reffing aside I think the lads need to realise how well they are playing… my only concern is the very short passes that play each other into trouble if they can sort that out and believe in themselves a bit more we will get some points on the board
We played well and I’m still scratching my head! But eight goals in 2 away games tells a story. As Emerald Pete has alluded to countless times on here, Mancienne has problems against big strong strikers. I thought he struggled big time yesterday, but there again, most defenders do against those two.
I just get more and more mystified by the absence of Zubar. With each passing goal, the question gets louder…Where is he?!
I wouldn’t mind seeing him alongside Berra, with Mancienne left back with Big George dropping out. But maybe he just isn’t up to it?
I don’t think the result yesterday was so much about what we did wrong defensively, i think it was more to do with how good their 2 strikers are. I seriously doubt you’ll see many better centre forward partnerships outside the top 5/6 teams than those 2. Sunderland were and are an average team on a par with all the other teams we’ve come up against so far apart from the fact they have Bent and Jones
Edward. Agree totally with your Sunderland striker line. My only worry, after further headscratching, is that we have only kept 1 clean sheet all season, and if memory serves, were in the bottom 6 / 7 teams for goals conceded last season, despite winning the league!!! (somebody feel free to correct me!)
Clean sheets are worth their weight in gold. I have got obsessed in what’s going on at the other end, but we seriously have issues at the back. Foley has to come back in right back, for a start. I’d play Mancienne left back personally, as I think George is struggling a bit.
I was disappointed yes but id rather go down like that pushing for a win than play the dire football brum see week in week out. In the grand scheme of things we are doing no worse than any of the promoted teams and considerably better than pompey and hull atm. Yes there is always something we can do better but its not panic station by any means.
A beating like that is inevitable over a season but you never know we could nick a win at home to one of the big 4 so its all swings and roundabouts.
Pompey is a massive game though, a must win tbh. Pompey need to break the duck some time i just hope it isn’t agaisnt us. Going to be really tough. Im going that week, my first trip to the gold palace this season. I heard the litten tree is good for pre-match drinks. Anyone else got a better suggestion!?
Agree Sam, imagine being a blouse fan and watching the disgrace that they try to call football every week and still be losing!! We are definatly going about it in the right way and i seriously think on another day, against a team without Bent and Jones we would have got at least a point out of the game.
Ben, agree with you about Foley mate but Halford hasn’t done anything wrong for me. For a squad to remain competitive you have to keep with the players who are earning their shirt. Could Foley play left back? I don’t know. I’m not one for playing players out of position but surely he would be a safer pick at left back than the other options we have. And i’d much prefer a back four with him in it than without
@Edward – Agree with you completely about Foley. For me, the only place he can get in at the moment is left back, or right back if Halford would work better on the other side. Halford’s been one of my favourite players this season and no way deserves to be dropped.
@Sam 2.0 – I never venture into the town centre for pre-match drinks, although I know a fair few people that go to the Litten Tree. I personally go to the Clarendon in Chapel Ash, which is a decent enough place, when you can manage to get served that is.
@Ben – You’re right, where the hell is Zubar? This bloke must really be doing something wrong. I’d taken it as a foregone conclusion that he’d play against Man Utd but he didn’t even make an appearance. If he’s not up to scratch, we’ll need to invest in another centre-half in January.
Wow, if ever there was a 6 pointer it is this weekend. And it is on the tele. I also think Mancienne is not quite the real deal, he struggled immensely at times. I think that he should ony play certain games, probably games against “ball playing” teams, as he is immense when the ball is played on the deck, but against a big striker or a long ball he seriously struggles. Bring in Zubar (who will be ready soon I figure, I’ve been saying from day 1 he’d take time to adjust, Marseille are my 3rd love behind Wolves and Perth Glory) or Craddock or Stears when fit for those games.
Castillo and Henry are our best centre pairing, I think Milijas if we want to play a 4-5-1 or if we are chasing games.
Was anyone else surprised by how anonymous Kightly was in the 2nd half? All our play seemed to come through Jarvis.
i wish jarvis would get his % of balls into the box / past the first man above 90% rather than the 60 odd % it must be now. so many chances missed because of that. elokobi was the same yesterday although he is often pretty good
Firstly, let me add my bewilderment to that already expressed on this board. How we lost, let alone 5-2, is beyond me! Doyle and Keogh linked really well upfront again. SEB must be getting worried!
Interesting point about defence last season that Ben if its true. I’m trying to work out why we concede so many and honestly can’t figure it out. Maybe somebody can help. I really rate Mancienne, I think he’s been our best, most consistent performer so far this season, although I realise others may not agree. At full-back, none of Elokobi, Halford or Foley have looked out of their depth at this level. And whilst I think Berra might be a bit suspect, his performance against Fulham was immense.
Individually I reckon we have a pretty decent collection of defenders, so does that mean the system is to blame? I don’t know, but hope we get is sorted, and soon!
So maybe I should come clean. The reason we lost was completely my fault. Over the past few years, well actually several years, if I’ve listened to Wolves play on the radio they always seemed to lose. I became paranoid about this and so for several years I’ve refused to listen to them on the radio. These days it’s easy because I live in Canada they are never ever on the radio over here, and why would they be. So Sunday morning Sunderland v Wolves on the tele live. I watch the first half and some of the second half before I have to leave to play in a sunday pub league game. When I left Doyle had just scored to bring us level and we looked like we were going on to win the game, even Robbie Earle was saying that Wolves were the more likely to win. So I leave the house, jump into my car and on comes the radio and guess what…Sunderland vs Wolves were being broadcast all the way over here.. I couldn’t believe it. So I began to listen, and I was in a reasonably confident mood…. and then the curse struck Kenwynne Jones scored and I just knew it was because I had the radio on.
So to all you Wolves fans, I apologise and it will never happen again!
We move on and this game against Pompey will be remembered at the end of the season, if we win it then the steady start continues but if we lose I feel we will lose momentum and be dragged right into it.
I believe Wolves will win and by a couple of goals. It will not be easy if they get an early goal’ I’m sure Pompey heads will drop if we get it first.
The Pompey support will be vocal and we the fans will have to counter that, their web sites are already building the game up and getting the support on the road. Against Villa they gave a 20 minute “Great escape” and will do the same at the Mol.
Wolves played well on Sunday they can beat Pompey but everyone in Gold will have to play their part.
@Jed – Hang your head in shame mate. Haha, only joking of course. It’s not you mate trust me. I’ve got the same conspiracy theory about the radio though and avoid it like the plague.
@Dingal Dave – Spot on with your thinking mate. We all need to get behind the lads and roar them home. I was glad to hear Pompey will be in the corner of the Jack Harris rather than the Steve Bull lower. Don’t know why, but I always think it gives Wolves an advantage. Probably talking out my arse!
@Andrewwfc – You make a good point about the system Andrew. I think the back four are all good enough individually but we need to play the two holding midfield players. I was perplexed that McCarthy took Castillo off at half time and not Edwards. Don’t get me wrong, Edwards has been a star but if you’re going to play with two wingers and two forwards, I don’t think you can afford the luxury of yet another attacking player. Saying that, Mick was going for the win and you’ve got to respect that.
I thought Sunday’s match was the most entertaining I’ve seen in a long while. But we seem to have moved away from that topic now so I’ll just leave it as all that I wanted to say has already been said.
Thomas, regarding the away fans seating. It does give us an advantage when they sit in the South Bank as when they sit Steve Bull lower they can influence the linesman.
Also Jed. I feel the same, everytime I listen on the radio.
Norwich away, Reading away, Coventry away last season, Blackburn away last week. All listened to on the radio – all loses.
I’ll stick to talkSPORT next time.
Castillo was taken off due to his hamstring…
I don’t even want to consider losing on Saturday, it’s just not an option.But I reckon we are playing well enough to get up the table, and I, for one, would not be surprised to see us nick some points from the games we are expected to get hammered in. I think we should shelve the idea of young Vokes being sent out on loan, I would play him up front with Doyle. I am also disappointed in Jarvis, and I still think (puts tin hat on) he should play at left back instead of the cumbersome Elokobi
I think that Doyle and Keogh, eventually becoming Doyle and SEB is the best way forward.
Elokobi + balls at feet = nightmare.
I think there is a case for saying that Gordon should have been sent off for what was ‘deliberate handball’ really. However we scored anyway and i don’t think he made another save.
Foley and Kightly are a must for saturday. Love him as i do, it seems only injury or suspension will get you into mick’s team and expect to see them both sitting on the bench.
Doyle looks a great threat, him and SEB would be deadly. And am i the only one to be pretty impressed by jarvis? Frustrating though he can be at times, it’s great to see him bombing down the wing (perhaps only at molineux) and opening up defences.
Him and Kights could be the key for saturday.