Well done Wolves.
A good performance, a fantastic result and a wonderful way to end a long week.
Today’s match was never about gaining vindication for Mick McCarthy, despite what many have suggested. It was simply about getting another win to help us climb the table and in doing so, take another big step in the right direction.
Wolves players end the week on a big high
For what it’s worth, I really don’t think Wolves won this match because our team were given the night off on Tuesday. I think we won it because we matched Burnley all over the pitch and had more cutting edge in the final third.
And much of that superior cutting edge owed a lot to our brilliant front two.
I can’t find enough words to heap adequate praise on Kevin Doyle. He’s quite simply first class. I mean, what more could you possibly want from a striker? He holds the ball up, runs the channels and always uses the ball cleverly. And on days like today, when he caps his performance with a fine goal, he looks every bit a £6.5 million player, if not better.
Of course, SEB is finding goals significantly harder to come by. He came close today a few times, most notably with a point-blank header that Jensen did well to palm away. But when a striker’s not wracking up the goals, the very least you demand is a performance and in that respect, our number 9 didn’t disapoint. He held the ball up superbly, bullying and battering the Burnley defenders all afternoon. He was involved with most of our best attacks and the signs of a blossoming partnership with Doyle are certainly there for all to see.
Another big plus was the continued rise to prominence of Nenad Milijas. His set-piece delivery wasn’t quite as pinpoint as it has been, but his influence on this Wolves side remains immense. I really like how he’s going about his business, positioning himself well and picking his moments to crunch into tackles or find a clever pass. I can’t even remember him getting inside the penalty area once in his whole Wolves career to date, yet there he was, perfectly placed to stroke home when Jensen could only parry Matt Jarvis’s low shot.
Good to see Kev Foley back in the side as well. He was quietly effective throughout and seemed at relative ease, sitting just infront of Stearman and linking up play. Long term, I still expect him to regain his place in defence, but he’s got a job on his hands to unseat Stearman anytime soon, especially after another cleansheet.
I’d also like to single out Hahnemann for some praise. I wasn’t particularly happy to see him force Hennessy out of the side, but I’m eating humble pie now, because the experienced American has been a revelation. I don’t think he’s a world class goalkeeper, but he seems to do the simple things very well and get the back four organised. I think we needed that.
But everyone did well today I thought. Craddock and Berra won nearly everything in the air and were generally solid throughout, Ward continues to look at home as a Premiership left-back, Henry battled to the death (does he have 5 bookings yet?!), Jarvis drove us forward with his pace and trickery and even Mancienne impressed in his make-shift holding midfield role.
So all in all, a good day’s work.
It wasn’t always convincing and it wasn’t always pretty, but Wolves got the job done.
And after five days of stupidly negative press and an awful lot of criticism (some justified and some completely ridiculous) I think that will do for Mick McCarthy.
It will certainly do for me.
I thought the first half was poor to watch. Very direct football with long balls going here there and everywhere.
But the second half was top class proving both teams are capable of playing good football.
I like Burnley and if I’d had it my way, it would have been us, Reading and them who went up last season.
My MOTM has to be Blake. He never stopped working today and the desire was there. He wants this Premiership goal so badly and you could see the frustration. Him and Doyle are starting to link up well.
Only player I can criticise is Henry. Although starting the season well his sideways passes are becoming more and more apparent. I thought Mancienne looked a different player when he played in front of the back line. Perhaps a start there? And where was Dave Jones on the bench? He was one of the few to impress on Tuesday.
Superb display. Doyle was brilliant, is that a boy playing with confidence or what, great goal. If only he could give some of it to SEB. I said a couple of weeks ago that SEB offers nothing if not scoring. Well not today, he played really well, just needs a goal.
I thought Jarvo did really well second half too. So it seems the decision was right by Mick. Would we have beaten Man u? Would we have lost both at full strenght? We’ll never know, but i’ll tell you what 3 wins from 4 games aint half bad and we’re the team in form and full of confidence going to Anfield
Great win, I think we all felt the pressure given the week’s events…. Agree with Hallam, at last Doyler & SEB starting to look like the business…. SEB needs a break in front of goal… a great header today,deserved a goal…… I fancy SEB for a brace at Anfield, You heard it here first !!! I hope we go for it at Liverpool, we’ve nothing to lose. 6 points out of the last 9 has been a great Christmas present, & 12th in the table…. Who’d have thought that as we headed in the Spurs game… A big thanks to Robbie Keane for taking his teamates on the piss in Dublin….
A happy Christmas to all Wolves……
Brilliant result, even if the game didn’t hit the heights. How good was Doyle? Amazing. S Ward has added so much to this team. Even big George got a run. Great day, great 3 pts.
Just saw the whole interview. How good is he at 3:00.
Just saw the whole interview. How good is he at 3:00? This is why he is awesome.
Well I’m going to have a good Christmas!
Never mind points total the position in the league going into the Christmas period is far better than I hoped for at the start of the season.
The team certainly works for MM and that speaks volumes.
Its a pity some Wolves fans still get hot headed and negative, I think they are more inexperienced than the team!
Merry Christmas on to Anfield and just perhaps a festive point!!
Nice to not be in the relegation zone at christmas. 8 better than last time! I hope he plays a full team at anfield, because I feel confident about that game!
I was at the game for a change yesterday and the boys were magic. From 1 – 11, there was not a player you could critisise.
I don’t think it’s a coninsidence that the defence looks like a solid, compact unit now Hamennen & Ward are permenent fixtures.
Doyle and SEB were simply outstanding yesterday. I was so impressed by SEB, his battling and his hold up play reminded me of Mark Hughes in his Man U days, and 11 stone Doyle simpley bullied and rung wragged a centre half twice his size.
I also had Milijas to score first and wolves to win 2-0. I put a £5 down @ 50-1
MERRY BLODDY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, and this one is for you Louie.
Mancienne was brilliant when he came on!!! 12th in the table, whats all the fuss about
i watched the game and thought it was a good display. yes burnley had chances but we had more and took the goals very well. we defended as a unit and hurried burnley thoughout 90minutes. i was watching it on a foxsports stream and the american commentators seemed very impressed with the work rate for relegation candidates. i think its what we should do every game!
SEB played his best game of the season, for the first time i could really see the bond between him and Doyle working. Both worked hard, ran the channels and held up the ball. – got into space and made chances. excellent.
Last time i remember milijas in the box he did that nifty little back-heel that lead to the pen SEB scored from! But as stated, his set pieces weren’t brilliant but he helps us break out of midfield well and since he started tackling back he is the missing piece in our midfield. also i thought henry played really well. got forward a bit more, played some good passes into the channels for the forwards and generally worked hard.
nice to keep a clean sheet, our defence is much improved. craddock is in the form of his life; atm berra looks the weakest as he can be a bit rash whereas the others are calmer but thats be overly negative really. macienne has done really well in his last few subbed apperances. came out and crunched a few burnley players who were taking time on the ball and managed to stop burnley from spending too much time on the ball and mounting any real good attacks.
9 points from 4 games? great stats and we really needed it. i hope Mick plays the same team against liverpool and i think he will. Liverpool are terrible atm and with a nice weeks rest in between can we cause another upset? if not a win a draw would be the perfect boxing day!
http://www.stefan-maierhofer.com/
I really don’t know what to make of this… had a look with Google Translate and apparently he recommends the Wolves 2006/7 Season Review DVD for EUR 8,99 as a christmas gift.
i saw his website when we first signed him. he really is a bit of a character. the fact you can cycle through different pictures of him in different outfits is hilarious, does anyone actually use the site?
t’OM – That website is incredible, I’m getting a fan club membercard right now!
As for the game, absolutely incredible. I agree with Hallam, Blake MOM for me. Although Doyle was the more effective, SEB’s work rate and energy was higher than I’ve seen all season, so on that basis I’d give him the award.
Also, did anyone notice that Burnley had to make two changes due to injury? Vindication (not that it was needed) for Mick “eats interviewers for breakfast” McCarthy
After watching that interview my gf thought he sounded like a arrogant prick, i thought he sounded like a man bored of the subject which in his eyes is just stupid. sometimes he’s so honest he is really blunt.
cant think of anyone better tbh to be our manager!
Nice one Pete and fantastic bet!
Didn’t think the ref gave us anything in the second half, everything except a pen to Burnley!
He certainly was not consistent, some of the fouls he gave against our CH’s when the ball was in the air were not as bad as the treatment Doyle was getting.
Scoring the second so early was in the 2nd half was fantastic for the team, but torture for me, I owe Jenson, the Burnly keeper a pint for some of the saves he made and Foley for the gaol line clearance.
Strange fealing not wanting your team to get a third, even though we deserved. The sencond hafl was very stretched and never thought that the scoring would end at 2-0 tbh.
Great game, great result.
Pete i was the same when i had a few quid on wolves last season against watford. had a bet on 3-2 to wolves away and won about £260 off £5 as well.
another time when i bet on england. gerrard was through on goal but hit the post. saved me about £170 that. its weird as you dont want the team to score but you cant actually be mad if they do!
Spot on with all that Thomas. Wasn’t it enjoyable?! I can’t praise the lads enough yesterday. Not sure with Hallam’s criticism of Henry though. Thought he was immense once more. Nobody covers more of the pitch. So pleased to see SEB play so well. Reminded me of all those good games last season. He just needs a goal now. Well done all!
It is always a pleasure to eat some humble pie, and I’m eating it with taters and gravy! SEB was excellent yesterday and unlucky not to score. I honestly believed he just wasn’t up to this league, but I agree with others that we are seeing a great partnership begin between SEB and Doyle. If he continues to play like that then his goals will come!
Very satisfying result yesterday and nice that all the pundits and detractors of MM have been well and truly shut up. McCarthy’s comment about Tiger Woods was genius buts his best one was “It’s only the top clubs who rotate, Mick McCarthy changes 10!”
What do you lot reckon to reports that Morgan was unhappy with Mick? I say sod off back to Liverpool if it’s true!
I think there is nothing in it at all. Think its just people trying to get a story out of nothing. Morgan hasn’t actually come out and said anything and because he hasn’t and just left Mick to make his own decisions somehow someone has come up with him being unhappy with Mick.
its just the e&s being idiots trying to make a story out of nothing. Morgan said he was going to leave the running to mick and jez and just be the owner, nothing else.
No matter what our club does we always do it with dignity, no back stabbing or name calling. For example with mick and the utd argument, he took the ‘blame’ and didnt try and hash an excuse. it was his idea and he did it for the club. boom – done!
i reckon the memebrs of this blog could write better more informative articles for the e&s. they could pay us two peoples wages, split it between a group of us and we could churn out articles quicker than they could of better quality!
Every interview with MM is an absolute treat. Doyle’s chest/shoulder with his back to goal for his goal was exceptional – what a player.
Sam 2.0 – that is a little bit harsh on the blog – I KNOW the members of this blog WOULD write better articles than the E&S.
ha t’OM poor use of the english language on my part I’m afraid. I have no doubt that we could write better articles. It is annoying when you see people who have a job, that most of us would love; and to see them treat it like homework they have to get in on time. Surely good journalism hasn’t died yet!?
To be fair when you read the comments under the articles, they pander to the vocal majority who tend to be fickle and angry. This blog is the best place for debate. A few varying views but in the end well put and i never doubt anyones loyalty.
I agree, the quality of debate here is excellent, and enjoyable. Even if Daz is a Brisbane Roar fan.
hahaha T’om, please donlt hold that against me
Merry Christmas to all of you guys worldwide, and especially to my buddies in Perth, Brisbane and Tipton
A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL ON THE WOLVES BLOG.
Hands up who just cant wait to get Christmas out the way ready to watch Wolves on ESPN boxing day!?!
Then live on sky again Monday evening – that’s my Christmas present to myself!
My mate has a season ticket at Anfield so I would love to beat them. I was undercover in the main stand the last time we were in the prem when Hypia scored in injury time – gutted.
Come on Wolves – two clubs in ‘crisis’ – not expecting anything but there will never a better time to get get some points against these giants.
I wonder if we might even be treated to an interview from Morgan? Who? If he does lets hope the interviewer asks him to put is hand in his pocket and give us all a gift of Beattie and Pennant in the transfer window!
Merry Christmas
Know what you mean stourbridge wolf. Just been down the bookies to put a couple of quid on 1-0 Wolves, Kevin Doyle at 100-1. Now that would round off my christmas nicely
Merry Christmas Everybody!
Merry Christmas Wolvesbloggers. Hope you’ve all got an SEB hat-trick on your wishlist to Senor Claus.
Anone know who the brothel creeping Premier Manager is?
I’ve heard it was in Hampshire – where Rednap lives