It’s fitting that on a cold and wet Boxing Day evening Wolves had the appearance of contenders.
Fast out of their corner and first to the punch, they dominated the early exchanges without landing a meaningful blow.
Hause, van La Parra and Edwards were all denied by Gomes before the returning Nouha Dicko hooked wide when presented with a clear opening.
But the punchy forward’s presence was enough to help put Watford on the back foot throughout, holding the ball up one minute before running in behind the next.
His goal, following a wonderful burst of speed by the impressive van La Parra, was just reward for a Man of the Match performance.
Jack Price earned his first start of the season and his steady reassuring touch alongside McDonald helped prevent Watford gaining a meaningful foothold in midfield.
As Kenny Jackett has suggested in the past, the bearded one has a strong positional awareness, so even if his passing range is more limited than the likes of a Lee Evans, he offers much needed stability.
Speaking of stability, that’s now two cleansheets in the last three matches, which has given Wolves the platform to claw their way back towards the top six.
OK, there’s been some luck along the way, not least the last gasp curler that cannoned off the bar as Watford finally came to life in the final knockings, but Wolves have also shown a stronger appetite to defend.
And in Kortney Hause and Dominic Iorfa, some much needed pace and physicality has been added to the back four. Both were highly impressive last night.
The team performance was of greater encouragement though. High intensity from the start, controlled passing football and no shortage of pace and fluidity.
If they can continue to match those heavyweight standards with any degree of consistency, they should weigh in respectably over the second half of the campaign.
A very good performance and justified win. I think if we make some good signings in January we might just overachieve and be in the shake up for a play off place. However, it’s a big IF as Morgan and moxey have consistently failed to deliver when called upon to back the effort of the players or KJ, so I’m not holding my breath 🙂
After a fantastic display against Watford the dream of a place amongst the play-off qualifiers have returned. We bossed the game in the first half, but we were very lucky to get away with 3 points.
Our back four are very solid and we also have depth with Landell fighting for a place in the midst of our defence.
If there are positions we need to strengthen it’s central midfield. We lack a star midfielder with real creative abilities and a real physical presence. The players we have now are of pretty high quality of course, but I believe we lack a player with the little extra, a player with real finesse.
I really don’t know if Graham can fill Dicko’s shoes, he’s a different kind of player. He did ok when Dicko was out with injury and will probably improve if he get more playing time. Would love to see Fletcher back in gold and black.
Didn’t see the game, and didn’t even get my prediction in with all the activities of the festive period.
Would have gone for a Wolves win though, and very pleased it came in.
A great gift to us all. Got my Brentford tickets and looking forward to that game now.
Christmas was a turning point last year, and so here is wishing to some more of the same.
Come on Me Babbies!!!
We can all see what Kenny got for Christmas!
Monogrammed as well.
Great all round performance by his lads.
We were probably never as good as our first part of the season position put us, but equally we were never as bad as the last few games have seemed to suggest.
This was us – and a lot was down to the return of Dicko – back to somewhere near the standard we have come to expect over the last season or so.
Pace throughout the team.
If you’ve got pace you are going to trouble most teams in this division.
If you’ve got pace and a proven goalscorer you’ll trouble all of them.
What we desperately need now is a proven goalscorer, with pace, to step in for Nuoah when he leaves for the ACN.
Agree with the bit about pace – especially if you play to those strengths with balls in behind defenders rather than just lump it hopefully forward.
I also agree we need someone to step in for Dicko, (and Sako), if he goes to ACN but do you honestly think we will see it? I would love M&M to really show us they mean business in pushing for promotion by bringing in 2 or 3 players who will actually strengthen the first team squad in this window. Alas I doubt it will happen – just as it hasn’t in previous windows. If we are really serious about promotion then Joel Campbell may be available on loan from Arsenal. I remain to be convinced about Graham and he’s a totally different type to ND. I worry we may get yet another, “one for the future” at the last knockings.
There’s a little germ of a premonition in the back of my mind that won’t go away – it’s something about Doyle getting rediscovered and seeing him and / or Clarke playing up front. It would avoid us spending anything so would fit our transfer template. The irony is that an investment to help secure promotion would be repaid a hundredfold if we gained entry to the prem.
Most teams in this league are capable of beating most of the others. We are in a genuine promotion position, (although sometimes I wonder how we are still in it), and now it needs the moneymen to show they have genuine ambition.
Wow. I didn’t see that performance coming. First 20 minutes we were sensational, and not bad for the remaining 70 either. RvLP had a strange match. Out-muscled sometimes and lacking variety from his step-over, he nonetheless generated a series of corners in the 1st half and created the winner from a ‘nothing on’ position. Iorfa is rapidly becoming a cult hero. Big, fast, he rarely got in trouble and when he did he had the skill to get out of it. Kudos to the kid.
Watford didn’t look like a team coming off 3 straight wins and even at the end they were simply playing hit-and-hope football. Meanwhile I read some weeks ago that Premiership teams were preparing £10 million + bids for Troy Deeney which is surprising as yesterday he looked like the fat, Brummie sociopath that he is – notably his disgraceful challenge on Hause. On the other hand I’d happily see Guedioura back in a gold shirt.
What we need now is a Christmas Miracle, and my scenario is this:
Dicko gets some kind of phantom injury, and the medical staff at The Mol rule him out of being selected to go to the ACN.
Then, immediately after Mali’s squad is announced, the Miracle occurs, and his phantom, undefined injury miraculously fixes itself, almost instantly, and he plays for us, scores a shedful of goals, and we progress rapidly up the table!!
To all you realists out there with your loss predictions on the blog, I say Bah Humbug!!
This is the most fucked up league in recent memory, where weird, unexpected results happen almost every week, so there is absolutely no reason for us to be skeered of anyone.
Happy Clapper I aint, coz my loathing for greasel et al goes real deep, but I will NEVER predict a loss for me Babbeez, coz my love for our club goes even deeper.
I predict a nice, gentle surge up the table, culminating with promotion on May 2nd.
We had a fabby second half to last season, no reason for us not to repeat this year.
Revenge is a dish served cold, and tomorrow looks like being fuckin’ freezing over there, so Brentford to be put to the sword!!
I have recorded match of the day from yesterday, and will now go and get a coffee, and savour the sight of David Silva and Kompany (get it?) pissin’ all over the shit!!
Christmas keeps on giving!!
FOwb
Thank you Clive for the slap round the cheek. I am a happy clapper yet I predicted a hard fought for loss. I feel well and truly ashamed of myself and will never predict a loss again. I think.
Clive, cheer up mate its Christmas…………… shame the shite look like making a good managerial decision tho appointing Pulis. Lets just hope they left it all a little too late and we miss each other in passing in the summer.
Watched the game and was mightily encouraged with the team performance the back four held well despite some heart stopping moments, Ikeme gives the team confidence with his reliability. Midfield did well but can’t help thinking Mcdonald needs help to convince him he is a good player now other teams have sussed him out a bit, Sako and Van la Parra give us pace and trickery to provide for Dicko who you can not leave out at the moment. KJ also seems to be aware of the need for a plan B, a lot of work still ahead particularly on the training ground. But to stop what was a bit of a slump recently is a great Xmas present. UTW
I agree a bit with you. I wish we had a player in the vein of Frimpong, a midfielder with real physical presence which at the same time had technical and passing abilties.
I understand that it was only our second Boxing Day away win in 48 years. Whatever, it was a lovely post-Christmas present. Now to get our own back on Brentford tomorrow.
Deserved win…but by the time I had re clicked on Wiziwig for the 10th time my rolling stomach was adding to the typical crap yourself Wolves fan feeling in the last 10 minutes..to me it was like the Alamo.
Ikeme’s saved us several times (my man of the match) his save against the woodwork was just amazing…
We seemed again to repeatedly give it back to them to have another go..
Anyway Dickos goal was typical of our class no1 striker and in my opinion we should of been 3 up at half time..
If we can beat Brentford then the play offs look on again thank God…and who are we going to buy in January then?
The pressure from this blog alone must be felt all the way to the MMs….!
COYW
Steve someone has left you a fix to your Wiziwig problems on the Watford preview blog.
They say the best form of defence is attack. And I think we are witnessing exactly that with Wolves. With a fit Nouha Dicko, and a front man that can actually keep opponents on the back foot and stop them from going on an all-out onslaught, we win games. Not by big margins (cos we still need more fire power to the front line … like we’ve all be saying except for the idiots with the $s) but by enough because it stops the defence from leaking goals.
We saw this at the beginning of the season; we are seeing it now, and we saw the reverse of it when Dicko was out injured. He is such an integral part of the team.
Having said this, I agree with DOOGooder: we are neither as good as top-of-the-table material, but neither as bad as getting hammered game after game. I’ve said for a while, we are just (overall) a good championship team. January strengthening is crucial. Come end of season, if we don’t have enough of a compelling story for the likes of Sako and Dicko to stay, we will lose them and we’ll be starting over. So personally I think some serious strengthening (i.e. spending) needs to happen in January.
Personally I’ll believe it when I see it. Don’t want to be cynical but like they say, nothing changes unless it has to. And I can already see the headlines and the excuses about how we tried everything but couldn’t land our targets. I fear our cheapskate bargain shopper will not quite comprehend the meaning of the key word: strengthen.
But like Clive puts it, perhaps there is still time for one more Christmas miracle … where Jez Moxey joins the Hari Krishna and plods off chanting on a long pilgrimage to the far ends of the world, handing the cheque book to Mr Jackett to sign on anyone he wants …
Happy New Year everyone!
Go Wolves!!!
The quality of the comments on this site are testament to the true fanbase that we have here today and have always had following our beloved Wolves, it is balanced, constructive and informed as opposed to the verbal diahorrea that other sites are subjected to. Well done fellow bloggers it really is a pleasure to read and contribute.
Yesterday was a Brucie bonus for us guys and gals, Kenny had his optimum team to put out and the result was there for all to see, he must be so relieved to finally have the best guys to pick from instead of having to make do with some of the options forced upon him by the loss of two very crucial players namely Dicko & Golbourne. His unfortunate tinkering annoyed and irritated many of us ( me included) but is has prove to be a necessary irritation given the circumstances he found himself in. Hopefully that is now behind us and we can move on with less trepidation.
We are drawing ever closer to Transfer time and again Kenny said post interview that he has to get it right to cover the loss of The two Mali guys. Clive I’m with you and your desire for the phantom injury miracle, I would even consider going into a church. I back every one on the blog with the desire to see a proven, quality striker in January to cover the sensational Dicko, we’re definitely a better team with him.
But…
As regular readers will know, I have always to the point of boredom sung the praises of Iorfa & Hause from the U21s, as of this morning Hause was leading the nominations for yesterday’s fans man of the match, and Iorfa has just gone from stregnth to stregnth in his games so far. Apart from a blip for Hause last week we have founf two really good players from within. So whilst we are looking for a goalscorer from the leagues, please Kenny don’t overlook the sensational Ibrihim Keita in the U21s, he is tall, skillful and Athletic and given the supply snd support he could expect now Wolves have got themselves sorted out, I don’t see any reason to see that he would not be as successful as Hause & Iorfa in slotting in just nicely thank you very much. The proof of tne pudding is there in our defence for all to see and enjoy.
Dear Santa, you didn’t get me my feckin red Ferrari, so please may I have a late pressie. Can we stuff the team of that horrible obnoxious person Wharburton tomorrow, it would make my Christmas complete.
Onwards & up em
🙂
Make that Strength to Strength……
I think the time has come for Thomas & Ben to give you the honorary position of official U21 talent scout because yes you did bang on about them but after yesterdays performance proved you were bang on the money.
Dear StuWolf,
If you see this update before tomorrow, please could you give me some info? I mght be fit enough to attend tomorrow, but if there was snow yesterday that is still lingering, this might change my mind fir me.
I am going to decide in the morning whether I am going or not. It’s probably risky to put a mobile number on the blog.
Thanks, Jerry
Jerry,
I don’t mind who has my number I’m a sad soul, the original Billy no mates. Seriously, give us a call on 07710-449440
Stu
It was a good team performance. OK We got the rub of the green or rather woodwork and the benefit of the ref’s decisions. Batth took out Vydra and made a crucial back pass to Ikeme. Both went unpunished. What is clear is the importance of Dicko to a good team performance. When we don’t have the ball he doesn’t allow the opposition to build attacks from the back. When we do have the ball he occupies the attention of two or more defenders providing space for other players or space into which the ball can be hit for him to run on to it. I think Thomas is spot on about Price. He does not have the range of passing of Evans but he tends to move the ball faster although not always to a Wolves player. Price also gives more protection to the back four. I can’t make my mind up about MacDonald. He has less time and space than last year so he is less effective. Can he adapt? Can KJ find his best partner? The two full backs are a joy to watch and hopefully will be nurtured. And finally, Stearman. He has his critics but he does give his all. He is just the type you would want beside you in the trenches (but just not with a loaded gun.)
It is starting to look better for Wolves to be sure – after those five losses in a row we have now managed 7 points from 3 games which is excellent even if we played poorly against Brighton! I don’t think Brentford will turn us over as easily as they did last game this time…
Football,it’s a funny old game.A few weeks ago l thought jacket had lost the plot with his team selection,tactics and no plan b so after this team performance,and his post match comments in Kenny l trust.lt seemed to me also,how 1 player can make a team(dicho),especially playing 451.The team was full of confidence,comfortable on the ball,focused worked their socks off.l came away thinking that was a play off position team, consistency and a lack of goals,is all that were missing.lm sure kenny has this in hand.lt was the best l have seen stearman play,Iorfa was my man of the match against a very poor team,but that’s this league.l would be surprised off the back of this win,with the team spirit shown at the end of the game,and confidence high that they don’t smash Brentford.ln a 442 l would like to see McDonald play off dicho,well it ts a funny old game.
Performance yesterday was solid and more like our early season form. Dicko does make a massive difference to how the team set-up and play, but KJ has made some odd decisions which I don’t think have helped results.
Price being back in the team is vital in my opinion and good to see VLP now consistently in the team. His pace will always trouble championship defenders. Even Edwards has been dropped on occasion and I’d have him in the team every week.
Bringing in Iorfa and Hause has worked well and they make us look very strong at the back, an all round very physically strong back four.
Hopefully Kenny has got his magic back (and common sense) and we can kick on from here.
I had a feeling that we would win this one, as I said. It is great to see the new kids doing well. I have banged on about Iorfa too. If we can win tomorrow, as I believe we shall, then it’s game-on for top six. It’s difficult to know whether KJ will change this winning team.
Exactly half way through the season and 34 points on the board. A similar return from the second half of the season would realise a total of 68 points. A play off place is usually available at around 72 points.Sometimes a little more or less. So yes, I agree that a play off place is a realistic possibility from the current position in the table. Looking forward to 2 or 3 goals tomorrow.In the Bees net obviously.
Dicko & Sako together in a fluid 4-5-1 showed what might have been this season had injuries not deprived us, along with their upcoming absence with the ACoN. Dicko is JUST the type of player for this lone striker role so I hope it’s been noted when we try and improve the depth of the squad in a few days time.