Kenny Jackett knows that results won’t always go his team’s way, but he’s also wise enough to recognise that consistency will always breed success in this feisty, competitive division.
Despite a disappointing stalemate, Wolves remained loyal to their principles yesterday and emerged with a useful point to show for it.
No goals scored sure, but then again, no goals conceded – yet again.
That’s four cleansheets from six Championship fixtures, which is all the more remarkable when you consider the only blemishes have been a questionable penalty and a painfully unfortunate ricochet.
Such miserliness steams from organisation, but also domination of the football. 63% possession yesterday shows Wolves again had an element of control to proceedings.
Still, Blackpool were resilient and effective with their 37% share. Nile Ranger could even have won it for them, had he kept his well-worked second half effort just an inch or two lower.
The Seasiders showed spirit and in Ranger and Delfounso they have individuals that could potentially dig them out of the horrible mess they find themselves in.
Wolves own individual talent, Rajiv van La Parra, came closest to conjuring up a decisive blow for Wolves, gliding inside and seeing a shot come back off the post.
With Sako on the sidelines, Michael Jacobs was finally handed a start and the diminutive midfielder almost picked up where he left off last season with a trademark headed effort that the keeper did well to push away.
Carl Ikeme had to be alert on several occasions too, most notably tipping a goal bound header over the bar as Blackpool pushed for the win.
Undefeated Charlton await at the Valley on Tuesday, which in itself will be another formidable examination but one Wolves won’t fear.
If they remain consistent, it’s hard too see them going too far wrong.
Wolves still need a clinical cutting edge in the team, something that will either emerge through possibly getting a striker on loan or something that will come in time! It could turn games like this from a deserved draw from a below par performance into a perhaps undeserved win which is a lot better!
Thankfully we are still in a very healthy position (albeit early on in the season) and Im sure Charlton will be facing a tough test indeed!
Well, we all predicted goals from our boys and 3 goals from us came up several times..were we all expecting too much against the bottom of the league club ? ‘clown outfit in the preview’…I think not..
I’m a raver too about our boys KJ and our football but I just hope this result doesn’t bite us in the arse if we loose to the play offs by 2 points..
Still, KJ started with a lesser team no doubt with Charlton coming up Tuesday ..I would love to go to the match but with gills and Crawley last season as defeats when I was there perhaps I should do everyone a favour and stay away…
On a separate note I’m sure this new Striker is coming but from where I wonder …I’m certain we need him..
COYW
I watched the game on the internet yesterday and was left a little frustrated , which was partially down to the result and also partially down to our lack of cutting edge.
There is a reluctance to shoot from outside the area with the exception of Danny Batth and Van la Parra in the first half.
Slightly surprised by the selection of Jacobs ahead of Henry, especially considering Henrys second half performance against Blackburn. Henry again looked sharp and a threat yesterday, unlike Jacobs in my opinion.
Also thought Saville was fairly anonymous for most of the game, he may need a little time to settle in.
Thought Doherty was excellent with his overlapping runs and we bossed most of the play with some good football – just need that spark up front and we will be truly awesome.
UTW
You’re right to point towards our miserly defensive unit and the fact we’ve only conceded two, be them unfortunate and dubious. As the Watford manager said yesterday though. .. having 60% plus in possession terms counts for nothing if you don’t put it to good effect and score.
Blackpool was never going to be easy and Charlton coming up even more so.
Still we’ve made an excellent start and points away from home added to wins at the Mol will put us in a strong position at the end of the season.
I urge the club to go out and get some support for Dicko.
The only minor critism of KJ (and it is minor as he’s generally a genius) is the non deviation in terms of formation. I would have liked to see Clarke come on in place of say Edwards and for us to revert to a (shock horror) 442 with Clarke as the supporting striker. Just a thought.
However it shows how far we have come under KJ when I am genuinely surprised when we don’t win a football match. Hopefully back in the groove at the valley
Is Micheal Jacobs really diminutive at 5’9″ ?
Interesting question.
Just looked it up and if he is indeed 5’9″ that’s bang on average height for a male, so you’re probably correct to question my use of the word. He always looks small to me though, perhaps because he’s so slight.
Jack Price is ‘diminutive,’ but not Jacobs.
think the international break did us no favours with the momentum we had built up ,but it shows how far the team has come under king kenny that we are all dissappointed at an away point in the championship . WOLVES AY WE
I am disappointed that we didn’t get three points. But Blackpool despite this being their first point of the season have only been losing by the odd goal. As their team gels together they will get more points especially at home.
So it’s a point gained for me rather than two points lost. If we can follow it up with a win against charlton momentum will be in our favour and we’ve rested a few key men.
Yesterday’s result raises questions about our ability to break down teams, especially when you consider that Sako & Dicko may well be absent for weeks in the new year, playing in the Africas Cup.
Solidity at the back is welcome, but you need to score to win games and the team certainly needs strengthening in that area.
So how did Saville the new striker do? I realise from the score that he didn’t actually ‘strike’ but was there promise? WAs there passion? Was there intelligent use of space and ball?
Jackett is living on borrowed time.
He’s tactically naive and has no Plan B.
He’s clearly lost the dressing room.
You can forget about promotion or the play offs, if we carry on like this we’ll be lucky to avoid relegation.
Only joking!
Saturday was just slight hiccup on the road to redemption.
I think that Blackpool are probably a much better team than their position lead us to think.
We will play worse teams than them in the coming months.
Another good striker would be a useful option for Kenny, but I am starting to think that we will be there or thereabouts come the end of the season whether we strengthen or not.
And the Last Night of The Proms was bloody marvellous!!
I don’t know why the picture has flipped sideways.
If you double click on it it comes out OK.
I looked everywhere for you last night. In the front, in the upper floors etc .. At one point I thought I saw a gold flag but just couldn’t make it out. Still looked like a great night .. makes me proud to listen to Jerusalem.
Keep the flag flying high DOOG and the PMDGR…
I am thinking of writing a book.
‘Places I have been with a Wolves flag between my teeth’.
As far as the Albert Hall is concerned, we were right at the top on the left.
I can’t understand why you didn’t see us….
…I saw you!
Just seen the match video..we could of lost so easily..DB was skinned when they hit the bar and missed a sitter…a point gained in hindsight..
Surprised …
Although i like many other wolves fans we would win quite easily luck to get a point in the end according to reports,even though we had over 60% of possession ,its all about chance and taking them.
Like many others on this blog spouting we need another striker because Clarke’s NOT the answer in my view, “half hearted in my opinion”so if we want to remain in the shout we need a striker pronto,having said that come Tuesday we could have a striker on board.
Lets get back to winning ways come Tuesday.UTW..
Having watched the boys at Blackpool yesterday, I think these are the lessons learned ( although many might know these already)……1) there are absolutely no “gimme” three point games in this division 2) we still lack the inventiveness needed to break down well organised ” two banks of four” in the opposition at this level ( Blackpool played much of this game like the away side on the counter attack, so expect Bolton to line up the same at the mol) 3) if KJ stays with his preferred one up front, which seems likely, there is little point buying a variation like Chris Wood as Leon Clarke can probably do that job, rather he needs a striker wi some guile. Patrick Bamford would probably have been perfect but alternatively, a “fox in the box” a la Kevin Phillips would be perfect. 4) Carl Ikeme and Matt Doherty have PL written all over them. 5) We might get beat this year but no one will stuff us. 6) We are a proper football club on the rise and don’t doubt that if we stick with KJ we may one day actually make a fist of competing in the PL 🙂
Although I was initially disappointed with the result, I soon realised that it was actually a good, hard fought for away point. It’s so early in the season that talk of our promotion and Blackpool’s inevitable demise is unbelievably premature. I hope we can continue to dominate games, but perhaps with the speed we have up front maybe we should be concentrating some time to the counter attack. We have a set of players who are proud to wear the old gold which in itself is a battle won. Tuesday could easily be a game in which we can shine.
Still third in the table we no conceding any goals a point away at Blackpool is a a decent return as a few people blogged before the game Blackpool had to stop the rot sooner or later they did that but at the expence of 2 points. I’m satisfied, no in fact more than satisfied where we are and how we are playing we are not going to walk this league but also we’ve shown that no one will walk all over us either far from it.
Well done lads Kenny keep up the good work.
I didn’t see the game, but often think when we need a goal why not stick Jacobs in behind Dicko and have Henry on the right? J is much better there and Henry always has a pop at goal with a good understanding with Matt Doherty
….. and with Forest drawing, it just shows how tight the division will be this year…. KJ did say this prior to the season kicking off and he’s not wrong -again! (His missus must be well pissed off with him always being right!).
With the controlling play and the lack of goals conceded, I feel KJ’s other assessment prior to kick off of getting promotion is the most realistic comment from anyone in this division.
Last season we did not control as many games and did not peak till after Xmas, with the confidence in the side, a long winning run is on the cards and this could be another record breaking season, especially the goals against column (less games than last season will have a bearing aswell as a settled well oiled defence).
On another note, I see Delort did well in his 1st game… No goal for him and on the losing side… I bet he’s thinking “Why the feck did I pick Wigan!” Oh yeah the wages!
I thought we would win this but upon reflection and taking all things into consideration this can only be seen as a good point away from home and this team will improve as they did last season.
The really pleasing thing as Thomas indicates above is the meanness of the defense, i personally can’t remember a wolves defense this good (correct me if I’m wrong).
K J is going to move this football club forward one way or the other but i think it will be the Kenny Jacket way.
I’m getting slightly concerned that KJ has developed a blind spot with the “Number 10” position. Edwards is never going to be the creative force we need, why isn’t Jacobs getting a run in his favoured position, even as a change from Plan A??
I agree. Edwards is energetic but lacks guile and creativity when teams defend deeply. Jacobs has a dribble and quick feet in his locker mos def.
It has been well over 24 hours since I watched the game, my first, apart from the Carlisle game last season which wasn’t really a match, under El Maestro Jackett.
I used Wiziwig tv, and it was weird watching with sound but no commentary, action replays, or little score box in the upper left corner.
It meant I had to wait until half time for a pee break!
I am now gonna piss off a lot of you, but this blog is all about honesty and one’s own opinion, but I was really disappointed in the game.
I didn’t keep the possession stat, but at times especially in the first half, they ran rings round us.
McDonald tried several Gerrard/Beckenbauer passes, which never went near the intended target, and although we hit the woodwork in the first half, with the chances they had, they could and should have got three points.
At times we looked like the toothless wolf trying to blow down the brick piggy house.
I know there are the usual “international break” excuses, but El Maestro should have perhaps altered the starting line up more.
Having read fellow bloggers take on the game, I am hopefully inclined to agree that there are no gimmees in this division, everything will have to be fought for tooth and nail, and the saving grace is that all the other teams will be up against the same issues throughout the season.
After sweeping all before us last season, and being like a dog with two dicks at the prospect of watching a live match for the first time in a gazillion years, i think I was probably expecting too much, so Kenny and boys, you are forgived!!
And of course we have the little matter of the shit letting Lukaku score inside 2 minutes, and then going on to lose nicely to Everton, with their keeper gifting them the second.
Is he DOOgooder in disguise, I wonder?
I think Charlton are going to feel the backlash.
FOwb
Well, I was about to write a post so similar to yours, that it’s a good thing I read yours first, because it saved me being repetitive. 🙂
I too watched them on wiziwig, following the main man StuWolf’s excellent tip, and totally agree with you on the assessment. The only player who impressed me to be honest was Ikeme, who saved our bacon I think from worse blushes. Having heard everyone rave about the fluid, passing football this team has supposedly been playing, all I can hope for is that this was a one-off exception because I saw nothing closely resembling that. Were my expectations raised too highly?
I thought we kept giving the ball away in midfield, barely able to string a set of passes together, with no imagination on how to mount an attack. We could have had Pele at his best up front and it still wouldn’t have made a difference because the issue I saw was that we could not get any quality into the box. Corner after corner went totally wasted and I can’t remember their keeper actually having had to do much. And as for Leon Clarke … well, let’s just say I could totally see why Jackett hasn’t been playing him (he didn’t even look fit!).
Again, hopefully this was post-international-break rust, and that I’ll see a totally different and reformed side vs Charlton tomorrow. But we looked a very average Championship team yesterday. Let’s step it up Wolves!
Go Wolves!
I also watched this game through Wiziwig and was happy with the streaming – did not break down once. That said. I agree with Clive, not having commentary or a score to view was a tad frustrating when you needed a beer replenishment break or a pee!!
As for the game, 60+% poessession is nice to watch, but if you dont capitalise you aint gonna win. I thought we played quire well, but I also thought Blackpool played very well. Based on what I saw, I believe that an away point was a sound result for us.
We know we can put the ball in the net, as we proved at the Mol v Blackburn, and I believe that we play better against stronger sides so am looking forward to tomorrow’s match. Watch out Charlton!!
UTW
Blackpool’s pitch was far too narrow to make our normal fluid passing game work to our advantage.
A Bit like Crawley and Stevenage last year remember them..
We need to be playing on a snooker tables these days the bigger the clubs the better the pitches the better the football..
We do need a striker and from Kenny’s comments after the game I sense he is getting a little frustrated by our inability to land someone.
Dicky and Sako needed resting after their Travelling in midweek.
Saville didn’t work for me he didn’t look match fit but again Evans was rested from long travels with Wales U21’s
A point away is always a good point and we are still in 3rd place.
Was a decent result by all accounts. Would love us to land this elusive striker but trust in kenny and the club to come up with the goods bring on the addicks!!! Another tough night but confident we will get a result!!!
The funny thing about playing struggling clubs is that there’s always the chance that they can raise their game against higher-flying teams. That’s what probably happened to us.
I agree with some commenters about needing a better striking option – I was disappointed that we didn’t go for Glenn Murray from Palace who scored a brace in his first loan game for Reading.
Thomas ……….. Away from the above topic and onto the Charlton game .. I’m just about to set off to go to Wales and won’t have any access to the Blog. Can I put my prediction here if I’m not back in time to register it . Charlton 1 v 2 Wolves …..Thanks mate
The goals tally says it all for me. Playing the extra man in midfield helps keep the goals against down, but doesn’t help when Edwards has only got one goal in six games in his arriving late from midfield role. While the overall style and standard is much better than we`ve seen for ages, and it will get better and better, we have to be bold and play 2 strikers, there`s no point in having two wingers when your one forward is not a six footer. Be bold Kenny, play Clarke as a target man and have Dicko worrying their defence by playing deep and off him.
I`m leaving shortly to go to the game tonight so my prediction is 1-0 to the lads in gold and black. Here`s hoping……
If you don’t mind, I’ll leave my prediction of Charlton 0 Wolves 1in early.