Prior to yesterday, those of a glass half empty persuasion were quick to point out ‘we haven’t beaten anyone yet’.
It’s nice then to finally put that notion to bed, as Wolves overcame top six opposition for the first time this season.
This is now a record breaking start for Kenny Jackett, the best opening run the club has ever enjoyed to a league campaign.
More records tumbled as the Wolves bandwagon rolled on: the first goal conceded in the first half of any match, the first time Wolves have fallen behind away from home and the first time they’ve come back from a goal down to win.
Fitting then, that on a day a few trends were bucked, Jamie O’Hara’s name should reappear on the teamsheet, albeit as an unused substitute.
One wonders whether it was the growing clamour for his reinclusion or the need to put the midfielder in the shop window that prompted an unlikely comeback?
Either way, it will be intriguing to monitor his progress in the weeks to come and whether he actually makes it onto the pitch.
Kenny hasn’t shied away from the big decisions thus far and yesterday was another uplifting demonstration of a brave and flexible approach.
After falling behind early, the gaffer wasted no time in changing shape and introducing Kevin Doyle. The rewards were instantaneous.
James Henry’s slightly tame effort was perhaps fortunate to find a way in, but a pinpoint cross for Richard Stearman minutes later was certainly no fluke.
Recruiting the Millwall winger looks to be another masterstroke. He’s a confident performer, happy to carry the ball forward and threaten the opposition goal.
At the opposite end, Carl Ikeme’s impressive shot stopping capabilities were once again showcased, as Bradford piled forward second half. Are his performances the most significant factor so far? It could easily be argued.
What can’t be disputed now is that this young Wolves side are a legitimate force at this level of competition.
A lot has been made of the club’s financial clout and the leftover quality of our Premier League years, but it’s actually much simpler attributes that have carried us into the top two. Namely, team spirit and a pleasing appetite to work together as a team.
With hopefully more to come, the message to our rivals should be clear: you haven’t seen anything yet.
Great win and great tactical awareness from Kenny to spot the key to breaking ’em down. Takes courage to make a change so early in a match.
Regarding O’Hara I think it’s a case of not having anyone else to call on once Price was withdrawn with blurred vision. I doubt KJ had any intention of playing him barring injury. Hope Jack it’s nothing serious.
“…Kenny hasn’t shied away from the big decisions thus far and yesterday was another uplifting demonstration of a brave and flexible approach…”
Kenny lied to us. He said O’Hara was not in his plans for first team football and then he put him on the squad.
It is obvious that this has to due with O’Hara dumping his agent. His next move will be to agree to a wage cut to make up for Jez’s stupid contract signing.
This is all about wages and trying to force him to accept less money or have his career destroyed by not playing for the rest of his tenure at Wolves.
13 games in and well done the new team.
It still needs fine tuning for sure but nothing better than a winning run.
Have been impressed by Sako’s attitude and if Jackett wants to bring back O’Hara, why not? – With a little humility he might become a good footballer again.
Jackett has brought some stability and harmony to the squad which has been lacking for at least three years.
Onwards and upwards…
Great result, we are beginning to click as a team. As for O’Hara I think if he has genuinely changed then he will be an asset. Time will tell with him, it’s going to be interesting to see what sort of reception he gets, if he makes it onto the pitch….
It’s not O’Hara’s fault, it is the chav fans who insult players’ wives and girlfriends. It is none of our business who they fall in love with. Stick to footballing issues.
Would contributors here like me to critique their spouses and girlfriends. I’m sure I can find something to criticize.
So start acting civilized towards these players and these issues might not arise.
And other players might actually want to sign for Wolves too.
I actually think the footballing issues are why he should never pull the shirt on again…. Nothing else.. He is an injury prone average footballer who conned us into a contract.
From a personal point of view he cant help being a prick…
Respect for Jackett has already gone for all the time saying He is not in his plans to return to the first team and then putting him on the bench on Saturday..
Unless of course he has been told to include him because the January window is coming up… that would be a typical M&M move.
I guess you get injured a lot if you are rushed back to play before you are ready.
Yabbadabbadoooooo!
I am so chuffed at the way KJ is starting to produce a side which is playing like a team and not a load of prima donnas who are more interested in their pay packets and tattoos.
Shrewd loan signings and good man management are certainly paying dividends.
And as I said before, if he can get O’hara playing to his potential, I for one will welcome him back into the fold if he shows contrition for his previous performances and attitude.
When I first started contributing to this blog I put an argument to Thomas that perhaps it wasn’t so important what division we were in so much as being able to celebrate a win or a good performance, on a regular basis.
I lost count of the times in the Premier League when we either got stuffed or lost a goal in the last couple of minutes of the game.
I know that every fan dreams of their team playing in the top flight but, unless your team is owned by a Russian oligarch or a middle eastern Prince – or you happen to strike lucky with a brilliantly innovative coach – you are always going to struggle to keep your head above water.
At the moment I am happier than I have been for years as a Wolves supporter.
Successful side, playing for each other – and the fans – with the occasional brilliant goal thrown in for good measure.
Long may it continue!
Totally agree.
We will always be Wolves fans even if we were on the Conference, so winning in the third is fine for me right now. If we keep winning progress is of course automatic.
There is a part of me that really does not want to see O’Hara in Old Gold again, but I also believe everyone deserves one second chance. As long as it is on Wolves terms and the Coach is OK with it then thats OK. Whatever the outcome though it must be on our terms and in our best interests.
My first correct prediction score this year also helps with my spirits. And lets not overlook we have quietl;y made our best ever start.
Yes my Babies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Based on that logic lets hope we finish 7th and we can do it all again next year….. !!
Not at all.
My original point was made when we were struggling in the Prem and virtually certain to go down.
At the time, the Premiership were rattling on about having no promotion or relegation.
This would have condemned us, had we stayed up, to perpetually bouncing around the bottom of the division with the realistic hope of maybe winning half a dozen games a season if we were lucky and getting rolled over the rest of the time.
My argument was that would it not be better to be a successful team in the Championship, winning games, maybe trophies, and perhaps qualifying for Europe through coming top of the League.
It was all theoretical and I only really put it forward to elicit discussion amongst the bloggers.
Every team must strive for the best they can achieve given their backing, budget and fan base but all I can say is that I am having a lot more fun watching Sako smack a screamer into the back of Sheffield United’s net than I was when we were on the wrong side of a home hammering by the team just up the road who’s name I will not sully the blog by typing.
I forgot to add that my argument was rendered irrelevant by the fact that we slid straight through the Championship and into Div 3.
You can’t win ’em all!
Great result. Really pleased to come back from a goal behind and the fact that we are playing as a team, the more points the more confidence they’ll get.
As for O’Hara, amazed to see him on the team sheet. But, if his attitude really has changed and he’ll give us his all on the pitch then play him if it benefits the team. Whether this is the case will remain to be seen. As for the fans reaction, from my own personal point of view I’ll want to see him do his talking on the pitch! Play to the best of his ability and perform then I think he can get the fans back on side.
Lets keep it going now. UTW
Best part is that next weekend either posh or the Os-or both will drop points.
Keep this level of performance up and we could be up top next week.
As for Ohara, Im a young foreigner and didnt exactly experience what happened, but if Jamie earns his spot back in the team, I feel that he could really bring something to this young wolves side.
I am disgusted that ohara is this close to the first team. He is a divisive person and all the good work KJ and the young lads have done will be undone. The fans are back on board and molineux is a happy place to be. Ohara will split the fans and will bring the posionous atmosphere back to molineux. He has had his chance. I cant believe out of the four players KJ put up for sale he is the one closest to playing for wolves again. This is a massive mistake. The team dont need him. We have had the best start in 136 years. If he is bought back and we start to lose KJ will get the blame for bringing him back. Let him rot in the reserves or take a paycut to play somewhere else. KJ – you have been warned. It will end in tears. You have done a great job to date.
I agree all the good work this season is in danger of being forgotten with 1 rotton apple infecting others..
results this season have blinded people’s views on oHara’s contribution from going from Premier League to league one in 18 Months….
O`Hara is in the last chance saloon, if at some stage KJ decides to play him, in the interests of the team and the football club, I would support that decision. He surely has the ability, and now the motivation surely to prove a point – even at this level.
He may have no long term future at our club, but if he does make a contribution in getting wolves promoted out of division three, then why not take what he does and hope it also gets him a move with some transfer fee involved.
That apart – great 3 points, a fantastic away performance and record so far this seson, keep it up please.
Great to get the three points,didn’t expect it, thought a draw was all we could get.
Henry seems to be doing the business on the wing with a couple of goals thrown in,hope we sign him up soon before someone else does.
Very surprised to see O’Hara on the bench after what KJ said,saying that I for one is glad he may be getting a second chance to redeem his self and add that bit of quality to a team who are getting better with every game we play,up to second in the table now so lets win our game in hand and make it to the top by Christmas,Keep it Kenny lets break some more records.UTW.
Great result, I predicted our second loss of the season, and when Bradford scored their goal I feared I may be right, but for KJ to make the substitution as early as he did and for us then to go on and win I have to say I was chuffed to bits….oh for a bit of the KJ mentality when we were in the prem, may have still been there??
As for O’Hara, well, he must be pretty gutted not to be getting a game, I am sure most of us wouldn’t mind getting paid our wages to sit at home but I think footballers are different, surely they want to play and he must have buckled down and worked hard for KJ to even consider putting him on the bench, and he must be in KJ’s thoughts otherwise he would just have named one of the other kids…KJ knows what went on, he knows what he said at the start of the season and he knows what sort of reaction he could receive if he brings O’Hara back…but he isn’t stupid, so if O’Hara is back in his thoughts then I will back KJ and through gritted teeth O’Hara because in KJ’s view, it is the best thing possible, at this moment in time, for Wolverhampton Wanderers….and long may that continue.
UTW!
I was seriously underwhelmed with the appointment of KJ and more than a little annoyed with the way the club went about it. Have to hold my hands up and say he has made many shrewd decisions and proved a more determined character than i gave him credit for.
Listened to the game on the radio yesterday – man of the match KJ, he had the balls to admit he got the shape of the team wrong and changed it as soon as the danger became evident. I was slightly underwhelmed when Kenny was first appointed, I have since been proven wrong, this bloke has got a footballing brain.
O’Haira should never play for us again, ever.
We cannot afford the applecart being upset, and what sort of message would it send to the youngsters on the fringe?
Screw up, alienate yourself big time and then come back grovelling?
No, we have others we can turn to and he should never darken the corridors of The Mol again.
Other than that a brillo result.
Well said Clive…
thought I was the only one who thought this was a bad idea…
Who cares if the guy never plays a football game again.. pay him off put it down to bad management in the first place for giving him the contract and MOVE ON…
It may have escaped a lot of fans notice this season but we don’t actually need him….!
Best league start ever..
I don’t see why you assume he will upset the apple cart. He has been playing with the under 21s and there seems to be no problem there.
From what I understand, the senior team is not having a problem with him either.
You are making assumptions from thousands of miles away.
This is mainly a wages issue. He has changed agents and immediately he is back on the bench for the next game.
Do you honestly think it is just a coincidence?
Yes.
But as they majority of bloggers, both on here and on the E&S website, seem to favor him returning, and KJ seems to have his noggin on properly, I will say that if he does return to first team action, and does contribute positively, then I will have no qualms about eating a tiny sliver of humble pie.
I really would hate to come on here later in the season and say I told you so, coz that would mean our fortunes have taken a worse for the tern.
As ever,
FOwb
I think I may have just agreed with Clive in my head there!
His ‘apology’ in which he doesn’t say sorry or apologise for nything means nothing to me whatsoever.
My problem with him is that he has been unfit for years now, even during his loan spell with us, hasn’t produced consistently for us at all in a long time and his attitude on the pitch has been poor.
If he can look sharper and fitter, and regularly perform for us then I’ll accept him being back, but I have my doubts/
Its already started. We are talking about ohara when we should all be celebrating a great victory and the great start to the season. Along with our manager making a tactical change in first 25 minutes. If ohara wasnt on the bench, all comments on here would be positive. This negativity will spill over to the stevenage game if he is on the bench or even starts. 50% of crowd booing him. We do not need him.
O’hora has been a prize dick but i am happy to leave this one up go kenny.
Should read ‘up to kenny’ – yep in the words of Wodehouse i have been havin a couple.
A mate of mine is a Leicester fan and his recollections of their promotion out of this division are similar to ours so far: when everything clicks, we play very well as a team across the park and thoroughly deserve it; when it doesn’t, we look poor but we just have that extra bit of quality at both ends of the pitch to get results. I don’t usually feel confident, but what I’ve seen so far points to celebrations in May…
I was a tad gutted as I predicted a 1-2 result but realised after kick off that I had
N ot put my thoughts down on the blog. Guess that means Nil Points this week lol.
J ust looking at the above comments makes me squirm a little. Personally I find the noted
A nguish understandable when commenting on the inclusion of O’Hara. I do believe we
C an move out of this division at the first time of asking now and feel that is due to the team
K nucking down and playing in the manner and style that Mr Jackett wants us to. If he
E ventually believes that O’Hara can help us in our plight, then I trust him implicitly to make
T he right call. I can see a large section of our fans not wanting him to play ever again and
T hat is understandable. But I trust our manager; after all he has not done a lot wrong so far.
I f O’Hara does play again, I will support Mr Jackett’s decision and hope O’Hara performs!
T o be quite honest, like other bloggers comments above I do not particularly want O’Hara to
R eturn, but I am certainly willing to give him the chance, and certainly wont boo him. It is
U nderstandable that their will be some tension and it will be up to him to show us that he is
S orry for his past and is willing to give his all to the club and the fans. This will be a difficult
T ime for him and for us, but let us wait and see. Brilliant result by the way. UTW/FOWB
Great Blog Thomas.
Surely this should quieten any doubter, half glass full type of supporter, who has not yet managed to even now be a happy Wolves fan for the first time in a long while.
I for one am loving it. And as the banner still hopefully displays, “This is our love, and in knows no Division”
Good times again. My kids want to know the result and even listen to the commentary. A far cry from the last 3 or 4 years them dreading me walking in off my match day refuge of the garden deck to report yet another disappointment.
Shirts are worn with pride, they tell their Glory hunting Chelsea friends that our team has the best defensive record in the whole of England, and mock the American Man U doters on their current form.
Enjoy it guys!
F*#@ opinions on O’Hara, not worth our typing time.
Kenny will,…….as he has already proven, do what is best for the team and the club.
If that is not yet clear to anybody,……then it should be.
Come on me Babbies.
As i’m a meek and mild mannered wolves supporter I hope I don’t get any stick when I say i’m glad KJ and some of the team appear to be warming to the reappointment O’Hara back into the squad, if only to the bench.
I for one think its a shrewd move on JK’s part especially when wolves are nearing the top of the division and with the weather going to get a lot worse that’s why imo we need a player who can pick a quality pass to griffo and doyler and also score the odd goal himself,and if it doesn’t work out well he had the balls to give it a go.UTW
A great result this weekend on many counts:
1. Team showed they are good enough to take on the top teams and win! This suggests there is enough quality to finish towards the top and that the possibility of promotion is a reality. They will also continue to get better and more confident, so I feel very good about where this is all going.
2. Goals came from middle and defence. I cannot emphasize just how important this is. If we are going for promotion, we need to win the vast majority of our games, and no striker is going to be able to score all the goals to do that. Even a 25-goal a season striker won’t be enough to amass all the wins we need so goals need to come from other areas too. Everyone has to chip in. Remember those late winners from Lescott when nobody could score, or midfield goals from Rae, Cameron, etc.? We need that kind of goal scoring from everyone on the team.
On the O’Drama question: I think that’s just the wrong question to ask. The right question is what will it take to get Wolves promoted come end of the season. If KJ thinks this will help him get promotion (i.e. attitude, fitness, ethic, form all right) then I don’t care who he plays and what happened in the past. It’s about Wolverhampton Wanderers, not about Jamie O’Hara. It’s about Wolves having a successful season culminating in promotion at the end of the season.
Go Wolves!
I forgot to ask, and I believe the answere may well have been given some time ago, which I would have obviously missed. My questions is; What significance do the “toasters” have that are displayed on the Banner on the North Bank?
UTW/FOWB
I’m pretty sure it’s a Towcester based group of fans.
Thanks Chris. That would make sense lol
Great result and I even predicted the correct score !
My team is doing great
Life is good 🙂
Results and significant ones as this will win us this league particularly if we can allways win at home too…I must be one of several thousand who were devastated when we fell so deep..
But we do expect to win against teams like Bradford, don’t we ? We are Wolves.. we have a premier ground,50000 home fans and can remember getting results against teams like Arsenal, Man Utd,Liverpool etc..this is the long haul back and as good as it feels to win against these teams I STILL can’t get over what happend..
I just hope that we are knocking at the door of the top 2 spots in the championship next season – the greatest thing currently is that the rebuild is gaining momentum ..the O Hara’s of this world will be sold.. if we use them to suit us so be it..