Is this going to psychologically damage us? Have we got any regrets? Will those involved be scarred for life?
With questions like these, it’s a wonder we’re not talking about an impromptu French holiday with our favourite maths teacher instead of a 6-0 drubbing at Chelsea.
At least Zele Ismail made an appearance near the end and Stale Solbakken has more evidence that our fringe players should not be trusted with first team shirts.
Maybe the Norwegian got it wrong by naming his squad so soon before this clash, giving Di Matteo too much food for thought beforehand.
But against a Chelsea team laden with quality and panache, the cold fact is that we would have, in all probability, lost this game whoever we fielded.
Nobody came out of this game with any credit, not least Peszko who missed two sitters when it sounded easier to score.
Obvious questions to present themselves from this complete spanking are:
- What is the point in Frank Nouble?
- How undercooked is George Margrietter?
- Is Stephen Hunt a complete spent force?
- Are we going to get a left back in with Elokobi rumoured to be off on loan to Bristol City?
And finally…
…Should Stale Solbakken be roundly criticised for selecting the team we saw this evening?
The good old days of Needham and Shilton getting muddled up are sadly long gone.
So too Kenny Hibbitt shinned shots and Gary Pierce heroics.
It’s doubtful Stale ever saw DVDs of those past glories.
In a sad commentary on Capital One, its historic three-handled cup and the ever consuming power of the ‘leccy league’, nobody will care if we win on Saturday. Or will they?
To be Honest…
Shocking…
I know its Chelsea in the cup,
But you at least expect those who are picked to put up some sort of fight ?
After all these are the fringe players looking to get back into the first team.
Jamie O’Hara called it right on Twitter.
If we do get back to the premier league then this is what we can expect unless we up our game.
No wonder our new leader is not concerned about league position.
The championship is our Level and we all know it.
Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t expect us to beat them at home,
But we didn’t even make a game of it.
Its the manner of the defeat. All too similar to that of last season..
Roll on Saturday lets make it 4 wins out of 4 in the league.
I’ve a sneaking suspicion there’s method in Ståle’s decision to announce wholesale changes beforehand citing tired regulars as a reason for major alterations to the team. He’s just proved for all to see that apart from one or two players WW are still carrying a considerable number of fringe players who will never make the grade at CH nor PL level confirming the obvious that we have very limited resources upon which to base a serious challenge for PL return. Let SM ignore this at his peril.
yep. I think he’s a canny bugger, playing the long game.
Think he spent as much time studying Morgan and Moxy as he did the players.
a loss was inevitable and I’m still not that bothered…but with that being said I wish we could have kept the scoreline more respectable! As for Nouble, if one of our strikers gets injurred… but then there’s Cassidy…
We lost, that was expected, on t6o S. Wednesday!
We have won 3 on the trot, but…….. The first 2 games we could very easily of lost and the 3rd was against a team that had lost 6 on the trot. I think this is a good result for keeping the players and fans grounded. A bit embarrasing though. If we are top 6 at end of october with the tough home and away games coming up, i will admit we are on track.
Surprised to hear some complaining that Ståle hasn’t been fair to the traveling fans and comparing it to Mick at Old Trafford.
This was a League Cup game after all. Surely those fans that did make the trip tonight were doing so in the knowledge they wouldn’t see our best eleven?
I don’t think Ståle has anything to answer for. The players that did go out should have done better but against strong opposition, I find it difficult to even condemn them.
Less than thrilled to be hit for 6, but certainly not overly concerned.
If you set your stall out to play a second string against the European Champions there’s always a risk you’ll be tonked.
As it happens they played a stronger side than most expected, which did little to help our cause.
We forget about it, move on to Saturday and concentrate on continuing the winning run with our first team.
I don’t agree Thomas, being beaten 6 nil by any team is going to affect the confidence of the squad. I’m sick of clubs putting out weakened teams, why bother entering the competition if your your just going to roll over…
Bollocks to Chelsea and their team of overpaid arse lickers.
I look on tonight’s result in a positive way. Chelsea could have put out their third or fourth team, knowing our line up in advance, but I think they were scared, and actually paid us a fantastic compliment by fielding so many of their Champions League winners.
From listening on the radio, we had all the play, and they got 6 extremely lucky breakaways.
If Wardinho had been playing, then the score would have been totally different.
We won that cup when it meant something, back in ’74 and ’80, before squads had been invented, and each team played their best players.
Nah, mickey mouse cup, and a goofy russian owner. Let them have it.
One thing is for sure, we’ve got a better chance than them of winning The Championship!!!
FOwb
And, look at that picture, its a fuckin’ Colgate advert!!!
Bunch of posers!
Too true! Worth bearing in mind Fernando ‘diddums’ Torres cost more than our new stand…let alone the second string Wolves side he faced tonight. See this game in context…meant nothing. Remember our first team being rogered 5-0 by chescum in our first ever perm season? Now there’s embaressing…this wasnt even a blip…roll on Saturday…
About three times more than the stand in fact. Madness.
A bit of context needed here .l reckon Stale made an error in naming a second string long before the match .Chelsea then named a very strong team ..Torres , Mata , Terry , Cahill etc . We were beat before,kickoff . This isn’t our league playing the Euro champions . Our back up squad simply isn’t good enough . Still , a good support again …thank God for the good humour !!….We’ve smaller fish to fry …utw
Are you Saying our guys have got bad teeth… ?
Cos I think Wardys gat a lovely smile…
Lets forget all about tonight,
I’m already looking forward to Saturday at the Mol. Where lets not forget we are unbeaten this season.
I’m also still hoping to get a pint at Half time…
Ben , Thomas , lets start the predictions now……Please..
Well I said 6-0….
Agree with Clive, that Di Matteo paid us a great compliment playing such a strong squad.
Davis had quite a good game.
For us, it was a run out for the reserves and youngsters, against a good team.
The experience will stand some of them in good stead.
None of the first team fulcrum were involved.
The result and score is an irrelevancy to us in the overall scheme of things, as it was basically a training exercise.
Saturday as far more important.
Yes indeed, the next 3 matches are far more important to WW ‘s future than losing face to a pretty slick, very expensive and very good PL team.
We know chelsea have better players and are favourite sons in a crooked league forget it.
Disgrace,refund the fans who traveled down there.
What happened to the time when winning a cup meant something.
Really ANGRY
How did Zele get on? Have waited with curiosity after the hype, 6-0 down isnt going to shine anyone in glory.
Can’t see Peszko being in the first XI for very much longer. He’s got a Kajagoogoo hairstyle, he can’t beat his man, he can’t cross, and he misses open goals for fun. Gissa job! I can do that! (Well, except for the hairstyle bit …)
I can forgive all of that, apart from the hairstyle.
Men against boys really so would you expect any different. Then again it shows how much re-building we’ve got to do.
Having said that, we’d have easily got our arses kicked 6-0 at the end of last season down there as well, so it shows how far we’ve progressed!
I feel sorry for the travelling fans, but hey you pays your money you take your chances. There’s always a good chance of a weakened team being put out, and a spanking on the cards. If you don’t like it, don’t go.
We’ll mash them in the second leg at Molineux!
If supporters dont have some realism in there expectations they are bound to be disappointed.Blackburn are gradually going toxic because there fans believe they are still a top 6 club.
Absolutely no excuse for a 6-0 drubbing. These are the players who should be busting a gut to try and force their way into the first team and at the first opportunity they show no quality, roll over and die. The only positive is that Solbakken, Moxey and Morgan should be under no illusion that if this team is to return to the PL with a competitive squad of 25, as a club we are probably about 20-22 players short of competitive PL quality right now. To that end, there will need to be a continual significant influx of decent players over the the next 3 to 4 transfer windows. If we are very fortunate, we might sneak up this year but then the summer acquisition of players would need to be frankly colossal. The sad reality is whilst in the PL we never properly invested in the squad and so now we are paying the price- I think this is what Moxey meant when he said “things could get worse before they get better”. Despite the encouragement of 3 wins against poor Championship opposition, we are not really any further forward as a club than we were when MM entered the second year of his reign. Until as a club and set of fans we view results like this as completely unacceptable, rather than trying to make excuses, we will never set the standards for ourselves that are required to succeed at the highest level.
-spot on if you can put in 75mil i will match it.
will do. i’m just downloading pictures of the new stand onto ebay to get the ball rolling………..
Well done on doing yet another report Ben, just from the radio i presume.
As for your specific questions:
1. I think Nouble was a cheap option lined up before Stale really started. Looks like he was playing just the one up front so Siggy got the nod. And i suppose the 4th choice will only get very limited chances, a la Vokes.
2. Haven’t seen Margreitter yet but he was a cheap second choice after the Norwegian who wanted too much dosh. No good getting bargains who never play though. On that subject is Mouyokol still alive? What’s happened to him?
3. Looks like it.
4. Hopefully we wiil be getting a new LB at last if Elokobi goes. Did Zubar play there last night?
Overall ithink Stale did the right thing bearing the amount of games we have in a very short time. If we win our next 2 home games, i think it will be justified.
He also named the team well in advance to let fans know.
Also Chelsea played an extremely strong side which, to be fair, was in a different class even to our best team. Five of the goals were quality and the the penalty was a complete joke; he dived onto De Vries before any contact was made. Shame because we might have got a respectable scoreline otherwise.
I don’t think it will affect the confidence of the first choice 9 left behind. In fact, probably confirm their position.
It was also another chance for Stale to evaluate the fringe players. He needs time to move people out and in and it will be interesting to see who is still here at the start of next season.
Sensible points Martin. I think that SS naming the squad so early is particularly apposite. Realistically I think we all knew what was going to happen and if, given the line up, you went to Chelsea it should have been for the crack and not to expect us to win. We were never going to win the cup but there is an outside chance we might finish in the top 6 given a decent injury free run of games. SS has his priorities spot on in my opinion.
Thanks Martin I agree.
Perhaps, also, Solbakken was making the point to Moxey that despite the healthy state of the clubs bank balance, it is not reflected in the depth of the squad.
Considering our finances, last night showed we need to offer enough to tempt good players, such as Ståle’s first choice centre half, who didn’t sign, cos we wouldn’t pay the wages he wanted.
I am sure Doumbia’s loan continuing next season, will depend on us going up and hence paying Premiership wages.
Another thing I thought last night after the match is, could Davis become a striker, or play just behind the striker?
Not sure about that Robin. I think Davis has had a few good chances to score this year( i witnessed one at Southampton i remember) and he’s fluffed the lot!
Chelsea didn’t win the Champions League because of the weakness of their squad.
We didn’t get relegated because of the strength of our squad.
Total mis-match but who cares – this is a trophy nobody seems bothered about winning.
Went to the game, and honestly not that bothered. It was a shame to lose in that manner, but with Edwards in a 442, and Hunt and Zubar on the left what do you expect? The latter two in particular were just awful.
Still, Boukari looks promising and you can see Peszko is a decent player. Batth is huge, and I like the way Margreitter looks to play out from the back.
Anyone else think de Vries wasn’t interested? No surprise Ikeme was preferred from the beginning, as it looks like he sulked about not getting a move to Liverpoo.
Zeli touched the ball three times, but the one time he got the ball to his feet he produced a good bit of skill and won a free kick!
Did we really turn down £1.8m for Zubar. I find that unbelievable. I’d take whatever we can asap.
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear…
I know it was our second team and their team still included Terry, Mata, Torres et al so it’s not really a fair comparison. But, having seen the goals (and literally only the goals) on Sky Sports this morning, it appears that 3 of the 6 goals were gifted away to free headers. That’s unforgivable at any level playing against any team. THREE free headers!! The picture on the BBC via this link http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19632463 just about sums it up…three defenders stood gormlessly watching as Moses climbs high to make it 6-0.
I know it’s Chelsea, I know it’s Stamford Bridge, I know it’s our second XI, but when you’re 3-0 down after 17 mins it looks as though you’ve gone there intent on losing. Can’t really comment any further as I didn’t see the game. I just hope that Sigurdarson is not too adversely affected by this and that Ismail takes the positives from making his debut and isn’t too down-hearted by the result…hopefully coming on when all was lost will help him in this respect.
From what I’ve seen of them this season, I agree with Ben: our fringe players are not good enough and there is a lot of deadwood floating around this club…many labelled as “ones for the future”.
If we are top 6 at end of october with the tough home and away games coming up, i will admit we are on track.
I will get some seasoning to go with my hat!!!!!!
By the end of the season, teams finishing in the top two of the CH average 2 points per match, so by the end of Sept we should have approx 16 points and by the end of Oct 26 points, Nov 38 points and Dec 50 points. I wonder where we’ll be, come Dec ???
I wanna go to Wembley to see the Wolves once more. I hate the fact that we don’t even try in this competition.
Playing such a changed squad didn’t prove anything about anyone. BUT it made all these players think they have no chance in the first team – morale down. And it made the first team think that their places are safe whatever happens – complacency (and we had plenty of that last season) leading to defeat.
2 of the 3 wins in the league came against the bottom 2. And Sheff Wed are just as bad.
I’m very disappointed. I think Margreitter should be playing; and Nouble is worth a go with Doyle. But after being part of this squad in a no hope match they have no chance of getting a game.
Did we really expect to beat C on their own patch ?Did we really expect to draw and then beat them on penalties ?Just look at our scores against them during our PL sojourn, precisely.We were outplayed, outclassed and booted into touch so, forget it, it’s gone, we were a shambles but the “A” team had a rest which means all’s well, everythings fine so bring on the Owls and don’t forget DJ of course…..yet another ex with an axe to grind. Happy days !!
As ever UTW, believe in Ståle’s vision (whatever that is, I thought I knew but now I’m not so sure)
To your 4 questions,I would add ‘ what is the point of Chelsea or Man City( or any other club on the verge of buy-out by a Russian oligarch or middle-eastern sheik) ?’
Agree 100% – time for a wage cap to help level the playing field.
Not really to bothered about the exit from the cup ,but it would have been nice to have got at least a single goal for our long suffering away fans to cheer.
All professional football clubs seem to have a vociferious section of supporters who demand ever increasing spending on transfer fees and wages to bring in better players (wether the players turn out to be better is speculative).Its the most regular theme of dissatisfied comments on this blog.
Even with Sky money and rich owners the cost of this to some degree gets passed on to the fans.Looking at attendances many clubs now seem to be reaching a tipping point where seats are going empty.There is also a danger that the next generation of fans will be out of the habit of attending live games.
Whatever we say on here ultimately money talks just as loud and market forces will have there say.
I personally am totally pissed off at this result , but more so the performance . Still listening to the same shit off my mates as last year. They don’t care bout what side we put out, cos when they look at the results it says Chelsea 6 -WOLVES 0. Embarrassing to the name of the club ! If the likes of stevenage and other NON- LEAGUE teams can pull off big cup upsets over the years,why can’t a second tier team? Albeit not our best side, but still should have more skill, technique and training than lower league sides! You know what won them those games? HEART and BELIEF. If they don’t wanna play for our club and for a regular starting spot why ever pick them again?? What more motivation do you need? European champs at on their home turf. Disgusted. Roll on Saturday quick!
I liked this quote from big George for his new Bristol City fans:
“It’s up to the gaffer wherever he wants me to play. I’ve got no problems playing at left-back or in the centre of defence.I’ve done both and excelled there.”
I must have missed that.
A modest guy – no mention of tearing Man Utd to pieces? Bristol City’s current set of strikers are loosing their sleep.
Chelsea 6-0 Wolves ; Arsenal 6-1 Coventry. Is this where we are heading ?
On another matter completely, I would like to express my sadness at the passing of John Bond. A manager in the Allison/Clough mould – a big flamboyant character who wore a trademark sheepskin coat and always had a cigar clenched between his teeth.
Men like this don’t seem to be around so much any more and football is all the poorer for it.
I might be wrong but weren’t there a whole heap of quirky and interesting characters around on and off the field back in the 70s. Football seemed to have more substance and was a lot more fun back then.
Or is it just the rose tinted glasses of time taking over?
No, you are quite correct.
I remember going to The Mol and in a perverse way looking forward to the opposition and their stars.
Every team seemed to have a few.
Rodney Marsh, Frannie Lee and Summerbee, Best, Law and Charlton, Stan Bowles, Chivers and Gilzean, Chopper Harris and Osgood, etc etc etc
Even the teams who had no stars were antcipated, Southampton with McGrath and Fisher, who were the only team in my recollection to have the chant of “animals” directed at them…..as they ran out for the pre match warm up!
And the managers were larger than life. Obviously Cloughie and Shanks, but McMenemy (spelling?) and Bob Stokoe were up there, as well as our own miserable bastard, but we loved him, Bill McGarry.
The big difference is the money. Yes there were some better paid than others, but none of the obscene amounts that are around now.
Quarter of a million pounds a week? Fuck off, no one is worth that….not even Ward!
Back then all the teams were run by and large by men who cared about their club, the team and the fans.
Sir Jack as a case in point.
Nowadays its money money money and bollocks to everything else.
What these megarich sheiks etc dont or wont understand is that they, the managers and the players are all temporary, and the only enduring part of any club is the fanbase.
Lets be totally honest, it does not matter how much we piss and moan about our team, how much we shout and scream and disagree with every aspect of how its run, we will ALWAYS be Wolves supporters, until the day we die.
That cannot be taken away from us, no matter how hard some seem to be trying.
And to think of changing allegiance, as some American recently suggested to me? I’d rather cut off my right hand.
(I’m left handed so it wouldnt be missed much, but y’all get the point!)
Enough rabbiting, FOwb, and bring on the howls on Saturday.
You talking about McGarry takes me right back. I used to stand in the enclosure right on the half way line and directly in front of where he sat. Every time we scored, or the opposition scored, I used to look back to see if there was a reaction from the great man. His face never changed, whatever happened he always looked like someone in the row in front of him had just farted and he was being force-fed a lemon.
Surely, surely we have a left back lined up . Elokobi gone, This can only mean a replacement right???
Or it could mean that SS is in love with Ward, has offered him another 4 year contract and we are stuck with him until the year 2525…..Zager and Evans anyone???
At least we wouldn’t have to worry bout him tryin to get forward then could be a good season25/26!
Imagine if sky took their money out of premier football. How good would it be? Sky have ruined our game with overpaud footballers, foreign owners, foreign players, expensive entrance fees which have outpriced most people. I hope sky will pull their money out of football and we get back to the much more even playing field of days gone by. Sky have ruined our game. As an national team, england gave gone backwards. I hate the cheating, lying that money has bought even moreso to our game. Fuck off sky
Harking back to the 70’s it was a totally different game.
No substitutes, different offsides, “Hoff it Rougvie”, “Crocker Harris”, were the mainstay of Chelsea in those days. I remember reading, avidly,in the 60’s an article in some soccer annual that insinuated Major Frank Buckley got so much out of the Wolves team in the fifties, by giving them amphetamines, at half time.
Possible I suppose.
But the fabled men of my footballing fan days are now surpassed, by supposed superstars who, as others point out, keep many a dentist in dollars.
The age of Dougan, Waggy, Peter Knowles, Jim McCalliog are gone now.
The memory I have of a ghostly, sublime, pass from Knowles, on a cold November Molineux, can never be bought or found in a plush seat, at Man City or Chelsea.
It is past history and Sheffield Wednesday awaits our next journey on the footballing causeway!
I was working late on Wednesday, and went to Sky Sports Centre on my computer, and saw my team were 3-0 down after 20 minutes or so. That hurt, as every goal conceeded in every game hurts. Didn`t know what to expect – and I suppose with Man Utd the prize for winning the game, best be out of the competition,
I agree Sky money has corrupted the game of football, may as well just have Chelsea, Arsenal, Manure, and Man City enter the cup competitions at the semi final stage, as no-one else wins anything.
Lets hope Stalle is as cute as we think he could be, and we get 3 points on Saturday, thats what really does matter this week.