Wolves supporters have something unexpected to fear ahead of this weekend’s game against Blackburn – symmetry.
Won 4
Drawn 5
Lost 9
And having played a game less at home, we have:
Won 4
Drawn 5
Lost 8
I certainly wouldn’t like to see those figures aligned come Saturday at 5pm, but wouldn’t be entirely bowled over with shock if they were.
After all, performances at Molineux this season have been a bit shabby to say the very least.
A point from three home games against Pompey, West Ham and Hull tells it’s own story, although the timing of those early fixtures definitely hurt us, as we were still very much getting our act together as a Premiership outfit.
Turgid displays against Blues and Wigan were even harder to digest and probably the real low points of the season to date. I know I certainly feared the worst in the aftermath of both those games.
Of course, we’ve turned it on occasionally at home, beating Burnley semi-convincingly and looking strong for long periods against Fulham and Bolton.
And since tightening things up with the 4-5-1, no team has had an easy ride at Molineux and we’ve beaten Spurs, taken a point of Liverpool and been desperately unlucky to get nothing from our games against the top two.
That being said, the goals have certainly dried up and we weren’t exactly scoring a shed-load anyway.
So, I put it to you, should we adopt a more attacking lineup for our remaining two home fixtures? On paper, they both look winnable games against sides that have struggled to get anything on their travels.
There’s definitely good reason to bring in another striker and go all out to try and get the one win we need. Blackburn and Sunderland can both be got at, so we’d probably be stupid to sit back and let them dictate the pattern of the game wouldn’t we?
Equally though, there’s a decent argument to say we’re doing fine with the 4-5-1 and those two sides will give us chances whatever formation we play, so it’s imperative we just keep it tight at the back and don’t give anything away ourselves.
My heart says go all out for the win. Even if we fall flat on our faces, we’ll at least have gone out with a bang and not a whimper. Unfortunately, the cold, methodical head that sits on my shoulders knows that Wolves need to carry on grinding out solid performances as it’s unlikely we’ll be caught if we continue as we are.
And who knows, we might get a few goals anyway.
If Villa beat Hull tomorrow, and if both Hull and Burnley lose on Saturday, we’ll only need one point to be safe. That’ll be good enough for me!
This season I have been a TPS customer rather than a season ticket holder and have seen West Ham, Hull, Birmingham, Wigan, Arsenal, Liverpool, Stoke and Spurs (sunderland to come) – fair to say only the Spurs game represented any real value for money.
My brother does have a season ticket (renewed for around 15 years!) and even he has said what a slog this year has been! I think everyone accepts that this year was always just going to be about survival by hook or by crook!
Personally I think next year will be different. The league will be stronger with Newcastle and Albion in it and unless Wolves score more goals I think second season syndrome will bite us on the @rse! We need to go out and buy a quality striker to play with Doyle in the summer (and a left back!). To be fair to MM he would have expected SEB to play a bigger role this season, his inability to step up has given us major issues up front. Maybe we should have got someone in on loan in January?
For this season I would at least put Adlene in the side to give a third attcking option with Doyle and Jarvis. How Edwards has leap frogged him is beyond me really? Another MM lovechild in the making?
“fair to say only the Spurs game represented any real value for money”
How much is an average season ticket at the Mol? Around 550? That works out at around 55 pounds per goal!
Two interesting thinks on the E&S website…
Wolves will step up their attempts to offload £1.8million flop striker Stefan Maierhofer in the summer.
Glad to see the back of this muppet – complete waste of money!
Wolves midfielder Adlene Guedioura has admitted there is still work to do to win a permanent contract at Molineux.
Shown some flashes of being a good player – I would give him a chance!
He’ll go with 4-5-1, and if we are losing/drawing put a forward on.
It is beyond me why he put Iwelumo on for Jarvis on saturday. Doyle upfront won nearly every ball in the air, Big Chris won as much as the Hof has in his career in the air. I’d like it if we need a goal and he puts SEB on. I wonder if he might bring a different midfielder for saturday though. Milijas looked quite good when he came on. Edwards ran around alot, but didn’t create too much. Had one decent shot, but I think he is more suited in our formation for the away games.
I would love to see us play 2 up front against Blackburn, really go for the win. Blackburn’s style of play resembles that of Stoke in some ways, namely that they like to bypass the midfield. As we saw against Stoke, there’s no point playing 5 across the midfield against a team that plays this way as they have no opportunity to make an impact, and probably end up with sore necks!
In reality, the decision might be influenced by the Hull Villa game. If Hull get something out of that, MM might opt to play it safe and ensure at least a point.
The games at home really are dire under 4-5-1. we have on average 2 or 3 chances a game, and are usually pleased to come out with a point. I think for these last 3 games we should stay put and if it’s 3 0-0s, then so be it.
For next year, we need to ditch it. The comment above is right. Newcastle and Albion are better than the bottom three now, without any additions, so we’re going to need to bring some good proven goalscorers in the summer, otherwise i think we’ll be fighting the play-off winners not to finish bottom.
Agree, next year we need someone to score the goals. Be it SEB or someone we buy for 6-7 million. Hopefully Milijas will still be with us, give us a bit of creativity and if Kightly is fit for pre-season (and stays fit) it will feel like a new signing.
I think that Milijas will be a revelation next year. It takes time to adjust, and he seems to be fitter and happier to stick a boot in than matchday 1 against West Ham.
Another bore draw coming up.Wake me up when it’s all over
I’d take the point though
Id say keep the 4-5-1 formation, we demolished west ham with it, and have earnt credible draws recently. We’ve got an in form back 4 with a defensively minded Mancienne (who has stepped up to the plate as of late).
Instead of having edwards on, put guedioura on, so that when we are in a defensive position, he has the advantage in being solid in the air as well as being a strong tackler, and when we’re up in the final third, hes not afraid to take a crack at goal whilst not wasting a man trying to dominate the midfield.
Hopefully Id also like to see Milijas substituted in for Jones in the 2nd half, so that we put a bit more pressure on their goal in set pieces.
Dont try fix what aint broke 🙂
Wolves 3-1
I don’t know why people think 4-4-2 is ”going for it” or that 4-5-1 means sitting back. Surely 4-5-1 means you dictate the play more because you have more players involved in the build up play.. we showed what a 5 man midfield can do to 4-4-2 at West Ham. I just wish he’d play Guedioura or Milijas ahead of Edwards – we’ve got enough ‘legs’ in the team, we need players who can make something happen.
On a slightly related note, why does McCarthy feel he can only play 1 of Milijas & Jones? (Milijas only seems to even be able to come on for Jones)Ok, so they are both left-footed, but so what, he doesnt think ‘oh no i cant play Mancienne and Henry cos they are both right-footed’ does he??
I see your point Adam.
Personally, I think I look back with rose coloured glasses to the home wins against Fulham, Bolton and Burnley, where we played two up front and actually carved out quite a few good opportunities.
I suppose I’m just thinking, if we did switch back to two up front, there’s a possibility we might find one repeat performance to finish the job. Obviously, that’s not guaranteed though and it would be risky to change things back at this stage.
Like you say though, get Milijas or Guedioura back in the team in place of Edwards. The 4-5-1 undoubtedly works better with three measured footballers in there. Edwards should really be challenging Foley for a position on the right anyway, not playing down the middle.
I would love to see Milijas and Jones get a start together, but probably won’t happen.
But apart from that West Ham game, there has not been much else. Liverpool, Everton, Stoke, Fulham. I could probably count our chances in those games on one hand. There are some good draws there but lord help us if the defence has an off day.
I agree with you there.. (although I’d call all the games you have listed good results!) .. I’m just challenging the idea that 2 up front = more chances and a better chance of winning.
Sam Allardyce got some stick last month for saying 4-4-2 was an antiquated system and doesnt work in Premiership anymore.. understandably so because he was going overboard and Tottenham are enjoying success with it.. but he did have a point to an extent.
I dont think United need to play Berbatov with Rooney to be an attacking side, ditto Arsenal with Bendtner ‘up there on his own’. They are obviously at a different level to us but the point holds.. we just need to work at getting players up there in support.
A striker will probably be signed in the summer, but I’d be just as excited by a quality attacking midfield signing OR a good World Cup for Milijas OR the return of Kightly.. things that I think could really get this 4-5-1 ticking.
I think Adam – the trade off is – if we play 4-4-2 we will have more chances to win the game, but the opponent will have more chances for us to lose the game too.
Wait for next year with better players.
Trouble is, if we do play 442, where is the other striker to play alongside Doyle?
Doesn’t a certain Mr. Steve Bull have a son?
Surely he’s old enuff and good enuff to play up front for us.
FOWB
Thank you Aston Villa, you have just made our task a little bit easier.
FOWB
Yes, thank you to all other teams being worse than us. Our own inadequacies have become unimportant
Daz – the other way to look at it is we have more adequacies than other teams?
but only 4 of them, and next year, possibly only 2…
Yes, the “glass half full” viewpoint. I prefer this I must say. We’ve got a good defence, some hard-working defensive midfielders and a very good striker. We’re being acknowledged by managers such as Roy Hodgson as being “difficult to play against”. A couple or three new signings at the business end of the team (granted – these are sorely needed), and who knows, we could surprise ourselves next season.
Kowloon – I’m just concerned about a lack of depth in defence.
Whilst we have 3 right backs (RZ, KF & RStearman) and Halford
But should Craddock/Berra get injured I’m not sure if I’d trust Mancienne, Stearman, Zubar (the future is at Right Back).
We should all be very grateful Jarvis, Berra, Craddock and Doyle stayed fit this season.
Defensive midfield not so much of a problem – Henry, Mancienne (maybe) and Guediora (probably) I think can do the job there.
I think we need striker (preferably big, athletic type), left back, right wing, centre back in that order of priority.
Sure we need a class striker for next year but we also need to add a bit of class in midfield and defence too.Top class gradual improvement year on year.We’re not missing shed loads of chances,we’re just not creating much because our skill levels just don’t match our fitness and effort levels.
Wayne Rooney wouldn’t find it too easy up front for us and conversely, Seb would probably get afew for Man U.That’s a thought, i wonder if Sir Alec might consider ………?????
Liverpool could be in the shite by not qualifying for Europe next season,,, couldn’t we pillage some of their fringe players if they have to offload to save on wages??
Who would you want from the Liverpool squad?
I think they are mainly over paid and over rated!
A certain Mr Gerrard, and possibly an ABBA song title???
( work it out, you lot )
FOWB
Is Gerrard the “Dancing Queen” …or do we need to spend ‘Money,Money, Money” ?
Let’s hope Sunderland at home isn’t our “Waterloo”… next season we certainly need to sign a midfield “super trouper”
Or how about Fernando ? (sic)
Craddock deffo lplayer of the season. Priority is a left back… a CB,…CM …RW ( cos Kightly is finished) and partner for Doylinho… then Jez… JOB DONE
Player of the season Craddock! Doyle hmust have won it by miles. Then Henry and Jarvis, then Hahnemann and Craddock. Craddock has done very well, better than expected but not as well as Doyle has done.
Rubbish…Craddock cost us 1.75mill, has scored 2 lees goals than Doyle and has sweat blood for this team this year. He is the main reason we may still stay up.Doyle was bought to score goals, his return is paltry.Craddock is POTS
Come off it. Doyle offers us so much more than goals, surely you know that?
There are so many others ahead of Craddock for me. Jarvis and Henry are in top three with Doyle. Doyle is the best all round forward I have ever seen at Wolves (Bear in mind, I can only remember up to 2001). He is a great team player and hardly ever loses it.
Actually… mahogany row will deem we dont need to spend any money at all. They will think that we were better than 4 other clubs this season, and will be better than WBA and Cradiff/Leicester/Forest etc… so is 17th the aim again? put another 60mill in the bank…just survive again…then year 3.. spend up big ?
What a load of sh*te…
Liverpool are lining up a surprise summer move for Wolves’ Welsh international goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey (1150 BST).
Full story: Daily Mirror
Well done the Villa for putting Hull to the sword last night. It’s all over the press today that Hull’s owners programme notes hinted that they are in financial trouble so if we still want Hunt we should get him at a knock down price!
Our defense will be a year older and a year slower next season.
We need to take off our collective blinkers and see our team for what it is….a very lucky, poor team.
We have been lucky to have so many poorer sides around us.
Lets face it, we need a complete, emotionless clear out.
There are only 3 players at the most who are worth a regular Premiership place.
Our entire outfield defense needs to go, along with most of the midfield. Our strike force is one, Doyle, with Jarvis being a very good winger.
Iwelumo and SEB will never cut it in the Prem, and Keogh is a joke.
We need an injection os cash, and a clear out of staff, management and executives included.
If not, we are going to be the whipping boys and the laughing stock of the PL next season, and will not win a single game.
I am not being negative or anti Wolves, quite the opposite, I care passionately about my club and want us to be sucessful.
But if we keep the majority of this squad, and don’t add significantly,
then we are fuckin’ doomed.
FOWB
Mick’s aim was to keep us up, and he’s almost done it. You can’t sack him after that. He needs a chance to bring in better players in the summer, mainly a striker, a right winger and centre back or two. He needs to make 4-4-2 work too imo.
I agree though that if things stayed as they are, us and the play off winners would struggle hugely.
Maybe MM needs a different team around him, fresh blood in the backroom as well as the front room.
But the one change that MUST be made, is Moxey.
He has been, is and always will be a blight on our club.
His only interest is him and his bloated bonuses, and the only reason he spouts about us being in the Prem is so he can inflate his bonuses, together with his greaseball image, even further.
This summer we should start a grassroots campaign, whatever that means, to get rid of the fat fuck.
Perhaps he will go to South Africa in June, and get taken by cannonballs!!
FOWB
FOWB
Is that Cannibals Clive? It would need 100 of them to eat him
Not exactly super-reliable sources but on Football Manager and his facebook page Guediora is listed as a DM. The way he can work space out of tight situations and is a strong tackler make me think we may not have seen him in his best position. I think we saw him more going forward because of the personnel he played with. If we were to play a 4-5-1 with say him, henry and Milijas with 2 proper wingers I think we’d see a much more creative and attacking style of play. I’m agreeing with Adam B tbh. The personnel makes a much bigger difference than the actual set up. The main reason MM seems to be sticking with this defensive style is because our defence needs so much protecting. I think we discussed on here before that strangely our defence is the main reason we haven’t scored goals. A CB of real quality who’d cost Doyle money and a solid LB would allow the other players to get forward more. Throwing more money at our extensive list of strikers would be a real waste imo. If we cleared out 7-8 players who are dead wood we could probably bring in getting onto £10mil. Another £10mil of extra investment would allow 3 players to be brought in at around Doyle prices and then a couple of freebies/lower league risks to re-beef the squad. We’d still make a profit so Jez would be happy and we’d be much much stronger.
Kind of a long winded way of saying you agree with me!!
Thanks!!
But bollocks to keeping greasy jez happy, I want him gone and someone who is genuine, and has the best interests of Wolverhampton Wanderers as his or her ONLY agenda.
Moxey can bog off and rot at sandwell town for all I care.
FOWB
Totally agree Clive, well said. We need someone that doesn;t just pay the fans with lip service. We need someone who can drive us on to the top half of the table.No chance while we have pie and pint man at the helm
What if Doyle gets injured though? We can’t just rely on him to be our only good striker. We definitely need at least 1 more imo
Agree – Albion are being linked with Tuncay from Stoke. I’d have him at the Wolves
Anyone know anything about “balsa wood” Kightly… is he still alive?
I think he is training at the moment. If we win does anyone think he might get a game? Maybe even Mendez-Laing might get a chance.
That’s what you get for putting your most injured player ever in charge of first team fitness!
Hey… HAPPY ST GEORGE’s DAY to all you poms 🙂