“I’ve got my starting eleven barring any injuries picked up this week.”
That was Mick’s bold proclamation after seeing Wolves secure another pre-season win against Real Zaragoza on Saturday.
So for a bit of fun, lets see if we can crack the McCarthy-code and make some educated guesses about who’ll take to the field at Ewood Park on Saturday.
The formation
I’m pretty sure Mick will, like last season, start off with a 442. I can’t see either Doyle or Fletcher (barring injuries) being left out so that more or less dictates the shape of the side. Like everyone else, I’m hoping we’ll finally get to see our record-signings working successfully in tandem.
Goalkeeper
Probably the easiest pick for our manager. Has to be Wayne Hennessy. Wrestled his place back from Marcus Hahnemann last season and has been impressive ever since. De Vries will be breathing down his neck from the kick-off but the Welshman is unquestionably number one.
Right-back
This is a tricky one. You’d think it would be a straight shootout between Foley and Zubar, but Mick’s thrown a real curve ball in by picking Stearman there several times during pre-season. I think Stearman might just get the nod, purely because Zubar is still technically recovering from his back injury.
Center-back #1
Another easy one – Roger Johnson. He was a glaringly obvious pick anyway but the fact he’s been made captain makes him more or less immovable whilst fit.
Center-back #2
With Stearman playing his trade at right-back I think Berra will play alongside Johnson in the middle. It was interesting to hear that Mick tried Zubar in the center against Zaragoza, which is something I’m curious to see, but Berra seems to once again be in favour.
Left back
Both Ward and Elokobi got 45 on Saturday, so it’s arguably still up for grabs, but I think George will get the shirt. Will we see reinforcement arrives before the end of the transfer window? It’s looking unlikely, which seemed unthinkable at the end of last season.
Right midfield
Up until the weekend, I thought Kightly was certain to play, but he’s picked up an injury, which for a player with his history immediately sets alarm bells ringing with me. With Jarvis back in the swing after his own layoff, I think he will now be the one to start down the right.
Center midfield #1
Karl Henry. We don’t have another holding midfielder, so despite being stripped of the captaincy, he will start at Ewood Park. I’m hoping we’ll see the same player who flew out of the blocks last season before suspension, injury and loss of form derailed his progress.
Center midfield #2
Has to be Jamie O’Hara doesn’t it? Our other big money signing ended last season with his place firmly cemented in the side and I can’t see that changing anytime soon. My only concern is that Blackburn overran O’Hara and Henry in that traumatic opening 45 at Molineux in May. As a combination are they too lightweight to play together in a 442?
Left midfield
Stephen Hunt. Didn’t get a pre-season last time out, so hopefully we’ll see the very best of him from the start in his second campaign. His tenacity and goal-threat makes him an important player for us, so I expect him to be a regular when fit and able.
Striker #1
Kevin Doyle. Super Kev. Doyler. It might have been Steven Fletcher that stole all the headlines with his goals towards the end of last season, but it was Doyle’s tireless workrate and skill that kept us afloat up until his injury. If we’re ever in a position where we can leave this guy on the bench, it must mean we’ve become a pretty good team.
Striker #2
Fletch finished last season on fire, so hopes are high for more of the same this time. He’s an incredibly skillful performer and a tremendous finisher. This really should be his year and if he plays consistently, is a 20 goal target unreasonable?
So, my predicted team for Ewood Park reads:
Hennessy
Stearman
Johnson
Berra
Elokobi
Jarvis
Henry
O’Hara
Hunt
Fletcher
Doyle
What’s yours?
I agree that’s the team he’ll pick.
Amazed that Stearman is 1st choice RB. He’d be a distant 3rd choice for me.
As for left-back, it’s a bit of a joke that we’ve done nothing. Tim Nash’s oft-repeated line is that Mick doesn’t think there’s anyone better than Elokobi and Ward out there … sack the scouts.
If I was Kevin Foley I’d be knocking on the manager’s door and saying “could I please play a reserve game at left-back and you can see what you think.” It’s a bit of a joke he can’t get in that back four.
It would be Zubar all the way for me at right-back if I were picking the team.
Like you say, the less said about left-back the better.
Foley or Zubar at down that side is a good shout (if we’re assuming Stearman will play down the right) but can’t see it happening.
Adam
IMO Foley is down the pecking order as he takes no responsibility when he has the ball, & is a yard short & think tthat would be the reponse he’d get if he knocked McCarthy’s door.
Not sure what you mean when you say he takes no responsibiity when he has the ball?
I can’t think of a player at the club with better distribution of the football.
I strongly agree, Adam B.
And the reason of not picking Foley is that he is injured. That’s also the reason why Trap didn’t pick him to play for Ireland. He’ll be back!
I too think he will go with this. great blog BTW – I was about 200 words into a similar one, which I can now spike ;-(
I think you’ve got the left back slot wrong. He will pick Ward. George could have come on and bagged a hat-trick off the bench, while clearing two off the line. It would matter little as Ward will start. He has started the first game of every season under Mick (Watford h, Plymouth a, West Ham h, Stoke h)
I was hoping Zubar might get a run-out at centre back next to Johnson, but think he will probably go for Berra.
Agree about Kites too. The silence is eerily audible isn’t it?!
Snooze you lose Benny boy 🙂
Sorry old friend, we need to consult more about what we’ve got brewing in the pipeline (oo-er).
I think this could be the year that the curse of the Ward-opening-day-appearance is finally exorcised.
….won’t be surprised if it’s not though.
I would prefer milijas to Henry in all honesty but the team you have said looks like it, however I think that ward will play at left back cause I heard he did pretty well at real zaragola.
Also what is happening with Maierhofer as Mick said he was impressed with him on Saturday and there seems to be little interest?
Can Milijas and O’Hara be a realistic midfield two?
Many would call it lunacy.
I personally think it can.
You don’t need a holding player if you have players who can retain the ball and position themselves properly when defending.
I’d love to see Milijas sitting in front of the back four spraying passes around.
As for the Hoff, looks like he’s back in the fold. We haven’t got many forwards and if we’re not going to sign any more, then there’s definitely a place for him in the squad. Why not? Never really been given a proper chance in my opinion.
The Hoff – our one man Plan C.
it’s a pity as if he’d signed for another club we’d have been treated to another round of stories about how he’s really tall and likes to cook. all the midlands papers have already reported all that, so they probably won’t bother writing anything about him now.
The Hoff deserves a chance. He never really got one, and then of course was shipped off to Germany last season. He played pretty well for Duisburg, who are a relatively small team – yet he helped them get to the German equivalent of the FA Cup final. He also played well off the bench against Zaragoza, finally he was getting high and heading the ball. He brought down plenty toward Fletch, and I think he definitely has the ability to cause trouble for the opposition. Just my opinion of course…
I also agree with you Thomas on giving Milijas and O’Hara a chance together, it would be an interesting combination. Maybe it could work. But even though Mick has stripped Henry of captaincy, I can’t see him dropping him from the first 11.
not a bad team but we need two three more. Looks like Long is off to Everton, good news cos he`s been linked with albion for a while, he`s a class act and will only get better.
We need another quality defender and a midfielder destroyer plus a left back. I know it can be controversial but cech at albion is a proven international left back and only being kept out by shorey.
Looks more and more likely that our fears will be realised and mick has screwed us in the transfer… he will also probably persist , as you rightly mention, with ward and stearman and we will once again get destroyed at the back.
i sat in silence this transfer, hoping that we would make more than just 1 signing, but it looks for all intents and purposes that we wont. it is insufficient, and if it wasnt for the likes of norwich and swansea i would say we’d be relegation favourites.
This is the first time ive really sat and got angry about it. we basically had this team sheet last game of last season when we needed a win or draw AT HOME against lowly blackburn and got annihilated for the first 45 mins, lost the game, and were saved only by a a wonder goal. add 1 defender to that starting line up and suddenly we going to finish “top 10” – according to mick himself. give it up mate.
Never good to lose your opening game, but with our defence basically the same as last season, that will surely be the result.
what a joke. what a complete joke.
we have signed 3 players.
johnson, de vries and o’hara!
think Foley is a great RB, and Zubar good back up at RB or CB.
if we were to sign a decent left back i would be extremely happy with our transfer dealings, but its a big if!
Indeed, we have signed three players – but only one new outfield player has joined the squad, with O’Hara already in the ranks last season.
I’m completed mystified when fans, and Mick for that matter, claim we can hit the heady heights of 10th. What, with no reliable left-back in a team ‘bolstered’ by the arrival of just one defender?
I don’t expect us to be struggling as badly as last season, but anyone suggesting we’ll finish higher than 15 needs a reality check.
3? Telling fibs are we?
devries is cover for wayne, was on a free, and is a non event.
ohara was with us last year, and part of the team that we had when we got thumped at home last day of the season and lucky lucky lucky to stay up
where do you, and other misguided souls – including mick – think the addition of ONE player will lift us to a top 10 position ??
I do however agree that Foley is class… but wont start ahead of micks lovechildren, and Zubar has one great game, followed by one howler… loan him out and hope he gets some consistency
I agree that we should have gotten a left-back but I think your criticism is uncalled for, to be honest… Johnston is a great addition (and there’s the difference in the defence – one man is better than no man!) De Vries will keep Hennesey competitive and therefore always looking to do his best and keeping O’hara was brilliant!
Still, it probably won’t be top ten but we’ll do much better if our injury problems are kept in check this season!
should be:
hennessey
foley johnson elokobi ward
jarvis guedioura milijas hunt
doyle fletcher
My team;
Hennessey
Foley, Craddock (if fit), Johnson, Elokobi
Jarvis, Guedioura (Henry until he gets repaired :), O’ Hara, Hunt
Fletcher, Doyle
think it is crucial we make good use of SEB and Hammill from the bench too.
It is inevitable that Ward will start.
I agree with AdMant, we are starting where we left off, with the addition of Johnson.
Henry, Foley, Berra, Elokobi and Ward are just not good enough for the Prem, and all the other teams, especially Swansea, Norwich and QPR must be rubbing their hands in gleeful anticipation of coming to three sided fortress Molineux.
It don’t matter how good our strike force is, if we leak goals at the other end.
Let’s give McDickhead the benefit of the doubt until the end of the transfer window.
If he signs nobody else for the left bck slot, then we will be doomed, Captain Mainwaring, Doomed!!!!!!!!!!!!
Doomed just like last season I imagine Clive…
Errrrrr, we very nearly were, wonder goal saved us minutes from season end… how quick some forget.
but it did save us though, didn’t it? we are still in the premier league though, aren’t we?
if you watch a tight game in which we win by a goal, the opposition have one disallowed for offside and one cleared off the line, it doesn’t matter who deserved what from the game – it’s the result that’s important.
obviously we’d love to coast into the top 4 but that wasn’t at all likely last year in the most competitive premier league in years.
this year there’s plenty of relegation fodder with the likes of the championship teams who’ve come up, wigan, blackburn and newcastle. we’ll be fine, in spite of doom merchants bemoaning the fact we didn’t get relegated last year.
Only Mick could make an issue of the one area (right back) of our defence that isn’t a problem. Two good quality right backs and neither first choice seemingly.
Absolutely pathetic McCarthy.
I was looking forward to going to Blackburn, then I dreamt that our lunatic manager selected Ward at left back. If Stearman warms the bench and Berra plays then expect the opposition to attack down our vulnerable right hand side – now where have we seen that before. I just hope big George starts. On the other hand he may well play Stearman at centre back because his pace could help protect his love child.
If Zubar is fit then he has to play, his pace and dynamism put him ahead of anyone else, but Foley could step in adeqauately.
i`d welcome the 442, so long as the wide men do help out the midfield, a two man midfield will get overrun in the premiership, how many times have we seen that over the last 2 seasons. The preseason games I saw showed a willingness for the wide men to play deeper, and work with the two forwards to get forward.
We have two talented and expensive forwards, at last playing in tandem, who can score goals and hurt the opposition. Blackburn must be in a bit of disarray with all the chicken shit in the background, if the right team gets picked by MM we could get a result at Ewood.
my team is:
Gk – Hennessey
RB – Foley
CB – Johnson
CB – Zubar
LB – Elokobi or Berra
RM – Jarvis or Kightly
CM – O’hara
CM – Milijas or Guedioura
LM – Hunt or Hammill
ST – Doyle or Maierhofer
ST – Fletcher or Keogh
Afraid you havent included ward in there… remember the “ward” card trumps all other cards.
and Mairhoffer ???????
McJoke already lining em up again.
Steady on the Hoff! Didnt he score on his last trip to Ewood. I am sure he was just in the shop window against Zaragoza rather than a plan to bring him back into the fold. Personally, I was delighted to see him again as he always makes me chuckle!
I think your team is about right Thomas. Personally, I wouldn’t even mind seeing a five man midfield with Fletcher as an option just to give us a more solid look. Maybe hammill or milijas could be an option? I am a bit concerned about Karl and J’OH in the middle. Would play Foley at right back all day long.
Anyway, in McPremiership I trust.
You do have to fancy us from set-plays with that team.
For corners, we could leave Henry on halfway line with O’Hara/Hunt on edge and load the box with Johnson, Berra, Elokobi, Doyle, Stearman & Fletcher. Surely any team’s 6th tallest defender would be f**ked?
Interesting point, never thought of that.
On the flip side, maybe it will also stop teams like Blackburn murdering us in the air, as they did last season.
I’m still having nightmares about Jason Roberts brutalising Mancienne…
Defending set pieces against Blackburn has been a real problem, particularly at Ewood Park, but hopefully the basics will be covered this time and someone will be marking Ryan flippin’ Nelson.
No left back signing is a complete joke.
Game after game this area will be targeted, and game after game it will cost us points.
According to the E&S we only spent £7m on o’hara and Johnson so money should not be an issue.
I see Newcastle have signed Obertan, while all the promoted clubs have majored on adding pacey wingers and big target men for next season.
The very idea that Ward will play left back against Obertan, Sinclair of Swansea, either new Man Utd wingers, the young lad at Villa who murdered Ward last year, and other pacy attackers simply beggars belief.
The thought of seeing these wingers running at and past Ward doesn`t fill me with any confidence for next season, and I`m with Stourbridge Wolf on this , not getting a fit for purpose left back signed is an absolute disgrace.
I’ve spent far more time than is sensible wondering why McCarthy hasn’t signed a left back. It doesn’t make any sense if you look at it logically and objectively.
For a start Ward is not even a defender so it’s the only position where there is no real competition for places. Even so he does not see big George as necessarily the first choice, which means he doesn’t rate him that highly.
Secondly, it’s not as if we are destitute and can’t afford to spend any money at all. In fact, as prize money increases along with league position, spending a couple of million on strengthening a pretty obvious weakness makes good financial sense.
I can only deduce that, when it comes to Ward, Mick cannot be objective. For what reason i’ve no idea. All i know is he overstates his ability and overpraises his performances.When he scored the winner at Liverpool(good goal and good performance i agree), he said ‘he’s been brilliant all year’. Absolute tosh.
I like Ward, he’s a trier and all that but we need and deserve better at left back. A chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link.
Another crazy point is that neither Ward or Elokobi have had the benefit of any decent academy coaching in their early football careers, or in the position they aspire to play.
Its no wonder George is all over the place positionally, but at least he has the pace and physicality for the job. Wards lack of pace and mobility is a real problem in the premiership, though MM just won`t or can`t see it.
If its true he wants to play left back, well heaven help us, how much evidence over the last 3 years or so does MM need to see he just isn`t up to the task. I doubt any of his team mates will say anything otherwise they will be away like van Damme was. It sucks.