With just a few thousand supporters spattered around the St.Mary’s stadium, this final warm up game had an almost eerie atmosphere.
The few hundred die-hard traveling supporters, however, at least did their best to make a noise.
Wolves started with the eleven who finished the Shrewsbury game, with the exception of Sigurdason, who replaced the injured Doyle up front.
And it was a very promising start as Wolves continued with their new possession based style, dominating long periods of play. Indeed, they should have taken the lead early on when Blake, who was put clean through from a good ball by Ward, allowed his weak effort to be smothered by the keeper.
With the wide men, Forde and Davis tucked in, most of the threat out wide came from the marauding full backs. Zubar, in particular, found himself in dangerous positions but was unable to supply much in the way of a telling cross.
Gradually, Southampton got an increasing grip on the game and their possession play had a more direct and dangerous character. Not unusually, their wide men were allowed plenty of space and seemed to be able to deliver crosses at will. One such from the right caused confusion in the defence and was returned from the left for Sharp to sweep home. Another cheap goal and all too familiar.
The second half continued in much the same fashion. Wolves playing in a more patient controlled fashion but not offering much as an attacking threat. Occasionally, Blake and Sigurdason worked an opening, the best of which ended with Blake firing across the area only for Davies to shoot wide when it looked easier to score.
The game was finished as a contest in the 69th minute when Puncheon fired crisply into the bottom right hand corner.
After that, the game petered out as Southampton produced an endless series of substitutions, two by two; Noah might have filled the Ark more quickly.
Individually, there were some plus points. Ikeme showed that we have a few keepers who could do the job. Johnson again looked full of purpose and dealt with most of the aerial threat. The ubiquitous Henry was full of energy and intent.
Doumbia, Tuesday’s man of the match, had a much quieter game. Asked to play deep alongside Henry, he played the minor role. Late on, when Jonnson replaced Blake, he played to some effect in the ‘hole’ behind the striker as part of a 5 man midfield. We may see more of this.
On the down side, we never really got out of second gear and our attacks looked familiarly ponderous. Forde and Davis offered little as an attacking threat. Forde looks a little light- weight and it’s hard to see that someone with more pace like Kightly would not be a better option. Possibly Ward with a nice quick full back in his stead? We can only dream!
Watching the team trying to adapt to this very new style of possession play is a little uncomfortable at times. It looks like it is a new difficult skill that they can perform but only very slowly and with deep concentration. It doesn’t come naturally and they are finding it hard.
It’s a skill that has been neglected for too long and it’s going to take time. It has to be done though and it will be worth the wait.
Thanks again Martin, top stuff.
I’m encouraged by the system, but slightly concerned by the personnel being used by Solbakken, particularly in the wide midfield areas.
Hopefully it’s just a case of injury and circumstance that the likes of Davis are being used in these positions.
Forde to me, although I’ve seen little admittedly, doesn’t seem like the immediate answer either.
Assuming we don’t see any further signings before the season starts, a back four of Zubar, Stearman, Johnson and Ward seems nailed on.
Henry and Doumbia also seem like certain starters.
I suppose the rest depends on whose still around. You would think a fully fit and available Jarvis, Fletcher and Kightly would replace say Forde, Davis and Doyle for instance?
I know Solbakken obviously wants us to be harder to beat, but I hope it’s not at the expense of picking our best attacking players.
Very interesting indeed.
I hope that’s not the back four we end up with Thomas! My fingers are crossed that we have new defensive recruits on the way!
Possibly – probably actually – but in my view I’m not gonna go suicidal if now… we’re not in the Premier League anymore and I think all four back four players can cut it at this level – a few will need to go in the case of promotion though!
*if this would be our back four
Fair point, when you put it like that maybe our D isn’t such a priority!
I guess defensive frailty is just the elephant in the room for me following last season’s debacle.
Thanks Martin for a great report the only others i could find on my mobile are 2 liners.Had to look ubiquitous up, an apt description for Henry i have heard him called a lot of other things but i am a fan.Hoping we can keep at least one from jarvis and kightly.
Cheers Colin, your kind comments always welcome.
Great report Martin.
Friendlies dont mean a lot but I am mildly disappointed. Usually with a new Manager more effort is put forth. Learning new style and shape will explain some but this should be coming together by now. Sounds like Johnson is shaping up, playing for a move?
Please don’t misunderstand, I have supported for over 50yrs and always will. But for me the next couple of weeks is going to be pivotal and I think will reveal the true level of ambition of our “new” owner and the club. I think and hope it is high but hope Stale left early to find some defenders. I was concerned to hear we conceded so readily again. I was really looking for a draw from this game and at least a tight defensive effort.
Anyway here we go on the next thrilling episode. Please Stale put a strong defensive unit together, after that the rest will fall into place.
It would be disappointing to get £20 odd million in and not improve the defence which is obviously dreadful, even at Champ level. In particular the centre backs need replacing. Not a fan of Zubar and Ward as defenders but seems like we are relying on full backs attacking this season and we probably won’t find better for the Champ in that respect.
It was rather frustrating in the tempo they played it. It was as if the style of play was the all important as opposed to beating the opposition. I know the result is not important in a friendly but no performance is completely what you want if you lose. They really need to up the pace and be more direct. Zubar had plenty of time to get good balls in but the word that keeps recurring to me(and this goes for most of the team)is PONDEROUS.
To be honest, and i’m surprising myself here, the most direct in attack was Ward. Get him farther forward i say.
As for the defence, the full backs don’t seem to mark the wingers at all but tuck in and then defend as a unit when they get the ball. This gives them plenty of time and space to cross, unfortunately. To be honest, i don’t quite see what the idea is. Both goals were given away too easily and, if we really are to be contenders for automatic promotion, this has got to stop.
Interesting and encouraging that Stale was off straight away again scouting. Don’t remember our last manager doing that much. Looking forward to seeing what he comes up with.
Agree with Thomas, Forde is a young lad, but hes looked massively out his depth whenever I’ve seen him. Lets give him a chance though. Is JOH still injured?
I’m a bit concerned to say the least of the way stale wants to play football,its been drab for the last couple of years and it seems its not gonna change infact it may be a bit worse by the sound of it.but i’ll remain positive until i see it for my self next week so until then ill keep stum.
We are at the start of the next chapter and SS will need all the support that he can muster. He WILL know his best line up at this stage with the players at his disposal and his first challenge is to stop conceding ” silly ” goals, which as we all know happens far too easily with the present squad. He can only work with what he’s got and their attitude towards his vision of the way forward. This could be the start of an exciting period in our clubs history, with MM’s dismal chapter put to rest.
It might be relevant here to re-iterate that the way forward is not through spending loads of money on transfers and wages, we must have the players on board who can respond to the challenges set for them by SS and the fans, YES I DID SAY ” and the fans !!!! ”
Something happened internally last season which upset and eventually destroyed the delicate balance within the squad and it cannot be allowed to rear its head again this season.
I am quite hopeful about this season and the breath of fresh air blowing through the mol’ is an exciting prospect for us all. As I’ve said on previous blogs it’s time to unload the ” marmite ” players on the fringes and expect more from the established pros in the squad.
As ever UTW !!!!
Well done Martin! You’re having the most impressive pre season out of the lot of them! Hope you can carry these into the full season proper!
I’m particularly concerned about the loss of Kightly, should it happen.
Henry was bang on in his assessment in the week. We need a conclusion to these transfer wranglings. Leeds will be upon us b4 we know where we are and a formation like this one, minus our only 3 quality attackers, is a recipe for disaster.
I just don’t know why Kites wasn’t tied down on a longer deal when the Sunday Mercury was interviewing him about it in April? Doesn’t make sense to me.
What’s happened to the other targets Moxey said we had after losing out on the Norwegian?
Defence is worrying. Hope Stalle is not going down Hoddle route of getting donkeys to play like Brazil.
Saw one goal we conceded and you could have driven a bus through the gap.
Need to see more action in raising the quality of the squad. Now.
The days of crediting a Moxey statement with a slightest modicum of truth vanished years ago for me Alf.
Didn’t he say a fortnight ago we wouldn’t sell our best players only to say last week we’ll only sell the players We don’t want?!
Good job he’s got such a gargantuan mouth when he keeps putting his foot in it.
Ben I wrote that with a touch of irony!
where are the improvements-hope Moxey isn’t holding things up by squeezing blood out of a stone?
Think I know the answer to my own question
Try to break the habits of last year when JM was linked with everything that happened at the mol’ last season. It gave the impression that he was indespensible and a very important cog in the wheels of progress. Whilst he is definitely the master of certain areas, generally financial considerations, he is neither the panacea nor the cause of all the problems which destroyed the equilibrium within the squad last season. That claim to fame can be laid firmly on the lap of MM. Nothing would please me more than to see both MM and JM not mentioned again on this blog this season. MM is gone and we shouldn’t give JM an importance that he doesn’t have. This is a new season, with a new broom, let him find out who he can trust. It will be better for him and us in the long term.
As ever UTW !!!!
I agree but as CEO he is in the forefront. Removal is the only way.
However he had a lot to do with the shambles after MM’s departure.
He is still there. MM isn’t.
Friendlies don’t mean much of course.
However I expected us to lose to Southampton.
I also expected us to beat Shrewsbury.
The defence was the problem last year and judging by this game nothing seems to have changed there. (4 goals conceded in 2 games if you discount the Telford game)
Without any of our flair attacking players we were always going to struggle.
If Jarvis, Fletcher and Kightly leave then its goodnight sweetheart.
I am willing to give SS a chance but I also want us to hit the ground running, cos if we don’t others will and the then its a case of catch up all year.
Hope I’m Proved wrong.
Morgan OUT!!! Moxey OUT!!! TC OUT!!! Johnson OUT!!!
I’m reading that Kightly is going for a medical at Stoke, Sunderland are bidding 12M for Fletcher and we’ve signed ex Hearts keeper Marian Kello.
Not the most awesome news, although maybe Kello would be better at LB than anyone else we have?