Well, that was horrid.
On another sub-zero weekend, on the decaying Molineux pitch, Stoke came out on top with their trademark brand of agricultural non-football.
20 smackers well spent? Probably not.
Wolves for their part were easier on the eye, but only a little, attempting to pass the ball throughout on the uneven surface but rarely penetrating the typically well-organised opposition.
Mick deployed a strong side, resisting the urge to field the fringe and keeping faith with 9 of the players that started against Liverpool. And in many ways, the performance was very similar to last Saturday’s.
Once again, for all the huff and puff, nobody in a gold shirt seemed capable of sticking in the knife.
The only difference being that the strikers can’t blame the service this time.
Ward sent over a delicious ball just prior to the interval that Fletcher could only head against the post.
Sam Vokes was also profligate, guiding a superb inswinging cross from Jarvis straight at Thomas Sorensen, when a bulging net seemed inevitable.
Then finally, in the dying seconds, Milijas wasted the greatest opportunity of all, sending a meek spot-kick towards goal that the Stoke keeper once again repelled with ease.
That would have secured Wolves a deserved replay, but instead the FA Cup journey is over for another season.
Still, we can have few complaints about losing after Robert Huth was inexplicably left all alone in the six-yard box to power home the only goal of the game. It was a moment of slackness in an otherwise solid defensive outing, but again, it’s costly.
It was a dull game truth be told, that only really sprung to life in the final 15 minutes, but it demonstrated the crucial difference between two sides. Stoke, for all their shortcomings, kept things tight and made us pay for a moment of slackness. Wolves switched off at a crucial moment, then failed to capitalise when handed a reprieve.
Frustration was the overriding feeling, summed up perfectly by Mick McCarthy’s touchline rage following the Milijas penalty failure.
It’s quickly onto Bolton now, where we can’t afford wasted chances and hard-luck stories, particularly with a Man United/Arsenal double-header to follow.
We need points. Not excuses.
Wolves complete O’Hara signing
One piece of good news today is the loan signing of Jamie O’Hara from Spurs. Read the full story on the club site here:
http://www.wolves.co.uk/page/News/0,,10307~2279998,00.html
He’s unquestionably an excellent addition to the squad, but hasn’t played a competetive game all season following a back injury. Fingers crossed he can hit the ground running because he’s definitely got the ability.
With the transfer window only open for another 24 hours, is there still time for any further additions? We’ve used up our last loan on O’Hara, so any additional business will have to be permanent.
That was absolutely appalling. A waste of £50 on tickets. The team lacked any passion, desire or determination. There was no communication between the players, and honestly it looked like they had never met each other before let alone play football together. Marcus Hahnemann is a saint for dealing with some of the back passes Elokobi & others gave him in the first half, unbelievable. Fletcher looked a waste of space up front, and Ward had one or two moments of good play but for the most part looked totally lost on the pitch. Nenad missing that penalty…well, I can’t express how disappointed I was.
My heart dropped when Hunt was taken off after a handful of minutes, I really do hope he is okay.
I don’t know who was supposed to be marking Huth, and sitting in the Southbank I didn’t get a very good view, but he looked totally clear and free – good goal.
The worst part is, I have no idea where to go from here. As you rightly point out, 9 of the 11 started against Liverpool so it wasn’t a second string reserve squad. We beat Stoke on the opening day, and I can tell you, having been in the stands that day the team that walked out this afternoon were nothing like the team that won 2-1 in August.
O’Hara signing is a bonus, but I hope Mick is going to continue dipping his toes into the transfer water as we’re desperate for a few new additions.
Its just really frustrating and disappointing. I shan’t be going down the Molineux for the rest of the season now, I refuse to line Moxey & Co’s pockets until the team get themselves playing football again. What we saw today was a pale imitation of the sport we know and love.
Agree with much of that Rob. I couldn’t spend the afternoon without my beloved team,so I took my beloved family with me. Got to the turnstile and wrongly thought I could still get in for 20quid. Wrong. 50quid for me and my wife and a further 8quid for my 2 year-old. What was my consumer experience thereafter? No fruit shoot, toddler compatible bottles for him, no chips, no nothing,bar customary cheese and onion mccoys and a range of pies. Not that it mattered: 1 kiosk open to guarantee a 15min queue at half time for the 67people in the whole tier. I nipped to the loo: 1sink in 5 offering hot water;0 in 2 soap dispensers offering soap. Then you look around…8000 other marginalised poor souls, all desperate for a bit of love from the club they all love,their watery gazes telling all. No to sentiment folks, a big yes to penny pinching presumption. The tired empty vessel of molineux providing the best commentary on Jez’ ticket policy. How about some free seats for school classes, the vibrancy of youth to offer a smile and a song? No chance at Wolves, where the sight of more rival fans ridiculing us weathered,weary lot in the FA Cup for a 2nd time (pie and pint anyone?) Isn’t so much a kick in the teeth, but a pre-planned marketing strategy. No wonder Morgan wants to bring the stands closer to the pitch…I’ve never felt so far away from it.
I agree with all you said there Ben, fantastic addition to my own post. I couldn’t believe how empty the lower tier of the Billy Wright was, the family enclosure is normally very busy at cup matches – not a soul to be seen today. Maybe Jez & Co should make it free for kids (perish the thought!) I read somewhere that the Villa was £15 for non STH Adults the other night, if the Wolves had done that then we might have packed it out. I remember the Athletic Bilbao game had only one Kiosk open at half time too, and that had an alarming queue which I couldn’t be bothered to stand in for the ridiculously over priced Pie and Pint, the latter of which I can’t even take back to my seat. I find that wholehartedly ridiculous, after spend £4 on it, do you really think I’d throw it on the pitch?!!
There was little atmosphere, even on the Southbank. I applaud the Stoke City fans for packing out the lower tier of the Steve Bull, great show from them. But the rest of the stadium? It was empty and soul-less.
I agree on the distance too, I feel further away from being a Wolves supporter than ever before. After the Milijas penalty miss me and my father walked out. He has been supporting the Wolves for 50 years and I have never seen him look so dejected after a Wolves match, he was absolutely gutted – more so than me.
Kind of sums it up, really, from what is written here and what the electronic telegraph reported.
Thankfully I didnt have to sit through it, but, as we all know, when Ward starts, we lose.
When is Morgan going to realize that McDinosaur has been taking the piss all fuckin’ season, and get rid of the useless twat?
Clice, mick is already signed up for next season – which isnt too bad considering he’s probably the best guy to try and get us promoted again.
Ad Mant
That may be true but what happens if we do get promotion straight away?
Go through this misery again or sack the guy who has just got you promotion?
Ahhh, see my earlier post… its a catch 22 !
So, we’ve signed a bloke who hasn’t played all season, has been injured, but has a great personality and will fit right in………McCowardly’s own words off the sanitary site.
Seems to me a perfect bit of bizniss, he’ll fit right in alright, none of our lot have played all season, most of them have been injured, and all have wonderful personalities, coz the all spout the same “we can get out of this” bollocks on the aforementioned sanitary thingy.
What a crock of shit.
Our signing thus far:
A winger, who we desperately need, as Jarvis and Hunt are knackered covering back for Ward’s fuck ups,
A “player for the future”, from Scotland, who must be relishing next season….in the championship,
A bloke who has been injured and hasn’t played all season,
And, we “nearly” signed another keeper.
What utter bollocks.
Why wasn’t I born in London?
Clive,
Why weren’t you born in London? You should worry! I was born in Manchester but still ended up a Wolves supporter.
My first taste of football was seeing the Honved match on B&W TV in 1954 just before my Dad had chance to indoctrinate me at his club Man City.
Since then I have seen wonderful years thanks to the great Stan, not so good years in the 60s, very good years in the 70s, desperate years courtesy of the Bhattis, hopeful years thanks to Bully and frustrating years since we first got pronoted to the Premiership thanks to Sir Jack withdrawing his money just when it was needed most and now with Steve Morgan, who I believe got the club too easily. Until this season he must have thought that this business of being a football club chairman was a doddle. Wonder what he thinks now.
Im just as frustrated as you.
Its a catch 22, Mick is probably the best guy to have when/if we get relegated… but certainly not the guy to take us to the next step – mid table security.
So basically, if he gets us relegated he should stay – but if he keeps us up he should get the sack… the mind boggles.
There’s no escaping it old man born in London and I’m a Wolves fan…
For my football fix this weekend I paid £19 to watch Chesterfield play a very exciting 2-2 draw against a very plucky Bradford side on Saturday afternoon. Thats division three, so it makes the ticket price of £20 or so seem reasonable on the face of it for the wolves/stoke cup tickets.
However my mums 86th birthday lunch today was far more importatnt than football. And judging by the very poor attendance there were thousands of other Wolves fans who had something better to do.
I feared the worst when I had the text with the wolves team, and Ward was playing up front. The bbc report and fans comments confirmed it was a good match to miss, I mean if Ward up front is all MM can deliver we may as well write the season off now.
I agree 100 % the pact mick made with the devil seems to require the inclusion of ward in every game, no matter what, no matter where.. the mind boggles
Once again missed out on a chance to progress in the cup with Brighton waiting it would have been a great chance to get to the quarters.
The O’Hara signing’s great news though! I was pissed off to see players like Curtis Davies go to Blues and us apparently not interested. Well done on this one Mick, hope he’s fit
For me, another hugely disappointing result in an increasingly unenjoyable season. This was a wonderful oppurtunity to give this season and all Wolves supporters a lift. Instead we get another totally uninspired perfomance and another home defeat to a very average team with our attack led by an undroppablle Stephen Ward. Roll on the cricket season!
We are going backwards at an alarming rate. Ward and Fletcher up front? You really are having a laugh… I suppose Henry will be dropped for O’Hara?
McCarthy, please just clear out now, this is an embarrassment.
From what I am reading about Fletcher on here – maybe signing Keane on loan would have been a smart move after all?
For anyone who attended is it true Ward was jeered off? I heard this from another fan?
I cant be botrhered with the cup (neither can most looking at the size of the crowd!). When will the club realise they need to offer tickets for £5 etc for such games – better to fill the ground and engage new supporters then have an empty stadium.
Great news on O’Hara – hope to bump into his missus in the feathers soon! Just a left back and centre half to sign before the window closes today.
Roll on the next Prem game – 3 points please.
“Nottingham Forest’s quest for a full-back is over after signing Paul Konchesky”
I’d have had him at the Wolves like a shot!
We couldn’t have signed him because he can’t play for more than two Premier League clubs in the same season.
Started the season at Fulham before moving to Liverpool.
So the only Premiership side he could have signed for was Fulham and they didn’t want him back.
Having said that, if he was available, he’d have been a decent addition.
P.s. Warnock from Villa would do for me 🙂
Aaahh, I didn’t know about that rule Thomas! Thanks for the info!
Agree though – might have been a decent shout for a full signing (I guess his wages cant be too bad if Notts Forest can afford them – maybe Liverpool are contributing towards them though just to get rid of a constand reminder of the Woy Hodgson era!)
Warnock would do for me too!
Not totally sure on that one Thomas.
I know you can’t play for 3 different clubs in a calendar year but I’ve never heard about 3 premier league teams in a season?
Can’t think of an example to disprove you though.
Mick makes some astute buys and decisions and then undoes them in the same breath. For this reason we will never be anything more than bottom of the table dwellers… assuming we stay up. Mick is the best guy in the business to get us out the championship, but he is clearly clueless as to how to go any further. If we stay up, we need to say, thanks very much, but now we need a premiership manager.
If we go down, then hey – het gets another year.
Why all the talk about McDinosaur being a good championship manager?
He is not a good manager, period, because he has no tactical awareness, cannot see bad players, obstinate to a fault, slow to change on the pitch when things go badly, and is stupidly loyal to crap players.
Why on earth would we support him when we go down?
He’s the one who got us into this mess, and he’s certainly not going to get us out, so why reward him for a piss poor performance?
If we all performed our jobs as badly, we’d be on the dole long ago.
He is just trotting out the same old excuses as he’s done all season, and as he did when he took Sunderland down.
If any team wants to get out of the Prem, Mick’s your man!!!!!
And why have we signed a Brazilian 4th choice keeper??
When is he gonna play???
Just to keep the squad numbers complete?
Bring back Andy Gray, it would appear he’s not doing much nowadays!!!
FOMM
Darwins theory of evolution reads ” Its not the strongest or longest established species that survive – its the most adaptable”
The point being if something isn`t working, don`t keep doing it – try something else, and while that saying was probably written before football was invented, the sheer logic still runs true. It clearly applies to our manager, stubborn, obstinate, and doesn`t learn even from his own successes.
Playing 5 in midfield earns us points instead of losses – ie last season
playing 2 in midfield and being overun every game doesn`t work, you really only need one really quick winger.
Playing Ward anywhere, left back, winger or as a forward or as someone told me in right midfield in the second half on saturday – the poor lad just is not good enough – yet he is shoehorned in at every opportunity.
After 5 years only one academy player in the side, from the kick off the ball is sent back to the goalkeeper to hoof upfield. Thats where 5 years off MM coaching our team has got us.
The football fayre is garbage, no leadership, passion or direction. We have gone backwards this season, with relegation a much greater possibility than last year. Its no wonder the fans voted on Sunday with their feet, and jeered Ward when he went off. I fear there will be alot more of that if we keep losing, keep playing poor football, keep using poor tactics, and poor player selection. Darwin had a point – his theory was written for MM.
Mark, that was genius. Thankyou for putting into words the frustration and annoyance i have been feeling for some time and been too pissed off to express.
So McCarthy says all the deals are done.Therefore I assume he is happy with the defence?
I totally agree with Clive + Mark my sentiments exactly.
When he kept us up last season we should have sacked him there and then.
WHY o why did we ever keep him,also you have to put the blame on steve morgan + the fat controller as i have said before thay don’t give a shit about the club,thay only see it as a business.
Even if he keeps us up,which i doubt he should be SACKED.
Don’t know why he’s got another keeper for when he’s got Ward,when he’s played him in every position on the pitch bar keeper.
Anyway lets hope we can get something at bolton on wednesday.
I’ll always support the Wolves,but not the three M’s
Ah yes, I distinctly remember Ward playing centre back and left back. Puts head in hands…
This transfer window, and lack of activity on the Wolves front is getting on my tits! Ggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaahhhhhhhh!
I feel your pain brother!
I bet Berra and Craddock are down on their knees facing East, thanking their lucky stars that Carroll has signed for Liverpool, so they won’t have to face him again this season.
Messrs Rooney, Berbatov, Fabregas etc etc will not have entered their thoughts, yet.
On another track entirely, I looked at the link on line to the first few million pound British transfers, and to all you young guns out there, Wolves were involved in two out of the first three. We sold Steve Daley to Man City, breaking the transfer fee record, and then turned round and bought Andy Gray off the Villa, and broke it again!!
What I would give for a player as good, and unsung as Steve Daley. I remember him single handedly running the show at Old Trafford, brilliant.
Wherefore art thou now, oh Steve???
And that’s not a cry for Steven Ward !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Steve Daley was ok Clive but he was never worth the huge money we got for him. You’ve been watching the likes of Ward for too long, it makes them all look great.
Still no defender. I give up.
We have to trust that MM has tried – we can’t force players to come to Wolves!
We are still in touch at the bottom of the table – a good run of form will see us beat the drop with some exciting new midfield players to add to our attacking options.
Let’s have some faith. I’m keeping it…
Bottom of the table says it all.
Keep the faith but not the management.
FOMM
As the transfer window closes it’s too late to change the manager now anyway – he should have been gone in early December.
IMO opinion “trying” to get players in isn’t enough – the manager has to be able to attract them. Look at Steve Bruce – he manages it at sh*t clubs. Decent players are probably put off by Mick just going on about “putting in a shift”.
Do you think O’Hara is on peanuts? I hear Hammill is on £20K a week – are you telling me that McCarthy and his team could not identify a single player as an improvement on Berra and Stearman when the board have clearly backed him on the wages? front?
Why do we have to trust anything? The guy has done a terrible job with the defence!
The window slams shut without a sniff of a centre half or a left back – Well done Muppet and Taff, what a load of b*llocks! You both attend more games than I do – so if you can not see it we are basically f*cked!
O’hara is a great signing (if fit) but does not address the issue we have faced all season in that we can not keep a clean sheet and have defenders that make too many mistakes.
IMO we now need a miracle turn around in our defending or its relegation here we come.
Am I allowed to now be slightly hacked off now the dust hast settled on our window dealings? There’s no wonder that the Early Bird’s were frozen. The club would have known from the moment they sent the reminders that they weren’t going to be offering us any meaningful squad strengthening.
Two clean sheets all season tells us that the defence is in need of reinforcement.
I do like Elokobi and think we can get by without a left back as he is improving all the time. I can live with that.
But surely there was a case for a concerted effort for a marquee centre half.
If the club tried and failed, then fair enough.
There just seems to be an air of passive indecisiveness for a while now, (give or take an idle Woodgate approach) while many of our rivals have been scurrying around like hyperactive stalkers.
Meanwhile, I am paying £60 for a thoroughly miserable experience on just about every level on Sat, and I just feel a little short changed at the moment.
If we’re going to be going for prudence or even preparing for relegation, then just be honest. I can live with that.
Just don’t promise us mid table finishes, premier league experience, and ‘jobs done’ when the reality is a million miles away.
Before the happy clappers moan and implore me to get behind the lads or p*ss off down the Hawthorns, save your breath, I always do.
But in any relationship, neither side should take the other for granted, should they?
Agree Ben.
We bought Van Dam as we highlighted a weakness at left back. He went so has the weakness gone away. No it hasnt, so where is the left back?
Two clean sheets kept all season so there’s a problem with the defence. MM knows there is problem so he goes for Woodgate (a punt), didnt get him; so where is the next option and the next and the next until the weakness is filled.
Poor window for me.
Although I agree in general with the points raised both by Ben and your good self, I feel obliged to point out we’ve had three cleans sheets (Blues, Liverpool and Chelsea).
And how many defeats?
Too many.
The table don’t lie, we are in the shit.
Defeat tomorrow and we are gone, mark my words.
I think you feel as obliged to point that out as I do to say we had 35 fans of the facebook page last week, compared to 36 this week.
Did you mean 36 last week and 35 this week?
I see 35 fans currently.
Some bastard has obviously jumped ship!
Come on, who was it?!
Agree Matt.
No VanDam and none of the £2.5m spent on replacing him. Weren’t we assured, when the spin machine was lauding it because we got our money back, that the £2.5m would be used in January?
Maybe they meant ‘up to half of the fee’ would be used to prepare the way for championship football next season – oops, sorry ‘would be used to strenfthen the sauad’.
Utterly disillusioned right now.
Thomas – I feel obliged to apologise for my slackness. You are indeed right and I for one appreciate the fact that you make sure the high standards achieved on this blog are maintained 🙂
I just think if we’re going to be miserable, let’s do it accurately! 🙂
You and Ben are both right though, we haven’t addressed the big weakness.
I think the real reason we hav’nt spent any real money in the transfer
window is,
would you trust him with any big mony signings
after the shambles he bought last summer,
Back to the leftback saga,He had no intension of filling that position as long
as his beloved son Wardy is fit, if you know what i mean,
Yes, you are all correct that we haven’t signed a centre-back; unless you consider that is signing O’Hara, centre-back may be the only position that Karl Henry can get a game.
I remain optimistic that we can extract ourselves from this pickle – admit it, a good number of the rest of you do too (deep down, that spark of hope still burns!).
I don’t want to be proven wrong; I don’t want to see Wolves relegated – but I do recognise that we have work to do. Here’s hoping and believing that MM can pull the proverbial rabbit out of a cloth hat.