On the long matchday walk from the pub to the ground, I often use the internet on my phone to check the starting lineup. Today, I had mixed feelings when I read that Ebanks-Blake had been restored to the team signaling a change to 4-4-2.
Whilst it was great to see SEB’s positive contributions in recent weeks rewarded with a start, I couldn’t help but feel a little concerned that Mick had abandoned the 4-5-1 shape that had served us so well.
Still, confidence was high and with a well balanced midfield and two forwards on the pitch, I genuinely thought we’d have enough to push Bolton hard.
How foolish could I have been?
For the second game running we got off to the worst possible start, failing to clear our lines properly and Richard Stearman skillfully directing a header into his own net.
Just brilliant Wolves.
We then set about shelling balls forward against the two tallest center-halves in the league for our tiny strike-force to contest. What a plan.
Credit to Milijas for getting on the ball and trying his best to craft openings. His sumptuous through ball for Jarvis and long-range stinger were the definite highlights of a poor first half.
Unfortunately, next to the impressive Serb, Karl Henry simply went missing. What’s happened to our skipper? I can understand his reasons for flinching away from tackles, but why has his distribution gone down the toilet too? Get it sorted Karl. He was horrific today and in a four-man midfield, we need our captain to stand up and be counted. Sadly, he looked fragile throughout, which effected the entire team.
With Berra presumably injured in the warm-up and Ward still recovering from his gashed shin, Steven Mouyokolo and George Elokobi deputised in the back four. Did they improve us defensively? I think the answer is a big fat no.
Geroge seemed to put himself about, particularly in the air, but if we’re being as critical of him as we have been of Ward, then you have to point out that two goals were created down our left. Equally, Mouyokolo did a lot of good things, but he was one of the players left bamboozled by Elmandor’s turn for their second goal. And for me, he looked far from assured throughout and alongside the error-prone Stearman, it was very much a ‘make do and mend’ rearguard.
I’ve been saying for weeks that Berra has been a key figure for us and unquestionably his heading ability and reading of the game were two things we desperately missed yesterday. If he’s fit next week, I would restore him to the starting eleven without a moment’s hesitation.
At the other end of the pitch, SEB and Doyle struggled to impose themselves against Knight and Cahill, which was understandable given the type of service they were provided. However, you’ve got to be disappointed that neither managed to get on the end of the numerous balls that were delivered across the Bolton six yard box, particularly in the dying moments.
Credit to Fletcher for coming on and making a difference. Not only did he stoop low to bag his third Premier League goal of the season and setup a grand stand finale, but he also got in round the back moments later, rolling the ball across goal only for everyone in a gold shirt to make the same run.
The fact that we came so agonisingly close to snatching an unlikely point should not paper over the cracks of what was a below-par performance, made all the worse by slack individual errors.
Bolton will rightly mark this down as a great away performance, but as good as they were, I again feel Wolves were their own worst enemies.
Next week’s visit to Blackpool now falls firmly under the category of ‘must-win’, rather than ‘mustn’t lose’.
And the clear message from this match was simple – ‘must do better’.
Terrible for 70 minutes, then we finally woke up.
Henry was awful, worst I’ve seen him play ever. The change in formation didn’t help. Why change a formation that doesn’t work?
Doyle and SEB did well considering the ball was lumped forward to him. Milijas was the only player who would get the ball down and get it to one of the in form players in the league. Thankfully Jarvis set up both goals which should see his place in the England squad safe.
We need a win at Blackpool.
And to top a wonderful day off Jarvis isn’t even in the England squad.
I don’t even want to watch them now..
Agreed, that was the worst performance I have ever seen from Karl Henry today. His distribution and control were absolutely woeful.
Agreed – he had a bad day, not helped by a good central midfield performance by Bolton and only having Milijas in support, but still not a great performance.
Masterly tactics by MM to switch a system which we had used in the last 4 games and which seems to suit our squad. Inspired tactics to play our smallest striker against the two biggest centre halves in the premiership.
With our wide men too isolated in our 424 set up, we were out paced and out numbered in midfield, where Henry didn`t turn up, and Mijas is quality on the ball, but without the 2 holding midfieldwes to cover his lack of pace, we really struggled with Bolton`s exceptional movement off the ball.
Had chances to get a draw, this would have only papered over the cracks which the 424 system clearly exposed.
Where on earth do we go from here?
Fucking great day. Wolves are utter dogshit, I get the monthly green pass to get the lads round to drink beer and watch the boxing, and fraudley Harrison’s defence is breached quicker than ours! Lads gone home by 10.30pm, bar my mate Al who wants to watch match of the day! FUCKING BOLLOCKS. We are too light in midfield quality, Hunt looks petrifyingly slow, no left back, and a defender in stearman who ran rob hindmarch close for worst own goal ever. What would you do if you were Morgan? Give mick more? We are the audley Harrison of the premier league. Full of talk and bluster, full of promises, but a complete let down when it matters. Only difference is the fight cost me 15quid, whereas my season ticket cost me 600quid.
Harrison lasted a full 6 minutes before he got pegged. We lasted 47 seconds …
Can’t believe you paid 15 quid to watch Audrey, Ben. You must have known that he’s a complete fraud by now. He’s got plenty of previous.
Will you all now join in with my chorus, which I ve been singing for weeks……………………..
McCARTHY OUT ,now, before we get relegated to division 3 in quick succession, like we did before.
He fucked up with Sunderland, and is now on course to become the manager with the lowest points totals in Premiership history, wih 2 different teams.
How much more, Morgan???????
Fuck him off now, he’s killing our wonderful Wolves.
What’s the bus fare to sandwell?
As much as I like McCarthy the gruff Yorkshireman, his tactical ability is fooking useless. I’m still smarting over this game, what a disgrace. How can we boss Arsenal, Man Ure, Man City and somewhat Chelsea and then get fooking hammered by Bolton at home?
I’m with you Clive we need rid of Muppet Mick and Clipboard Conner this week so we have a chance of survival similar to Bolton’s story last year – which reminds me is McCarthy Megson in disguise?
Im with you on this Jed. I remember how positive the year started with the Summer signings Flecther coming in, retaining Mancienne… I forgot though Mick’s innate ability to self sabotage all the good he does with ABSOLUTE MINDLESS MADNESS…
We’re shit and we’re going down, we’re shit and we’re going down………………
Credit to Bolton. They are obviously bang in form, and deserved their victory. I was very impressed with Lee and Muamba (who both looked better than any midfielder for the vaunted ‘big four’ who we’ve just played). Muamba in particular physically dominated Henry, and that was the platform for much of Bolton’s play. And Elmander’s sumptious turn and calm finish will be in the mix for goal of the season.
For us, Hunt really looks ineffective. Don’t know if he’s still shaking off something from his long layoff, but he looks a shadow of the player he was at Hull. Stearman had a poor game, even apart from the o.g. Henry got bullied and disappeared and Elokobi hardly looked the ideal solution to the Ward problem.
We also kept overunning our own crosses. Perhaps our strikers are over-anxious. There were four occasions when a good cross (from Jarvis twice, Fletcher once and Foley) went into a no-man’s land behind the strikers. If someone could just check back, we’d have had a tap-in goal for sure.
Hopefully we get back to 4-5-1 for the Blackpool game and start to eek out some results: we looking a pretty sure bet to go down at the moment.
I disagere about a sure bet – we’ve been OK. We’re good enough to compete, actually a better side in a better division. Thing is, the league is so close that if we win 2 or 3 in a row we’ll be back in mid table.
Did anyone else notice a minimum of 4 mins added time. Then the ref pointing at his watch during stoppage time, then blowing full time when we were attacking at 93:20?
Yeah I saw that too and it pissed me off a little although not as much as the wolves performance! If we play like that next week up at Blackpool we’ll be punished big time!
Agreed, but not the point I wanted to raise.
Would the point be that referees are cheating the smaller teams week in week out? I agree with that too! Good job sir Alex wasn’t watching!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/9186957.stm
Well, well, well. Good on him I suppose. Lazy sod.
Forget the debate about Ward, i never ever want to see Stearman play in central defence again. EVER! He had all the time in the world to move into the right position to simply head that cross into the stand. Any 2nd division centre half could do it. He is NOT a centre half, he cannot head a ball and i think that’s fairly important in that position really. Bloody hell! And now one of our rejects gets picked for England. Is supporting Wolves really all just a bad dream!?
Hunt and Fletcher, the two worst buys by any Manager in the close season. 10 million for those two… you got to laugh eh?
At least Fletcher scored…
I thought Fletcher was good when he came on. He seems to work well as a striker. So basically we have Doyle who can play up top by himself, Fletcher who works well with a partner and maybe by himself, and SEB who works well in a pairing. I’d be looking backwards (ie the defence) if we’re looking for answers.
4 hour journey back down the M5 felt like forever last night. What a joke!
How can we play so badly against a supposedly lesser team after our recent performances against the big boys!
I also checked my phone for the line up Thomas, whist supping a pint in the Goal Post pre match. And I must admit that I felt quite positive about the line up and going 4-4-2. Shows WTF I know! In hindsight we should have stuck with the formation which has served us well of late (although not winning).
I lost count of the amount of long balls which were booted up field straight onto the head of their centre backs.
Stearman was crap! Not just because of the own goal! He was just crap!
Hunt is on his way back, and even showed some technical abilities. Fletcher has been a “misfit” when playing on the wing (Being a victim of 4-5-1 formation). We need him in as a central striker, as he is an asset in the air area. It’s always difficult to predict how players fit in, and everybody agreed in that Hunt and Fletcher were bargains before the new season kicked off. We’re not even half way through our season, and some good buys/loandeals may lift us on the upper half of the table. Moyokolu and Stearman was a new constellation in our central defence, and I’m pretty sure that contributed to our 3 conceded goals. Red cards and injuries has “ruined” our season so far. If we don’t have good enough players it doesn’t matter what tactics we play. Milijas got an eight in Daily news, player of the match. The positive aspects of the match was that we created chances enough to win the match, and we scored two goals.
Fletcher spent most of his time in the wing with burnley in their 451 system. He looked sharp until he got injured in the first game and since then he has looked slow and off the pace. For me our form yesterday was alk about the tactics which were poor. The last time wolves were this bad coincided with the last time we reverted to lumping the ball forward.
Can somebody tell me please how a specialist left back with experience in the champions league who is excellent in the air and a great tackler, someone who gets forward well and can deliver a good cross as well as a long throw, a player that cost 2.5 million and was heralded as the answer to the left back problem, has so far not been selected for that position and is deemed less worthy of the spot that an eircom striker and a muscle bound pub team defender?
I have a feeling that if wolves bought Ashley Cole he would be warming the bench for most of the season watching the aforementioned goons succeeding at being shit.
This season is making me miserable for. many reasons. How many more games can we lose before something is done?
We are creating more and more problems for ourselves with each passing game which is a worry. Formation, personel, lack of clean sheets, and van damme the elephant in the changing room that nobody is allowed to mention. He’s Micks new Freddy. A 2.5m inconvenience. Moreover, another problem that he just won’t address.
Agree strongly on this point Jed.
Assuming he is in fact desperate to leave, surely, we’re still not just going to let him rot away until January if it’s to our detriment?
van Damme must be given a chance at left-back. It’s ridiculous.
OK, by all accounts he struggled in a few pre-season games against a pacy winger, but we can’t just write him off.
I think it’s fair to say he won’t play again. McCarthy is a stubborn bugger – van Damme talked to the press and we all know McCarthy hates that.
McCarthy bought him to play at left back, he won’t play him which means he’s either bought a dud (which I don’t believe) or he’s just being stubborn. This is not the time for stubbornness. As Dazza said on the previous post we need 10 wins out of 25 – time to play our best players in their best positions in a formation that suits our team the best. Can anyone remember the old adage of a settled and unchanged team?
We don’t need 12 wins to stay up mate. With draws that would give us around 45 points
And you think we’ll need less? Take a look at the league this year – Chelsea just got beat at home by Sunderland!! – If you think anything less than 43 – 45 points will cut it then I think you’re in for a major disappointment!
For the first time in twenty years, there was a full match report featuring The Wolves in the Houston Chronicle, my local daily rag.
Problem is, it was only coz Holden scored for Bolton, and he’s American.
Never a mention in the past about our resident goalkeeping Yank.
The above will be of absolutely no fuckin’ interest to y’all across the pond, but it must make a nice change for you to read a blog from me that isn’t slagging off Ward or McCowardly.
But, the day is young!!!
What makes a perfectly fucked up sporting weekend is that a Kraut wins the Formula One World Championship.
Still, better than that miserable Spanish pratt, Alonso, who I’m sure is Fabregas’s brother, or father.
Anyway, I have it on good authority that McCowardly’s days are numbered, ie, Middle of November, which is this week and all the out of work “managers” will emerge from the woodwork of unemployment, espousing how they have the cure for the Mol.
Bring ’em on I say, nothing can be worse than what we have!!!
FOMM
I hope you are right Clive – McCarthy is a good man but a useless tactician at his level – too good for the Championship and useless in the Prem. Last year was a fluke and because of the dross in the league, this year is very very different!
I see MM is bemoaning our lack of quality on BBC Sport. Well as the manager ab the club for five years or so, MM is responsible for buying quality or developing quality. He has had the funds and the time to do both, what an admission of failure. Instead of relying on our championship team in the prem there should heve been a plan to spend and bring in quality in poitions that needed strenghening.
I see Boothroyd who Mm shipped out because he wouldn`t do a shift is scoring goals for fun, and is talked of for an England cap, MM gave him away.
I`ve just seen Sundeland beat Chelsea, full of quality, pace and play some great football, fancy playing 424 against them Mick?
I don’t remember anyone screaming for Bothroyd to stay before he left? In fact, i remember us all giving him dog’s abuse for how shit he was when he came back down here with Cardiff. Also, he’s scoring goals in the Championship, like SEB did, and there you are bemoaning a championship team at Premier League level..
Yeah, got to say that Bothroyd has only ever really come good at Cardiff and was, a few neat touches aside, a pain in neck for most of his time with us.
I loved Jay Bothroyd, Rich. He was class and everyone around me just slated him. Happy to file him with Chris Marsden and Jermaine Wright under the ”err hold on – that bloke could play” category.
Just need Mark Davies and, erm, Ryan Green & Lewis Gobern to come good now….
Incredible decision to change the formation. I couldn’t believe he changed the way we lined up and left the defence exposed. As I have said throughout, defensive frailties, with or without berra, are our problem. We have a championship defence and look at our run at the end of last season, we had 6 defenders on the pitch totally protecting these weak defenders. While the likes of Martin and co are adamant the problems we have are sticking the ball in the back of the net, Saturday reaffirmed my argument that a weak defence is what our problem is and it reflects very badly on McCarthy that he has spent 30 million since promotion but we have a championship defence. The way we were so proud to compete against the better teams is what is so disappointing about the mentality of this club. We thought it was amazing to not get as mick says “slapped”. Mick must accept we have to revert to ultra defensive again and see if we can scrape some points. I think it is over the top to say we badly missed Berra…. we have had a leaky, shaky defence all season, we have defended poorly all season and he has made mistakes throughout the season.
Hi Daniel. As for Saturday, you may have seen i have always insisted Stearman cannot head a ball and i would never play him as a CH. When i was playing local football, i could have headed that ball out for a corner! Hopefully he’ll never olay there again. You’ve got to say their second goal was a bit special and, very unusually, USA was a bit slow with their third. Having said all that, i’ve never thought we’ve got a great defence i just wouldn’t single it out as the main problem. The truth is we are not outstanding anywhere and i stick with my conviction that our goalscoring is a worry.
Having pondered this for nigh on 2 days now… and seeing Sunderland win (another of teh easy games coming up)…I want to know what Morgan and Moxey think of the situation. Are the Managers’ signings being questioned, have we a back up game plan when we go 1 down, and why oh why does everyone think Elokobi is some sort of Messiah? The guy is atrocious, as are , Hunt, Fletcher, Henry and I have to say…. Doyle…we paid 6.5mill for a goalscorer…well..where are the goals?
Time for Mccarthy to go….Bolton sacked Megson after 12 games last season, and Coyle has turned them around…we are a similar team, squad, etc… Morgan…SORT IT OUT!!!!
I agree with Daniel about the defence. If people want to think Christophe Berra is the main man and is the answer to our problems I’m afraid I’m not convinced. He made mistakes at Fulham and Wigan among others – we haven’t had a clean sheet all season (the only team in the whole country?!).
4-5-1 serves us far better but I can see why McCarthy did it – he has 3 decent strikers (Fletcher and SEB have 6 Prem goals between them this season despite rarely starting) – but that’s his error in not buying players to suit the formation that works for us. How can Dave Edwards be our best (only?) attacking midfielder?!
Back to the drawing board then….
We are never going to win games consistantly until we get this backline sorted out.
I see in the E & S that we are looking at a couple of donkeys from ‘Boro.
Give me strength.
As for the Van Damme issue. Forget about him, he’s not even there, he’ll never play for us again. You can ask all the questions why but the simple – MM won’t play him because of his attitude and its a done deal him going back to Belgium to Mommy and chocolates. MM won’t risk him being injured.
Infact, forget our current inept defence. We are a million miles away from a decent defence to compete in this league. I can’t be arsed to look but when did we last keep a clean sheet?
So, one game of the “must get somethings” out of the way and I fear the worst.
Its a much better league this season and blah blah blah blah….. I’m fuckin sick of it to be honest. My head hurts.