If you were smart with your recruitment policy, you might be able to replace the goals and assists of Bakary Sako.
The quality, the personality and the sheer excitement he brings to the table are a different matter altogether.
Priceless would be my description of the Mali winger after a virtuoso display that saw Fulham smashed to dust inside 45 pulsating Molineux minutes.
His first trick? To whip an inch perfect corner onto the head of Danny Batth for the big defender to nod home at the near post.
Then, after 20 minutes of almost constant Fulham pressure he orchestrated an incisive passing move before unleashing a missile to double the lead.
Finally he received the ball inside left before galloping over two challenges and finding the only conceivable way through the goalkeeper that didn’t defy the laws of physics.
Thank you and goodnight.
Kit Symons bemoaned his team’s xenicaltab.com luck after the game, stating he thought they were (by far) the better side.
Sorry to disagree old sport, but the reality is that while your team enjoyed the greater share of possession, the difference came in the final third.
As Wolves have learned many times already this season, incisive pass and move football counts for nothing if it doesn’t result in a telling final act.
And the only clear chance Fulham created all evening was squandered by their £10 million man.
If Ross McCormack can command such a fee, the mind boggles at the bounty Wolves could put on the head of a contractually bound Bakary Sako.
As it is, he’ll leave for nothing more than a thank you in the summer if Wolves aren’t promoted to the Premier League.
A few more displays like this and that particular problem may resolve itself come May.
When Clive said recently that he thought Bakary Sako wouldn’t be a loss to Wolves if he left, I bit my tongue and didn’t argue.
But, all of us who have seen at first hand what he is capable of know that he is the ONE weapon in our armoury that, on his day, can destroy any defence.
Last night showed every facet of his game that makes him so special.
Inch perfect cross, howitzer shot out of nothing and a Messi like run and finish from an impossible angle.
Yes he can sometimes go missing.
Yes he sometimes gives the ball away in dodgy areas of the pitch.
But if, or when, he goes – I shall miss him like hell!
Quality players don’t come around that often.
Let’s treasure him while we can.
Hello, Mr. Mouse!!
See my comment below!!!
For those who didn’t get there last night, here’s the full game courtesy of Fulham.
http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/february/25/wolverhampton-replay?
Awesome! Will watch that tonight. Thanks for posting!
GW
Well done Stu are you going to Bournmouth to see us win?
Steve.
Is the pope German?
Are you going, I thought I saw you were waiting for STH sales. Jenny is not going, too far and too cold for her. So, if you can’t get a ticket give me a shout and I can get you one on her ST. Let me know.
I know you like facts, so…… Wolves News now are saying Sako’s first goal encompassed 20 passes before the goal, beaten only by a Spur’s goal sometime back in 19 Oatcake.
A sign of how well Wolves are doing, Cardiff away and Bournmoth away, both almost sold out. Happy Days
🙂
I shall be there mate I’ve got a ticket if you’ve got an empty seat nxt to you I’ll come over and take the Micky..I’m at Brighton too..
Thanks for putting the link up – I enjoyed it very much.
The secret (and challenge) to the slow build of a team from youth is to be able to retain the stars as you bring in and groom more. I for one believe Wolves must find a way to keep Sako come summer, or we have to start figuring out that position from scratch. He is after all one of our best players.
Great result. Thought Symons was a bit of a sore loser with his comments about being by far the better side. He continued to say that (although they were BY FAR the better team) they sucked in defence and attack. Where exactly were you better, then Mr Symons? When your team gets spanked 3-0 sometimes the best thing is to keep your mouth shut. 🙂 Or at least be a little more gracious to the team that had you beat by half-time!
Another good day. Unfortunately all those above us also had good days, so we are going to need to keep this going.
Go Wolves!
Sako is irreplaceable.
We must keep him, which means we must be promoted.
We need to win the next five games to have a chance.
Sako, Dickov and Abofe have the skills to make it a reality.
It’s the midfield that will determine our destination….
Spot on regarding Sako and his influence Thomas although I feel a touch flippant regarding him saying goodbye in the summer..
There is a formula that would keep him whether it is wages or a lump sum bonus when we go up or have you thought he just might
want to stay and play for Wolves next season? (am I kidding myself?)
It’s an opportunity just to keep him let alone trying to replace him ..
Anyway tragic not to be able to use the recent 6 points as the others have won too..just shows how diff it’s going to be to get back up there..However, a result at Cardiff and at least a draw at Bournemouth should start to do things towards the 77-80 points needed which is certainly possible the way we are playing..
Great result and It’s still on..
COYW
On the subject of Sake,
The talk coming out of Molineux, and it’s been fairly reliable to date, (Lingard wanted Derby not Wolves) is that, Kenny was in Italy this weekend, hence his absence from the U21s and a pre match Fulham interview. He was taking another look at Ziro from Poland as a replacement for Sako, and they’re saying it’s a done deal and he’s ours in tbe Summer…….
🙂
I don’t want to doubt your source but why would Zyro have been in Italy ? He plays for Legia Warsaw and they, as far as I know, have been in Poland preparing to meet Ajax Amsterdam in the Europa League on Thursday.
Maybe me, ears anr’nt so efficient as in my youth, but he was definitly in Italy and they are sorting out the Zyro stuff. It was all in there but at my age it gets jumbled up in the common sense.
Your source may be right. He didn’t play in Legia’s league game last Sunday so he could have been in Italy. (Maybe his agent set up a meeting there).
Good win, good job.
Onwards to Cardiff and let’s hammer them because I dislike their manager more than words can say. I mean I really dislike him, a lot.
Being miserly and lazy, I couldn’t be arsed to search out a feed for the game, instead choosing to watch our beloved Premier Champions get an object lesson in footballing genius, whilst having my iphone/pod/pad/tablet thing tuned to The Wolves match.
With regards to Sako, who sometimes goes walkabout, his first goal was a no backlift thunderbolt, and the second had no right to go in the net.
Lionel “I miss penalties” Messi could not have done better, and if morgan and greasel let Sako go in the summer, then not only will they need their heads examining, they will need them removing!
With regards to my comment a few blogs ago about Sako not being missed, I would refer my fellow bloggers to the clockwork mice which appeared several years ago, in regards to some of my comments.
It would seem the same clockwork mice have reappeared!
We are playing in Europe this weekend, and I am positive we can do better than that lot from the Prem!!
FO wb & tp
Agreed Clive. Yes, the corner was a good placement, but from a former keeper perspective his first goal was no howitzer of a shot and the second was a total gaffe on the keeper. Getting scored on the near post and through the legs. Now that’s embarrassing.
But goals are goals and that’s all that matters.
As a former goalkeeper myself I beg to differ mate.
Any shot hit with that power, with no backlift, and that bounces just in front of a diving ‘keeper is virtually impossible to stop.
Any shot that is hit between the legs of a goalkeeper who is doing his best to spread himself is also almost unstoppable – near post or not.
Yes, after looking at it again, I agree on the first goal that a bounce in front of you as your diving is difficult, but second is a gaffe. The keeper was set on the post when Sako struck the ball and had the reaction of damn sloth. Yes, Sako did strike the ball well, but it’s still stoppable. And anytime a keeper gets nutmeged, that’s embarrassing.
I think our promotion is the only thing that can stop him going Clive. Although wouldn’t it be just lovely, and renew my faith in human nature, if he felt the love oozing out of the walls of the Golden Palace and gave us one more year, just for old times sake.
Call me old fashioned if you like, but what’s wrong with a good old dose of Loyalty. The fans adore him, the team support him, his best mate is here, his football shines through at the Molineux, why would anyone want to leave all that if not purely for the lure of the greenback.
Oh yes… Money the root of all Moxey & Morgan.
Give me a Steve Bull any day of the week, Dave Edwards, Danny Bhatt, Alex Rae, Kevin Doyle ( yes Kevin Doyle) if Sako wants to play for us then he will have my respect and support, if he wants money more, then so be it, let him go. He will be missed but no one is bigger than this club. I don’t go to watch Sako, I go to watch Wolves, he just happens to be someone who shines and is exciting to watch at times but he’s not unreplaceable. If he has loyalty to Wolves then he will be worshipped by the fans and me alike. I am not so naive to believe it will be his decision alone and that his agent won’t play a part, but at the end of the day he is his own man, if he is a loyal player he will be with Wolves next year.
Any Bets????
Changing the subject a little.
Kit Symonds, boo, Bah Humbug.
We dominated and controlled your team from start to finish, you were spanked.
Twat
🙂
Hi StuWolf.
Re Sako: While I agree entirely with your sentiment, the chances of Sako staying if we don’t go down are zero! Moxey said at the FP that he was being offered x4 what he’s on now in the window, but the club agreed to keep him.
If this x4 figure is true then there’s no way on earth he’ll hang around, sadly.
I haven’t had an answer to your question either Stu. I’ll chase up Paul / Matt at the club and try and get you an answer. Hope you’re well!
Yeah all good Ben, lot’s of bleeding travelling at the moment with Cardiff, Bournemouth and Brighton to look forward to over next few weeks. Still that’s a definite 9 points for us.
🙂
I’m afraid without promotion to pl wolves have zero chance of keeping sako. If I understand it correctly wolves will limit wages at c
25k per week in the championship and would only go to that in exceptional circuMstances. With no transfer fee for sako and with the new pl deal he will comfortably secure £40 k pw or more for any pl club interested. Ultimately money talks and unless we r in the pl, any talented player will be difficult for us to hold onto. Sad reality of the Morgan/moxey strategy.
Kit Symons talking absolute rubbish. Echoes of Solskjaer earlier in the season. If there were no goals in the game you might just have given them the edge (even though they tested our keeper only a couple of times) but it’s what you do with it that counts, and we were out of sight by half time.
Well It looks like Kits got claws!
If he really believes that, then I’ll take his comments on board, then forget them… I will then still enjoy the 3 points they “gifted” us.
Fuck off symons !
I still owe you a pint “Southern Softie”. You going to Cardiff, Bournemouth or Brighton.?
🙂
As posted on previous thread rather than our players not being good enough our final position may make it difficult to keep our best players. Hopefully we can still squeeze into the play offs but in a season when many championship clubs have had problems on and off the pitch anything less could be a missed opportunity.
Bloody hell, I thought it was only me that couldn’t sleep at 3:40 am, watch out Colin, you’ll get a roasting off Clive. He likes his men in bed early. (Allegedly)
What else can you do at 3.41 am but grab your phone and check the blog ?
Hi stu wolf . Definitely not Cardiff as I ll be in Berlin on sat . The brighton will just be a flying visit ( not the lewes mad weekender like last time as it’s Mother’s Day ) and not Bournemouth due to work . As if goes I stuck my head in park view for a pint on Saturday , i thought that people drank there all the time . The idea was to give someone Brompton s shirt money . I was literally the only one there !
Anyway . A free pint is a free pint … I’ll find ya !
FO PULIS !!
I’m normally in the Clarendon in Chapel Ash just around the corner from the Park View before the games mate if you’re knocking around.
I generally pop in the Clarendon for a pre-match swifty when I’m up for a game. Lovely old pub.
The North Bank bar outside the Stan Cullis is a very popular watering hole now, good atmosphere and lot’s of banter.
I tend to go in there and meet ex colleagues for a tiffin.
🙂
At times on Tuesday we struggled to keep up with the pretty pass and move play of the opposition. However they were pretty useless at doing anything with it, and the whole point of football is to score more goals than the opposition.
We have been under pressure at Huddersfield, at home at times to Rotherham and Fulham, but we`ve scored 12 goals and only let one in during those three games. So we can cope with pressure and hit teams on the break, and now it seems score goals for fun. Good old fashioned hard work, team spirit, determination, we`ve got it in abundance, and the teams above us had better watch out – the Wolves are coming.
Couldn’t agree more Mark.
As I have written on this blog in the past our best games were when we were firing defence splitting balls from one side of the pitch to the feet of unmarked wingers who went on a good run and crossed goal scoring opportunities. On Saturday and Tuesday we played out of trouble directly onto goal scoring chances. The proof of the pudding was in the eating for all to see. 17000 fans on a Tuesday night to watch us play Fulham is testament to the goals coming at last. We’re almost sold out for Cardiff & Bournemouth away so if we’re in fine voice we can spur the lads on to secure more points.
COMB’s
🙂
After our play off success I think we should raid Fulham for Scott Parker . He s a really good and down to earth midfielder . Prem and international experience and from the same London mold as kenny .. Ray lewington etc . Wolves fans would like him as he always gives his all and never shirks
I would not disagree with that mate.
I’ve always rated the man and he should really be playing at a higher level than Fulham can offer him. (Cheeky!).
Age might be against him but he’d surely be worth a punt if he became available.