Ten minutes is a long time in football.
Entering the final stages of this one at 2-1 down, misery had returned, Mick McCarthy was clueless and Wolves were all but relegated.
Yet somehow, by full-time, it was smiling faces, Mick was the hero and the fightback was very much on.
Happy days.
And make no mistake about it, our manager deserves a substantial slab of the credit for this result. After all, both his substitutions paid off big time, with Hunt tapping in the equaliser and SEB clinically slamming home the winner in the dying moments.
The gaffer’s influence spread further too. Playing Elokobi in the middle, bringing the awesome Ronald Zubar in at full-back and moving Foley into midfield proved a masterstroke. After all, big George proved to be our stronger center-half, Zubar was man of the match and Foley coolly slotted home the opener. Can’t ask much more than that.
It didn’t all go right though.
Having gone a goal up just after the break, Wolves immediately set about defending like it was the final five minutes. And you can’t camp out in your penalty area when there’s still half and hour to go, particularly against a side with a wealth of attacking options.
We nearly paid the price for that negative approach too, going from a goal up to a goal down in the space of ten horrid minutes. First, Richard Stearman let a flick-on run across his body, allowing Darren Bent to scamper clear and finish emphatically. And when a cross from deep was nodded passed Wayne Hennessy by the unmarked Danny Wellbeck, I think we all feared the worst.
But if there is a lack of quality in certain areas of this Wolves side, you certainly can’t question the character and determination of anyone in a gold shirt. You only have to look at the desire shown by Elokobi, climbing highest to power in the header that lead to Hunt’s equaliser, to see how desperate these players are to turn things around.
Two players you can’t question the quality of are Doyle and Milijas, both of whom conjured sublime passes from nothing, opening the gates for SEB to power home his fourth Premier League goal of the season.
And what a finish it was from our number 9, readjusting his feet in the blink of an eye and taking aim to lift the ball high into the net, gobbling up a chance we quite simply couldn’t afford to miss.
What a moment.
Of course, this crucial win won’t turn our season around on it’s own.
But it’s a start.
And after the last few miserable weeks, I’ll take that.
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!!
Fantastic win, fantastic spirit and not a single outfield player wearing gloves!
I had been told Hennessey was in goal by someone who had an inside source (same person told them Bentley is joining us in january). he did ok, not much he could do about goals.
Great goal from Sylvan, great work by Doyle who is playing really well now. Mancienne filled the gap left by Henry excellently and I thought Ward played well and supported Jarvis very well!
Louie, that bentley rumour sounds lovely, would love that! Hopefully hunts goal will give him a load of confidence and we’ll see the player we all admired when at reading. If so, the need for the chirpy little cockney will be less. I can’t wait for motd!
Yeah I really hope it kickstarts his season. If it’s true (about Bentley) it would be one heck of a signing.
I haven’t said it often, I can’t wait for MOTD too!
Apparently,according to a Notlob fan, Mark Davies was the best player on the pitch and capped it off by finishing an amazing goal
I think it’s about time SEB started again, he’s earnt it.
We showed great spirit to come back after it looked like we were gonna lose again and for once it was us who got the late goal.
Louie, i saw Davies’ performance, he was class. I couldn’t understand us flogging him at the time and i still don’t looking at our central midfield.
He refused to sign a contract!
Bolton’s hardly the holy grail is it? I’m sure if we really wanted to keep him we could have
He was offered a contract and turned his back on the club after they helped him through his injury.
true but he was on loan at leicester at the time. if he was a mccarthy man he’d have been rushed back into the starting XI. they had no relationship whatsoever.
No, thats right. The same week Mick sent Sparky back to Leicester, he decided to bolster up our midfield by signing Nigel Quashie!
And as for the contract he was offered it was shit – completely derisory.
It had a lot to do with Ian Evans who bought Davies through the ranks then left for Bolton. Davies wasn’t going to get in our team at the time so the draw of going to the man who bought him up was obviously too much. From what i’ve heard he had a bit of a problem with booze which Wolves helped him through, maybe the change of area/people was another benefit he saw. On the bright side if he turns out to be useful then we have a chance of seeing the £1.5m we agreed in full!!
Thought the fee was ‘undisclosed’.
I remember it having a lot to do with Evans as well.
Unfortunately I have no connections to Steve Bull so cannot confirm the clubs transfer dealings or policy (that was for Clive), however it was announced at the time that it was £1m rising to £1.5 based on performances. I follow this blog on a daily basis but tend not to comment often, rest assured when I do I make sure I have some basis for what i’m saying.
Where are you Rob? 3.52 am?????
According to the BBC the fee was undisclosed. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bolton_wanderers/7849500.stm
So what was the basis you have for the figures you’ve quoted? You surely didnt fall for the unofficial Moxey spin did you?
yesss. they played very well !
I’m going to let Martin keep my ticket after that! Is it just me or is it always a slightly sweeter, joyous feeling when sylvan scores? let alone the winner! He brings back one or two bully feelings for me-when a goal from the no9 felt marginally more enjoyable. It also feels more joyous when you really don’t expect it. 2-1 down with 10left and I thought wed had it. Well done lads!
Benny boy!
Told you I was good luck – sorry you missed it [the chocolate bar was a twix today!] I will attempt to summarise for you in as few words as possible
Weather > colder than a witches T*tty
Wolves > determined 8/10
Sunderland > shadow of the chelsea match
Crowd > quiet – I put it down to worry at the moment – lots of tension
Hennessey > solid – crosses taken zer0 6/10 couple of good saves
Zubar > ZZZZZuper – tired towards the end 8/10
Stearman > 95% focusssed 5% away with the fairies – get yer hair cut! 6/10
Elokobi > solid – no mistakes if unspectacular 7/10
Ward > harder days lie ahead, zenden is not what he was – one of his better games 7/10
Foley > Captain for the day well taken goal lots of effort 7/10
Mancienne > great game nearest to Henry we have 8/10
Jones > some reckon it will be his last game for us nothing doing 5/10
Milijas > replaces jones when he goes and is better than him great effort and no little vision/talent 8/10
Jarvis > the word is out and he will find things tough from now on, still our most exicting player involved in at least one of the goals and evrything good that wolves do 8/10
Doyle > defies words really amazing bullied two bigger centre backs on his own 9/10
Hunt > 1st goal in the old gold gave us more culture/options when replacing Jones – good cameo 7/10
E Blake > oh last year is ssoooo forgotten you cannot give this guy a chance inside the box again, welcome back! 7/10
Great company to watch it with and it was just as you described, i had a personal time keeper, refreshments person and expert panel!
all the best
Thanks again
Good on you Martin!
It was great to have you there today and, dont tell anybody, but I think you might have pulled!!!! The twix man’s wife!!!!
Ring me for that game mate.
will do – im now enrolled in the blog as greenE so we can keep in touch.
Hoping to catch a game during the xmas break so hopefully i will catch up with you & Ben for a pint as well.
So not only do you see 3goals, a win and a sylvan winner, but you also got a twix?! Outrageous! Glad you had a good time Martin and enjoyed the unique matchday experience. Thanks for the ratings and report. Hope scoop sorts your chipping out now!
I am now enrolled as greenE now on the blog
hopefully i will meet you when i come across for a game at xmas,
apparently I pulled as well!
Hmmm think you’re a bit generous to Big George with the ‘no mistakes’ assessment. While I’m his biggest fan, he was caught flat-footed when he handballed in the first half, giving away the free kick Richardson hit the post from. And I could be wrong but I seem to remember Elokobi being at least slightly to blame for gifting Welbeck a free header for the second. Even so, he was better than Stearman and if only one of Berra, Craddock or Mouyokolo is fit next week I’d keep George in the middle.
Dont mean to be in any way negative though. What a win, and we made a number of chances. Wonder what the chap sat on my row in the Jack Harris, who left at 2-1 down muttering about how awful we are, thought when he got home and saw the score…faithless idiot!
I probably agree with you that Elokobi did make a few mistakes super kev, and his jump for the 2nd goal was a token effort – he was miles away from Wellbeck! but despite that I still felt safer when he was defending than I ever do when Stearman does. I think he did well under the circumstances and didn’t look out of place and that was what I was trying to put across.
all the best
I agree about SEB Ben and i think we really need our number 9 in the side. I’m not saying i have all the answers, what with all the work Doyle does so dropping him is out of the question really. Still, he’s earnt his starting spot in my opinion
Delighted.
I was writin Mick’s obituary with 10 mins to go. There’s life in the old twat yet!
Ebanks winner. Couldn’t have been better!
I can’t effin believe it. Another goal in the last minute. When are we ever going to learn how to defend for 90 minutes!!!???……oh we scored…..it….which is nice.
I’m off to the fridge for a tin and to vote for Wagner! For once, I can actually smile on a Saturday night at that shite.
Slightly off topic but someone came up to me at half time today and asked if i was Ben.
I rudely just said no without twigging he probably just recognised me from the blog and got me confused with my esteemed colleague.
If that was you, i sincerely apologise for being a twat and not realising.
On a lighter note, great win. Looking forward to the report for a change.
On the flip side, I think I was stood right in front of you in the clarendon after the game. I was going to say hello but thought he probably doesn’t want to be hassled, as if you’re some sort of celebrity!!
Thought Mick’s time was up when we went 2-1 down but the lads fought back brilliantly. You’re right about a Blakey goal Ben, I’m sure the crowd roar twice as load when he scores, I certainly do, he’s a legend. Not quite in Bully’s league but he’s getting there. He hasn’t put a foot wrong this season. Unfortunately 4-5-1 suits us and we can’t accomodate Blake in that. Doyle might not score many but he was by far the best player on the pitch today and we wouldn’t have won without him.
Zubar was class as well, he was so sharp, there’s no way you could tell he hasn’t played all season. He was the happiest man in the world at the end of the game, love to see players with that sort of passion.
Nicko, always feel free to say hello. We’ve met before haven’t we?
I’m crap with names, which makes me look like an ignorant shit at times, but love chatting with anyone about the wolves, particularly after a win.
I bumped into a few other wolves blog regulars last night in the pub – kwolf and Adam B. Jolly nice fellows.
This was me lmao. My mind went completely blank and I could only remember Ben’s name. My own fault for not visiting here often enough 😉
Sorry mate. I completely didn’t twig.
Felt like a rude knob for days after.
Be good to chat if our paths cross again.
Where have you been? Long time, no comment.
Dead busy at work & sixth form and applying for uni so not much free time as it is. This was only my first game this season, but what a game it was haha.
I got it wrong, Ben, please keep Rachel in Dublin.
Never thought I would say this but the shit did us a nice favor today.
Ward must have had an off day if the general concensus is that he didn’t play badly.
Law of averages says he has to play one reasonable game a season.
Very, very pleased with the result, but still want McCowardly out.
Donna Summer doesnt swallow, or something along those lines.
Think we can get 7 at Blackburn??
Insider question to Scooped and Mark. Remember what Bully said about Morgan and a trip???
Next week.
FOMM
What’s Mick got to do??
We’re playing the best football I’ve ever seen in 20 odd years, he got us promoted as champions with less money than the many managers before him and he kept us up with points to spare. All this without making any fuss. The players love him and he gets the best out of them.
I don’t believe a new manager would get us playing any better than we are now and if we get relegated Mick’s the best man to get us back up again.
Please let me know if you’ve got any suggestions for a manger who can get this team playing any better than they are now, my guess is you’re so stubborn that you refuse to accept that he’s the best man for the job.
When we stay up one of sweetest things will be you accepting that you talk shite or will you still be slating the manger and his players.
Just because you spent a few hours with Bully doesn’t mean you know everything that goes on at the club, I doubt he does. he was probably making most of it up to take the piss.
I was walking behind a bloke on the way out of the ground who was moaning that we have to score 3 goals to win. Some people are so miserable it’s beyond belief.
Nick, I wrote and deletd several retorts to your latest blog, but then I decided not to lower myself to your standard, again.
Have a nice day, and I hope Santa beings you all the things you wish for.
I’d agree Nick but I think it’s more like 30 years. Andy Gray’s first four games for us 79/80. Everton away 3-2, United 3-1 I think, Arsenal 3-2 (?) and Venables team of the moment Crystal Palace 2-1. The last time we really lived with the big teams. And that was after we’d just paid the biggest fee ever by anyone for a player. Ever. This is close to a very good side built on comparative peanuts.
And Clive, how refreshing to see you’re prepared to be the bigger man. Patronising…I mean, magnanimous too. What a guy.
Guys, come on. Play nice.
Clives entitled to his opinion.
I don’t want to see discussions about football becoming personal.
Remember, we all get fired up and post strong opinions because we’re all passionate about the same cause.
Nobody’s opinion is any more or less valid than anothers.
Here, here Thomas. I dont agree with all of Clives comments but lets get a reality check…
3 points – brill, exactly what we needed – had we lost of even got a draw we would have lost considerable ground. I understand that and feel great about the win.
But… We won at home against Sunderland (missing a number of first team players) and now we have our best team in 20 years! We are still in the relegation places, still without a decent left back and a £7million striker who cant get a game!
There are still many issues, it will take more than one game to turn my opinion. In five games time if we have moved out of the relegation zone and managed to keep a clean sheet I am more than happy to eat my words!
Dazza-a word for our useless cricket team if you will?! I stayed up til 1.40am and had a deal with myself that i’d go to bed once we lost a wkt. Strauss & cook broke my resistance! That racked off Australia attack makes keogh look potent. Anyway, back to football. I watched football first for the 1st time this season and I feasted on every second like a dog, savouring a bone
Hi Ben… remarkable day…all the Aussies saying it was one of the most boring days of test cricket they had ever seen…. funny that… perhaps it was because they couldn’t get the wickets they expected? I have no idea where that form came from, and I hope the usual England collapse does not ensue. A captain’s knock when needed most, and Ponting was clueless in the face of it. As for Wolves…well I stayed up until 3am to watch the game… and my resistance almost saw me reaching for the off button when Sunderland went 2-1 up… perhaps I should have done as I ricked my back when I jumped up when Blake savaged the net ! On to Day 5…almost ready to take to the crease…morning session crucial
How good is the 3am (or 1am Perth time) celebration? Love It!
I got home from a party about 30 seconds after Foley had scored. So I’m basing this solely on the last 40 mins, but a few reflections.
1) For me we looked a side
2) Even when Wellbeck scored, we looked like we responded rather than drop our heads.
3) I was reminded of how often we’d lost points from winning positions this season, which means if we learn to close out games we’ll be fine, if we don’t we’re screwed.
4) I thought Hennessey looked good in goal, was not at fault for either goal, and I stand by my statements all last week that USA needed to be dropped.
5) I hope that Blackpool wasn’t USA’s last game for the club.
6) Elokobi looks twice as good at centre half than at full back.
7) We looked like we did at the time last year where we went on that run.
8) Mick McCarthy is staying for the medium term, and rightly so.
9) 6 defenders on the park (Mancienne and Foley in midfield) was the formula which worked last season, and the old school 6-4 split and “broken team” might be the way forward.
10) SEB is quickly becoming a super sub. Whilst there is no way we can fit him in the current (our best) formation, he should be coming off the bench every match, no matter what the state of game (needing goals, defending a lead). It is also a testament to squad strength that if Doyle is crocked (touch wood) it is not dire straits (Keogh), but Fletcher/SEB.
Again, 8 followed by ) gives sunglasses. Again, these were my impressions from seeing the last 40 mins of the match, I will have missed things in the first 50.
Just for your info on the first 50 mins. The first half we were by far the better side. Masses of possession inside their half. Lots of jinking runs from Jarvis who was “blessed with pace”, “full of trickery” and “a real handful” according to Sky Sports co-commentator Gary Birtles. Oh yes. Pity he can’t cross for toffee (my observation, not Birtles).
Ward looked pretty good (honest!) on his forays down the left flank and he *did* actually whip in a couple of very decent crosses. Not for the first time this season though, I wondered whether heading the ball with power is something which has been banned from our training sessions on the grounds of health and safety.
We might have taken a deserved lead too, but Stearman’s 2-yard toe-poke was disallowed for offside. That appeared strange to my eyes, because there was always a Sunderland defender on the line.
Sunderland were basically very poor in the first half, and only came to life after we scored, when we sat back for some unknown reason.
Did you not see the build up to Hunt’s goal? A great Jarvis cross which was then powefully headed by Elokobi!
And I think Stearman was just offside, although there was a bloke on the line, he was just ahead of the keeper.
By the way, as we’ve won he’s got off lightly with the error for Bent’s goal. He makes far too many mistakes
One decent cross per game! That’ll get him into the England set-up.
Oh wait. No, it won’t.
Kowloon, read the offside rule – 2 players behind the ball – in this case the goalkeeper stepped up leaving Stearman and one player – therefore he was offside!
Point taken, Jed. Thanks
You need 8) all the time in BrizVegas 🙂
1) For me we looked a side that was never out of the game.
Doncaster away in the FA Cup. Thoughts?
We’ll put up a reserve side. And then get fined.
This is going to be an extremely difficult game t’OM. I keep on eye on Donny cos they’re managed by Sean O’Driscol, who played for many years for Bournemouth when i lived there. He’s a top manager and Wolverhampton b orn. They’re renowned for playing the ball on the deck and i think we should play our best team if we want a cup run. Don’t fancy us with a weakened team.
Will it be a problem for people if we don’t win? I’m not sure yet.
Great comeback on Saturday and credit to the lads and manager for a great win.
On a separate note does McCarthy not understand that wolves fans can get behind their team on match day but also express their concerns and disappointment away from the ground regarding the fact we are joint bottom of the league. They are not mutually exclusive behaviours.
Last week McCarthy said “If it doesn’t go right then boo us off, fine, I’m cool with that.” So he accepts boos but doesn’t want debate away from the ground? Surely the best place to be expressing concerns is on blogs and phone ins as opposed to doing so through negative chants at the stadium.
Yeah, agree with that Daniel.
But what irritated me most was the generalisation.
He could easily have said ‘some’ people who do radio phone ins and blogs are numpties, but he didn’t, he lumped everyone into one category.
I cant believe how positive all the comments are on here after one home win against Sunderland! I guess it has been a long time since we had anything to feel positive about!
Yes we won – I am glad for the points, but lets not forget the run we have been on, the fact we are still in the relegation places and there is a lot of football left to be played before we are anywhere near safe.
As for MM commenting on “numpties” on blogs and phone ins – all of these people are entitled to their opinions. They will support the club for their whole lives, not just for the duration of their contract of employment. Perhaps if some of these fans felt MM listened to what they had to say he might not alienate elements of the support.
Given the summers investment and the predicament we are still in, I think he should shut up and concentrate on winning more points before he opens his mouth to slag off any of our fans.
I think you are right in terms of an objective view of where we are in the league. My view is that we got a little lucky against Sunderland:
1. Stearman’s ‘goal’ was unfortunately offside – no complaints with the assistant referee
2. We scored a second goal that was clearly offside (Stearman again – I see a theme emerging and let’s not talk about his defending…)
3. We saw the ball deform the goal in front of the North Bank, and thankfully bounce safely into touch; George only got a yellow card for the deliberate hand-ball to boot – luck indeed!
4. We saw Sunderland score two goals very easily and could of had more, including an easy headed goal – anybody see Carroll’s goal against us – same end, same level of daylight between striker and defender, same result
5. Sunderland were without their starting centre backs, providing space for Foley and SEB
There were positives:
1. Our team’s attitude – notbaly Milijas, Jarvis and Hunt who visibily were lifting the other guys when we went behind; Mancienne’s heart and willingness to run and cover
2. Our quality – SEB’s touch and fantastic finish; Milijas’s vision and precision with the forward passes; Doyle’s endeavour (missed a dolly however…); Jarvis’s pace an guile…need I go on
3. Oh and our luck changed – we scored the late goal, and the post and referee (mostly) was on our side
We will stay up, but we have to fix our defensive weaknesses, starting now and always stay 100% behind our fantastic PREMIER LEAGUE team.