“Bloody Ward.”
An all too familiar cry of anguish went up as I spat out the team news at precisely 11.32am, crammed inside a Costa Coffee surrounded by stressed-out gold shirts (because all the pubs in town were astonishingly slammed shut).
By the time I arrived at the ground, I couldn’t determine whether I was shaking because of the caffeine rapidly flooding into my bloodstream or because Matt Jarvis had been dropped. I eventually reasoned it was the latter, but also had something to do with the fact that Milijas was once again on the sidelines and Hammill wasn’t even in the squad.
It just seemed mental.
But as some scientist-bloke shrewdly pointed out, there’s a thin line between insanity and genius; a point which has been repeatedly accentuated this season by ‘Mad Mick’ and his tactical epiphanies.
There’s a similar divide between love and hate too, which I myself have flittered between in recent weeks, pondering the plight of our manager. But today, however begrudgingly you want to admit it, he got it bang on the money.
For starters, he brought Stephen Hunt back into the side, a player built-to-measure for a Black Country Derby. When I said in the preview I expected Wolves to explode out of the blocks like a pack of rabid animals, I didn’t think Hunt would take it quite so literally.
But he did you know; buzzing around the pitch like a man possessed, snapping at ankles and rascally getting into as much trouble as he possibly could.
He was also the chief architect of Albion’s downfall, delivering both crosses that led to Wolves establishing a decisive foothold midway through the first half.
The Baggies marking was non-existent, but that should take nothing away from Steven Fletcher and Adlene Guedioura for twice putting themselves in there to benefit from the others vital knockdowns.
It was the least Wolves deserved having muscled into the ascendancy early on and generally shown a greater appetite for the scrap.
For the visitors, it was the kind of performance they would have secretly feared as their side struggled to get started.
Sure they threatened at times, Jerome Thomas constantly asked questions from the left and Peter Odemwingie posed a threat whenever he was given ample time and space to run at our back four.
But it was Wolves who came closest to scoring again just prior to the interval, when Fletcher somehow contrived to head wide from another incisive set piece. It was an astonishing miss really, but the Scot soon made up for it minutes after the restart.
You always got the impression Meite was capable of a big mistake and so it proved when he clumsily let the ball slip under his foot, allowing Fletch to sprint in and coolly slot home Wolves’ third.
Dreamland.
Sadly though, it didn’t last.
A sluggish outstretched leg from Guedioura saw Albion correctly awarded a spot-kick and Odemwingie did the rest, firing confidently passed the outstretched arm of Hennessy.
Suddenly it was game on, panic stations and the distinct possibility of the worst kind of misery.
Thomas ran clear and crashed a shot off the bar, Hennessy smartly clawed out Cox’s flick and Tchoyi nodded a fabulous opening over the bar when left inexplicably all alone in the box.
Phew.
But as the seconds ticked agonisingly by and the Albion blitz eventually subsided and the sun started to shine again, suddenly everything in the world seemed good.
And then through the steamy haze, a mirage. A vision. It must surely have been a dream?
Stephen Ward plucks the ball out of the vivid blue sky, audaciously lifting it over the defender in one beautiful, seamless movement before shrugging off the attentions of another stripey shirt and taking aim at the hopelessly exposed Albion goal. It couldn’t be, could it?
Then, reality, as he slammed his fierce shot narrowly wide having done all the hard work in crafting the space.
What a shame. That was his moment and he deserved that goal.
But still, he should hold his head up high for a performance that took all the bile, disgust and criticism (some deserved, some not quite so) he’s received all season and became a hero, at least for this one glorious day. Why wouldn’t you smile for him?
And why wouldn’t you smile for Mick McCarthy?
If you’re prepared to rip him to shreds, as I myself have in recent weeks for a string of logic-defying brainwaves, you have to be willing to tip your cap to him on a day like today.
Sure, we might ultimately come up short in our quest for survival, but today was a stark reminder that you write off this team and this manager at your peril.
Oh, and my man of the match?
Bloody Ward of course.
great blog. Ward, Hunt and Fletcher magnificent.
When the team are pressing like that, we don’t need to much pace out wide. Guedioura provided the skill while Hunt’s crossing was spot on nearly every time.
essential viewing: the skysports fan zone of the a****n game!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkHD0W1cfC8&feature=share
“As Noddy Holder would say, ‘It’s Christmas'”
Hahahaha, what a brilliant line.
Love that guy.
McCarthy’s selections have often been bewildering throughout this season. When we lose we condemn him for his idiocy, but when we win we laud him for his brilliance. But if you change a team so often, aren’t you likely to get it right now and again? If you throw a dice often often enough you’ll call it right occasionally. So was it brilliance today or luck? The team played well today for 50 minutes against a West Brom side who seemed to think they were already on holiday. Let’s hope the Sunderland players will be in a similar frame of mind.
Hunt was the key today. He never stops running, doesn’t mind putting his foot in, and takes a great corner.
It’s in our hands now, can we finish the job off?
He is not as good as Lionel Messi. He does not have the feet of Lionel Blair, the rhythm of Lionel Hampton, the vision of Lionel Blue, the timing of Lionel Ritchie, the close control of Lionel Trilling but he has the heart of a Lionel. Step forward Stephen Ward, the subject of much tiresome prose on this blog. Thomas you are right, it would have been a beautiful moment if he had scored but he is not in the team to score goals. He is there to confound the mean spirited, the soulless, and the dedicated miserabalists who miss the point of being a football supporter. One sublime moment was when Hunt had run out of WBA players to tackle proceeded to tackle Ward. Come on Wolves
‘…he is not in the team to score goals. He is there to confound the mean spirited, the soulless, and the dedicated miserabalists who miss the point of being a football supporter’.
wow. that is beautiful. thank you for articulating exactly how i feel.
come on clive. you must have something to say tonight of all night’s.
I’m still drunk!!!
Beautiful and extremely cleverly written ‘prose’ once again Danny. Don’t you think you’re a bit too intelligent for all this? But you must be the only supporter i’ve ever known who doesn’t care whether his team’s players can actually play football. Sure you’re not missing the point of being a professional footballer?
One swallow does not make a summer.
Great performance from Ward yesterday – but he doesn’y do it often enough to be lauded all of a sudden. Lets not get carried away.
Of course I want Wolves to have skilful players and play skilful football but football is a team game now involving a squad of players with a range of skills who have to play together against an opposition with players whose skill levels also vary. Add to this how the players feel on the day, their fitness, their hunger and desire. Then there are our manager’s plans and their manager’s plans. Then there’s luck, fate and cosmic irony. And last but not least there us the fans, and what a diverse bunch we are. How much support we give individual players, the team, and the manager. All this variability hopefully produces unpredictability and drama- the beautiful game. I think it is fine to criticise a player’s performance, a team’s performance, and a manager’s decisions but there is a difference between criticism and mindless abuse. How many teams will be successful this season? What is success? Most managers’ careers’ end with the sack. Most players do not have a room full of medals and trophies. Stephen Hawking has said “Some people will be very disappointed if there is not an ultimate theory that can be formulated as a finite number of principles. I used to belong to that camp, but I have changed my mind.” He could have been talking about football. There is room in football for many opinions. I don’t expect everyone to agree with me in fact if certain people did agree with me I would have to change my mind. I am looking forward to the Blackburn game, what result will we need to stay up, who will McCarthy pick, what does Karl Henry say to the team in the pre-match huddle, those few moments before kick off when everything is possible, then a couple of months off watching cricket before it all begins again.
Aha this made me laugh. Well summed up and good to see some people like Wardy after all. Heard him being called wardinho for his nutmegs!
Yes. Once again well done Mick and the team for making me eat my words.
Can we win two on the trot?
I know we won but I have watched it now 3 times in slo- mo and Thomas dives before adlene even touches him – fuckin cheatin shit twat
Yep, it’s a generational thing, I think. The youngsters of today think that *any* contact in the box is a nailed-on pen. Sadly, many referees agree! Personally, I’d have booked Thomas for the dive.
I watched twice……………..we lost the second time!!!!!!!
Yes, well played the lads. The Hunt/Ward/Fletcher triumvirate was the difference between the sides. Hunt in particular was superb throughout.
It’s back in our hands now …
For the first time in living memory, I had a pint of Boddingtons at 8 in the morning.
Brilliant result.
For me, Hunt man of the match, but Fletcher a close second.
Ward had, for him, a good game, the law of averages says he will have a good game once in a blue moon, but he is not nor never will be Prem class, and sadly, the same goes for quite a few others.
Take nothing away from the result, the points, the position in the table, and the fact that we beat the shit, but one swallow and all that.
Let’s revel in our victory, for a week, but be aware that a loss next week puts us back in the clag.
Nothing that happened today has made McDickhead into a world class mnager, or our players into Prem superstars.
The season is a marathon, not a sprint, and we are still clinging on by the skin of our teeth.
Having said all that, I’ve been walking around all day long with a shit eating grin on me face!!!!
FOMM
Normally Margueritas in’it?
Hey Lads….congrats on your win today. I have not seen a team play with such passion and tempo this season in the first half…..and it didnt help that we looked like we had already gone on vacation!
I think all we can ask for in players is that they give their all…and I think the Wolves did that today. I have said all along that the Wolves are a better team than their position suggests….and as an Albion fan I am glad that you took one more step toward safety.
I said on another post that the Wolves have not had much of the rub of the green this season. I think that if we would have had a fully fit team then it would have been a much more difficult proposition for you….but…in those terms you had the rub of the green….and added passion, commitment and execution to it. Good luck in your next games….I hope we get to play you in the prem next season.
Boing boing!
Hard to argue with Fletcher getting man of the match, he played well and showed he can score goals if given a run in the team. My motm, though, was Stephen Hunt who played as though his life depended on it and was everywhere on the pitch; crossing for goals, battling in midfield and helping out at the back.
And yes, Stephen Ward had a cracking game as well. Let’s hope he keeps it up for the next two in which he’s bound to play.
Having said all this, to be honest,West Brom were shocking for the first hour and their defending almost non-existent at times. And even with a three goal lead, we were hanging on for a long period in the second half as our continuing problems at left back were exposed yet again. If it hadn’t been for woeful finishing and a certain amount of good fortune, we could easily have surrendered the points.
If the LB position had been dealt with properly at the start of the season,i think we would have been comfortably safe by now.
What a great performance – Wolves seemed more up for it from the first kick!
My man of the match was Hunt – he was immense! That is the kind of performance we paid Hull £3.5m for!
Dropping Jarvis was the right thing to do – although I didnt say that around 11.45am on Sunday!
See Hennessy’s top drawer save at that crucial moment…?!!
C’mon SW….. US who?
Agreed. I told you he was good!
Nice one Martin! Just gotta work on this stubborn f*cker now!
He played well to be fair – still prefer USA though!
It was a ball that any keeper in the Prem would have got to. It looked good in real time but it was very saveable. Still want WH as our #1 though.
I was talking about the one he just got his fingertip to and the ref gave a goal kick(that was tremendous), not the one in the second half.
Sorry Martin, yes that was class.
Agreed then – we all love our Wayne.
Nice one.
Hello all,
First comment here,a Bulgarian Wolves fan since the late ’80s…
Great win yesterday,delighted to see the guys back in form. It has been ‘now or never’ situation, which also applies to the following two games as well.
A funny bit by the Bulgarian commentator,when the camera was showing a troubled-looking MM in the second half: ‘That’s the reason one is getting bald
( few seconds of silence)….and pale haired as well’. Couldn’t resist laughing to tears….
UTW
Welcome to the site Vladimir!
Yes, welcomski.
Thank you guys!
Always been wondering about that -ski bit. Some quite ‘interesting’,to say the least, explanations on it at the the urban dictionary,haha. Cheers.
Great result and now back to reality….
Half a job done. We need 3 points at Sunderland and a point at home v Blackburn IMO.
I don’t want to be in a position where we have to win on the last day. Hopefully, us and Blackburn will both need a draw to stop up on the last day and go and have a game of gutters on the Waterloo Road.
My despair in recent weeks has kept me from posting on the blog. I’d nearly given up hope before the Albion game…thank Steven that it now burns brightly again!
I’m with you that we have to get 3 points at the Stadium of Light (ironic you might say given the darkness that relegation offers, even more so when you consider MM’s past).
My logic is that it is likely either Wigan or Blackpool will move ahead of us if we get nothing at Sunderland; a point and Wigan go ahead of us with a win. In any even anything less than a win for Wolves puts us under extreme pressure against a Blackburn side that may still be fighting for their lives (I don’t buy the draw and we both stay up logic). Win at Sunderland and we can lose to Blackburn and still survive as I think that 40 is enough, unless Blackpool turn over Man U at Old Trafford.
But hope is to the fore; it’s in our hands against two teams struggling for form and we have momentum.
UTW
Out of darkness cometh the stadium of light.
I think three points vs blackburn should be enough for us to be safe. I reckon Wigan gets 6 points in the last two games, and either Birmingham, Blackburn or us will go down with Blackpool and West Ham.
remaining fixtures
* Saturday
Blackburn v Manchester United, Blackpool v Bolton, Sunderland v Wolves
* Sunday
Birmingham v Fulham, Wigan v West Ham
* Sunday 22 May
Manchester United v Blackpool, Stoke v Wigan, Tottenham v Birmingham, West Ham v Sunderland, Wolves v Blackburn
DISCUSS!
Squeaky bum time if you ask me. West Ham need to win at Wigan(which i doubt) or we’ll need to beat Blackburn on the last day.(can’t see us winning at Sunderland, but you never know). Terrifying!
I think a draw at sunderland and a win against rovers will definitely see us safe. as gebb says above though, going into the last game needing a win is far from ideal. As sunderland have nothing to play for, have picked up an appallingly low number of points over the last few months and are in the throes of an injury crisis, I can see us losing about 6-0. if we manage to win that game though, well, i don’t have the words to describe what that would be like. but it would be good. very lots of good.
If Blackburn lose their last two games, we’ll finish above them, so it might not necessarily matter what goes on below us. Easier said than done though
At last and for once MM got his tactics spot on. Then the baggies defence gave us 3 goals, and apart from a 20 minute spell when they ran hard at us, I thought on the day we deserved the 3 points.
Interesting that MM sacrificed his love affair and preference for two wingers to play 4 midfilelders including Hunt, who was immense all over the pitch and at last justified his fee.
However when reality kicks in we are still in some bother and could yet get relegated unless we get points from the next two matches. I`ll get my black wolves boxer shorts washed and ironed for next Saturday, and hope Sunderland are as generous as the baggies were. I just hope we can repeat the immense physical effort from yesterday to secure our premiership place next Saturday. Then someone can sort out MM and or the playing staff for next season. Particularly the defence, with the emphasis on quality and improving the side, maybe even getting in a dominant centre half with pace, and a left back perhaps. Certainly don`t need any more quality forwards with Fletcher proving his worth and Doyle.
Never could figure out why Mick dropped Fletcher at the beginning of the season. Didn’t he get off to a quick start.
If he was playing regularly, he would have gotten as much as 20 goals this year.
Mick has to figure a way to get him and Doyle into as many games as possible.
Maybe he needs to concentrate on signing a player that would allow him to change the shape to 4-4-2 more consistently.
I think maybe Adlene shunted right might give us that option.
Can we have O’Hara permanently please?
bloody hell! got caught up in an anti mick demo outside the ground with a load of old blokes. what was the score?
Bollocks!!!!!
Still a Mick Out fan.
Nothing changed.
Shit were on holiday.
Ward is still crap.
We will stay up.
I’ll be in England this weekend, but no plans to go to Sunderland, they don’t come to see me when I’m bad!!!!!
OLD GUYS RULE!!!
Fletcher has 11 goals in 1569 mins this season (equivalent of 17 and a half games).
That’s phenomenal.
Even though Doyle is our best player, if we’d played Fletcher and SEB when we played 2 up front instead I’m sure we’d be safe now.
Doyle can’t play with a partner but can we drop him when fit?
A pickle I’m sure you’ll agree.
All academic if we go down, but I’m thoroughly optimistic.
UTW.
Hunt was quality! Great call from Mick to be fair. He may not have the speed and flair of Jarvo but he got stuck in and gave us what we needed. The sort of player you hate if he doesn’t play for you. Could do with him in the centre.
Fletcher quality, glad he’s come good, as i thought he would and didn’t becpme another Eastwood/ Albion were terrible defensively, but credit us! I’m surprised Louie hasn’t been telling us he was right all along!
I’m always right, I’m a bloody teenager!
When i got in the Mol at 11.50 and heard about the team changes i
thought what the hell is he doing,what do i know.
Any way back to the match,what a transformation to see us scrapping
for every ball such as like i have’nt seen for a long time especially
against the shit..Why could’nt we have played like that a few more times
this season then we would’nt be in this mess.
The way we played yesterday was fantastic ,thought everybody played
their part..Fletcher was M.O.M for me, thou HUNT came a very close
second..Never been a great fan of ward but the way he played was
great and he nearly got on the score sheet as well .
Two games ,three points needed i think but four would be great.just
thinking what team will he be putting out now Doyle’s fit.A CONUNDRUM.
Lets have more of the same PLEASE.
Mick is certain to stick with Ward and Fletcher up top this weekend, especially with Doyle not fully match fit and the fact Fletch has come out so strongly in support of Ward.
Personally, I can’t see any changes unless someone picks up an injury in training (fingers crossed they don’t).
I have concerns with the team we put out against West Brom though:
– Elokobi – again all at sea at times and while big hearted isn’t at the level of a premiership LB
– Foley – love his work rate and attacking football; hate the way he gives the ball away too easily in our own half
– Guediora – not the right choice if we are asking him to play wide right; not convinced that he should be in the side ahead of Hammill
– Stearman – someone please tell MM that he cannot play at right back; falling over like that was comical…sorry Stears centre-back yes; right back noooooooo!
Any thoughts?
Elokobi is the best we have in that position, ahead of Hunt at the moment. That is all that matters in the next few weeks.
Foley is a better player at RB than he is at right midfield. I’d have him #2 behind Zubar, which is #1.
Guediora did a job, playing a CM tucked in allowed us to play 4411, and he is dynamic enough to do a job.
Hammil – I’d rather have Hunt on form.
Stearman – As above, would prefer Foley RB. Wasn’t so bad having Foley right midfield and Stearman RB in that situation.
They are my thoughts.