If this was the high pressure, high stakes, must-win game that Mick McCarthy suggested during the week, his team certainly had no intention of shying away from the big occasion.
From the moment Dave Edwards nipped in to win possession and set in motion the free flowing move that led to Matt Jarvis coolly slotting home the opener, Wolves remained very much in the ascendancy.
Edwards was one of two changes to the side that started at the Hawthorns and his limitless energy was infectious, particularly during the frantic early exchanges. The welsh international has been a tremendous asset this season and no more so than today.
Adam Hammill also returned to the starting eleven and it was a great shame to see his afternoon cut short with injury after a string of incisive runs down the flank. Hopefully he’ll be back for next weekend’s game against Spurs.
One player who won’t be taking to the field for that match is of course Jamie O’Hara. The on-loan Tottenham man is ineligible against his parent club and will be sorely missed on the evidence of today’s man of the match showcase.
He went searching for the ball at the beginning of the second half, getting Wolves going when it looked like the tempo had dropped. The packed Molineux crowd certainly appreciated that.
It was he who fittingly put this game to bed, intercepting a stray pass before driving forward and finding the corner of the net with a precise finish from the edge of the box. What a tremendous player this guy is. If we can stay up, he’s exactly the kind of talent we need to elevate us to the next level.
And speaking of the next level, that’s something Sylvan Ebanks-Blake seems to have discovered, finding the net twice in a deserved 30 minute cameo. The first was a trademark poachers finish, arriving perfectly to tap in Kevin Doyle’s pinpoint cross. The second was something special, controlling Stephen Ward’s pass instantly, running clear of the Blackpool defence and planting a superb left foot finish in the corner of the net.
The perfect end to a pleasing afternoon.
Of course it’s fair to suggest that Wolves were substantially aided by DJ Campbell’s petulant sending off just prior to half time, but it’s equally acceptable to point out that we’d been in control long before that unnecessary flash point.
Blackpool had threatened in spells, mainly when benefitting from our defence’s uncertainty in dealing with high hanging balls from deep, but for the most part Wayne Hennessy remained untroubled. He’ll have been delighted to have scooped his fourth clean sheet of the season.
The back four, although stretched at times in the first half, did the simple things well and kept their concentration when it would have been easy to switch off in a relatively straightforward second period.
Karl Henry should also take a slice of the credit for the shutout. He was rightly criticised last week for being sloppy in possession, but was far more assured today and even pulled off two or three fabulous raking passes out wide. We need our captain to be at his best for this vital run in and this was a timely return to form.
17th place is the minimum requirement come May 22nd and as of 5pm on the 26th of February, that’s where Wolves find themselves in the Premier League table.
And whose to say we should settle for the minimum?
Well played the lads! Brilliant performance and result. Yes – I agree with every word of the blog. More of the same, Wolves, please.
Hi all, I’m voyaging around Europe at the moment so haven’t seen the last 2 games. Thanks go to those who run the site for keeping me posted on goings on in a spin free environment whom I trust.
Brilliant day all round! We stuffed to Frogs in the rugby too,so it doesn’t get much better. And to cap it off, I had a drunken conversation with Ian Wright on absolute radio! I said ‘bloody’ on air,apologised,and he said ‘no need, you’re on the rock n roll football show!’ Quality afternoon. Every player looked comfortable, and the blog has summed it up perfectly. UTW!
I heard that! you’ve gotta ring him back when we stay up!!
Fantastic win and out if the bottom three, hopefully for good!
Devastating news about Deano, what a great player he was. You will always be remembered, Rest in Peace.
It seems fitting that our most emphatic win of the season is followed by what feels like the worst hangover anyone has ever sufferred in the history of everything ever. But i’d take a hangover like this every day for the rest of my life if that’s how we play for the rest of the season!
I apparently rang my albion mate at about 1:30 this morning and delivered a 5 minute sing along message. well he deserved it, what else can I say?
Happy clapping all the way to co-op to get some head ache pills
AND NOW YOU GONNA BELIEVE US?? THE WOLVES ARE STAYING UP!!!
what a great result did’nt expect the 4 -0 drubbing we dished out,it could
have been more. Jamie O’Hara man of the match for me,fantastic performance,pity he won’t be playing sunday next.
On a sad note,what tragic news about Deano,Great defender,Quality player.
R.I.P.
Brilliant stuff on what was unfortunately a sad day for the club. At his best, Deano was precisely that. Fitting to get a clean sheet for the big man!
Loving Stears just staring down that little prick DJC too. No reaction, just looks at his retina.
What a great performance and result. For all the criticism Mick took in January, myself included, he’s found a couple of gems in O’Hara and Hammill, both quality. SEB needs more time in the team because for everything Doyle brings, there’s one thing he doesn’t and that’s goals.
And of course RIP Dean Richards
Much needed 3 points, fine all round performance, and made Blackpool look like what they are, crap.
But, once again, why bring on Ward?
Why not Fletcher, or one of the untried?
He knows what Ward can, or cannot do, so why, why, why?????
We need to sign O Hara, looks like he actually wants to play.
Hennessey was very dodgy with high balls, and Elokobi still looks scary on the ball.
Still, let’s take the positives, the negatives were too unthinkable.
Let’s see if we can get three wins on the bounce at home!!!
FOMM
Why bring on Ward? Can I refer you to our fourth goal.
I’ve been as critical as most other fans about Ward at times, but give the lad a break this weekend!
Unfortunately Ward seems to have had his name tarnished forever by his awkward stint at left back. Playing in the hole between attack and midfield he’s actually pretty effective, as demonstrated against Liverpool and again today. He links up well with Doyle and Jarvis and did so with O’Hara today.
Maybe not a regular starter but definitely a useful player to throw on when the opposition start to tire.
I can’t help thinking he’s a victim of his willingness to work for the team, to sacrifice his natural position in attack when the team needed cover at left back. (Looking forward to the response to this!).
It’s more the manager that does him few favours, inadvertently, by bigging him up all the time. I remember us destroying forest in the finest exhibition of attacking, yet mick praised only 1 man-ward, who was playing left back in a 5-1win! And yesterday, he refused to congratulate SEB, for 2 goals, instead choosing to praise ward, whose badly overhit pass was turned into an assist through SEB’s fine first touch. I’m all for praising players, but some, far more deserving candidates, never get any. Not wards fault at all, but it bloody irritates me!
Couldn’t agree more Ben, SEB turned a clumsy pass into a great goal.
I can see what your saying mate but at the end of the day MM knows the players personally, we don’t. Is it that Ward is taking a load of shit from everywhere and is low on confidence? SEB is loved by the fans and seems confident in his own abilities. Bit like big mel bigging you up to get your confidence up but saw no need to tell skinner 🙂 On a serious note if Ward can get a bit of composure and a bit more tactical awareness I honestly believe he could be useful squad player!!!
First of all, did MM know Ward was going to pass the ball to SEB?
Of course not, and secondly the pass was vastly overhit, and SEB was very good to control and score.
If it had been in reverse, Ward would either not have reached it, or blasted it oout of the ground.
M point is that he didn’t need to bring Ward on at all, we had the game in the bag, and he could have tried someone else….anyone else!!
I find myself torn about the Ward situation on this particular weekend.
I’ll start by saying this. Two lads sat behind me on Sat did nothing but slag Ward off every single time he touched the ball, regardless of what occurred. That was entirely unacceptable to me and if it hadn’t been for the euphoria of a rare easy win, I would have said something.
His actual performance was mixed. Some decent touches and as always, a lot of commitment. Nothing of note either way (positive or negative) in my opinion.
But surely any Wolves supporter of any disposition can see that there’s patently something not quite right about the relationship between manager and player here. Assuming there’s nothing more sinester going on, it’s obviously just a case of favorutism gone mad.
I mean, if Wardy doesn’t start, he always comes on, ALWAYS! Regardless of what’s happening in the game and regardless of what hole needs plugging in the side. Yesterday, the bloke was given a free role for crying out loud. Not left back, not left midfield, not centre forward but a position that allowed him to roam wherever he so chose. That isn’t right for a player of his ability.
I don’t know what goes on during the week, but from a complete outsiders view, we’ve got a bloke we paid 7 mill for picking splinters out of his arse, desperate for a chance to show what he can do in a game where we’re not just defending for our lives. But instead of giving him a chance to show his quality and maybe fill his boots with a goal, we bring Ward on to sure up the middle of the park at a stage in the game where the opposition had given up.
I’m not going to start a hate a campaign after such a fantastic result and for the record, I think Ward deserves more credit than he gets, but it is a strange situation. Very strange indeed.
Spot on Thomas and made even stranger when Mick singled only him out in the post match interview.
But credit Mick for setting us up with such an attacking 4-5-1. Enjoyed a corporate afternoon in the company of a Blackpool ‘fan’ enjoying his first sason as a supporter!
MOM, my hero Karl Henry.
Didn’t realise Ward had been singled out for praise. That is a bit odd. Especially given the performances of O’Hara and Jarvis that were so obviously exceptional.
Where has he singled out Ward? I can’t find it anywhere
Try Radio WM who broadcast a post match interview with MM.
As you may have heard somewhere before Louie, you must try harder!
So you dont waste any more time on your research and just in case you dont believe me, check out http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00f3fv9/Football_PhoneIn_26_02_2011/
I agree you can’t blame Ward for being no better than he is and he certainly gives his all every game. No player is going to say he doesn’t want to play. McCarthy’s obsession with him, on the other hand is very odd, particularly when he persisted in playing him at left back which certainly cost us points. Now he insists on giving him some sort of run out whatever the situation. I feared the worst last week when he came on and he was partly responsible for the goal. It could prove the difference between staying up or going down.
Not many managers when losing 2-0, would replace 2 defenders with a winger and a stiker, and decide to only play with 2 defenders. Brave decision by Holloway, or was it stark raving. In the event it meant for the last 20 minutes it meant even Ward could make a genuine contribution.
I don`t think any other team or manager in the premiership will be so generous as Holloway, but for me that doean`t really matter – if we play like that for the rest of the season there is no doubt thta we will survive.
Thanks for a brilliant Saturday lads.
Shame the south bank had to have a few digs at the North bank, but fair play to the North Bankers, held their own and threw back a few songs their way and shut them up.
Cracking result, you always have that feeling Sylvan is going to do something when he comes on.
Strange comment, I’m a south bank season ticket holder and quite enjoy the banter that usually comes about in big games when they are going well or yesterday when we have silenced the opposing fans. I thought it was all good natured and with tongue firmly in cheek? I was in the Royal London after the game and there were quite a few people talking and laughing about it, with a few songs exchanged in there as well!!!
The North Bank will be having the last laugh before too long 🙂
Great result, great day, great report.
I agree about Karl Henry – another Average White Band performance….Picking up the Pieces (thats a bad one). I just felt he was everywhere even before the sending off. I think DJ Campbell should stick to DJing.
Apart from the game, a few strange things happened on the day for me.
1) Bumped into Kites on the way to the game – he was by the E&S offices at Pipers Row so he was either going there or going into Walkabout. I didn’t know whether I would see him on the way back, pissed and saying ” it would of been 10 nil if I was playing!!”
2) Nearly got killed by a psycho in Yates who decided that he needed about 8 of Her Majestys finest to help him leave the beer garden. Anyone see it?
3) I was relaxed at 4.30 and started thinking whether I should have Cobra or Carling with my madras or dupiaza.
4) A record breaking attendance….??? How commercially convenient!!!
O’Hara – what an instant star. I knew he was good, but to slot into the team like he has is so refreshing. I’m just waiting for him to say he’s homesick or something.
Onwards and upwards then. I’m not getting too excited though by a long stretch. As I say, a great day – but that has now gone.
Everything I read about O’Hara and see on the pitch marks him out as a must have. Don’t think there will be a problem with him; he seems pretty settled, and none too fussed about life in the capital.
Does anyone else think Garth Crooks is an idiot?
I refer you to his ‘Team of the Week’ feature on the BBC site:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/9409064.stm
I very rarely look at this, as Wolves players very really make the cut (Ha!).
But having been pleasantly surprised to see Jamie O’Hara named in the eleven and given the credit he rightly deserves, Crooks ruined it by making this absurd comment about the player:
“Whatever he may lack in ability, he makes up for in effort. If ever a player deserved a goal against Blackpool, he did.”
It makes O’Hara sound like some third division player, operating above his station. What a slap in the face.
Did he even watch game? Loser.
Garth Crooks has always been a big mouth, even when at Spurms.
Some players should rest on their laurels, or lack of them, and get a job outside football.
Are you reading this, you big eared twat, Lineker????????????
It seems Trapattoni is trying to get O’Hara to declare for Ireland (apparently he qualifies since his nan’s budgie was irish!)
O’Hara is unsure since he hasn’t considered the option before and may think he’s in with a chance of playing for England since he’s already played at U21
Hopefully, if the lads such as Doyle, Hunt etc. can really befriend him and convince him to play for ireland, as suggested by Liam Brady on Irish TV on Saturday, and convince him to stay with the wolves then I’ll be very very happy.
Ward is Irish………………………………………….
Yes and so hopefully the more the merrier to try and ensure O’Hara is happy at WW and stays and also to encourage him to play for Ireland