Leeds 3 Wolves 1
By: DJ |
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Wolves fell to another pre season defeat and although the results are pretty irrelevant in these games there were some disappointing signs out there and McCarthy will certainly be looking for some sharper defending in the last couple of friendlies.
It was close to a full strength Wolves team that took to the field;
Hennessey
Zubar, Craddock, Berra, Van Damme
Guedioura, Henry, Jones,
Fletcher, Ebanks Blake, Jarvis
Wolves were the better team for ten minutes in the early stages with Ebanks Blake and Fletcher both getting attempts on goal before Leeds first attempt when Van Damme conceded a free kick that resulted in a free header over Wolves bar. Then Van Damme sent Jarvis clean through but the keeper was able to block his effort. Again Van Damme conceded a free kick and again Leeds had a free header but Hennessey made a good save. Then a chance at the other end when from Wolves first corner Jones’ cross found Fletcher’s head and his effort was kicked off the line. For the third time Leeds created a clear chance but when a cross from the left found a player unmarked at the edge of the area he shot wide.
Van Damme was getting regularly beaten by the tricky Gradel and Berra came to Wolves rescue from one of many crosses from that side. But a goal finally came for Leeds when a corner was only half cleared and Gradel smashed a right foot shot into the top corner from 25 yards. Leeds had been the better team overall and it came as a surprise when Wolves equalised with the last kick of the first half. An inswinging free kick from the left by Jarvis eluded everyone and went in the far corner of the net.
It was the same Wolves team that started the second half and there was little action in the early stages but the game was livened up as we saw the best of Steven Fletcher. He pulled down a through ball with great control and then smashed a left foot shot for the top corner that brought a good save from the Leeds keeper. But Leeds were to regain the lead when again Gradel got to the bye line and his cross was turned in by Sam.
Van Damme was getting very frustrated with his inability to snuff out Gradel and he was lucky to escape a yellow card with a hard challenge on the half way line. He was immediately substituted with Ward coming on and Edwards replacing Guedioura at the same time. There were appeals for a Leeds penalty as Craddock blocked a goal bound effort and as Leeds dominated there was an almightly scramble in the Wolves area after Hennessey flapped at a cross.
Jarvis was replaced by Keogh and SEB looked unhappy to be replaced by Doyle, and shortly afterwards Halford replaced Zubar. Doyle livened things up for Wolves lining up with Fletcher before turning and shooting but the keeper saved well and when Doyle returned the favour Fletcher’s shot was blocked. Gradel was Leeds star man and he got a standing ovation when he was substituted. Leeds added a late 3rd with a far post header with Halford offering no challenge on the far post.
Foley for Fletcher was Wolves last change and Doyle almost set up a late consolation for Edwards.
Two more friendlies to go at Hearts on Tuesday then Bilbao at Molineux next Saturday. Some food for thought here for McCarthy as he decides on his opening day team sheet. One or two places that were looking decided may be open for challenge after this. Van Damme who had done well in pre season looked very ill at ease against a fast and tricky winger and Craddock has not yet settled into last season’s form. And there are many contenders for the right side of midfield. Not too many positives on the day here. I made Zubar Wolves best player with Henry, Berra, Jarvis, Fletcher and Doyle all doing ok.
Category: Team News
Wolves ready for August?
By: DJ | 3 Comments
As we move towards the start of the season we have to start assessing whether everything is in place to start another year of consolidating Wolves place in the Premier League. The 25 man squad for the new season does not have to be finalised until 1st September after the end of the transfer window but it is now looking like it is a possibility that Wolves will not be bringing any more players into the fold before that time. So what does the 25 man squad look like as we stand.
Goalkeepers: Hahnemann, Hennessey, Ikeme.
Defenders: Zubar, Craddock, Berra, Van Damme, Foley, Stearman, Mouyokolo, Ward, Elokobi, Halford
Midfield: Kightly, Hunt, Henry, Jones, Milijas, Edwards, Jarvis, Guedioura
Strikers: Doyle, Fletcher, Ebanks Blake, Keogh
As well as those there is Vokes and Mujangi Bia who do not have to be counted in the 25 because they are under 21 and the same would apply to the academy players that are hoping for a break through. There is no room in the squad for Matt Hill and Stefan Maierhofer who will either have to sit the first half of the season out until the squad opens up again on January 1st or look for another club for transfer or loan. Keogh and Halford have been rumoured to be moving on but they are still there as we speak. And McCarthy has said that nobody else will come in unless funds are generated from sales.
It looks to me that most areas of the pitch are covered with first choices and cover. There are 3 decent keepers and plenty of defenders including a few that can operate in different positions across the back line. When Kightly and Hunt are fit we will have enough wide players with them competing alongside Jarvis, Guedioura and Mujangi Bia. And there are 5 strikers available with Vokes in there competing with the 4 in the squad. If there is one part of the squad that looks light to me it is central midfield. Jones and Milijas would compete for the creative midfield spot, Edwards provides the energy if not the finesse and Henry holds the line in front of the defence. But if the skipper Henry were to be injured or suspended there is no natural cover for that important position, and with a generally more attacking formation we might want to start out with two holding central midfield players.
The arrival of Fletcher and the determination of Ebanks Blake to make up for last season’s disappointment means we do have the firepower to play a more offensive game than the second half of last season, particularly with a fit Hunt and Kightly providing additional ammunition from the wings. But the danger against the quality of Premier League opposition is that Wolves become more vulnerable to opposition teams dominating midfield. To go into war with only one natural defensive midfield player in the squad is a risk and if Henry were to be injured there is potentially a real problem. So with Keogh the most likely to move on and leave a vacancy in the 25 it is a defensive midfield player that would be needed. Most Wolves fans would vote for Mancienne to be the man to fill that void but it is unclear if he is available or if Wolves have the funds to complete a deal.
The next phase of Wolves preparation for the season is at Leeds on Saturday afternoon and we will have a report on this site later on Saturday. It looks like Steven Mouyokolo will be making his first appearance in a Wolves shirt in this one. The signing from Hull has now recovered from the injury that has hampered his pre season and it will be good to see what he has to offer.
Category: Team NewsReading v Wolves goals
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http://vodpod.com/watch/4112343-reading-2-wolves-1
No way was that a penalty
Category: Team NewsWolves halfway through pre season
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Wolves continued their buiild up to the season with their first defeat of pre season at Reading on Tuesday evening. It took Wolves to about half way through their preparation for the Premier League season. With wins against Bohemians, Walsall and Charleroi and a defeat against Reading behind them, Wolves now face Leeds on Saturday, Hearts on Tuesday and Bilbao at Molineux on August 7th to finalise the preparatiion.
The Championship season starts a week earlier than the Premier so Reading were further down the line of preparatiion and Wolves fielded a mixed team of first team regulars, stand by players and academy products. After falling two behind a Dave Jones goal ten minutes from time sparked a late Wolves rally that didn’t produce an equaliser.
It’s been good to see some of the academy players getting blended in with the first team and Danny Baath and Ashley Hemmings were two that have made a good impression. Aaron McCarey, David Davis and Sam Winnall also got a taste of the action as Wolves try to bridge that difficult and big gap between academy level football and the first team.
On the transfer front it is still expected that Andy Keogh, Matt Hill and Stefan Maierhofer will leave the club before the start of the season but another player who was expected to go looks to have been given another season to impress. Greg Halford has as long a throw as anyone in football but hasn’t shown much else to impress Wolves fans in his first season at the club. He does have the advantage of being able to play in most positions across defence and midfield which gives him some value as a squad player but he will have to show better form to justify being retained.
Whether anyone else will join the club is open to question because it seems the transfer budget has been spent and the club need to generate some money from sales to be able to make further signings. Maybe there will be a surprise to come from a sale. It does seem as though Mancienne will leave Chelsea and if he moves to someone other than Wolves that would be a disappointment. Teams across europe are now being linked with him including Sporting Lisbon and some Spanish teams Seville and Malaga. It would not be sensible to advocate Wolves going into debt to secure new players but the signing of Mancienne would surely represent a good investment as well as a good signing and it is to be hoped that if there is a chance to bring him in, that he isn’t lost.
Category: Team NewsWolves winner at Charleroi
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaEfZlUoSqY&feature=player_embedded
Category: Team NewsCharleroi 1 Wolves 2
By: DJ | 2 Comments
Wolves maintained their 100% pre season record with a hard fought win in Belgium on Saturday evening. After a pleasant drive south from Brussels Airport in bright sunshine through the Belgian forests it was a surprise to arrive in the unattractive industrial town of Charleroi in the Black Country of Belgium and to be greeted by some none too friendly locals. And it was a sterner test for Wolves on the field too as the opponents were stronger, more physical and more competent than Bohemians and Walsall. Wolves started with a line up of;
Ikeme
Stearman, Craddock, Berra, Van Damme
Jarvis, Henry, Jones, Ward
Fletcher, Vokes
Hennessey, Zubar, Mujangi Bia and Mouyokolo were all unavailable through injury.
The home side dictated the early play and from dangerous left wing crosses it was Van Damme who both times cleared the danger. But Wolves gradually worked their way into the game with Jarvis playing a rare game on the right flank causing plenty of problems and from one of his crosses Ward got in a header that brought a save from the keeper, who also made a good save from a Jones free kick. But Wolves presented Charleroi with a couple of chances with Craddock caught in possession and then Berra giving away a free kick in a dangerous position but both times the shots went narrowly over the bar.
Wolves produced their best move of the half after 30 minutes when Jarvis attacked on the right of midfield and played in Fletcher who had made a run down the right hand side. He laid the ball back to Stearman whose cross saw a Vokes header defelcted wide by the keeper. The competitive nature of the game was emphasised when both teams picked up a yellow card first when Berra made a mistimed challenge and then when Vokes was hacked down. It was probably the more testing nature of the game that persuaded McCarthy to make all his substitutions at half time. The second half line up was;
Ikeme,
Halford, Craddock, Berra, Hill
Guedioura, Foley, Edwards, Keogh
Ebanks Blake, Doyle
Wolves were ahead 7 minutes into the 2nd half when the home defence were surprised by Halford’s long throw and Doyle had a free header. The goal was greeted by two yellow flares being thrown on the pitch from the Wolves supporters end of the ground. There were a number of Belgian and Dutch Wolves followers among the support.
The Belgians produced their best move of the game 8 mnutes later to draw level. After an exchange of passes they got behind the Wolves defence on their right wing and a low cross was turned in at the far post. Soon after Ikeme came to Wolves rescue when a header met another right wing cross. And the resulting corner went right across the face of goal as the home team had their best spell of the game.
We then saw an orange flare arrive on the pitch at the Wolves supporters end before Wolves started to regain the initiative. Doyle set up Ebanks Blake whose strong shot was blocked by the keeper and then it was the same pair again as Doyle chested down and SEB shot across the goal and inches wide of the far post.
Chaleroi had another spell after Wolves got in a muddle on the edge of the area presenting a chance that was sent just over and Ikeme made a good save from a free kick shot that was heading for the top corner. With ten minutes to play Wolves produced their best move of the half. Guedioura cut in from the right, beat 4 defenders then laid the ball wide to Keogh whose near post cross saw a defender just get there ahead of SEB. But with 5 minutes to go Wolves clinched the win when another Halford long throw caught the defence out and this time it was Edwards with a free header. Halford went for a hat trick of throw in assists in the last minute but this time the keeper came out to get his fist on the ball.
Despite a long hold up following a clash of heads for Berra and a number of Charleroi substitutions the ref blew up dead on 90 minutes. Positives for Wolves defensively were Ikeme, Van Damme and Berra. Craddock was caught in possession a couple of times and the home team were getting behind Matt Hill in the 2nd half. In midfield Jarvis, Henry and Guedioura played well but I am never impressed with Ward or Keogh when they play wide midfield. All four strikers, Doyle, SEB, Fletcher and Vokes look to be in good form with SEB looking much sharper and more mobile than last season.
As Wolves fans left the ground they were met by a large posse of riot police with dogs, horses and water cannons. I jumped in my hire car and headed back to Brussels wondering what carnage I had left behind.
Category: Team NewsWolves go Belgian
By: DJ | Add Comments
Wolves make the trip to Charleroi this weekend for a Saturday evening friendly with the team that supplied us with Adlene Guedioura and Geoffrey Mujangi Bia. And both those players will be in the squad for the game with the World Cup players Guedioura, Milijas and Hahnemann now back in for pre season training.
After easy wins against Bohemians and Walsall this should provide a sterner test for Wolves as Charleroi regularly finish in the top half of the Belgian top division although last season was not up to scratch as they finished 12th of 16. As well as Guedioura and Mujangi Bia the trip signals a return to Belgium for Jelle Van Damme who Wolves signed fron Anderlecht and for Sylvain Ebanks Blake who spent some time on loan at Royal Antwerp when he was a Man Utd player.
So McCarthy is edging towards having his full squad to select from now and it should be a strong starting 11 on Saturday. I am flying over on Saturday afternoon and will be able to post a report of the game on Sunday afternoon.
Next week will see Steven Mouyokolo return to full training after picking up a small injury and we will look forward to getting a glimpse of him either at Reading on Tuesday evening or Leeds the following Saturday. The other new signing Steven Hunt will not be in contention until late September. But there was great news this week that Michael Kightly is on the brink of coming back to full fitness and he will be back in full training in two weeks and may be pushing for the first team before the end of August.
Kightly was a revelation in his two seasons with the club, getting a few goals and having more assists than anyone in the Championship in his second season. His enthusiasm and creativity will be a great boost if he gets back to his best and it will be like having a new £5m signing at the club. Wolves lacked goals last season and Kightly is the kind of player that we were missing, and coupled with the striking partnership of Doyle and Fletcher we can hope to see the ball hit the back of the opposition net more often at Molineux this season. What adds to that belief is the impressive pre season showings of the other strikers at the club Ebanks Blake and Vokes. Both have scored goals in the last week and looked very sharp.
On the transfer front Mancienne and N’Daw remain the players linked. Mancienne is absent from the Chelsea squad going to Amsterdam for a pre season tournament and while a ‘minor’ injury may be the reason it is looking increasingly likely that he will not be in the 25 man squad for Chelsea this season. If that is the case then the chances of him leaving permanently must increase and Wolves will hopefully be front of the queue. Whether N’Daw is an additional signing to that or an alternative time will tell. The former Nantes player spent last season on loan at St Etienne and they were forced into signing him outright because of the number of games he played triggering a transfer. Evidently it was a signing they could ill afford so they are now looking to offload him either permanently or on loan.
This week also signified 4 years at Molineux for Mick McCarthy. And you only have to look at the position of Wolves and the quality in the squad, compared to when he took over to recognise that he has been an outstanding success as Wolves manager. Things were in danger of going really pear shaped when he arrived, with the club barely having a squad good enough to compete in the Championship. But now there is real optiisim amongst Wolves fans that we can progress from last year’s 15th in the Premier League and get closer to where the older Wolves fans have always felt we belong.
Category: Team NewsWolves goals at Walsall
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http://www.youtube.com/user/wo1vestube
Category: Team NewsWalsall 0 Wolves 4
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It was expected that Wolves would start with a weaker starting line up than at Bohemians at the weekend and by playing some academy products it was even less of a first team than was anticipated, but Wolves comprehensively brushed aside their local League One rivals to continue a confidence boosting pre season programme.
The starting line up was;
Ikeme,
Stearman, Baath, Elokobi, Malone
Halford, Foley, Edwards, Hemmings
Ebanks Blake, Vokes
Wolves had already had shots on goal by Edwards and Stearman before going ahead after 11 minutes. A good cross from the right was headed in by Ashley Hemmings. Hemmings went close again before Walsall managed to create a couple of openings but Wolves were to increase their lead to 3-0 with two goals from Sam Vokes (photo) in the last ten minutes of the first half. The scoreline was completed when the lively Ebanks Blake smashed in from the right of the area midway through the 2nd half.
After introducing youngster Dunleavy to replace Stearman, McCarthy changed all the remaining 10 players with 20 minutes to play.The line up was revised to;
McCarey
Dunleavy, Craddock, Berra, Van Damme
Winnall, Henry, Jones, Jarvis
Doyle, Fletcher
Although Doyle threatened on three occasions the stronger team were not able to increase the advantage in front of a crowd of just under 5,000 of which half were Wolves fans.
Next pre season game is at Charleroi on Saturday evening. check out a report on here on Sunday.
Category: Team NewsWolves pre-season continues
By: DJ | Add Comments
Wolves are in local action at the Bescot Stadium on Tuesday night against Walsall. McCarthy has indicated that he will be starting largely with the team that finished the game against Bohemians on Saturday. So that is likely to mean a good run out for the likes of Foley, Elokobi, Ward, Mujangi Bia, Edwards, Halford, Ebanks Blake and Vokes.
The game against Bohemians reserves was not one that will kid fans that we are world beaters but the way we completely dominated the game was nevertheless impressive and the debuts of Van Damme (photo) and Fletcher were both very encouraging. Van Damme gives Wolves on the left of defence what Zubar gives us on the right. He is tall and strong and good on the ball and can even chuck in a long throw and looks a bit of a character that the fans will take to. It was strange but maybe indicative of how the game is developing that Wolves fielded 4 defenders with the ability to win the ball in the air and the two full backs, Zubar and Van Damme, looked if anything taller than the centre backs, Craddock and Berra.
As for Fletcher he took his goal well and came close on a couple of more occasions and has the good close control that Doyle also brings to the team. Playing 4-4-2 potentially makes Wolves more vulnerable than the 4-5-1 set up that we used in the 2nd half of last season but such is the quality of the two front men that they will be able to hold the ball up and take pressure off the defence.
The back four that started on Saturday will, fitness permitting, be the starting defensive line for the Premier League and Doyle and Fletcher will form the front line. But there are still places up for grabs in midfield. Henry and Jarvis look certain starters but with Kightly and Hunt not going to be fit for the start of the season we need to find the man for the right of midfield. Keogh played at the weekend but all the indications are that he will move on by August. So the choice will rest between Foley, Guedioura, Edwards and Mujangi Bia.
And then in central midfield we will see if Dave Jones can hold the position alongside Henry with competition from Milijas and Edwards and potentially from the final new signing of the summer. The Mancienne speculation will run on until we sign him outright or on loan or until Chelsea express a wish to keep him. And Guirane N’Daw continues to be the man linked as who we will go for as an alternative.
Category: Team News
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