So now it gets serious
By: DJ | November 23rd, 2009
There’s an air of gloom around the Molineux as we go towards our two most important matches of the season so far. I personally cannot see why. A couple of weeks ago we were 16th in the league and we had got encouraging draws away at Everton and Stoke and at home to Villa. Since then we have lost to two of the best teams in Europe and find ourselves in the bottom 3. Ok so in each game we conceded 4 and each game we were a well beaten side. But did people really expect us to get points from these games?
So now we find ourselves one point below the minimum place we set out to achieve of 17th with 25 games to play. Not an insurmountable task. I can only think there is a real fear that in these two important home games coming up, Wolves will not get the points they need. I do agree that from these two games and the following home game against Burnley, we do need to get a minimum of 6 points. If we do get two wins then I think the optimism will return. If we get less than that then my concern would grow too.
There are plenty of other relegation contenders out there. Portsmouth continue to be 3 points behind us. And Hull and Bolton are showing little signs of escaping the dogfight. Wigan’s 9 goal defeat at the weekend is a sign of their vulnerability. And Burnley and Blues will not be far away. Burnley have done well at home so far and are well placed if they can keep that going. They have received some thrashings away and they need a good home record over the season. Blues have won 3 home games despite having scored only 5. Typical McLeish approach of nicking a goal and hanging on, but it’s done them ok so far.
Why is it that Wolves, who won the Championship so gloriously last year are behind the teams that came up behind them? I can’t see that the other teams have strengthened better than Wolves. What they have done in my opinion is stuck to the same game plan that earned them points last season. Wolves meanwhile have tended to play a cautious and narrow midfield and that helped them get those draws against Villa and Everton. But the fast flowing football of last season is a distant memory as we seem to have concluded that this style would leave us too open in the top flight. After conceding 4 in each of the last two games and having created very few chances over the season so far, I believe we are being victims of not playing to our strengths.
Against Blues and Bolton, and then against Burnley a couple of weeks later, we need to go back to the 4-4-2 that served us so well last season. And that midfield set up needs to include two attacking/creative midfield players and not all 3 of the workhorses Henry, Castillo and Edwards. And maybe even in the tough away games coming up at Spurs, Man Utd and Liverpool we need to go for it more. If we are going to concede 4 by playing a packed midfield then what is there to lose?
I don’t go along with the view that one of our problem areas is goalkeeper. Hennessey was at fault for Chelsea’s fourth on Saturday, but not the third as some people had said as this was a deflected shot. He is a good young keeper and will always get my vote over Hahnemann who has not looked top class for a couple of years.
Defensively I wish Foley would be brought back in to the fold and I was amazed Halford got another chance ahead of him on Saturday. Foley or Zubar would get my vote for right back. Craddock was at fault for Chelsea’s first on Saturday but has generally done ok. But I would like to see Mancienne recalled alongside Berra. Stearman deserves another chance at left back in the continued absence of Ward.
In midfield we must play two from Jarvis, Kightly and Milijas if we are going to make our mark as an attacking team. Then we need two from Henry, Castillo and Edwards to give us the solid central platform. I would leave out Edwards.
Up front we have to play SEB and Doyle. Last season’s top scorer has not scored in open play this season but only came back into the team during the difficult run of fixtures and these next two games are the chance for him to prove his worth. Keogh and Maierhofer have their good points but are less likely to find goals.
The crunch has arrived and by going into these home games in a relegation position a big pressure has been added. But I think we are a better team than Blues, Bolton and Burnley. Lets take the game to them and prove it.
Category: Team News
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Comments | Add your comment
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It’s bad. I’m starting to worry that maybe some players like SEB who dominated in the Championship can’t quite cut it in the Prem. I know he’s just back from injury and all, and similar case with Kightly. But could be that the gulf is bigger than we were prepared for.
Posted from
United States
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i totally agree with you DJ, we just dont seem to have that flow that was so vital to our game last season. it seems like we play with damage control in mind instead of taking the game to the opposition.
i really do think mick mccarthy shouldnt chop and change the team for every match that we play. how are we going to get any continuity, or build up some form of understanding within the team when it gets changed week in week out?
The core team and core lineup should, like you said, remain a 4-4-2
hennessey
zubar – mancienne/craddock – berra – stearman
kightly – henry – castillo – jarvis
doyle – SEBi cant decide between mancienne and craddock. kightly im a bit iffy about but i think he just needs time in a stable team formation
Maierhoffer and Milijas should be used as regular subs till they get more used to the pace, cause they do have a great impact, but lack the intensity for the full 90 mins.
We can win against all 3 Bs, as long as we play with intensity that we lacked against chelsea.
Posted from
Australia -
Wolves have announced that Michael Kightly will not be figuring in the crucial games coming up. He and McCarthy have agreed that the winger is not sharp enough to do himself justice after his injuries and will not be used until he has proved he is back to his best in training and in the reserve games.
Posted from
Spain -
I really enjoyed reading your article, keep up making such interesting stuff!
Posted from
China -
I personally would leave out henry and have either Edwards or Castillo in his place!
Henry did well against the villa but that was because he was allowed to play football…when teams pressure him he chokes and makes a lot of mistakes! Against arsenal he was dire, loosing the ball every time he had it and rarely making the most of his stamina! We need someone who is creative enough to play the long ball, to make a first touch pass and unfortunately Henry really doesnt cut it for me!
Up front I would not play SEB, instead I would play Doyle and Keogh! At the beginning of this season keogh was one of our top players…then suddenly he is left out of the team for SEB, who is not fit enough nor does he have the heart to run after 50-50 balls! Keogh and Doyle seemed to have struck up a partnership and understood the play of the other…often resulting in chances maybe not taken, but chances none the less! The hoff seems the type of player who could play the last 25 minutes and play alongside Doyle, His height means that he could knock the balls onto doyle who we all know actually has a class finishing touch!
The winger issue….Jarvis has been fantastic in the premier league thus far, he has the balls and the skill to take players on and create crosses which other players would not make! Kightly on the other hand has been lack lustre! His play has been sloppy. and the chances that he has generated are generally not scoring ones! It is a shame that his form has dipped, but he is the type of player that I feel could benefit from a short loan spell at a championship club, to build his confidence and his fitness back up! And lets be honnest….who wouldnt want kightly in their team even for a few games!!
Defensively we have been poor! But I think the problem stems from inexperience more than lack of skill! Craddock has been a defensive revelation for us, he gets his head on every ball and for an old man can track back faster than anyone else in the bottom half of the premier league! Berra too has been fantastic…though his lack of experience often shows by allowing dangerous players to get behind him! Same goes for mancienne…but my fear about mancienne is that he sees himself too good for us….and therefore does not exert himself the way that he should be!
LB and RB are troublesome positions! On his day Elokobi is a world class defender….when hes not on one of those days hes a liability! Stears and foley get my bets for the positions….Foley has yet to have a chance to prove himself fully and stears when he has played…has played remarkably well!
As for these games…Even 3 points against the blues and a point at burnley would do us well…. Losing points to these teams is definately not an option!!!!!
Lets just hope we get our acts together!
Posted from
Republic Of Korea -
Some good points there Simon. I would agree with you on the defence. I guess I would be more positive than you about Henry and less so about Jarvis. But my main hope in midfield is that we move away from 3 defensive types and always have two creative players. I understand your reservations about SEB but I do feel that since he has become match fit he hasn’t had the chance to show what he can do against the weaker teams. I like Keogh but I always worry where the goals are going to come from when he is playing.
Posted from
Spain
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