Ten games gone, up with the pack, four points off second. Now imagine what Wolves might do if they could only start playing well? writes Martin Swain.
Manager Mick McCarthy isn’t making any promises other than his players continuing to give every last ounce of effort but the Championship scramble breaks for a fortnight with his team still waiting to come alive.
One goal in the final seconds of this largely dreary derby means Wolves can take stock and continue the search for their missing ‘va va voom’ in good heart and decent shape.
But compared to the fleet-footed form which hurtled them into the play-offs last season, McCarthy’s team is walking through treacle at the moment and it was just a relief to Molineux that it was Coventry who came unstuck.
For that they can thank football’s uncanny knack of balancing the books of fortune.
Neill Collins, one of McCarthy’s major successes in his first campaign, has had a difficult start to this one during which it has been difficult for him to pop down to the shops without conceding a penalty.
In many ways, his experience is indicative of the team’s.
The young central defender from Troon spent last season faultlessly hitting the fairways but, forced out of necessity into duties at left back, he has been finding nothing but bunkers since August.
No wonder then, his match-winning header from Michael Kightly’s cross in the fourth and final minute of added time sent him hurtling down the pitch in wild celebration before he was engulfed by team-mates and McCarthy’s dug-out staff.
How the Wolves manager will hope that his team can similarly get back on course because, before that potentially significant goal, their football had again been propped up by discipline, fortitude and application but with none of the snap and crackle their fans are longing to see again.
The fact that they can look forward to the next phase of fixtures - which begins with the chance to move within a point of second-placed Charlton - from a comfortable vantage point owes much to the graft their manager always makes a priority.
At times, it was equally gruelling for the spectators who became sufficiently distracted from the sport before them to venture a few choruses of ‘Swing Low Sweet Chariot’ in a salute to the efforts much further away.
But if Collins was an unexpected hero, there was no surprise in the identity of the goal’s creator.
It had become fairly clear during the first half that if anything good was going to happen for Wolves in this game, Kightly would have something to do with it - and so it proved.
Throughout this testing opening period for players still comparatively raw, Kightly has still been able to produce enough of his form to suggest he can break through the ‘one season wonder’ ceiling and Saturday’s efforts were a case in point.
With the rest of the side still struggling to function, it was Kightly who pretty much single-handedly carried whatever attacking threat Wolves mustered.
Coventry took the gamble of leaving left back Gary Borrowdale to handle him and it will have been of immense frustration to McCarthy that, having forced the defender into an early booking for a cynical blocking foul, Wolves were not able to make more capital out of their wide man’s dominance.
Twice Kightly came close to producing a goal in the only concerted pressure the team were able to muster on the Sky Blues area, shortly before the break, when Andy Marshall and Elliott Ward made the challenges which saved them.
And while long periods after the break stretched patience and optimism for anything positive emerging, the flicker of a promise could be detected every time Wolves managed to work their most dangerous player into space.
In the end, it was a simple a set piece that did for the visitors.
With Coventry one clearance away from the point they at least deserved, Kightly was given a second chance to test their concentration from the flanks after the visitors had failed to deal properly with his corner 30 seconds from the end.
This time, the service was unforgiving as Collins, a first-half substitute for Michael Gray, pounded through unmarked to head his winner by climbing above Isaac Osbourne.
That was a successful conclusion to a problematical afternoon for McCarthy which had seen both Gray and Wayne Hennessey removed from the fray inside half an hour, both coming out on the wrong side of challenges with Robbie Simpson.
Hennessey had already saved his team from an early deficit by diving to his left to deny Michael Mifsud but his replacement, Graham Stack, was even busier after the break with his best effort preventing Stephen Hughes from giving Coventry the lead.
But in a match which saw the visitors put in 11 shots on target compared to Wolves’ four, the ’save’ of the day came from a player now well on the way to becoming something of a cult hero for the Southbank - Jody Craddock.
His last-ditch block tackle on Simpson when the goal yawned before the Coventry wide player was typical of the devotion to duty which has endeared him to supporters who are now seeing Wolves reproduce the defensive stubbornness which provided the platform for last season to come alive after Christmas.
All this and not a mention of Freddy.
To complete a testing game for McCarthy, Stephen Ward had to be withdrawn at the interval, bringing Eastwood into the fray as Andy Keogh gamely took up the patrol on the left.
But this was a game when, Kightly apart, Wolves’ front players remained largely anonymous ahead of a midfield which was never able to command possession.
Much, then, for the manager to ponder while he waits to see what impact international duty may have for his team.
But he will believe there is more to come.
“We’re a bit like my old school reports,” said McCarthy when asked to assess the season’s first 10 games.
“Tries hard, can do better.”
32 Comments
This guy don’t half write some rubbish. We’ve never had “va va voom” Does he think we’re Arsenal?
If only we could afford Mr Va Va Voom, we might not be languishing in the mickey mouse league…
simple reason, Mick hasn’t bought decent defenders and leaves our best strikers on the bench…Simple really
Yeah it is rubbish,And we certainly aint Arsenal!
What a rubbish article.
Do you ever go to the games, we do and this article has all the E & S hallmarks of nothing to say but we we need to print something.
Wolves last season was all about determination and still is.
We put in dogged performances and had a never say die attitude.
Va va voom we were most certainly not!
I suggest you watch a few games before typing up this garbage.
We would have the VA VA VOOM- IF we had someone to put the ball in the net!!
How about Ameobi from Newcastle on loan???
never mind “va va voom” we want “goals, goals, goals”
He’s got a point though - we’ve hardly set the Championship alight and yet we’re still in a decent position. Just proves that any team who can string 3 or 4 wins together can shoot up the table.
Bad defenders but we have conceded 9 second best in this league. Level of expectation is too high of most on these type of pages. Keep it going lads we’ll be up there
Hardly news worthy is it?? What does this article inform us of? Whats the news here???? or is this just random ramblings.
After 10 games played last season we were 8th with 16 points,Cardiff were top with 23 points and Sunderland were 14th with 13 points. This all goes to prove that it is very early days yet so anything can happen from now on. Chins up chaps it’s not that bad.
va va voom? more like put put put. but what do you expect with oaps in defence and goal scorers sitting on the bench. god help us if kightly craddock and seyi ever get injured. as for saturday we where lucky and especially you mr mccarthy.
Keeps the guy in a job, still we keep reading the star, and it provides us a medium to discuss such issues, cant moan really.
Back here in Kentucky sports writers are much the same, except they tend to be a little more articulate, and analyze the subject matter to the point the game does not meet the expectation, just like the wolves, I love the wolves and miss the banter, but I’m realistic to know that its all about the last match, we were poor, but we won and In American that’s all that matters…
The reason for the story is to tempt Happy to post. Look for news from Sad Baggie, it’s the same person.
how about trying bothroyd and eastwood upfront together, plenty of skill there’ enough to unlock any championship defence. KEOGH and ELLIOT dont score!!!! taking nothing away from keogh he puts his heart and soul into his game but he just aint scoring time for a change.
Well said wolves fans - this article is so biased even YOU guys won’t swallow it… more false spin than david cameron.
We all know there is wolves bias but lets TRY to stay on planet earth !!
It’s true though. We’re playing rubbish, and we’re still in a decent position.
Remember the team getting cheered off the pitch last season even after losing but playing quick neat football and showing plenty of fighting spirit?
This season It’s not always been so easy but the effort is still there, and the passion (anybody see the players reaction to Saturday’s goal?)
I think the article is bang on. Were not playing great but we’re still in the thick of it. When everything clicks someones going to get a thrashing. I just hope its Charlton!
In the meantime we’re a couple or so points off an automatic promotion spot so why all the long faces?
happy baggie false spin your lot know all about that your likelabour all shout but no foundation now to football what was you result on saturday again enough said
play bad and still be up there, then as normal go on a blinding run after xmas, that’ll do for me.
rather have that than bladder a p*#s poor QPR team and then think your the best team on the planet.
19.
Are you David Hasselhoff ?
A bit unfair to criticize the article because there is only about a quarter printed ‘on-line’. You have to buy the paper to read the whole. Perhaps it is rubbish but you need to read the lot. Is there any publications that are biased towards WBA happy?
If so why don’t you go and read them so that I don’t have to read your supercillious clap trap every time I come on here!
Mmm. Not the most informative or enlightening piece of journalism!
The article is right in that we are still well in touch despite our inauspicious start.
Kightly made Championship Team of the Week for the second week running. He was just about the only source of threat we had on Saturday.
I’m hoping this will change very soon with Gobern/Jarvis coming to fitness. Either could pitch up some help from the left flank as we’ve had nothing so far.
Maybe some pace and ability on the left is what we need to kick things up a gear. It should make it much harder for teams to shut us out like they have been doing when width and flair isn’t the sole responsibility of Kightly.
david h - just HOW LONG have you been waiting to ask that ?? Well done !!
Can I keep asking you the same question for the rest of the season… ??
p.s - the answer is we lost 3-2 to the team that rammed 6 past you at the custard bowl last season… whats ya point ?
what happened to Eastwood being the next bull? now that is bull
Yes wolveswolves, our defence is really letting us down lately, and Andy Keogh has actually been starting on the bench. May i advise you to actually watch Wolves instead of listening on beacon. Actually don’t because we don’t need fickle fans like you.
Not playing well? - not consistently no but the Norwich performance was inspired, free flowing and dominant - Kightly looks back to his best,Foley was a good buy, Craddock is playing to his 100% best, Jarvis still to come and strength up front whichever forward camp you sit in. Stay positive and get behind the 11 players who gave everything for the club last season and will this season. Surely the glass is half full not empty?
Now now boys, lets not jump up and down on happy baggie while he’s down (comment 19), he’s one of our more intelligent visitors and often talks sense even if (and when) he’s being slightly derogatory !
(Certainly more interesting than terrywalsallbaggie bo(R)ing bo(R)ing) He is often to be seen writing some very truthful and to the point comments about us and usually cuts straight to the chase so on that basis Exguess & Star, can HB have a job cos he’s loads better than that Martin Swain !!!
The closest we get to VA VA VOOM is a Renault Clio in the car park !!! VA VA VOOM INDEED !
It would appear that everything Keano said about MM was spot on…
BW - Does Ameobi like sitting on the bench? Becasue MM’s first choice strike partnership are here to stay!!!
Maybe he can keep FE company on the bench?
& as for Va va voom; the E & S need a bra bra broom to sweep out the carp journalists and their amateur story lines
There is a very old saying that makes perfect sense for this article.
WHEN YOU HAVE NOTHING TO SAY… SAY NOTHING !
Gornal wolf - very true…but looks a bit rubbish in the paper.