In the ‘City of Discovery’, Mick McCarthy didn’t learn much he didn’t already know.
In these early days of preparations, the Wolves boss saw a few interesting pointers to suggest a brighter future.
McCarthy had toyed with the idea of playing left-back George Elokobi at centre-half. At Dundee, he put the idea into practice for the final 19 minutes. For those of us who hadn’t seen him play there before, there was food for thought.
Elokobi is far quicker and more mobile than his powerful frame suggests, while his natural left-footedness lends a balance to the position.
Could he be the elusive extra central defender McCarthy has been seeking all summer?
Only time will tell. Elokobi wasn’t the only player to impres, with Sylvan Ebanks-Blake drilling home the only goal with seconds remaining.
Mark Little hasn’t been near a regular Wolves first team jersey for a year or more, yet he has been one of their most consistent performers through the warm-up games.
The right-back may have a some way to go before he convinces McCarthy that Kevin Foley has a genuine rival for the No 2 slot, but the Molineux Academy graduate stepped up the pace again at Dens Park.
At the moment, it’s too early to draw conclusions after this tour victory.
He said: “It was all played at a bit of a slow tempo. That was maybe down to the preparation which was down to me as well.
“Sometimes you wonder whether not having the balls out the day before a game adds to the slow tempo of the game.
“I wouldn’t normally do that. The sharpness suffers – they were all a bit heavy-legged.”
The physical test that was promised never really materialised, with the only challenge resembling a tough tackle coming when Karl Henry ploughed through the back of Colin Cameron lookalike Paul McHale with five minutes to go.
Ultimately, Ebanks-Blake’s first goal of pre-season separated the sides for Wolves. On the balance of play, the Championship side more than deserved their victory.
They overwhelmed the Scottish First Division outfit in the second half – mostly perhaps through being able to again change their entire 11 at half-time.
Although debutant Sam Vokes had an effort disallowed for a marginal push in the first period, there was a noticeable shift upwards in pace from Wolves’ second-half outfit, which could easily have resulted in more goals.
Michael Kightly sliced over after skipping past two challenges, Ebanks-Blake forced former Celtic and Scotland keeper Rab Douglas into a diving save from 25 yards and the improving Chris Iwelumo headed against the far post.
Ebanks-Blake missed a Stephen Ward cross from four yards out under pressure, while Matt Jarvis fired wide first time after meeting a cross from Little on the run.
Jarvis, Kightly, Iwelumo and Ebanks-Blake were involved in all Wolves’ best work of the half. It was that quartet which combined for the winner.
Ebanks-Blake rifled home a rocket off the post after Jarvis’s cross to Iwelumo had been knocked down by the former Charlton man to Kightly, who rolled the ball into the other striker’s path.
Dundee (4-4-2): Douglas; Paton, Cowan, Lauchlan, Malone (O’Brien 75); McHale, N’Diase (Mearns 62), Cameron (Daquin 79), Gilhaney (Forsyth 75); McMenamin (Deasley 59), Antoine-Curier (Davidson 62). Sub not used: Roy.
Wolves first-half (4-4-2): Ikeme; Foley, Collins, Stearman, Harte; Gray, D Edwards, David Jones, Daniel Jones; Vokes, Keogh.
Wolves second-half (4-4-2): Hennessey; Little, Craddock, D Ward (S Ward 71), Elokobi; Kightly, Henry, Davies, Jarvis; Iwelumo, Ebanks-Blake.
Referee: S Finnie.
Attendance: 2,091 (estimated 250 Wolves fans).
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