expressandstar.com

From ‘could do better’, Wolves have gone to the top of the class at the halfway point of the season, explains Wolves correspondent Tim Nash.

There has never been anything lacking in energy and commitment under boss Mick McCarthy and effort has always been A-plus.

But up until the start of term, the team has been short in several areas of the curriculum.

While clean sheets arrived almost as often as the calling of the register, work in the goalscoring department left the headmaster and governors sadly shortchanged.

Neither Jay Bothroyd, Stephen Elliott or Freddy Eastwood could provide the satisfactory answer in front of goal last season. All three were ‘re-schooled’ before the Autumn term kicked in.

But the arrival of two key new hot-shot pupils since the turn of the year has seen a dramatic improvement.

Wolves always knew they had a goalscorer on their hands when Sylvan Ebanks-Blake strolled through the doors.

The 22-year-old starting hitting the target pretty much, as soon as the ink was dry on his £1.5million arrival from Plymouth.

Despite playing less than half the campaign, his 12 goals in just 20 games made him the club’s top scorer by the end of the campaign.

He was also the Championship’s top dog as he walked off with the Golden Boot, after pipping Albion’s Kevin Phillips with 23 for his two clubs.

Few thought Chris Iwelumo would have such a dramatic impact.

Signed for £400,000 from Charlton in July, no one could have envisaged the Scot showing such exemplary work.

Fifteen goals by the halfway point of the season suggests McCarthy has conducted one of his most astute pieces of business.

One look at Charlton’s form shows the Addicks’ loss has been Wolves’ emphatic gain.

Statistics can be used for anything, but for Wolves to have scorers with 14 and 13 League goals with half the campaign gone shows where they have turned things around, as a glance at where they were last season confirms.

Apart from Ebanks-Blake, Wolves top marksman last season was Andy Keogh with a modest eight.

At the same point in 2007-08, he had notched just one, despite missing just one game, Michael Kightly and Freddy Eastwood sharing top billing with three each.

Wolves go into the second half of the season six points clear at the top of the table and on course for the amazing twin feat of 100 goals and 100 points.

They haven’t threatened to do anything like that since a certain crew-cutted lad from Tipton was rampaging through defences on his way to his second successive 50-goal haul 20 years ago.

So the difference is clear to see.

But there are other, more subtle changes that have also bore fruit. This is very much a team – no sorry, squad effort.

If promotion is won come May, it will have been through the combined efforts of the more unsung heroes such as the Stephen Ward, Neill Collins, Keogh, Dave Edwards and Matt Hill as much as the potency in front of goal from Ebanks-Blake.

Because in the ruthless division that is the Championship, McCarthy has recognised the need for energy to match quality.

While managers such as Ipswich boss Jim Magilton marvelled at the quality and Barnsley chief Simon Davey purred at their delivery and ruthless way they took chances, Wolves’ success has been in their ability to get games won.

There were shades of the Wolves over the last two years, with the pretty patterns weaved by Southampton when McCarthy took his side to St Mary’s a month ago.

Saints are a young team brimming with passing quality but won’t threaten too many teams with a toothless attack.

How many times did we hear McCarthy talk about how his side had outplayed the opposition, only to be denied victory by a late equaliser or winner last season?

That’s gone. Two years of missed opportunities has galvanised the Foley’s, Henry’s and Kightly’s.

Mentally and physically, they are stronger, but crucially, they are better. They know the game and know what it takes to win ugly.

Earlier in the season, Wolves were steamrollering teams. Get it wide, get it crossed and get it in the net.

This was summed up the philosophy of Wolves in Autumn, as the sizzling wing play of Kightly and Matt Jarvis provided the chances for two strikers who stay  in the box and finish well.

The emphatic wins against Sheffield Wednesday, Nottingham Forest, Charlton, Ipswich and Preston were ultimately all achieved with plenty to spare, as Wolves completed their work well before the school bell.

The influence of the unsung heroes shouldn’t be under-estimated either. Before the season started, who would have thought Stephen Ward could make the left-back spot his own?

But he seized the sizeable mantle left by the injured George Elokobi and proved a tower of strength in a foreign position.

Michael Mancienne has slotted in seamlessly and been a rock at centre-half, alongside another solid influence in summer signing Richard Stearman.

Keeping the on-loan Chelsea defender could be one of the best results for McCarthy in the January transfer window.

Talking of which, improved wing options – and maybe an extra central midfielder – appear to be the only way Wolves can improve their squad next month.

But so far, so good and top marks must go to headmaster McCarthy. It all points to much healthier grades this summer.

See Also:

• Share you news, photos, audio clips and videos with the Express & Star