Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Edwards makes Blackpool move
Thursday 7th August 2008, 11:14AM BST.
Rob Edwards has backed Wolves to be among the pacesetters after completing his record £275,000 move to Blackpool.
The 25-year-old defender has completed his move to Bloomfield Road for a fee that matches the amount the Tangerines paid Millwall for Chris Malkin in 1996.
Edwards believes the club he is leaving are in excellent shape for another push for the Premier League.
He said: “I’m certainly leaving Wolves behind in very good hands. They’ve got a very good squad and, while there are some tough teams in the Championship, I do fancy them to be among the favourites.
“It will be a bit strange facing Wolves and the games are pretty close together in November and December.
“It’s something I’ll look forward to, because I’ve got a lot of good friends at the club who I’ll be keeping in touch with.
“I’m disappointed to be leaving a club like Wolves, because I’ve really enjoyed my time there and have made some great friends.
“It’s a time I’ll look back on with really fond memories. I’ve met some really good people there and played with some great players and managers.
“I’ll miss the place but I’m also delighted Blackpool came in for me and am really looking forward to a new challenge.”
The former Villa utility man played 100 games for Wolves in four years, a total which would have been greater but for injuries.
He said: “I’m at a stage when I need to be playing more games and hopefully I’ve got a chance of doing that.
“I’ve had a few good runs in the Wolves side but not so much recently.
“You can maybe look at injuries. The last chance I got I ended up going off after just a couple of minutes against QPR, but I’m not going to make excuses.
“The gaffer has decided to go another way and I wasn’t going to feature, so I didn’t want to just sit around in the last year of my contract.”
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oh pls.
lost our best defender in my opinion.
good luck rob!! and stay injury free pls.
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Good Luck Rob, I thought you could have been part of the team but obviously MM didn’t so hope you play first team football.
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All the best mate. To start Saturday:
Hennessey, Foley, Stearman, Craddock, Elokobi, Kites, Henry, D Jones, Ward, E Blake, Keogh. after 65-70 mins Jarvis (ward) Iwelumo (Keogh) Edwards ( dJONES)
Strngth in depth is the key, bring on pacey players against tired defenders, I can see us getting a 3-1 win but nice to start with a clean sheet and 3 points.
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wish u all the best !!!!
we should never have sold u…………..
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Good luck mate ….. hope it goes ok for you!!
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Whilst I didn’t see Edwards as a regular first team regular he would have been a far better squad player that Collins and D.Ward – relying on this pair of clowns to cover for injuries and suspensions at the back could well be our achilles heel this season.
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Good luck mate!
Top defender.
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laughingwolf – you should be a football manager , thats the same team who played against blackburn well done
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Massive shame. I think there were players we could have easily let go before Rob, solid and versatile player, but his injuries were a huge problem.
My team for Saturday:
Hennessey
Foley
Craddock
Stearman
Elokobi
Kites
D. Jones (D. Edwards)
Henry
Jarvis (Gray)
SEB (Vokes)
Keogh (Iwelumo)
Bring it on!
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Why don’t we keep him and send Collins instead, surely he can’t ever be as far off the pace of the game as our Neil often is
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Another one which had to go. Tried his best at all times but not good enough for a team pushing for promotion unfortunately.
Good Luck and Thanks
In reference to previous comments on Ian Harte story:
I am honestly not an armchair fan at all. I am just really really despondent with the way the club is heading.
Last Season i missed 4 away games and 1 home all season. I went on the pre season tour to Dublin and have also been to Scotland this year.
I would love to take some positives and would be happy (honestly) if you convince me otherwise.
But:
Goalkeepers – Both top class not a problem
Full Backs:
Foley- Steady but not brilliant. Adequate to get us in top 6.
D.Jones- Not given enough chances at this level so difficult to say.
M.Gray – Excellent end of last season but please do not turn him into a left winger at the age of 34.
Elokobi – Simply one of the woersdt players i have seen in a Wolves shirt. Distribution and positional play is abysmal. Effort cannot be knocked
Centre Halves:
Craddock – Was never good enough when he was first signed(even with Lescot carrying him) he appears better now due to the rubbish he has playing alongside him but would not get in any other team looking for promotion.
D.Ward- Slow, unable to head the ball in a straight line and poor on the deck. Not good enough
N.Collins – Conference player at best. The guy is a complete liability
R.Stearman- Jury is out.Is he a centre half or a right back? If he is a centre half i fear like his counterparts he is not strong enough in the air or tackle.
Centre Mid:
Henry- trys hard but is to slow. Takes 2 touches to many to get the ball under control consequently slowing the game down and rarely passes or carries the ball forwards.
Potter/D.Jones – Both appear lightweight do not get stuck in and i cannot see what either offer either defensively or creatively.
D.Edwards- Lokked very good last season. Hopefully he will get even better.
M.Davies- All the talent in the world. Lets hope this is his season
Wingers
Kightly- streches defences and creates chances. Excellent.
Jarvis- pace and ability to beat a man. Needs to be work on goal scoring and final ball maybe.
Strikers:
E-Blake- Goal Machine brilliant.
Keogh- Runs all day but has no instinct for goal. Often bottles out of challengers/goal scoring opportunities. Not good enough.
Iwelumo- A slightly more athletic Kevin Kyle. Offers a ‘different option’ i guess in last 15mins.
Vokes- Not seen enough to comment
S.Ward- looked good up front 2 yrs ago. Please don not play him on the left.
Elliott – who?
T.Connor – Every time he gets near the first team we just go sideways and backwards. I have seen him take training at Compton and this is how he coaches. I am puzzled.
M.MCCarthy – Excellent first season and gave everyone hope. But never capitalised on this. Instead with cash last season he took us backwards which was not acceptable. This is a big season for him but i think he struggles under pressure. He is too egotistic to admit when he is wrong, appears tactically naive and is to reliant on ‘old pals’.
I really would like to be convinced otherwise.
This pre-season we were crying out for 2 top class centre halves- where are they?
We also needed an experienced defensive midfielder to sit in front of the back 4 acting as a calming influence. Coupling him with an inform Olofinjana to be creative would’ve been brillian.Olofinjana was hit and miss last season i no, but i feel by pairing him with the right defensive midfielder and taking defensive duties away he would’ve flourished.
Obviously football would be dull without opinions. I will be at Plymouth on Saturday and hope more than anything to be proved wrong. But can we seriously compete with Blues,Derby,Sheff Utd,Reading,QPR? I for one think not.
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3.
I would agree on that starting line up other than Jarvis in for Ward.
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Agreed we shouldn’t have sold him, but then at least we have Thick Micks favourites.
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Good luck Rob, am i on my own here or did anyone else see charlie mulgrews pic instead of Edwards on blackpools website, bring on plymouth !!!
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11) one of the best posts I’ve seen on here for a long time.
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Thanks R (no.11) ….
….. you’ve cheered me up loads!!!!!
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11: “Elokobi – Simply one of the woersdt players i have seen in a Wolves shirt.”
Are you telling me you think he is worse than Frankowski, Robert Taylor, and a host of others over the years. Claridge was awful for us……….theres so many and this guy isnt in the same category as players who were that bad.
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R ? who the hell do you think you are? wolves are a very promising team this year and people like you dont even deserve to wear the wolves colours.
its about getting behind the boys. the only way you can make comments like that if you have UEFA badges and i doubt you have those!!!
lets get behind the boys!!!
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‘R’ looks like you have alot of time on your hands. but i disagree with u totally on all the evaluation you have made about players.
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11 a lot of good points made there, I agree that centre halfs are priority, couple of disagreements tho:
Stearman, I think on Saturday he got caught out a lot in the first half, IMO this is due to him being used to being a right back and tending to drift to the right but was a lot better in the second half when he played closer to craddock. I am fairly with the current two centre halves but I think cover is definately needed.
Elokobi: I am a big fan of his, I think he is still a bit raw but I think there is massive potential there and his distribution is excellent, and gives us another attacking dimension when he overlaps on the wing.
Henry: I was always one of his biggest critics until he was out for a few games towards the end of last season and I think he was hugely missed, the problem with the holding midfielder role is that it is an anonymous position that will only get highlighted when mistakes are made. I think Henry is up the task of sitting on the centre circle and making distributions, but whether it happens remains to be seen.
Iwelumu: I think to liken him to Kevin Kyle does him a massive disservice, I think he looked a real threat every time he got the ball on Saturday.
Like you say its only an opinion, and unlike the normal doom and gloom merchants, you seem more than happy to be proven wrong, so at least we are singing from the same hymn sheet!
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is that why your career has been as a top football coach,scout and manager eh R????
people already knocking or judging our new signings ought to give them a chance to prove their ability for us so i for one will not judge them until 2009
c ya at plymouth
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R? what aload of pap…i can get you the number for the samaratans if you like? sounds like you could do with someone talking some sense into you. Can we compete with the mighty footballing giants of blues,reading,sheff utd,qpr,derby??? does a bear s**t in the woods!!! get a grip son….
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R = You post is the most negative post this summer.
CONGRATULATIONS now do me a favour, log off your computer and ask mummy nicley if you can play on the swings.
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Wolves Should Have Plenty Of Money To Get At Least Another Centre Back At Wolves :
OUTS:
S.Olofinjana £3m
F.Eastwood £1.2m
J.Bothroyd £3ook
C.Mulgrew £150k
R.Edwards £250k
G.Breen RELEASED
=£4.9m+
IN:
D.Jones £1m
R.Stearmen £1m
C.Iwelumo £400k
S.Vokes £400k
=£2.8m+
So We Should Have At Least £2.1m To Spend On Players And Also ..
MICK GET A QUICK YOUND SOLID CENTRE HALF IN ,
SUCH AS A.GERRARD FROM WALSALL OR E.WARD FROM COVENTRY !! GET A CENTRE HALF IN PLEASE MICK !!
GET 1 IN MICK !!
UP THE WOLVES !
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11 Pointless comments as MM will do whatever MM feels is best!
S Ward will more than likely be on the left wing AGAIN and N Collins will get more games than Daniel Jones
M Gray will play in midfield wide
So whats the point???
People say that the club take notice of what we say on here – Lets not kid ourselves!!!
MM has already said he could not care less what people (us fans NUGGETS) think or say and Moxey knows that Wolves have a hard core base of around 14,000 fans that will buy season tickets whoever is in charge
In summary, MM will do what he pleases and play players wherever he wants – Moxey will keep spinning blah blah
So whats the point???
18 How many Uefa badges did Brian (Old Big Head) Clough have? & How many trophies did he win??? Nuff Said!
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Sorry to see you go Rob I wish you all the best with Blackpool.
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Cracking player if fit
and with the opportunity of regular football if he is fit im sure he will show us what he capable off
good luck
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I believe No.11 ‘R’ is closer to the truth than we dare believe.
The starting X1 should be:
GK – Hennesey
RB – Little
LB – Daniel Jones
CB – Stearman
CB – Elokobi
CM – Dave Jones
CM – Henry
LW – Jarvis
RW – Kightly
CF – SEB
CF – Keogh
I watched Dao play the other night and he will be an automatic IMO given a contract.
The rest of the squad are much of a muchness. We still lack real class at the back and in the middle of the park. Is there a tough tackling nasty mitherer to fire everyone up?
I believe it’s play-offs at best but I hope I’m wrong.COME ON WOLVES!!
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18) Agreed they are promising. That is why it is fundamental we get behind them (i will be). But essentially we are a ‘promising’team not a ‘promotion challenging’ team yet.Hopefully in a couple of seasons we may be…are people that patient?
20) Hope you are correct about Elokobi/Stearman- fingers crossed
21) I have no UEFA badges but can identify these basic flaws. However Mick who does have such qualifications has failed for 2 years to address the defence which is worrying, and may question their validity
22) Of course we historically we are light years in front of these clubs. But at present we have to accept we are not offering wages or attracting the players to maintain this which hurts us all(in my opinion).
23) I find your lack of reasoning for your opinion alot more negative.
25) I agree entirely
. He is unfortunately very pig headed and will not rrealise his shortcomings and look to rectify his mistakes.
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Excellent post R.
It doesn’t matter whether you agree or disagree, it is clearly a view based on substantial evidence and commitment!
I’ve never been a supporter of MM personally but the pre-season evidence is promising and I’ll make a considered judgment 10 matches in.
I think the worry all we sceptics have is that all the Mick failings surface when things start to go wrong so a lot will depend on whether we establish a top 4 place early or we struggle.
I sincerely hope the former otherwise the irrationality identified by Bridget and Tony will surface and we’ll be back into favouritism, strange selection, strange tactics and bunker mentality!
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16/19) Apologies
18) Promising yes. Promotion Challenging ? Not yet.
Maybe in a few yrs time, but will people be patient enough to wait?
20) I hope Elokobi and Stearman come good, we need them to – fingers crossed
21) No UEFA qualifications i am afraid, although i can make these simple observations without them. Unfortunately our management team with such UEFA license have been unable to realise or rectify our basic shortcomings despite 2 yrs in charge.i.e.defence
22) I agree historically those teams should not even be mentioned in the same breath as us. However in the current climate they are paying bigger wages and showing greater ambition in the transfer market (in the main).
23) I apologise please discuss why you are so positive. I just cannot see why. Sorry.
25) Agreed.
He is too pig headed to accept his own shortcomings/mistakes or to do anything about them.
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24 – West Ham’s Calum Davenport please
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Good luck Rob I always thought he was a good player and will certainly clap him when he returns. On our chances this season I think we have a great chance as long as Kites Jarvis Hennesy SEB stay fit all year and we get in one more defender for cover. The above are the key 4 if fit all year I believe top 2 is possible. If we have injuries to these I STILL think we will have enough in reserve to maintain a play-off push. All promoted teams top 2 need some luck along the way. Imagine if stoke had fuller, lawerence and shawcross injured would they have been the same force? Of course not and championship teams do not have the money to have 2 kites or henners or SEB’s so that I think is something we must be aware of and realistic about.
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R said: Aug 7th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Keogh- Runs all day but has no instinct for goal. Often bottles out of challengers/goal scoring opportunities. Not good enough.
Couldn’t agree more, but with this kind of comment you usually get accused of knowing nothing about football.
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11) You may have missed 5 games all last season but you like a lot of other fans are not qualified to judge the players.
Totally wrong about Elokobi. Craddock was top drawer last season. David Jones is quality. Henry was very good first season and Keogh will improve.
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R – Get a job! Seriously far too much time on your hands, and please stop trying to give the impression that your opinion is in anyway correct. It’s your opinion, full stop. Glad I don’t sit by you at the Molineux!
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Hmm Rugeley Wolf – bit harsh i think – R did say it was only his opinion and did not claim it ti be fact anywhere.
I do not agree with many of assessments but that is my opinion only.
Stearman looked excellent 2nd half against Blackburn
David Jones looked at home against Prem class midfielders throughout the match
Henry was IMO man of the match last Saturday and to say he is too slow suggests that R did not see how he ran half the length of the pitch in the 93rd minute against Palace to score the winner last season.
Elokobi didn’t lose a tackle against Blackburn.
Jarvis’s kept a cool head for his goal on Sat after outstripping their midfield and defence.
Keogh IMO does have an instinct for goal otherwise he would not have been in the right place at the right time for his goal poach against Blackburn.
I know most of the above lists things that happened against Blackburn in 1 match but if they can do it in that match against a team that are division above us (albeit in a friendly but you show me a player who likes to lose a match and I will show you a player who shouldn’t be playing professional football) then they are capable of doing it fullstop.
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36 Please stop trying to give the impression that your opinion is in anyway correct. It’s just your opinion of his opinion.
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R = Why am I so positive….. “ok” Last season I was very critical with wolves play, long ball rubbish, lack of goals, MM disrespect to supporters, S.Ward, Collins, etc etc..
BUT
I think MM has seen the error of his ways, he realises that he has made mistakes and is human. Granted some of the players in the squad would struggle to get into a conference side “i.e Elloitt, S.Ward, D.Ward, Collins, however I think largely the squad is stronger than last season, especially in the strikers dept where we were rubbish last season and it showed when we missed out on the play offs by 1 goal. I would like to have 1 more signing in the centre of defence which I think we are suspect in terms of pace, BUT lets stop all this nonsense, lets see how many points of the 1st 6 games yield, “personally I would like 13+ of our 1st 6 games before we cast judgement.”
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11 agree completely you seem like a realist to me not a knocker. Personally i think Elokobi can improve but if Neil Collins is better than Rob Edwards i must not have played and wathched footie for 40 yrs.
Young and hungry i believe means cheap and maybes i have been going on the side needed desperately 1 midfielder now it needs 2. QUALITY not quantity.
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laughing wolf – i have a genuine question.
Please can you tell me why you would prefer to start with S Ward on the left wing ahead of Jarvis?
I suspect that that is what will happen on Saturday as well but I just can not see what Ward has that Jarvis doesn’t in that position.
Don’t get all defensive – I am genuinely hoping that someone can explain this to me.
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I still cannot beleive how anybody can rate N Collins above this bloke!!
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(11) Great evaluation from a real fan who watches without the gold glasses.
Ref. last para.
You missed out Ipswich from the list. Watch out for them this time.
Brum : fav’s, yes ; but their fate is not in their own hands. Historically, the 3 brum clubs do not play in the same div. at the same time, which is the only reason the went down. One of the other two has to go down for them to go up.
Derby : Their american owners are in massive financial trouble because of the credit crunch and are struggling to find the balance of the buy-out cash. Also, last years prem income and this years parachute payment was spent last year. They have had a massive clearout for financial reasons and bought in a lo of cheap. I suspect they will flirt with both the drop and the playoffs at various times this time round.
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Shame to see him go.
Think we should go for Gerrard of Walsall we could get him for around 500k solid, young experineced for age
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31 Never apologise for having an opinion – that’s the whole point of this forum!
As it is the start of a brand new season why not just give MM a short term amnesty and if he delivers and shows signs of that by Christmas fair enough if not collectively give him the stick he would rightfully deserve
Personally, we would love to see Jarvis on the left (even though he is right footed, still far better option than playing S Ward out of position – we know the lad tries hard but its a bit like making a top professional badminton player take on Andy Murrey at tennis – just because he puts a “shift in” doesnt mean he’s any good – But as you say MM is very stubborn and wont see anyone’s opinion than his own
Seems pointless also appointing a No 2 – as MM doesnt listen to other peoples opinions – Be far cheaper buying MM a mirror and he can have a discussion pre and post match with himself!
Anyway we live in hope!
Up the Wolves!!!
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R, decent post, you can tell by the debate you have provoked, although whilst there are alot of good points you really should be more optimistic, I think MM is building a team with a ‘siege’ mentality, which will hold them in good stead for the long season ahead.
I agree with all that say we another centre half, but I think we can expect a season long loanee coming in from one of the Prem big boys, MM is just biding his time, none of the prem teams are letting anyone worth while go yet.
As for Edwards, I feel sorry for the lad with his injuries, but the fact is that he just did not play anywhere near enough games to make any sort of judgement on him & lets get off Collins back, the lad has played ni on 60 games in the last season & a half, whilst I appreciate he is way too clumsy at times, Edwards didn’t start many more games in the last 4 seasons & I would have him above D Ward anyday, just remember this lad cost us £150k (D Ward, £700k & Edwards £250k)
Lets get behind the lads this season, I am sure they will do us proud!!!!
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11. R you are either genius or menatlly retarded and require prozac. Whatever your hillarious.
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R, aint you just the total optimist, christ if the south bank was full of people like you, I’d send my season ticket back tomorrow with a ‘thanks but no thanks’ note attached to it, what makes you the messiah where ‘judge and jury’ is concerned, you and the rest of the negative bunch really ought to sit down and shut up and let these boys earn their wages before you condemn them all to hell, Neil collins would run rings round all of you muppets and to think that you call yourselves Wolves supporters and then sit there and slag off a player in a gold shirt just defies belief. Have any of you ever tried to play at a competitive level ? it’s so hard you lot would probably be out of puff just thinking about it, I haven’t seen ONE POST yet to the good congratulating the lad for his contribution in certain games, everybody has off days and granted he might have a few but I’ve seen Robbie Edwards have some shockers over the years and dont get me started on the Lee Naylor (now looking completely at home playing champions league football) debate… Brummie rob wolves, totally agree mate, these people aint qualified to judge so therefore SHOULDN’T and before anyone gets on their high horse about me, I never said I was qualified so dont all jump on my back. My point is lets give all these guys a chance before we write them off and if then you do actually have a relevant point we can DISCUSS it and let the people who get paid to judge players do just that. Come on you Wolves.
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First and foremost, good look to Rob Edwards. Wasn’t his partnership a couple of seasons ago, with Neil Collins I think, rather good. Unlucky with Injuries.
Pelsall Wolf. I drink up in Pelsall and it would be good to get together and have a beer but i fear if your views mirror that of “R” our discussions would be quite animated. Just because someone goes to a lot of matches does not mean their opinion is correct.
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me said: Aug 8th, 2008 at 12:33 am
Pelsall Wolf. I drink up in Pelsall and it would be good to get together and have a beer but i fear if your views mirror that of “R” our discussions would be quite animated. Just because someone goes to a lot of matches does not mean their opinion is correct.
My views don’t mirror “R”‘s (careful how you say that), I just agree with him about Keogh who I feel is totally overrated. A couple of times against Blackburn he was put through but didn’t even get a shot in. He lost the ball near the halfway line when Wolves were attacking and Blackburn nearly scored. I can’t remember which match it was at the end of last season, but near the end he went lamely into a tackle where he could have won the ball and didn’t and the other team immediately scored. (We either drew or lost, either way the points were crucial). Collins would be crucified for such errors, which is where I disagree with “R”. He is better than a conference player and not a liability. He made some mistakes, but his goals won some crucial points (and before anyone says “so did Keogh’s” I would bet that Collins’ conversion rate compared to number of goal scoring chances he has is a lot better that Keogh’s. Keogh should be scoring goals and he doesn’t score enough).
I don’t think “R” was saying his opinion is correct because he goes to a lot of matches. I just think he was saying that he goes to a lot of matches and then telling us what he thinks. The point I was trying to make in my previous post was that the last time I made some criticism of Keogh I was told that I clearly knew nothing about football. I probably don’t really, I just comment on what I see, but I do go to a lot of matches. The problem with expressing an opinion here is that there are people who disagree who will just call you an idiot, moron, a know-nothing or worse. Actual debate is rare.
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50 The key ingredient to a “debate” is possessing a brain – Its vital!
Most people who say things of a vicious or personal nature are normally void of any sense common or otherwise, and clearly dont understand that a forum is for opinions (right or wrong) & debate (topical or not)
Hopefully, MM will deliver a team that can attack and defend and not an 8 man defence that offers us no options or entertainment value – We are more than prepared to give MM until Christmas to show far better than we had last season – even though we finished 7th – We can count on one hand the amount of games that resembled the word entertainment
UP THE WOLVES!
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50 I totally agree with you about Keogh. I mean if wolves want to go up they need four goalscorers and wolves haven’t got that. They have two really Iwelumo and SEB. If u ask me get rid of keogh and get in two good goalscorers. I suggest matt derbyshire and cameron jerome.
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51 You are right about the lack of entertainment last season. The only game I remember leaving feeling totally uplifted was the Coventry one, and that was only due to the nature of how we won. Like you, based only on the Blackburn match, I feel MM needs to be given a chance. There are enough new players (including last January’s additions) to make the prospects look a lot more exciting, but of course this depends on whether they are deployed correctly. I haven’t looked yet to see if Ward is starting today!
51 Glad I’m not alone.
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