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Sylvan Home-ing in on goals mission
Friday 8th August 2008, 11:35AM BST.
Striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake returns to Home Park tomorrow on a goals mission – for his Wolves team-mates.
The 22-year-old ex-Plymouth hotshot was the 23-goal Championship Golden Boot winner last season.
Wolves’ next highest scorer was Andy Keogh with 11, nine of which came in the League.
Now Ebanks-Blake wants his team-mates to get in on the act – with the full endorsement of boss Mick McCarthy.
He said: “I’d definitely like to strike up a partnership, but it’s not just about the strikers scoring – we want the midfielders to score goals.
“Cristiano Ronaldo scored 40-plus goals from the wing last season so everyone has got to chip in. Defenders can get odd goals, midfielders can get 10 or 12 a season and strikers have got to chip in.
“It’s a team effort in everything we do. We win and lose as a team and I don’t think any subject within a game should be put on any single player.
“There were 23 players on tour and we will have a squad of 16 on any given day, so we just share the load. If we can all chip in then everyone will be satisfied.”
Apart from Ebanks-Blake’s admirable efforts, McCarthy feels Wolves were far too wasteful in front of the goal last season, when they were among the lowest scorers in the Championship.
He has targeted more goals from all areas of the team. McCarthy’s philosophy appears to be getting through, if pre-season is anything to go by.
Wolves have rattled in 13 in seven friendlies, with only five against, while last Saturday’s 4-2 win over Blackburn was achieved with four different marksmen.
He wants to carry on in the same vein when the real thing starts tomorrow.
He said: “I think we have to chip in more goals from elsewhere than just the forwards.
“Neill Collins scored four last season and Jody Craddock got two, but they’ve got to be getting five or more each, because they’re so good in the air. That’s not too much to ask of them.
“Midfield players have to contribute more. Karl Henry scored in both games against Charlton last season but he, Dave Edwards and the wide players have to score more. Stephen Ward could have had double figures.
“We’re also looking for David Jones to chip in as well. ‘Wardy’ was different class at times but he just missed his chances.
“Michael Kightly missed a lot of games and ‘Jarvo’ has to get more goals. They do play great but at the end of it, if you can score 10 goals, it’s a great achievement.
“We expected Seyi to get double figures which he managed the season before, so it’s not beyond the realms of possibility. He didn’t do it last season.”
McCarthy refuses to accept missed chances is purely down to bad luck.
He said: “It’s not just down to bad luck if you miss them. Scoring lots of goals is down to good finishing,” he said. “Last season we missed chance after chance after chance after chance.
“They are all good players, but missing opportunities is down to lack of ability and lack of being able to take that chance at that particular moment.
“If the ball takes a deflection and goes in, that’s lucky. If you have a chance and don’t convert it, it’s a missed chance.
“I know we missed too many of them last season and we need to be less profligate in front of goal.”
George Elokobi marked the win against Blackburn with his first goal for the club since his £500,000 switch from Colchester in January, also winning a penalty converted by Chris Iwelumo.
The powerfully-built left-back is determined not to rest on his laurels.
He said: “I’ve been looking for my first goal ever since I joined, so to get one in pre-season helps your confidence going into the season.
“Goalscoring is something I want to add to my game. I want to go up for set pieces because as a defender, you don’t get that many opportunities to score so we must make the most of those.
“The management staff have urged me to be as positive as I can in the final third.”
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I can see SEB bagging a couple tomorrow, I think we need to get off to a good start and he knows this especially.
Team for tomorrow will be:
Hennessey
Elokobi
Craddock
Stearman
Foley
Jarvis
David Jones
Henry
Kightly
SEB
Keogh
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really think this could be our season!
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Ward will play instead of Jarvo….i guarantee it :(
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Its going to be tough, just got to stick with them!
I dont think both the Wards together would of got close to double figures last year! LOL
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loyal cannock wolf i totally agree with your team for tomorrow but il put money on jarvis being on the bench and donkey ward in the eleven. Mick and his favourites.
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I agree with 3, Ward will play instead of Jarvis. Mind you having been to all the pre season games this may not be a bad thing as both Ward and Jarvis look great!!!! Mind you the whole team look
good. Lets get behind them and see what happens.
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i hope so 2 but how many years have we said that mr morgan as been a big let down in my eyes he cud have made a few million more 4 players mid table if we are lucky mick gone 4 xmass
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3
I would also start Jarvis instead of Ward, but if he does play Ward at least this time round it shall be on meritt, as from what i’m told he’s been great pre-season.
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Further to my point, we do need to remember Eard was carrying an injury last season. Not been to any of pre-season games (as don’t tend too) so look forward to get back down the games for what I think shall be a good season.
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That’s Ward not Eard by the way.
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Setting off in an hour, looking forward to a Barmy weekend!!
Come on me babbies!
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Ward is starting tomorrow.
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“‘Wardy’ was different class at times but he just missed his chances.”
can someone please tell me at one point last season when S. Ward was different class???
Im not knocking the lad, hes done well in pre-season but last season he was poor, and how can mick not identify that??
i do want mick to do well, but with statements like this that makes me wonder….
COME ON WOLVES
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guys… ebanks blake to be top scorer in the league and wolves to get promoted… look at the odds on coral.co.uk. you get around 80/1!!! (paddy power offering 33/1!)
I’ve just put £200 on it. a great bet.
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“wardy was different class at times”. thank god this idiot will be gone by xmas!
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Stephen Ward is not a left winger and was playing there last season with an injury. He was impressive as a centre forward in his first season and has done well pre-season. Get off his back. If he starts, he needs fans’ support as he is still a young player.
I would go with Jarvis and give Ward a run out up front against Stanley with Iwelumo.
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Trouble is Rowley Wolf, You’ll still be here!
Can’t wait for kick off.
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iwelumo up top with SEB for me….im afraid keogh just isnt a scorer…at this level 100% commitment and workrate only takes you so far!! ability is needed too…hope he proves me wrong tho….up the wolves!!
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well said 16 above – get behind the lads- s.ward showed he can get goals in early 2007 – give the bloke a chance, he was injured last year. i’m cautiously optimistic for this season but i’m not getting carried away. i’d like to see us on about 42/43 points by xmas (23 games). then we can think about automatic promotion. COME ON ME BABBIES !!
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16 – I’ll never knock a player, Ward or whoever. It’s MM I am completely astounded by. It was he who labelled Ward as ‘stoic’ because he filled the left wing void when he wasn’t a left winger (check E&S archives). And it was Mick whose get out of jail card last season was the rue the fact Kightly and Jarvis were never fit to be used in tandem. So the fans are effectively told to watch us go when the pair are fit, only to drop one of them when the season starts????!!!!!!! And for those who say Ward is the form man…Were they at the Blackburn game?
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19 how many goals did he score in 2007, the way you talk anybody would think he is a 30 goal a season man, The boy is no way a CCC footballer, then again you lot would sign anybody who comes on a free and earn peanuts.
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This quote was from typing in sylvan ebanks blake’s name into wikipedia
“This form attracted Wolverhampton Wanderers to bid £1.5million in the January transfer window, and he duly signed for them on 11 January 2008.[1] He started well at his new club, scoring 7 goals in his first 8 games, and being named Championship Player of the Month for March 2008.[2] He finished the season as winner of the Golden Boot for the Championship with 23 goals. Arguably his finest performance came in an away game at fellow play-off rivals Charlton where he scored 2 goals, the second of which was officialy the best goal ever scored in the Championship even Tony Mowbray (Westbromwich Albion manager) Said “It was better than anything the Albion could ever produce” Something that Ebanks took lightly as nothing good has ever come out of Sandwell.”
So so so true tho
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baggy 1 – what would you know about it ? all i’m saying as a supporter is that this is a young bloke who gives 100% and did score a few goals in 2007 when he first arrived- i’m not saying he’s a 30 goals a season player, far from it. i suggest you concentrate on your own team and 1. get a sponsor 2. get an investor and 3. buy some players. not very likely though is it ?
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Anyway–Good luck to-morrow and you away fans have a good trip-SEB a hat-trick beckons come on lads show us the way to go—Will be listening biting nails-Bring us back some good cheer for the Sheff-Wed Game—I thourght one of the EXPERTS on these bloggs said Campo was not interested in the Championship——–Good luck lads–Crazey Dave
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How many times is “chip in” said in this article?
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22 you are talking rubbish TONY MOYBRAY would never had said but I said at the time it was a good goal and he is a good player, dangerous with his girlfriends handbag.Enjoy another season in the fizzy pop championship.BOING BOING PREMIER BAGGIES.Only 7 miles between us but light years behind us.
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my predicted line up lol
carl ik
stephen ward rb (he tried left back now he decided right back)
mick mccarthy cb (he thought he would have ago)
darren ward cb(he likes wards for some reason)
neil collins lb
darren potter in rmf
elokbi in cmf (experimintation is a must)
ebanks blake in cmf (scored to much goals last year and now wants him in the centre)
andy keogh lmf (he has tried everyone else in this position)
rossi (what ever he is called) st
steven elliot st (mick thinks he would turn into billy elliot this year)
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This is the age old problem. We just don’t have enough goals all around the team. I still think nothing will change with who we have brought in. They are decent players…. BUT NOT NOTED FOR SCORING GOALS!!!
SO SAME AS I SUSPECT. I HOPE NOT, BUT SUSPECT IT WILL BE THE SAME..
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Just a polite request to you Wolves fans… can you make sure you take your litter home, watch your language and respect the local people as we take pride in our area- Thankyou
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Still arguments the day before the kick off. Still some idiots predicting doom before a ball has been kicked. And what is the obsession with Albion. They are not even in our division. Forget about them. The best we can do is throw our full support behind the team from the first whistle.
I imagine if we win 5-0 with a Ward hat trick some people will say it should have been 7 and that Ward scuffed a chance in the last minute.
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Might be our player soon anyway, with that tempting £4.5m buy-out clause!!
Or any other big club might take him from you, like Stoke, Hull, Wigan, Reading, Palace!!!
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For all u that are knockin ward he was never top class last season but he always gave his all and played pretty well most of the time. i like him and he has done well in pre season, give him his chance. Oi tesco Baggies av u got a sponser yet at this rate it’ll be poundland. though i’m sure tesco will sponsor u………as u do already sponsor them hahaha. I wonder if u’ll beat derby’s record, u’ve got da ability for it.
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29,torquay man, dont worry mate there wont be that many of um, they will bring there rubbish home as they have got another game on tuesday aye boing boing
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