Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Wolves count cost of first defeat
Wednesday 1st October 2008, 7:43AM BST.
Boss Mick McCarthy is counting the ‘huge’ cost of Wolves’ first defeat of the season as three key injuries threaten to derail their flying start to the campaign.
Hamstring injuries to wingers Michael Kightly and more seriously Matt Jarvis – who was stretchered off in some distress – were the worrying low points of the 3-0 Molineux defeat by Reading.
Stephen Ward is set to undergo an x-ray on ribs damaged early in the game, as Wolves suffered their first reverse in 14 Championship games going back to April 15.
McCarthy said: “The cost to the team is far greater than three points. The loss is huge – Matt Jarvis went gone down with a hamstring and so did Michael Kightly.
“‘Kites’ was getting progressively worse and he had to come off, so perhaps we caught it before too much damage was done.
“Maybe the two hamstring injuries were an indication of how hard they worked because the way Jarvis had got back was amazing.
“Stephen Ward had a bang in the ribs which might have to be x-rayed today. Andy Keogh has hurt his knee and lower back.”
Wolves still have Chris Iwelumo suspended for Saturday’s trip to Swansea while George Elokobi, Jody Craddock and Matt Hill are out long term.
McCarthy said: “I was asked before the last international break whether we needed it but I can’t wait for this one!. We might just get someone back.
“Having lost Jody and George, to continue playing as well as we’ve done, is great.
“We worked so hard and played well. Then we lost Chris Iwelumo for three games and Wayne Hennessey to sending offs.
“Now we have two more to hamstring injuries and potentially two others. So it’s been a remarkable start . One which I’ve said to the players they should be justifyably proud of.
“I’m proud of the way we’ve played. Would I have taken 22 points out of 27 before the season started? Too right.”
Kightly and Jarvis played just four games together last season due to injuries. Their absence was a key factor in Wolves missing out on the play-offs.
Sponsored Links
Business Awards
Read the full story here
Full coverage of awards celebrating the region's best businesses.
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
LIVE traffic updates
Road, rail and airport - latest
Our new, live traffic and travel updates service - check before you set out.
OUR NEW APP
Get the new E&S app
Download the Express & Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
expressandstar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
shows that happens when u play a real team!
hahaha boing boing baggie boys!
Report abuse
Like any fan needed the above pointing out, we know and dont need it rubbing in!
Up The Wolves
Report abuse
gutted
Report abuse
Let’s hope that both Kightly and Jarvis are back very soon as we will struggle without them. McCarthy should consider the loan market to cover.
Report abuse
Think we need a dip in the loan market, realistically in time for the games after the 2 week break.
Looks like a patchwork team on Saturday though.
Maybe Carlos Edwards or Wayne Routledge could come in and do a job?
Report abuse
Come on lets bouce back from this an win at swansea
come on me babbies !!
Report abuse
Devastating news. We didn’t play well yesterday but the defeat is far less of a blow than the prospect not having MK and MJ for a few months.
I can’t believe our luck..
Report abuse
Staying down the mad MM way
You lot will never get to the Prem so live with it.
Never mind you are building something special,
for other prem teams a few players we may look at for the future.
Report abuse
How painful is defeat when we’ve been on such a high? But let’s just take a moment to reflect on what an amazing effort these players have given so far.
A glance at the fixture list before a ball was kicked this season told me we would be doing well if we were within sight of the top six after 9 games. We have just lost to an impressive Reading side and still sit top of the table by two points!
These lads have earned the right to an awful lot of respect and understanding.
We knew we were short of quality cover for Jarvis and, in particular, Kightly. Now begins a new chapter, a real challenge for Mick to find a new winning formation and the players to show their mettle.
Proud to be a Wolves fan – you bet!
Report abuse
Not wanting to sound as if I’m complaining but following the injuries we will now find out how good the squad is.
One thing that is worrying, as we play with 2 wingers, do we have the necessary cover should Kightly and Jarvis be long time absentees?
The start that has been made is above everyones expectations and it would be a great shame if things went bottoms-up because of injuries.
Hopefully we shall still be too strong for Swansea on Saturday but it could be tough!
Report abuse
looks like a war zone.How many Reading players got injured? We’re too lightweight. No one should come to Molineux and do this to us.
Report abuse
It could not have happened to worse players. If you were an opposition side and you were to say who you want out, you would probably add SEB and you would have a full house.
An absolute disaster. I just we get them all back soon because we are really going to struggle now.
Report abuse
I agree fabulous start and they should be proud of not only the points but the way we played. I said yesterday that i thought this was our first real test and unfortunately second half it could have been 6. 2 problems i see now will he play his favourites instead of someone better for that position and his interview with WM where he stated 3-0 was an in justice. Well i’m sorry and i dont like to say it but at the end i thought we were lucky to get away with 3. I hope this is not what he really thinks because if he does we will be in for a bumpy ride.
Report abuse
Mick don’t be stubborn this time, bring in loan replacements. Adam Johnson at Middlesboro would be a good bet.
Its one defeat, and its all about bouncebackability!
Up the Wolves!
Report abuse
the sad thing about last night was we played a lot of the game in the same way we played last season! long balls up to our short strikers!!
yes keogh was crap but to keep expecting him to win the all the headers when against two 6foot sum odd CB’s is mad!!!
MM was out thought all through the game! they marked out our most dangerous players which stopped us attacking down the wing! why he didn’t bring on dave edwards on sooner was crazy! while their defenders were markin jarvo & SEB, edwards cud of broke str8 through the middle!
but at the end of the day it was just one of those games! wot ever we tried we failed! we cud of brought on rooney, deco & owen & it wudn’t of made a difference! the ball never fell right for us! plus Reading still half a prem team! not a gr8 prem team but a prem team non the less!
so wot next?
well no wingers means a new plan! I say edwards cud av a chance to shine! break through the middle for a change??!! maybe start with a proper left bak to?? wards been ok but got court out to much!! but MM is the manager so we must av faith!
we shudn’t b to down about last night just get bak to winning ways on Sat then collect our selves ova the international break!!
rant ova!!
up the wolves!!!!
Report abuse
oh no, i feel sick
Report abuse
best wishes to the injured players, and congratulations to all the players for a great unbeaten run, lets now see if we can start on another unbeaten run and better the last one.
Report abuse
Muppet Mick must not be allowed to use loss of players to injury to hide the fact that the tactics and team selection (Honestly hopeless Hennessy, Clueless Keogh, and Wally Ward remain poor. As soon as we meet a decent team we are shown up to be miles off the pace in terms of teamwork, individual skill, and fitness.
Report abuse
Don’t get too down-hearted.
5pts ahead of the best team in the league.
And there’s always the premiership loan market…
Report abuse
It was a poor result and performance last night, we collected some injuries but we have to regroup and beat Swansea. But there is no need to be doom & gloom after one game as some people are already! It is like we haven’t played the previous 8 games!!! If we can go to Swansea get 3 points and the break will do us good.
Report abuse
Gotta move for a loan winger to keep our style of play going.
As with any season the most important match is “the next one” and its important that we bounce back with a win on sat.
I’m still confident of a 2-0 beating of the Swans
Report abuse
Food for thought…..DJ on the left and Gobern on the right would be like for like changes. I don`t know how ready they are but we must stay with pacy attacking play. Gray and Keogh in wide areas would mean we play all our footy infront of the opposition like last season. Has Mick got the bottle to do it ???
Report abuse
Seen the stats flom last night: 10 shots on target for Wolves and 3 for Reading? Just shows how one sided it was!!
Report abuse
Where is the cover Mick ?
I think we all got carried away a little with the run, but we knew if one of our stars got injured we’d be in trouble… and it looks like a worse case scanario… so WHERE IS THE COVER ?
Also, SEB hasnt been at his best, why play him in front of Vokes, who adds something potent to the attack. Atleast for now now we will have to play Vokes and SEB, with Keogh winging it cos we have no cover.. I would however start with Vokes and Iwelumo after Chris’ suspension.
I say again, Damn, that hurt us.
Report abuse
No Plan B lads thats carless. Mick warned of this weeks ago yet doesn’t seem to have put anything into place should it happen. 1 trick pony no Kitley no attack
18) hopeless henesy i thought he was the best thing since sliced bread , worth 7 Mill ect 1 bad performance and you write him off. Sometimes i think your fickle lot don’t deserve any sucsess.
Anyway if it makes you feel better we are doing just fine thank you very much
Report abuse
Keep the faith lads, hopefully we wont drop many points before the best are back to full fitness.
The cover is there alright its just not as good as Kites and MJ. Please, please, please we dont need any of the boo boys we had last season
Report abuse
hennesy was atrocious reading could have scored off nearly all their corners
bring back ikeme
Report abuse
Lets not get too despondent,I thought Reading looked a very good side and had some premiership players in their team.
Report abuse
i see craig beattie scored the winner for palace see we loan out better than wot yowv got,aye boing boing donk sshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Report abuse
i can see now why you have so many empey seats,its so you can use them as stretchers,aye boing boing donk sshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh mick out
Report abuse
well isnt that poo. We need to find cover for kightly and jarvo. Like other have said the premiership loan market looks promising.
Report abuse
25. Learn how to spell and speak first then come back with your opinion, Fickle fans maybe but then so are you steptoes, i’ve heard you on radio WM moaning like there’s no tomorrow, so you steptoes should learn not to throw stones in glass house’s cos you’re just as bad if not worse, Wolves fans have never carried a coffin around the pitch, nuff said steptoes. SOTA.
Report abuse
Fair result last night,thought the biggest difference was the Reading set-pieces,absolutely superb every one of them.The injuries to the two wingers could be even more crucial than the result.But remember we have the 22 points from 9 games as a substantial buffer.Dont like to single anyone out for criticism but its now obvious that Andy Keough will NEVER find the net on a regular basis
Report abuse
hennessey should be dropped for either ikeme/murray
keogh and big chris up front
and this should be the midfield
cm henry
cm jones
rm d edwards
lm gray
Report abuse
A couple of weeks ago, I said on these pages we could feel the hot breath of a rampant Reading on our necks and so it proved last night.
Recent stories from the players and many comments on this board have focused on how fit and strong we are at the end of the game.
Reading finished the game far superior in that department.
Correct me if I am wrong, but did we not have a superb and highly regarded fitness coach who was sent packing by the Mick? And did he not go to Reading ?
Report abuse
25 Baggie as painfull as it gets agreeing with someone who supports the “old enemy” you are spot on – We cannot rely on make shift options as wide men that simply dont work! It would mean that the team again will be falling so far back that our midfield would play just infront of our centre half’s! And no attacking options to release the pressure – effectively meaning that every team we play will see what we’ve got by way of attacking options and after 15-20 mins we would be fighting a rear guard action!
We need some options on the flanks – S Ward has done well in most games he played as Left wing back and N Collins as centre half – maybe its time for G Friend and J Shackell to show what they can do!
Keogh – well nuff said – definately NOT a striker with or without a couple of cracked ribs
We need a couple of loanee wide men and fast!!!
C’mon Wolves SHOW some ambition and get them in – there’s a 2 week break after the Swansea game – Go do the talking now and get em in!
UP THE WOLVES!!!
Report abuse
Theres no doubt about it we will struggle without kites and jarvo, as they have been our main attacking force in which teams have been unable to stop us. As for Reading, we were beaten by a better team, they marked jarvo and kites out of the game until they went off. Defensivly everything we through at them didnt work! They look a very solid team and will deinitly be up there come the end of the season.
We 100% percent need to look in the market and get some cover if we want to stay where we are! As for Keogh, u were an absolute disgrace and are unfit to wear the shirt.
Report abuse
Funny how all the Tesco Baggie muppets crawl out the woodwork again following our one defeat. Heard nothing from them whilst we were winning 7 on the bounce. They ain’t likely to win 7 all season.
Kites & Jarvo out is a massive dent in proceedings but lets see what the lads are made of. Its a pity big Chris isn’t back on sat, we need him. After watching the way we easily beat Bristol City I said then that i would settle for a point against Reading. They are a good team with a top manager that were unfortunate to be relegated. Lets hope if we make it this season we can emulate their achievement in the Premier league & not the yo-yo Sandwell Town
Report abuse
There is always some good news, hopefully Keogh will be out for a few weeks now.
Its now time to see how good the manager is…oh dear !
Report abuse
To all the people who said the seasons over, I make it that we’ve only started :S
Losing Kights and Jarvis is a big hit, but at least it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.
And we had to lose sometime, admit it folks, we can’t win forever, but lets not make a habit of it.
And even if I admire Hennessey as a role model as I am a wannabe goalkeeper, I was basically sitting behind Ikeme on saturday, and he was solid as a wall.
Opinion over :))
Report abuse
We had to loose sometime.
Chin up lads, we’ve got at least 30 games to get wins.
Report abuse
At last we have got a measure of how good we are. Not as good as some people thought, but the best team we have had for some years.
Reading have kept together a Premiership team and they smacked our bottoms.
Now we need to build. Thne lack of true winger cover has been obvious all last season, and now it’s come home to bite. We don’t want Ward and Keogh playing as wingers again, because they are cr*p in those roles! We don’t want a repeat of last season’s rubbish.
Other’s on here are advocating a Premiership loan, and a Man U youngster might be just what we are looking for, while our own people recover.
However, I would go one step further and say that we need a Christmas buy of another keen youngster to give us permanent cover.
We are probably going to play several games with forwards drafted in as wingers, and that is dire. Wingers are specialists; forwards run with the ball and wingers sprint. The mindset is different as well, as they are always conscious of getting in a cross to others, while forwards want to score all the time and hang on too long. Converting forwards to real wingers has never worked at Wolves over the 50 years I have been supporting the team.
What were Wards statistics like at left back?
Report abuse
30 – Empty seats, dont make me laugh.
You lot only just managed 26,000 against Villa. 2,000 empty seats for your big derby game, thats a joke. Still, its what we come to expect for a small club.
Report abuse
43 – We actually dropped seats pre season in order to make the renovations needed before we expand on the Halfords Lane. Our capacity is 27,000 and against the Vile it was a full house apart from the divide in seats in the smethwick end.
Come back when your custard bowl is full!
Report abuse