Wolves Blog – The MK Experience
Friday 31st July 2009, 9:10AM BST.
It was more of a homecoming for Wolves blogger Nathan Lloyd than most would think when the team went to Milton Keynes Dons this week.
I’m sometimes asked why I don’t have a very strong Black Country accent and it’s probably because I spent my teenage years living in Milton Keynes.
I popped back there on Tuesday to see my gorgeous four-day-old niece Holly, and to take my folks to Stadium MK to see if the Wolves could improve on their dire pre-season form. They didn’t.
To recall, I moved to Milton Keynes in 1985, so whilst at Secondary School I was constantly mocked not only for my indecipherable Black Country twang, but also because I supported a football team that were languishing at the bottom of the Football League and were close to bankruptcy.
Seven years later in 1992, I chose to go to Wolverhampton University, largely because Molineux was next door and also because I was fed up of being constantly skint, forking out on train fares to go to games home and away.
After a full day of baby holding, a suit fitting for my brother’s wedding, DIY and taking my dear mother out to lunch, we arrived at the Stadium MK around 7pm. There I met up with an old school friend, Traci, who I hadn’t seen since leaving for university in 1992.
I was impressed by the half-finished stadium. It had a great PA system, which you would expect giving the club’s link to Marshall.
But then I am comparing it to the antiquated muffle of the Steve Bull stand speakers, which sound like a hoodie, drowning in the canal whilst playing R’n'B through his mobile phone!
There were padded seats and decent parking and also the obligatory giant Asda next door, which is the sign of a truly great stadium!
The traveling Wolves fans were too sporadically spread to be able to spark up a bit of sing song, and the action seemed to always taking place in the opposite end of the pitch.
Although we lost the game, we did create a few chances and there were a few positives to take, out of a game that was about as exciting to watch as an episode of Hollyoaks.
The Guadeloupian colossus, Ronald Zubar was imperious in defence. His timing was excellent, he was crunching in the tackles and managed more air time than Michael Jordan when clearing the ball with his head.
I suspect that Nenad Milijas will be joining Zubar and George Elokobi as a fan’s favourite. I mentioned in the ‘Fans Forum’ video earlier in the week that Nenad reminded my heavily of a former Wolves favourite, Paul Cook.
He has a fantastic left peg and I’ve seen plenty of video footage of him scoring goals from a myriad of angles and spraying the ball around the pitch like a young Robert Prosinecki.
But Sylvan Ebanks Blake was a bit wasteful in front of goal, but looked sharp and fit as did his strike partner Sam Vokes, who had a half decent game.
Andy Keogh came on for the final 30 minutes and although he was asked to play the majority of that time as a lone striker, but he really didn’t look up to the challenge at all.
I don’t think we can draw too many conclusions from what was a dreadful game.
We didn’t really see enough of trial winger Jerome Thomas to know whether he would be a decent understudy to Kightly, who as we know will not be lining up against the Hammers on August 15.
It was also great to see a few of the young and old former Wolves players in Alex Rae, Paul Ince, Jermaine Easter, Lewis Gobern and Jemal Johnson.
But with a couple of weeks before the kick off, how confident do you feel that Mick has got all the necessary ingredients to make a decent fist of the top-flight?
Looking at the team on Tuesday night, I would say we are two or three players shy from where we need to be.
If we don’t add anybody before the game against West Ham, I would lean towards a 4-5-1 formation, with Sylvan playing as the lone striker in the absence of being able to link up with Kevin Doyle.
In defence I think that Elokobi and Kevin Foley should flank Zubar and Richard Stearman. I’ll always prefer Stearman to Berra or Craddock, simply because he has better movement and distribution.
Nothing at all to do with the fact I used to work with his dad!
For me, the five across midfield should be Matt Jarvis, Andrew Surman, Karl Henry, Nenad Milijas and Greg Halford.
The 4-5-1 formation is often muted as being very defensive although if you have some pace in the flanks, as we do, it can be quickly adapted to 4-3-3 when we are attacking.
If the moneybags of Manchester City do snaffle Joleon Lescott from Everton for close to the rumoured £20million, then perhaps Mick will use some of the money that the club will receive from that transaction to make a late spurt into the transfer market?
The Michael Mancienne rumours seem to have disappeared and its slightly disappointing that we are not being linked with any other players.
Tuesday night may only have been a meaningless friendly, but it did highlight that Wolves still don’t have much strength of depth when you look beyond the starting eleven.
A lot of Wolves fans I’ve talked to recently have gone from feeling excited about the half dozen new signings to the realisation that although we all knew it was going to be tough in the Premier League.
The challenge is looking ever more daunting with each passing pre-season performance where the team fail to deliver.
I’m looking forward to watching a season of football competing against the elite – it’s just a shame that Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t around to enjoy a tackle from Elokobi or Zubar!
Enjoy the weekend and I’m off to buy a new Wolves shirt after the flack I received from wearing my shirt from 1989 in the fans forum video, which did actually fit me when I was 16!
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good blog nathan, another stricker, and i think we will do ok ,i like the 4-5-1 formation, 2-1 wolves v west ham. WE ARE WOLVES
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i agree three new signing down the spine of the team… forward, centre mid, centre half….god only knows why we didnt snaffle away dean whitehead
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Good blog nathan but don’t worry about new signings – we are yet to see a number of teams move into the market to any noticable degree(Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Villa, West Ham to name a few) and when they do make their move players will start to become available for the right price whether it be to free up funds for those clubs or simply because they’ve bought a replacement. We will see more new faces at the Mol before the Hammers game and again before the window shuts.
In Wolves we trust.
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I am neither a moaner nor a happy clapper but I have to say friendly or not we are in big trouble if we think the squad is OK as it is.
I cannot believe we havent atrracted more and better players than we have and can only assume its because we wont pay the money or the wages required.
I am all for keeping a sensible wage structure but sometimes you have to break the rules to get players with considearably more experience than what you have, and have earned the right to higher wages due to that experience.
£50K/week may be a lot of money but its only £2.5M/year with a free transfer that only £7.5M all in over 3 years. Compare that with the £6.5M transfer and probable £20K/week wages for Kevin Doyle and you question why it is such a problem?
The only difference is I assume Moxey believes that we will sell Kevin Doyle and the other young guns for a lot more in the future and make a huge profit. An admirable strategy from a business point of view but quite pointless if we fail to stay in the Premiership.
I think sometimes you have to take a few gambles for the greater good.
I hope they see sense over the next fortnight.
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Wow! A constructive AND positive blog. Well done, very nice to read and enlivened me with a bit of hope again after all this negative tripe. It shouldn’t be all doom and gloom, yes there’s plenty of anxiety and nerves, but hope, excitement and anticipation should prevail! I hope you’re right with 2 maybe 3 players to come in (Knowing 3Ms we shouldn’t recommend or second guess who!), we will be ready for KO come 15/08/09.
COYW!
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Nice blog and good comments so far. The 4-5-1 formation looks quite good on paper. My prediction is 1 – 0 against west ham.
My own oppinion is we could do with another 4 players(2 buys / 2 loans)but i also believe we are already better than Birmingham, Burnley & Hull and on a par with Portsmouth and Stoke as we are now.
Cant wait for the season to start :)
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Spot on Berkshire Wolf no need for panic just yet.
Come all ye Faithful.
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Some of youlot need to wake up and go to specsavers quick, if you think that we are any where near good enough, bet you we start the first game with S Ward playing, in some position mad MM wants him in.
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spot on just get behind the lads…
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Nathan – ignore the critics mate… that 1989 shirt’s class!
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A good blogg-My only memory of MK is being stuck on a train there for six hours.
Yes mate in a round about way you say it all. I have to say I am worried and quickly starting to go into “Miserable Dave ” mode.
Why have we not signed any players with prem experience. I do not think Doyle is the answer or the players we have can step-up without adding some experience to the squad.
I hope we get off to a good start but at this time we do not look if we will be able to hack it. Remember our start last time–Lets get some experience in please–Honest Blogg mate keep the faith–Crazey Dave
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wevvowolf, please could we discuss where you come up with a 1 – 0 win against west ham ?
If you remember the last time we came up there was the same kind of optimism, just a little less investment. Then we were smacked around the park 4-0 and 5-1′s here there and everywhere
I think we would be happy to take a draw from the opening game against a far more experienced team.
If our “young and hungries” adapt quickly, and i desperately hope they do, we may stand a chance of survival – but the lack of expreience and cash injected into this attempt means we are on the back foot.
As things stand we’re in the pit alongside Burnley and Brum – even though we’ve had more time and more cash than both of them.
HOWEVER ! We are in the premiership, ts what we’ve all wanted and been struggling to achieve all along and for that reason alone i cant wait for the season to begin. So although its not all roses, its difficult not to be excited.
COME ON YOU PREMIER LEAGUE WOLVES !!!
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Good Blog – Marshall P.A wow – blow the doors off!!! I am not sure about Stearman he still seems to be making costly mistakes as does Hennessey, I would go with Berra/Zubar and Marcus H in Goal (I think we need a cool head in goal for the opening premiership games) interestingly we still don`t seem to have any cover/replacement for Karl Henry, it seems all the midfielders we have purchased are in the Dave Jones/Dave Edwards attacking mould although I am looking forward to Milijas popping a few in from midfield, I think it`s important that whatever we feel individually when the season kicks off no negativity feeds on to the pitch because a lot of Wolves success comes from their youthful drive and swamping the opposition which in turn also feeds off confidence……….So `Come on you Wolves`!!!!!!
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There’s every need to panic when we are conceding stupid goals already in pre-season and not scoring.
I can’t see anybody in our team other than Ebanks who can score a goal. Ok, maybe Doyle when fit.
We lack a spine to the team. A general in Midfield. And a general in the heart of defence.
I’m not being funny but the likes of Berra, Foley, Mancienne (if he comes) shouting at me, would not frighten me one bit. Like Ince said, we are too quiet. Henry isn’t vocal enough. At the end of the day – NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
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Good blog mate. I like 4-5-1 for away games espcially but we have to play to our strengths which is catching tems on the break as we have so many quick players. I am very excited and very confident that we will survive. If we could get Mancienne (loan) Ramsay (loan) and bring in somebody like Hamann on a free we would really be in business. My starting 11 right now would be:
Hennessey
Foley Stearman Zubar Elokobi
Halford Henry Surman Jarvis
mILIJAS
eBANKS BLAKE
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On another note RIP sir Bobby Robson the man who gave Bully his England career.
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if you think this manager will keep us up you must be drinking to much bank’s.He’s a championship manmager at best.start of season the signings we made i thought “yes” we are building a great squad.the ex premier league players we have got are a keeper and a striker who played in the prem 2/3 years ago in are relegated team.we need 3 players who have played in the prem last season not 3 years ago.when jan transfer comes we will end up paying over the odds for 3rd rate prem players as he did for sunderland.
in mick i dont trust
ps i hope i’m wrong
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rip sir bobby
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Oh dear, here he is again…
Here’s a forecast of what Nathan will say this season:
‘I said last season that…’
‘Change the manager..’
‘Haven’t learned the lesson of…’
‘Should have strengthened the defence…’ but without naming names!
‘Should have spent more money’
‘Mick is not good enough at this level’
Bland and trite stuff suckering up to those so-called fans who spout uninformed and negative opinion like Bob Wolf.
You’re not wanted by positive thinking and true Wolves fans.
And, forgive me, I don’t recognise your name, what exactly are your qualifications and experience in football, Nathan?
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Hi Nathan, great blog. I think just from looking at your team selection you can see you still need strengthening, but hey there is still a month to go. I imagine Mick still has at least £12million left to spend and he will need to spend it wisely in key areas. Another central midfielder would be a must in my eyes, Karl Henry will struggle from what ive seen of him.
As much as every fan wants to ignore pre season results it still plays on your mind when you see a poor performance. All i would say is to wait until August is over and the transfer window closes before making a valued judgement on how the season might go.
The transfer market does seem to be warming up, but some of the prices being paid does highlight the problem all newly promoted teams have, money.
Still i would certainly prefer to be in the Prem this season and having to worry about such things. See you soon.
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RIP sir Bobby.
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The 4 -5 – 1 is the best idea as we have real pace in the team and so can become 4 – 3 – 3 very quickly. It also sets a realistic attitude. We cannot expect to attack premier teams with abandon. We should treat home games as away games and forget about entertainin. Ten home 1 – 0′s and we stay up.
Someone suggested that we had an ‘easy start’ in one post last week. Look West ham, Wigan (look at their position last season)… Man city (very easy…not). Hull – experience at staying up plus new players. (total doddle…not.) We need at least four points from that lot.
If Keogh did play as a lone striker then he was wasted. His position is playing behind the striker where he keeps a lot. He needs the ball all the time.
Congratulations on your neice Nathan. Good blog
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RIP sir bobby.
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Sorry boys but I will be most surprised if any experienced premier class players are signed before the window closes. No body wants to come and play for a Midland club let alone come and live around here. Villa can’t sign players, Baggies couldn’t sign players, Blues havedn’t signed any, so why do you think they are going to come to a team, lets face it, that’s probably be fighting all season to stay out of the botton 3. It’s so hard for a newly promoted team to attract top class players from the premier league to come and battle week in week out for the shirt we wear with pride and they look at as a blank pay cheque.It will never mean the same to them I’m sorry but can’t stand these badge kisser’s who’ll jump ship as soon as water starts leaking in.
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Didnt Albion adopt a five man midfield?
4-5-1 is ok if you are scared of the opposition. This system doesnt bring many goals as Albion found.
Havent we already signed players through the spine of the team with Zubar, Nenad and Doyle??
Have confidence fellas, I think we’ll do better than expected.
Nice shirt Nath, got one myself but the Manders has nearly washed off and I can’t get it over my belly anymore either!
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I know things look less than encouraging specially pre season results but I have noticed why we have suddenly held back along with other clubs. The Ronaldo/ Man city effect!Since Ronaldo was sold for a ridiculous amount coupled with Man city throwing money at premiership clubs for every half decent player, premiership clubs,other than Man city have held back from buying. Even the big four have held back. I take my hat off for Wolves for being first out the blocks and picking up some players with good promise for modest amounts of money. Now ever players price is doubled plus wage demands. Prime example Lee Catermole at Middlesbrough a few weeks ago quoted at 4 million now 12 million. You can understand clubs hanging back till the market comes to it senses. Come on ye Wolves!
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Sorry boys i believe Moxey has spun us a yarn to sell season tickets. As i have said previously i will support the TEAM 100% it is not there fault.
But my head tells me unless he get’s his check book out and signs some real quality, 2 or 3, then it will be a swift return.
Analysed why clubs don’t stay up i actually believed them.
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Sure Ad,
Its first game of season, anything can happen, i’m being optimistic and hoping that luck is shining down on the Molineux and that is just my prediction!
Even though West Ham are the more experienced side they’re not unbeatable by any means, we may be lucky and sneak a win and after all Hull beat them by the same margin last season.
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no4. try 42 grand a week.
A couple of the new boys are on top top wages. The boys that bought us up were told this was going to happen and that it was just part of the premier plan. It appeared in an article in this paper a few months back.
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Did I read a different article to half of you?
This did not strike me as a positive article. Nathan, I think if we all know the club needs to sign new players, the club has a rough idea too. The blog seemed more interested in talking about padded chairs, which I thought old people had on the toilet, the PA system, and a supermarket.
Wow, let’s buy a Marshall system.
Perhaps if we had chosen the team last year and taken training, we would have won the Championship. Oh, hang on, Mick already did that.
Remember how poor we were last pre season and then see what happend.
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Personally, I think with the right tactics we will stay up anyway. Portsmouth are down to 16 pro’s, Burnley will go and Hull have signed nobody and lost a couple. I think in the current climate we have brought very well. We will be around Stoke, Blues and Wigan above the relegation zone. I am just glad to not be going to Barnsley or Watford and hopefully not for a long time!
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29. Your facts are very very wrong. Doyle is on a basic on 13k a week and has huge win and goal bonuses. 42k a week are you having a laugh?!
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No.29.
That just adds to my argument then.
If thats the case why arny we going for some of the Geordies with experience who must be depserate to leave?
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We desperately need a central midfield leader in the the mould of Ince, Robson or Bailey. I just don’t think Henry is up to the job.
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MK DONS 1 WOLVES 0.
wolves were disapointing and dons were the better team through out. easter scored a good goal to prove we will have to play better in the prem.3-1 west ham
R.I.P SIR BOBBY
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quietly confident need 3 more players wwfc 2 west ham 0
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Nice blog nathan you are not alone being a wolves fan in miton keynes.but you are the lucky one you found the road out! since the game i have stayed indoors whent sick from work cuz i knew the stick i would get.and being from dudley makes all theses cockney throw backs even worse.but not for mutch longer am soon to be moving to poole in dorset but the extra miles to my beloved wolves will be worth it if it means getting out of this dump.
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Went to Doncaster. Thought we only looked a team when Surman, Edwards and Keogh came on.Milijas played well early on ,but Halford looked awful on the right.Poor touch,didn’t win much in the air and made us appear disjointed, pumping all the high balls up to him.Halford also slowed down our moves.We need a decent right winger to cover for Kightly.Craddock and Berra did well as a unit.If we play 4 5 1,we must find a way to give SEB some service.I can easily imagine the comments next week from Bob Wolf on Ward’s performance.To me Ward did a reasonable enough last season,but he is not a Premier full back.Mick has got a real job on in trying to keep us from the drop. I think he has won the right to be given a full season without people calling for his head.
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Spot on Cheesy, I have GOLD & BLACK Blood but with the current squad I think it will be 1 – 3 West Ham.
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well…call me what you like I pay my season ticket money and are entitled to air my views.
After the initial spate of signings i was optimistic, but then it all fizzled out, bottom line is we wont be good enough with what we have. and if im honest I feel a little cheated after the promises made on signings, we have signed decent championship players at best, young and hungry wont cut it in the prem, we need quality. but alarm bells rang after the statement that Doyle was thee big signing of the summer…lets be honest if it wasnt for the clause in his contract no one would have paid 6.5 for him,..he’s a 3mill player a best.. all the lets get behind the team we will be ok with what we have are in for a rude awakening when the season kicks off!. We havnt even spent half of what we got for promotion, nevermind Morgan hasnt even had to touch the 30mill investment he promised.(did i forget the ground re-development is now on hold too) these are the realities!
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