Arsenal start for Ebanks-Blake

Friday 6th November 2009, 11:30AM GMT.

WOLVES V VILLA 1 AE 24Wolves striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake has been recalled for the clash with Arsenal after the luckless Chris Iwelumo aggravated his foot injury.

Iwelumo has hurt the foot he broke in July in last week’s 2-2 draw at Stoke and has been ruled out for several weeks.

Boss Mick McCarthy said: “Chris Iwelumo has damaged the fracture site, but he hasn’t re-fractured it, so it’s not broken. He’s unsettled it and will be out for a few weeks.

“Thomas Sorensen and Christophe Berra fell on him while his foot was planted, so there was a bit of weight on his foot.

“It’s where the actual fracture is and the screw goes in that’s been disturbed, but not broken.”

McCarthy has handed Ebanks-Blake an immediate recall in tomorrow’s tea-time clash, after being dropped for the first time as a Wolves player at Stoke.

The manager said: “He will play tomorrow, he was always playing tomorrow – whether Chris was injured or not. Sylvan was left out for tactical reasons.”

McCarthy was full of praise for Ebanks-Blake’s response.

The Wolves boss said: “He was fantastic, I was thrilled by the way he coped. No one wants to be left out, but the way he trained and wanted to be part of it was outstanding.

“He’d have loved to have got on, but he’s playing tomorrow.”

McCarthy believes to axe Ebanks-Blake and still get a point at Stoke shows the strength of his squad.

He said: “I think it does say something about the squad.”

But McCarthy was full of sympathy for Iwelumo, who has twice now been injured on his first senior start coming back in six months.

He said: “It’s a big blow because he played well last week,. I was delighted with him.I’m sad for him because he got back and played in the Premier League, bear in mind it was his first game.

“Because it was Stoke, it suited him because of the physical nature of the game and I thought he did well.”


  1. 1
    launzwolves

    Still think he should have played against stoke could have won that if he had graced the pitch. Silly decision if you ask me mick why drop a player who had just scored his 1st goal he would have been buzzin come stoke. O well BRING ON ARSENAL!!!

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  2. 2
    wolvesmod

    He shouldn’t have been dropped in the first place. 2 points dropped against Stoke.

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  3. 3
    pure wolves

    90mins played 1.1. 4mins added time 92nd min wolves score win 2.1

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  4. 4
    Ragster

    No big loss, although I am a big fan of Iwelumo we thave the ‘Hoff’ to cover his position.

    My team for tomorrow would be:

    GK – Hennessey
    RB – Zubar
    LB – Mancienne
    CB – Craddock
    CB – Berra
    RW – Kightly
    CM – Henry
    CM – Castillo
    LM – Milijas
    CF – Doyle
    CF – Ebanks-Blake

    We then could get a point or sneaky win 2-1.

    Up the Wolves!

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  5. 5
    Billywiseman

    I think I remeber our games against the Gunners both Carling Cup and Prem of 95.
    There is no doubt that they have a Magician at the helm and and we want, is for our Merlin to weave greater and better tricks and spells.

    Really hope we do well and wish all the lads the best..
    Grit our teeth and work hard and we will get a good result.

    Keeping the Faith.

    There is no doubt that if SEB had played against Stoke he would have been kicked to death so lets say we will have the draw and SEB can get a hatrick to-morrow—Crazey Dave

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  6. 6
    Himleywolf

    100% correct decision by Mick.

    Some people just don’t understand football tactics!.

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  7. 7
    wanderer

    Is the roadworks still on going on the Birmingham new road? got held up there for the Fulham game! Anybody help. 3-2 wolves.

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  8. 8
    Bromsgrove_Wolf

    The negativity is laughable from some Wolves fans, 2-2 at Stoke is a brilliant result! I said it on an article previous in the week, we were all happy with being out of the drop zone pre-season, we’re still there! Let’s get behind the boys (not literally) and try and get something out of the Arsenal game, if not let’s just enjoy the football master class that Arsenal will show us.

    We Are Wolves. We Are Premier League. We Will Never Die.

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  9. 9
    mickholmesfanclub

    I agree that SEB should not have been dropped for last week’s match – it was a very defensive move -but it’s history now so let’s move on. I hope SEB proves his point tomorrow night in what will, without doubt,be our biggest test yet this season. If I’m honest,my head says we will lose and I fear a bit of a ‘hiding’ but my heart says that we will get at them,close them down in midfield and,perhaps,nick a point.Don’t think I would start with him but Halford may prove a useful weapon,with his throw,if we have to chase the game.

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  10. 10
    Bromsgrove_Wolf

    Wanderer- The road works going up towards Burnt Tree are there for the whole season. We by-pass that side of Wolverhampton and carry on up the motorway past Walsall, cuts about 45 mins off the travel time with those road works (i missed first 30mins of Fulham also….)

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  11. 11
    BlueWolf

    Sylvan was carrying a slight injury into the Stoke game (well wolves said he hadn’t trained upto the friday before hand), I think that’s why he probably didnt feature.

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  12. 12
    brummierobwolves

    Iwelumo was brought in at Stoke due to his physical presence and the fact that he is one of best defenders when it comes to defending Delap’s throws – aided by the towel – and corner kicks!
    All the best in your recovery. Now the Hoff has to step up when he is called upon!

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  13. 13
    SUPERSTARDJWOLVES

    Comments 2, You will make great managers…..NOT!

    Wolvesmod, getting a point away from home after been outmuscled in the 1st half is a great point, no teams would have got anything from that scoreline. So its a point gained you NUGGET!

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  14. 14
    Whispy Wolf

    Marvelous Miracle Maker Mick has Spoken. As I have said before he is the “Nostradamous” of football Managment and you need to interpret what he says according to the following rules.

    if he goes on about the Defence … He is proficising We will Loose.

    If he goes on about the Midfield … he is proficising we will Draw

    If he goes on about the Forwards … he is proficising we will Win

    In this article the Soothsayer Mick has spoken and he has rabitted on about our forwards … this means he expects us to “Learn the Gooners a lesson in Football”

    Reading in to what Magician Mick is saying to us here I believe we will be 1-2 down with 20mins to go.

    Mick will see a chink in the black Wolverhampton sky and a ray of pure golden light will shine down and illuminate THE HOFF ON THE BENCH! At that very moment Doyley Rag will “tweak his ham-string” paving the way for a cosmic substitution. The HOFF will take to the field and “Nodd a couple home” to complete an unlikely victory

    IN MICK WE MUST BELIEVE … WE ARE WOLVES

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  15. 15
    John De Wolf

    I don’t agree with Micks comments about the home form, yes we’ve had some half decent results away from home but our home form’s been poor, hence why we are 17th.

    I really think we need to beat Blues, Bolton and Burnely at home. If we dont get 9 points from those games I really think it could determine our season.

    Im not negative just realistic, we have competed well so far but we have to start winning games. One win in nine games is relegation form. I dont expect anything from our next two games, but our next three home fixtures are crucial. by that time we probably will be in the bottom three.

    Get your best team sorted Mick and stick with it. Ebanks in. Stearman or Mancienne in at left back, and Milijas in for Edwards and we’re there.

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  16. 16
    wanderer

    cheers bromsgrove I coming from the south usually exit at junction 2 do i carry on north at get off at the junction after? Many thanks,

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  17. 17
    Lollipop Lady

    Bypass the Burnt Tree roadworks either by using the A41, the next M5 junction (West Brom)or doing a sneaky cut through round Halesown and Dudley.
    Don’t try getting through them they’ll be there all season and some of next.

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  18. 18
    Paul Norman

    Ebanks Blake has done NOTHING this season to suggest that he is going to make it in the premier division.A penalty conversion is EXPECTED from professional footballers but his movement is non existent and what chances he has had he has failed to convert.The reason that the team is now only just outside the drop zone is the failure to convert the few chances they get.A good few have dropped to Keogh,say no more.We need a TOP striker in January—-ROBBIE KEANE then we will have a team which will survive.

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  19. 19
    spanish ray

    I agree with No.6.it`s just that McCarthy is one of them.

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  20. 20
    Ray Bown

    I would drop Kightly,i know he has been injured but aint done anything to impress me. I think he will struggle in the premiership,i hope he proves me wrong, but can`t see it.Leave out Elokobi aswell no where near good enough for the premiership.

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  21. 21
    Steve de Wolf

    18:Paul Norman,get real you lettuce.Can you really see Robbie Keane leaving Spurs for Wolves?Top striker?What is Kevin Doyle then?Mick has done a good,steady job here.We’re not having those unexpected results that Hull amazed everyone with last season,and Burnley have to a lesser extent this season.Thats fine with me,as we’ve been getting better with pretty much every game,gradually building up that head of steam and more belief.Keep believing,Mick is the man.You have to trust him.

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  22. 22
    Proper Fan

    OK,
    Say we get beat by Arsenal.
    Who do you think will come on this site either criticising or calling for McCarthy to go. I’ll put forward … ‘Bob Wolf’.

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  23. 23
    truewolves

    22. could’nt agree more, think the word fickle is more than suitable for the likes of bobwolf/jiwal/wolvesmod/and all the other negative faint hearts that call themselves supporters, and expect wwfc to win every game , and trophy going, and and as soon as mcarthy selects a player they dont like or wwfc lose, its all doom and gloom and they want to sack everyone in sight, lol, . utw wwfc 2 arsenal 1

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