Why the Net has the advantage in the ‘Undies world’
- Shopping blogger Emma Iannarilli
The case for the defence
Friday 18th December 2009, 6:50AM GMT.
The jubilation and consternation of what it is to be a Wolves fan has been summed up for me in one slightly bizarre week, writes Nathan Lloyd.
After our most significant win ever in the Premiership away at Spurs, how couldn’t we go into this Sunday’s lunchtime fixture against Burnley feeling anything but euphoria and optimism?
However, you may have heard that one or two fans were slightly disgruntled with Mick’s team selection on Tuesday night and it’s all gone a bit daft.
I’m sure Mick doesn’t need the backing of a nugget like me, but I fully support what he did at Old Trafford on Tuesday night.
Now, before you try and hunt me down and ram a copy of ALOB down my throat, here is my case for the defence.
Firstly your honour, let’s look at the facts. Mick changed ten players from Saturday’s monumental win against Spurs and one of those changes was enforced due to the Dave Edwards injury.
It wasn’t a Wenger-esque League Cup team of kids. Four of the ten he picked were full internationals and seven had tasted Premiership football already this season. So isn’t it just a tad disrespectful to say that the ten players coming in were inferior to all those they replaced and just what is Mick’s first eleven anyway?
We barely notice when the Premiership elite rotate their squad. Unfortunately we are not blessed with the same like for like quality throughout our squad, so it’s obviously going to be more noticeable when for instance Surman replaces Henry.
Secondly, how many times have the Premier League moaned about this in the past? Man Utd fielded a team including such legends as De Laet and Lee Martin on the final day of last season against Hull. Fulham stayed up in 2007 after beating a Liverpool side that had rested its best players. If the bods at the Premier League didn’t penalise Man Utd or Liverpool for those discretions, then likewise they won’t with Wolves.
Thirdly, Mick was only trying to maximise the chances of gaining points for the club.
Yes, you could argue that with back-to-back wins under our belt, we had the momentum to go and test a Man Utd side severely depleted in defence. But Mick has always had a pragmatic approach and plays the percentages.
Rather than risk more injuries with players who had chased the ball for 85 minutes against Spurs and must have been dead on their feet, he decided to rotate, which is surely what the squad is there for?
Fourthly, the Premier League shouldn’t be able to dictate what players a manager puts out.
Blackburn recently tried and failed to get a postponement due to the outbreak of swine flu at the club. The Premier League reminded the club that football is a squad game and that the fixture wouldn’t be postponed unless Blackburn couldn’t put out a starting 11. They would surely be hypocritical if they then fined Wolves for changing the team.
Lastly, our survival in this league will not be decided on winning the odd game here and there against the teams fighting at the top. We need to be victorious against the teams who will be challenging us to stay out of the drop zone and one those teams will be arriving at Molineux on Sunday.
When Wolves got ‘slapped’ against Arsenal and Chelsea they went into the Birmingham game devoid of confidence. So shouldn’t we praise Mick for taking them out of the firing line this time around?
Of course, the prosecution would quite rightly say that there should be sympathy for the fans that travelled up to Old Trafford in buoyant mood after that magical day at White Hart Lane, only to realise the three points were be given in with the team sheet.
I listened to Talk Sport the other night and Stan the man was leading the discussion at how many of the smaller Premiership teams like Notlob and Fulham can now barely muster a couple of hundred away fans for games. Yet Wolves still brilliantly sell out nearly every away day in the Premiership and perhaps the fans that travelled on Tuesday might feel a tad short changed.
And yes I feel for the players who acquitted themselves so brilliantly in London only to be told they weren’t playing in Manchester. Players like Craddock may never get the opportunity to play there again and Milijas would have been relishing the chance to pit his skills against the best.
It’s all getting a bit silly. We’ve had a sacre bleu from Arsene Wenger, journalists accusing Mick of ruining the title race, football and the very fabric of modern society and other’s sticking their oar in about how the Wolves team of the Fifties would have played 3 games in a day and still put in a shift down the pit.
Ok, it maybe a PR disaster the size of which we haven’t at the club seen since the pie and a pint debacle, but can’t we change the record now?
Mick is magic one minute and a muppet the next and damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t.
He deserves a bit more respect than that. He has delivered Premiership football and now all he wants to do is help the club survive their tricky first season.
We all think it will heap pressure on the players returning for this weekend’s game, but who’s to say Mick is simply going to do the same again and replace the ten outfield players?
Mancienne and Foley played well enough on Tuesday to perhaps be involved in some capacity against Burnley, who if we beat then this storm in a tea-cup will disappear and all will be forgiven, probably not forgotten though.
Do you know what, I’d have loved to have devoted as much copy to the amazing result against Spurs, yet the hot topic of the day is all about an over-blown story of Mick rotating the squad.
Right, let’s change the subject completely. How about something different to discuss rather that the Man Utd game?
As we are coming to the end of the Noughties, I’ve put together my candidates for the Wolves team of the decade.
Apart from the goalkeeper, where you have three to choose from, I have listed six in each of the other categories. Pick the keeper and then two from each other category to come up with your team using the classic 4-4-2:-
Goalkeepers:- Matt Murray, Michael Oakes, Wayne Hennessey
Centre Backs:- Jody Craddock, Joleen Lescott, Keith Curle, Ludovic Pollet, Neil Emblem and Gary Breen.
Full Backs:- Denis Irwin, Kevin Muscat, Lee Naylor, Kevin Foley, Michael Gray, Mo Camara
Central Midfielders:- Paul Ince, Alex Rae, Colin Cameron, Karl Henry, Seyi Olofinjana and Mark Davies
Wingers:- Michael Kightly, Matt Jarvis, Mark Kennedy, Andy Sinton, Shaun Newton and Kevin Cooper.
Strikers:- Kenny Miller, George Ndah (my lord), Dean Sturridge, Nathan Blake, Kevin Doyle and Sylvan Ebanks Blake
I think the above illustrates that this hasn’t been the strongest decade for Wolves players, but remember that we have only been in the top league twice.
I’ll announce the team next week and also the five candidates for Wolves player of the decade, which your votes will decide. If you feel strongly that I have missed anybody from the list above, please stake your case for their inclusion.
Enjoy your weekend and I’m sure when we leap-frog Burnley in the league with a win on Sunday, Mick will return to his magic status.
UTW!
Sponsored Links
Business Awards
Book a Business Awards table
Join our celebrations of the region's best in business on Thursday March 22 - book your table now
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases
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
Agree with your comments above, Nathan. There is a lot of hypocracy in the premiership, so give Mick a break! Got my tickets for me and junior torch man for Sunday, and we’ll be screaming and jumping for the whole 90 minutes (that will also help to keep us warm!)
Team from above?
Murray
Naylor Craddock Lescott Foley
Kightly Ince Rae Jarvis
Doyle Ndah
Up the Wolves!
Report abuse
Whilst I agree with most of what you have said, and take nothing away from the performance against Tottenham, I repeat what I have said before until we learn to pass and head the ball out of defence and midfield to another wolves player then we will always put ourselves underpressure and the players will be tired because they are ball chasing. The players against Man U also in many cases couldn’t pass the ball to a wolves player!
Report abuse
Nathan; there is no point responding to your blog in the manner I really want because the language would not get past the moderator. I will, therefore confine myself a mild, single word.
TRIPE
Report abuse
As a wolves mad Kiddy lad living on the goldcoast in Oz I really feel sorry for all the fans that made the trip and coughed up all the cash to watch our fringe players wave the white flag to Utd. But my feeling is that Mick is only doing what he thinks will help keep us up. And that’s what were all desperate for. I’m praying for a win against Burnley and then ballsie move has payed off
Report abuse
Goalkeeper:- Wayne Hennessey
Centre Backs:- Jody Craddock, Joleen Lescott
Full Backs:- Denis Irwin, Lee Naylor
Central Midfielders:- Paul Ince, Alex Rae
Wingers:- Michael Kightly, Matt Jarvis
Strikers:- Kenny Miller, Sylvan Ebanks Blake
Report abuse
i have picked a team of consistent performers, and players that are not out injured all the time (sorry Matt)
Wayne Hennessey
Kevin Muscat
Joleen Lescott
Keith Curle
Kevin Foley
Michael Kightly
Paul Ince
Alex Rae
Andy Sinton
Kevin Doyle
Ebanks Blake
Report abuse
Very well argued blog Nathan.
I’m behind Mick’s team selection, but not the order he played them.
I think Mick wanted to make a name for himself by changing all 10 outfield players, and now regrettably that has backfired on the club.
If Mick had started with Berra & Jarvis instead of having them on the bench, and put Hill & Friend on the bench instead I think most would have accepted the line up. The rest of the changes seem pretty reasonable.
I think Craddock, Doyle & maybe Stearman were rightfully rested. Surely no-one disputes that, & Edwards was obviously out.
So who were the first team ‘reserves’ that were disgracefully chosen instead?
Many of Mick’s critics have been saying our best 11 should include Hahnemann, Zubar, Mancienne, Foley & Castillo, which is half of our controvesial line up. Throw in Mick’s favorite Halford, who we don’t want but who can deny Mick favours him, & the Hoff as his obvious target man. Again critics say if we really must play Halford have the Hoff there as his target man. When you add Iwelumo & Jarvis that came on anyway…we fielded 9 players that many would say are some of our strongest players, not those making up the numbers. Henry, Berra & SEB were on the bench too.
We’ve certainly had more Ward, SEB & Henry critics than Zubar, Foley & Castillo…so why all of a sudden are they the ‘reserves’ that shouldn’t play, just cause we’ve actually won a game!
That basically leaves Milijas, who we all know who is not yet capable of finishing a PL game.
So really the big contrversy was Hill & Friend, & as I said earlier perhaps Mick should have started them on the bench. Admittedly Surman started too, but & looked good just as he did against Chelsea, so I wouldn’t begrudge his starting place.
One thing that seems totally irrelevant to everyone…is we played pretty well, certainly better than against Chelsea.
I am certain we will have a better chance of beating Burnley through resting those that needed resting.
Simon :)
Report abuse
goalie-murray
centrebacks-lescott,curle
fullbacks-irwin,muscat
central mid-ince,milijas
wing-kightly,kennedy
strikers-doyle,ebanks sturridge
Report abuse
Matt Murray
Kevin Muscat
Joleen Lescott
Keith Curle
Lee Naylor
Michael Kightly
Paul Ince
Alex Rae
Andy Sinton
Kenny Miller
Ebanks Blake
Report abuse
Matt Murray
Kevin Muscat
Joleen Lescott
Keith Curle
Denis Irwin
Michael Kightly
Paul Ince
Colin Cameron
Andy Sinton
Kenny Miller
George Ndah
Report abuse
I can’t believe Lee Naylor was even a candidate, a terrible player who was defensively shocking.
I read this morning that Hennessey (rumours) has rejected a new four year deal. Somebody didnt like getting dropped. If he wants to go then sell him with a sell on clause he doesn’t command his area. Lets get a bid in for Martin Fulop from Sunderland.
Report abuse
great blog. I was of the same mind-set as you, Mick has given the players a well deserved rest after a great performance at spurs. I thought we played well against man-u despite loosing, there were still many positives to take from the game.
Got your message about the squad, I am still in France so I couldnt call you back. However here is my selection
Matt Murray
Denis Irwin, Lee Naylor, Kevin Foley
Paul Ince, Alex Rae, Karly Henry
Matt Jarvis, Shaun Newton
Sylvan Ebanks Blake, Dean Sturridge
Got to say I am suprised you put Olifinjana in the midfield section :)
It will be hard work counting the votes from the blog responses, it would be cool if the E&S webmasters cannot create a voting system for the page (making life easier for the user and yourself).
Cheers bro
Report abuse
Love you Nathan I applaud you very good blog. This has all gone mental time it was put to bed. I am with MM and I will reserve judgement on him until the end of the season.
Report abuse
Just a comment about Hennessey on the transfer rumours page, to be honest he has never filled me with confidence when he has been between the sticks and it sounds like he wants to move away (I wouldn’t be too disappointed if he did go) if he is rejecting a 4 year contract, not many would get a contract offer like that, or is he getting a little to greedy.
Report abuse
Good blog Nathan. After reading many awfully constructed and totally prejudiced articles on the subject this week, your’s makes a refreshing change.
However, some of your choices for squad of the decade are downright awful!!!! Keith Curle? Andy Sinton? Mark Davies?? Neil Emblen?!?!!!! They wouldn’t get in any Wolves XI of mine, and the first three barely played any part of the decade. And Kevin Doyle hasn’t even played 20 games for us has he? Shocking! If we’re going on one-season wonders Stephen Ward has to be in there ahead of Michael Gray. And Paul Butler deserves a mention too.
Report abuse
My team would be…
Murray
Foley
Craddock
Lescott
Irwin
Kightly
Ince
Rae
Jarvis
Miller
Ebanks-Blake
Report abuse
I went on Tuesday and I have a question which sums up my feelings entirely:
1) Why are we in the premiership and striving for points to stay up next year, only for us to play the reserves against the top teams again next year if we do stay up? Surely the main reason we are here is to play against the best!
If someone could give me a logical answer to this I will buy them a Ferrari.
Report abuse
I was there Tuesday:
Mancienne quality.
Foley distribution was great.
Elokobi did a sterling job at centre back.
Hoff linked play brilliantly. He has to play with Doyle…. they would be amazing.
Mick’s decisions made perfect sense. I’d have done the same.
Utd were tat. Only Obertan looked a player. If our Tuesday team had gone full-tilt like Saturday, we could have done them and Mick would have been a genius.
As for the team:
Murray
Foley, Pollett, Lescott, Naylor
Kightly, Rae, Cameron, Jarvis
SEB, Miller.
For Saturday:
Marcus
Foley, Berra, Craddock, Ward
Castillo, Milijas, Henry
Doyle, Jarvis,
Hoff.
Report abuse
Where is Notlob? Never heard of that team before.
Anyway, I would go with Murray, Irwin, Lescott, Craddock, Naylor, Kightly, Ince, Rae, Kennedy, Miller, Ndah.
Report abuse
Nathan,
My team of the decade would be……..
Hahnemann
Zubar
Mancienne
Elokobi
Hill
Castillo
Friend
Foley
Surman
Halford
Maierhofer
Well, it would be if it was based on controversy. :) Seriously, lets put it behind us know and roar the lads on to a vital win on sunday. I don’t agree with what mick did ( i think it was a disgrace to our proud history for what it’s worth), and i feel for those who spent their hard earned money in these troubled time to watch our beloved team surrender, but if what he did helps us achieve our ultimate goal (survival) then so be it.
My real team would be……
Murray
Irwin
Foley
Craddock
Lescott
Ince
Rae
Kightly
Kennedy
Doyle
Ebanks-Blake
Let’s get behind the lads and keep any negativity away from molineux. It’s not the lads fault they were “rested” and they’ll need our full support to get anything against a decent Burnley side.
Come on me babbies!!!
UTW
Report abuse
Sorry Nathan I disagree, all clubs play 3 times in a week, and we have an extra days rest than burnley. Also the key to birmingham city’s season is consistant team selections. Wolves bar injuries have chopped and changed throughout. Any its old news!
Goalie Murray
Defence Irwin, Foley, Lescott, Pollet
Midfield Ince, Rae,
Wingers Newton, Kennedy
Strikers Miller, Ebanks-Blake
Report abuse
PureWolves, thanks, I’m feeling your love!
14. JQ “However, some of your choices for squad of the decade are downright awful!!!! Keith Curle? Andy Sinton? Mark Davies?? Neil Emblen?!?!!!! They wouldn’t get in any Wolves XI of mine, and the first three barely played any part of the decade. And Kevin Doyle hasn’t even played 20 games for us has he? Shocking! If we’re going on one-season wonders Stephen Ward has to be in there ahead of Michael Gray. And Paul Butler deserves a mention too.”
I spent hours trawling through match reports from the last ten years trying to make up the numbers for each category. Completely disagree about Keith Curle, he was fantastically composed as a defender.
Its all subjective though. I always liked Neil Emblem as a player, but I take your point about Paul Butler, he might have deserved an inclusion simply on the back of the abuse he got that one match.
Report abuse
Spinning the dial last night to find some football chat whilst cooking the tea, I stumbled across Danny Kelly – McCarthy/Wolves bashing – on Talksport. It was more than I could bear and phoned the show and argued in Mick’s defence. After being cut off, he went onto interview Graham Alexander and tried to draw him into the debate – painting a picture of good, honest Burnley/Owen Coyle before wishing him well against “snidey Wolves”. In fairness to the Burnley player, he dealt well with the questioning. I have a great deal of time for Alexander/Coyle/Burnley and what they have achieved/are achieving and feel sorry that this match will be played out under the glare of the media in the way that it now will. Some will blame Mick for this. I still think he was right/within his rights to do what he did. But whatever we think, more important than anything is that we UNITE and do all we can to help Mick and the lads to three points on Sunday. Then hopefully the Wengers and Kellys of this world will stop laying all the ills of football and society in general at our door… The hypocrisy is staggering.
Report abuse
SUPERSTARDJWOLVES, 20
We have had consistant team selections, and do Premiership teams really have 3 games a week? I must have missed a shed load of games at the Mol if that is the case!
Report abuse
16) we haven’t been playing the ‘reserves’ against top teams this season. look at the chelsea and arsenal matches… and again at Tottenham! As Mick has said, he played the team that he thought would perform best on the night and i agree, e.g. a fully fit Mancienne would probably perform a hell of a lot better than a completely knackered Christophe Berra.
Besides if we do stay up, then we will have more money to spend on more players and a better squad which means this kind of thing is less likely to happen. Any newly promoted club is the same in the fact that they don’t have 20 or 30 fully experienced premier league stars at their disposal straight away.
I want my Ferrari…
Report abuse
Shermagic – Notlob is Bolton backwards.
On this whole issue, I sit on the fence I can see the need to rest players but I think changing all 10 was just Mick making a jesture that he can pick what team he likes. I would have thought 5 changes with making 3 subs for fresh legs would have rested the players and noone would have been questioning his selcetion. I do have to agreee that this has been blown out of all propotion I cannot believe the newspapers, TV and Radio have nothing better to discuss than what team Wolves play.
Report abuse
Good blog Nathan
I would like to question one aspect of the changes though – The premiership season is only 38 games long whereas the championship season is 46 games long and we won that division comfortably in the end last season so why are these players not capable of playing in 38 games?
Below are the appearance stats of those players that played for us last season and started against Spurs on Saturday and with the exception of Jarvis who was injured for several months and Craddock who was on loan for half the season all of them played in excess of 38 games so why do they need a rest?
I have no doubt that their exertions would have taken it out of some of the players but these are professionals who should be able to perform at this level week in week out if they want to class themselves as Premiership players and reap the benefits that that status attracts.
I find it difficult to believe that a 38 game premiership season is so much more physically demanding than a 46 game championship season (and don’t forget that that division joins the cup competitions earlier as well).
Would it not have been more prudent to have made some changes and rested key players rather than wholesale changes? Ebanks-Blake for one certainly looks like he could benefit from minutes on the pitch and against his former club – you never know, applying the law of sod, he may have got that much needed goal!
The proof will be in the pudding on Sunday I suppose but i just hope this does not backfire because if we lose on Sunday against a team that have only taken one point from their travels this season, you can bet your bottom dollar that the knives will be out again!
Stearman 35 + 5 sub
Craddock 17 (plus 4 for stoke)
Berra 15 (plus 25 for Hearts)
Ward 40 + 4
Henry 46 + 1
Jarvis 22 + 7
Ebanks Blake 41 + 3
Report abuse
Morning Nath
Did you really need to rack up the manure again?
Like the team of the decade thing, haven’t seen that anywhere else, I’ll go for:-
Murray, Naylor, Lescott, Craddock, Irwin, Kennedy, Ince, Henry, Kites, SEB, Miller.
I think you have to look at what the players have achieved for Wolves, not necessarily how good a player they were. Kennedy scored the first goal at Cardiff and although we may not have always loved him, Naylor was a really good servant for the club.
Kenny Miller is a shoe-in as is Murray. Look forward to seeing the results next week.
Much love.
Report abuse
Talk about a storm in a tea cup. Stroll on Sunday.
Report abuse
Is wayne not wanting to re-sign an indication that he is not ready for competition as I remember last season when he was dropped for Ikeme he kinda spat the dummy then.
I think Marcus is doing a bang up job on the last 2 games where he has had a chance.
He is a lot more confident when commanding his area even though maybe he is abit too confident
Lets get behand the team for our 3 points against Burnley
Report abuse
Nathan, You are really wide of the mark and clueless this time.
We will / have lost momentum and the pressure will all be on us… just look at what Burnley have doen with far inferior squad than ours.. Aresnal at home this week is a prime example.
Our season is not made or broken on one game, but on consistent team performance.. Look at Blues.. again a weaker squad ( Defensively stronger than us though )
To turn up and field a team that cannot deliver a a result is unforgiveable, and fitters away the chance of points than we can ill afford. You assume that 3 pts against Burnleyis a given.. given our home form I’d question that.
What next weakened teams against Chelsea/ Liverpool.. this not a Playstation game you know.. get real.
Just hope we win on Sunday.. all the eyes of the league will on us.. talk about putting pressure on the lads..This is a real gaff of gargatuan proportions.
MM will be severley scrutinised shoudl the result go against us, but even if it does his triumph ( lets hope )will be hollow in my opinion.
Report abuse
Wayne Hennessey, Ludovic Pollet, Gary Breen, Kevin Muscat, Mo Camara,Colin Cameron, Seyi Olofinjana,Andy Sinton, Shaun Newton, Kenny Miller, Sylvan Ebanks Blake
Report abuse
Thanks JonnyB.
But I don’t get it. Why say ‘Notlob’, why not just say ‘Bolton’?
Report abuse
i will never back a manager who admits defeat in a match in the premier league before it’s kicked off.
Quite simply i purchased my home and away season ticket with the belief in all 38 games i would at least see wolves best team competing for points every game.
We may aswell have had a 37 game season.Its embarrased wolves as a football club and damaged the integrity of the game and the club.
Report abuse
Cpt_Wolves
Bleb!
Report abuse
My vote goes to:
OAKES
IRWIN CRADDOCK LESCOTT MUSCAT
KENNEDY INCE RAE NEWTON
STURRIDGE EBANKS-BLAKE
Gutted I could find a place for COLIN CAMERON, great and loyal player. Legend.
Ludovic Pollet – likewise.
One glaring omission – NATHAN BLAKE
Report abuse
Yep it’s all about opinions Nathan and obviously there’s no definitive team. Keith Curle was a superb defender but I just question his validity for a Wolves team of the decade, seen as he only played a handful of games in 2000 when his career was coming to an end.
Report abuse
Good blog Nathan, and nice one for suggesting we vote for team of the decade.
For what it’s worth, here’s mine:
Murray
Irwin, Lescott, Pollet, Muscatt (the dirty b******!)
Kightly, Ince, Rae, Kennedy
Miller, SEB
Have a good Christmas everyone – looking forward to Sunday as I’m taking my kids to a match for the first time – my 4 year old already knows the words to Hi-Ho WOLVER’AMPTON.
UTW!
Report abuse
Sorry Nathan – MM’s actions are indefensible, no matter how you spin it. Fact – Blues have won 6 on the trot – no matter who the opposition, you can’t do that in the premiership without playing to your best levels every game – I never hear Alex McLeish talking about tired players or survival – we put too much emphasis on that – Blues just get on with it – they keep a winning team, which breeds confidence and becomes a habit – all MM has done this time is bring the Nation’s focus onto Sunday’s game – they all want us to fail now and the pressure on the players could just be too much – we’ll see on Sunday – just picture the scenes if Burnley steal an early goal – this was all un-necessary – he could have rested one or two of the older legs like Craddock, but don’t give me any more flannel about internationals please! He had a centre-half at right back, a right-back in midfield, a midfielder up front, a left-back at centre-half, another left-back on the left-wing, another left-back at left-back (oh sorry he got that one right). Onto Sunday and they’ll get my vocal support as always, I just hope the ‘A Team’ are up to it, because if they’re not………..
Report abuse
Team of the decade without Frankowski or Robert Taylor?
Murray, Craddock, Lescott, Naylor, Muscat, Ince, Rae, Kennedy, Sinton, SEB, Miller.
Report abuse
2. john in spain totally agree with your point aout passing to our players, nathan agree with most of your blog, my team of the decade.
1.oakes
2.muscat
3.michael gray
4.pollet
5.emblen
6.rae
7.cameron
8.kightly
9.ebanks
10.ndah
11.kennedy
Report abuse
Nathan – regarding Tuesday night – I agree with all you say on the matter.
Disgruntled Wolf – don’t you think that you are doing those that played a dis-service by calling them ‘reserves’.There were full internationals in that line up and a good number have featured heavily in the starting line-ups of the season so far. I don’t regard Foley, Zubar, Mancienne,Castillo,Iwelumo or others as ‘reserves’.Halford, Elokobi and Surman have both started Prem matches, and the Hoff is one of the rare breed that have actually scored for us in the Prem.
The fact is our squad does not have the quality in depth as established teams, but if we stay up it that will be gradually improved.
You can keep the Ferrari.
To those ready to ‘hang, draw and quarter’ Wayno, we haven’t heard his side yet. I seem to recall problems with Kites renewing his contract, but that was resolved, so why not wait instead of thinking the worst?
Report abuse
Hi JQ…. See your point about Keith Curle. I looked at Mike Stowell, but I think he only played 1 or 2 games in 2000 before he left the club at the end of the season.
TaffWolves, Nathan Blake is included in the list.
Report abuse
I totally agree with what you have said. I think we went OTT with 10 changes but there were players like Craddock, Ward, Ebanks-Blake and Doyle that would have most definitely struggled – all have been injured this season and have to be wrapped in cotton wool – and it would have been a disaster if they had got injured for the Burnley game – a tough but winnable game.
With the exception of Friend, this was not a novice XI and I thought Foley and Mancienne performed well and it was good to see Zubar again. Also I thought Surman had a decent game but once again it proved that Halford can only be a bench warmer. Who knows what could have happened if Friend had taken the one gilt edged chance?
Let’s get behind the team and I think we might see Wolves get a 3-1 result and be out of the bottom three and with a bit of luck we could be fifth or sixth from bottom!
Report abuse
Why do you write this blog?? You dont go to many away games, if any.
I’m still annoyed and always will be. It cost me nearly £100 to go on Tuesday with a day off work at my busiest time of year.
And also cost my brother the same, who went straight up after work on the train
If you look at how much it will cost Morgan personally it is £105,000 based on all adults at the match. PEANUTS to him. Or how about just take it off Moxey bonus!
Its Christmas during a ression, but they don’t care about fans in their million pound houses over xmas.
They have not said sorry to the fans as they don’t care. The loyalty of our fans is taken for granted.
In a way we a stupid because we Love our club so much, yet it doesn’t love us!
Report abuse
Got to be…
Murray
Irwin, Lescott, Breen, Foley
Kightley, Ince, Rae, Jarvis
Ndah, Ebanks-Blake
Report abuse
Pollet was a great servant – pity he wasn’t retained for our previous Premiership campaign in view of the injuries we were to receive. Whether he is selected for the final team or not, many of us will never forget him.
Report abuse
pecentages ? i sugest that you check how many mick has won whilst being a manager in the premership….less than 12%…thank god that he does not gamble else with this record he would be bankrupt !!
Report abuse
16.
1) Why are we in the premiership and striving for points to stay up next year, only for us to play the reserves against the top teams again next year if we do stay up? Surely the main reason we are here is to play against the best!
As another post states, the so called first team did play against Chelsea, Aresenal, Spurs and Villa. I’m sure if the Man Utd game had fallen on sunday this weekend, with no midweek game you would have seen the so called ‘first team’ again!
This story is completely out of proportion.
Report abuse
Spot on, fans were unhappy at what happened, and who can blame them, but surely if it does result in 3 points we will all be the happier for it!
Anyway my team would be:
Matt Murray
Kevin Foley
Joleon Lescott
Jody Craddock
Lee Naylor
Michael Kightly
Paul Ince
Colin Cameron
Mark Kennedy
Ebanks Blake
Kenny Miller
Shame the team above never got the chance to play together…. would of been some team in my eyes :D
Keith Curle – Excellent but we got him too late
Neill Emblem – Well you could put him up for Centre Back, Centre Mid and Centre forward….. didn’t he play in every position for us??
My vote for player of the decade would have to be Joleon Lescott, was total class from day 1.
Report abuse
Im glad to see the support coming out for MM as i feel his intentions were right, but just overkilled it slightly!!
Doyle, Craddock and Berra should have been rested, and possibly Stearman although he hasnt played all games this season, and with Edwards injury there are 5 of your changes for starters.
I just feel if ever we were gonna get points off UNITED!! it could have been on this occasion – after a great victory DOWN SARF and UTD on their heels slightly a draw would have been a real possibility.
But in MM we must trust and support, I hope to god we win Sunday as all the Pondlife will be circling on the surface.
As for Hennessey, he really needs to do one if he is not prepared to fight for his place – we dont need that childish crap in such an important season.
Come on the boys, 3 Points please!!!
Report abuse
Hi Nathan, good blog, completely agree.
My question, who has been our best manager since Grahan Turner??
I hope once all the rambling nuggets on here put this question into perspective, it will silence the McCarthy critics, as he wins it by a landslide.
Report abuse
“Its Christmas during a ression”, Wolves ay I, whats a ression?
Report abuse
There is one comment here that I agree with TRIPE-What is done is done and I am not a MM blagger–What he did was wrong–
After Spurs MAN U were there for the taking–Come SUNDAY and we beat Burnley all will be forgotten until the next fo-par made by MM.
But I know one thing SUNDAY WILL BE INTERESTING AT THE ASDA DOME–WOULD NOT MISS IT FOR THE WORLD–
By the way are the away travellers going to get their money back–NOPE–Happy Xmas all ———Crazey Dave
Report abuse
Good article, Nathan. Very balanced and reasonable – something that can’t be said about a lot of the coverage we’ve had this week.
Got to be:
Murray
Muscat Ludo Lescott Foley
Kights Ince Rae Sinton
Deano SEB
Report abuse
Well then I have every right to be peeved that Wolves moved Sunday’s game so late in the day.
I have to pre-book flights a fair few weeks in advance (if I dont want the mad prices) and they moved the game just a few weeks ago.
I can’t go to the Wolves the weekend now they moved the game, so should I be angry too? How dare Wolves think of themselves and move a game for Sky (worth 500k I think) instead of thinking of me the fan!!
Report abuse
Paul Ince is the greatest player of the last ten years, utter genius and gorgeous to boot!
Glad that the manure story is dying, lets talk about something else.
Team of the decade:- Murray, Naylor, Lescott, Craddock, Foley, Kennedy, Ince, Rae, Kightly, Ebanks Blake, Miller
Report abuse
I would counter your arguments as follows:
1. MM seems to think he can “cherry pick” games in order to survive in the league – I question that approach simply upon the basis of our results to date.Our record against fellow strugglers really is not that impressive.And yet we have managed to get points from higher placed teams such as Everton,Aston Villa and Spurs.
2. Burnley have an even more meagre group of players but to date have got more impressive results, played better, more creative ( and entertaining) attacking football than our team. They played their usual lineup (of largely Championship players)against Arsenal the other day and got a fully deserved draw ( and they beat Man United!!!)- tell me how MM thinks he has a stuck on three points this weekend?
3. Our team was coming into the Tuesday game with two consecutive wins- our top players must have been crushed not to be playing at Old Trafford. How is MM justifying maintaining team confidence to the players after making all of these changes?
To date, we have scored very few goals and until Milijas finally got a chance to play we have shown little or no creativity. Why not go to Man U and play our best squad and have a go? Football to me is about having the balls to go out and play with the conviction that you can win. And, lets not forget Wolves are in the entertainment business ( like it or not)and must consider the fan base who play high prices for tickets, travel etc in an economy that sucks and were royally screwed by MM’s decision.
Report abuse
I can understand to a certain extent what Mick did but I think it’s wrong on so many levels and does undermine the integrity of the league. It’s been an embarrasing week for the club.
I did go on tues, and wished I could have been spared the expense but I’m bored of this debate now too. I suppose Mick will be judged on Sun and at the end of the season.
Team from above:
Murray
Foley
Craddock
Lescott
Irwin
Kightly
Ince
Henry
Jarvis
Doyle
Ebanks
The current crop get the nod over 2003, due to fact we went up as champions and not through the play offs.
Report abuse
Firstly if we don’t beat Burnley at the weekend, this simply won’t go away.
Secondly, my team for the decade:- Hennessey, Naylor, Lescott, Pollet, Muscat, Kennedy, Ince, Rae, Kightly, SEB, Miller
Really looking forward to beating Burnley on Sunday, what a cracker of a game.
Report abuse
Hennessey, Irwin, Lescott, Pollet, Muscat, Kennedy, Ince, Cameron, Kightly, SEB, Ndah
Nathan, you are so far off the mark its untrue. What gives Mick the right to shatter the dreams of the players who would have given Man Utd a proper game?
And what divine right do we to beat Burnley at the weekend?
This season hinges on the result on Sunday. Lose and I’m afraid Mick will have to go.
Report abuse
What’s all this about judging Mick at the end f the season.
The same happy clappers were arguing to judge Mick at Christmas and not last close season.
When we get demoted will you same muppets then be asking for him to be judged at the end of the first Championship season?
How many bad decisions does this managerial disaster have to make? The club is tearing itself apart and we are fighting relegation!
Report abuse
Rubbish Nathan,,case against–iff he fields the side he put out on Tuesday,on Sunday,would you be happy,,would you be happy to stay in the premiership by sneaking in the back door,by not playing the top sides,we were cowards on Tuesday night,far better to stand up and fight like Burnly and Brum,,no shame in getting beat,but there is shame in running away.Iff the only way we can ensure premiership football is by not playing the top sides,is it worth being in the premiership,surely iff we won the right to be in the same division we should at least try and beat them,how can we hold our heads up and defend our team when we ran away,,and finally iff you and Mick thought it was a right decision,why not say so in plenty of time so the true fans could decide iff they wanted to shell out to watch the reserves..Iff your Idea is premiership at any cost,where do you draw the line,,Roony diving,Henry handball,all ok..what about Pride in being a Wolves fan..Tuesday night gutted me,no excuses.
Report abuse
Dunno what the problem is. When the big three are playing european ties they’ll be playing weakened teams. By doing so they often have an effect on the relagetion places.
Fielding weakened teams is wrong on so many levels and especially on the fans, but its the big four that have been doing this for years and no one whinges.Man Utd lost to west ham a season or to ago which meant the hammers stayed up. Who moaned then?
The problem is in this time of squads who is to say what the strongest team is except for the manager.
It is very unsatisfactory but at the end of the day Mick must keep up any way he can. I think refunds to the fans is in order or maybe free admission to a game in the future.
Report abuse
Billy Wrights Curls – You win post of the day my firend. How rididculous.
Hows about all the decisions re signing SEB, Kighlty, Doyle. About getting us to the Prem in the first place ? Put your own personal pride to one side and think about the club for gods sake.
The same Happy clappers supported this manager when we missed the play offs and during our bad spell around about this time last season. You lot were calling for Ince !! Pah !
44 Wolves AY I – who are you to tell Morgan what to spend his money on !? Jesus. He spent close to £20 million on Wolves in the summer to buy A SQUAD. A squad that was utilised on Tuesday night.
This wasn’t a personal attack on the fans by McCarthy. It was what he thought was for the good of the club. get over it.
Report abuse
Matt Murray
Kevin Foley
Jody Craddock
Joleen Lescott
Lee Naylor
Michael Kightly
Alex Rae
Karl Henry
Shaun Newton
Sylvan Ebanks Blake
Kenny Miller
Report abuse
Wolves are my team. They can do no wrong. I don’t care what Wenger and the rest think. It’s as simple as that.
Report abuse
Murray, Naylor, Craddock, Lescott, Foley, Kennedy, Rae, Cameron, Newton, SEB, Miller.
Wolves 2 Burnley 0
Report abuse
64,Alex Raes Butler,Billy Wrights curls has a right to voice an opinion of which many fans agree with.In my opinion it is not just about the team selection on tuesday but the formation,4 left backs.Blues have had an exceptional start to the season by playing a settled side where as MM just does not seem to know his best 11.With regard to the Expenditure it is not mr Morgans money but that of sky and i for one would rather have gone for quality not quantity.Finally read Paul Mersons comments on the Sky Football website,just about says it all for me.
Report abuse
Pedro, take a breath, you sound like you about to keel over!
Lets all take a deep breath, see what happens Sunday and then decide whether Mick is:-
a, Muppet
b, Magic
c, Both.
Report abuse
What an utter waste of a read, there is 5 minutes of my time I’ll never get back.
Wolves are a big club who have dropped their pants and said here, take 3 points.
This week I feel ashamed to be a Wolves fan.
Report abuse
68 – there’s a reason that particular sky pundit is a sky pundit.
Report abuse
Matt Murray
Kevin Foley
Jody Craddock
Joleen Lescott
Lee Naylor
Michael Kightly
Alex Rae
Paul Ince
Shaun Newton
Sylvan Ebanks Blake
Kenny Miller
Report abuse
What no Paul Butler. Him and Lescott were rock solid at the centre of our defence during our playoff winning season.
My best eleven is:
Murray
foley craddock lescott irwin
kightly rae ince kennedy
doyle sturridge
Report abuse
Murray
Naylor, Lescott, Pollet, Foley,
Kennedy, Henry, Ince, Kightly
Ndah, Doyle
I would say player of the decade should be murray, as for the first half he was outstanding, and if he hadnt been unlucky with injuries he would definantly be England No.1 and Wolves would have stayed in the prem first time round. Ndah is deffinantly my close second, just with the memories of the days when he played out his skin, i.e. 3-1 West Brom (2003?) and when he came on as a sub against derby the other year and turned the game around!
Report abuse
64. Alex Rae’s Butler
Your attempts to bully any disenting voice is getting monotonous and is bound to fail.
We don’t like bully’s in the Black Country!
Report abuse
Goalkeeper:- Wayne Hennessey
Centre Backs:- Jody Craddock, Joleen Lescott
Full Backs:- Kevin Muscat, Lee Naylor
Central Midfielders:- Paul Ince, Colin Cameron
Wingers:- Michael Kightly, Mark Kennedy
Strikers:- Kenny Miller, George Ndah
Report abuse
Nathan, what was your reaction, there and then, when you heard the team for Tuesday?
Well said, 7 Simon in oklahoma (scotwolf1, razor and other likeminded folk).
Not a reserve team vs MU but the changes overdone, especially asking Scunthorpe for our ball back.
More than skid marks on me if we do a Portsmouth on Sunday. Don’t get hoist Mick.
COYW.
Report abuse
A well balanced blog. This is a professional game and MM won’t be concerned about petals who have their feeling hurt, be they players dropped or fans watching squad players. He has his sights on points and Premiership survival.
Mind you we will certainly have the spotlight on us come Sunday with the hacks from the Nationals circling. Let’s hope we get an early goal to settle things. Our 2-0 win over Burnley was, in my opinion, our best performance last season.
My team, Nathan
Murray
Foley Lescott Pollet Naylor
Cameron Ince
Kightly Ebanks Kennedy
Why was Muscat ever included ?…and worse still why have some posters selected him ? That idiot was almost singlehandedly responsible for the Tescos overtaking us. He elbowed the Grimsby winger for absolutely no reason and got sent off. With the defence in disarray Andy Todd scored off a corner and we lost 1-0. We never recovered from that and that other fool Mo Camara put the finishing touches to the embarrassment a few weeks later at Hillsboro.
Muscat’s name should be struck from the Wolves’ record books….Big Brother has spoken !
Keith Curle didn’t play enough games this decade, but, would be one of the few players from a few years ago who we could do with in our Premiership team now. Cultured, calm and classy.
Report abuse
71,there’s a reason that particular sky pundit is a sky pundit,Yes probably because he knows more about football than you ever will.
Report abuse
I have to say, I really don’t understand MM’s decision to play a weakened side against Man Utd. A full stregnth Wolves side were more than capable of getting a result against a weakened Utd team. That’s 3 lost points that could be crucial at the end of the season.
I would have been fuming as a Wolves fan making the journey to Manchester to watch McCarthy say to Utd “there have the 3 points, I want to save my best players for the Burnley match” you have to play your best side in all matches or you have no chance.
Report abuse