Chelsea 2 Wolves 0
Saturday 23rd October 2010, 5:20PM BST.
Battling Wolves produced one of their best performances of the season – but it was all in vain as they became Chelsea’s 10th successive victims.
Stephen Hunt, who replaced Jelle van Damme at half-time, finally made his Wolves debut and almost equalised within two minutes of coming on, his diving header blocked on the line by Michael Essien with Petr Cech beaten.
But Chelsea’s better quality in the attacking third paid off as goals from Florent Malouda and substitute Salomon Kalou proved the difference.
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy made three changes to the side that drew 1-1 against West Ham last week.
As expected, Richard Stearman and Nenad Milijas replaced the unavailable Jody Craddock and Michael Mancienne.
Jelle van Damme was the surprise inclusion, making a return to the starting line-up in place of Steven Fletcher, who dropped to the bench.
McCarthy also selected three players making their first appearances in the 18 for the first time – summer signings from Hull in Hunt and Steven Mouyokolo along with David Davis, who was recalled from his loan at Walsall on Thursday.
And it was Wolves, who forced three early corners, who created the first chance when captain for the day Christophe Berra powered in a goalbound header that hit John Terry’s foot before being cleared.
But Berra was the culprit when Chelsea launched their first attack, failing to react to a one-two between Nicolas Anelka and Jose Bosingwa and the latter’s angled drive was palmed wide by goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann.
However, Wolves returned to the attack and Dave Edwards forced goalkeeper Petr Cech into his first action with a falling save from a header to meet the excellent Kevin Foley’s cross to cap an excellent passing move involving David Jones and Kevin Doyle.
Van Damme also went close to scoring in the 23rd minute when he came storming in to meet Matt Jarvis’ cross, his chested effort under pressure from Bosingwa seeing Cech smother.
Within seconds, Wolves were made to pay as Chelsea broke the deadlock, Malouda sidefooting into the centre of the goal after Anelka’s great pass inside released Yuri Zhirkov, inviting the pull-back for the forward to apply the final touch.
But Wolves continued to do an excellent containing job on the champions, as well as playing some neat passing football, Foley in particular a productive outlet with Jarvis down the right.
The visitors remained firmly in the game and Milijas tested Cech with two low drives from distance.
However, Chelsea were predictably the dominant force and stepped it up again briefly after the half hour.
The recalled Didier Drogba then Branislav Ivanovic saw shots blocked in a packed goalmouth following Malouda’s free kick awarded for a lunge by Stearman on Drogba in the corner that earned the defender a 33rd minute booking.
Wolves returned to the attack again though and Doyle had their best chance of the first half two minutes before the break.
But the £6.5million striker, still searching for his first Premier League goal of the season, failed to get enough of a head on Jones’ high cross after arriving unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box.
Chelsea tried to make Wolves pay again as they piled forward for a second goal, but Bosingwa’s toe-poked effort was blocked by Hahnemann’s legs after the full-back beat van Damme.
Sparked by Hunt’s arrival, Wolves started the second half well and, after the winger’s headed effort, Doyle forced Cech into a full length save to his left to palm away a left foot drive from the edge of the area.
But Chelsea were always threatening and Wolves had a let-off when Malouda’s shot hit Essien.
The home side’s next attack owed everything to the ice-cool reactions of Hahnemann after the American raced from his area and stood his ground superbly to block as Droga bore down on him after racing clear onto Ivanovic’s clearance.
Milijas curled a long range effort straight at Cech but Wolves conceded a crucial second goal.
Substitute Kalou was the scorer, slotting in at Hahnemann’s near post after a one-two with Drogba, Essien supplying the final pass which proved beyond the stretching Stephen Ward.
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you seen the table lads lol
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A good performance from Wolves but you get no points for being spirited losers.
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Seems we played really well, and even though it was another defeat, we escaped the humiliation that a lot were expecting. Good to see Hunt making his debut!!Keep the faith.
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Loosing and no substitutions to try and score! The inadequacy of MM has no bounds, 2 subs on with 3 minutes to go! What a joke of a manager.
The team played well all round, no complaints about any individual. Keep at it for the next few games and something will come of it.
After that we get the games we *MUST* win, and then it is make or break time!
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good performance, bad result, but a result we all expected, so all in all an optimistic display. Hunt looked lively, Jarvis was once agin showing his quality against the best, and Milijas had a decent game showing his intentions from getting a few shots on target. Hopefully we can nick a couple of points over the next 3 league games, and then look forward to an easier 7 games, which we should be looking to catch up lost ground. All in all i havent really got a bad word to say, except for maybe Wards inability to pass the ball, which got us into trouble a few times.
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Slightly better performance but never going to score and why oh why persist with Edwards and Ward. It’s also about time Milijas played, now if Mick can bring himself to playing our other signings regularly, Hunt if he is fit, Jelle, Mouyokolo, Fletcher and Zubar when fit (preferably in their correct position)we may stand a fighting chance. Alas I fear MM will never back down.
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Great performance by the lads today,it proves that we can mix it with the best and we can have two playmakers in the same side.Thought Milijas and Jones had solid games,just need Henry back to replace Edwards, Mancienne and Zubar at full back,then we will get back to winning ways.
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Now can we continue this performance when we play united and city PLEASE! Why did mick leave it 85mins to bring on seb and fletcher?! a 1 nil loss is the same as a 2 nil 3 nil loss, should have been brave enough to take a gamble earlier
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Encouraging performance, overall.
W were undone by 2 real moments of quality by Chelsea.
the big lesson to be learned today should be by the manager, to trust his players, at times we kept the ball so well away at the champions, it made me wonder why we don’t do it at home instead of lamping the ball at Doyle & expecting hi to perform wonders.
Though what is clear is that we need to stick to 4-5-1 for now anyway, but I would like to see us try Fletcher up there on his own & give Doyle a break, he took another battering again today.
But if we can continue to play like we did today, we will soon start picking up points.
KTF
Wolvesforever
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Feel better after watching that than on any previous occasion this season. Milijas and Jones did really well in midfield and the whole team passed well. Just lacked the killer punch. Hunt will get better. I would just put Van Damme at left back instead of Ward and Henry instead of Edwards and let Milijas get forward, goals will come from him. Drop Ward and Edwards? – there’s a pig flying past! But apart from that an excellent performance, play like this we would beat many teams.
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A really good performance and this has given me some hope,
We av good players at this club and used correctly in their right positions we wud be a good side.. Still think Dave Edward is SHOCKING Looked scared to score cus it was Against Chelsea, he runs and runs but has no effect on the game what so ever.
Dave jones is also currently very poor.
Hunt looked good and I’m so glad to see him back.
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Well i said before lunch on here, just go and do your best, and ‘imo’ they did just that,i listened to it on Beacon, and thought we did well, i know its hard on the radio, but the lads did what i asked of them ,plus our ‘GREAT AWAY FANS’ were brilliant you could hear them over the Chelsea lot. They must of given our players a huge boost. I always enjoyed going to the away matches, as the fans ‘unite as one’. It was a shame that we failed to score when our chances arose then they went down and put it in the net, that must be so sickening for the lads. But we gave it our best shot and wasn’t disgraced at all. Lets hope this performance can inspire a bit of confidence and self belief in the team,for next Saturday v Man City? Kevin foley seemed to have played well as did Nenad Milijas which was good to see/hear, as i said yesterday give Milijas 6 games on the trot, if he cant hack it sell him in January? But i think he can/will given his chance without pressure on him in just 90mins?. It was good to see Steven Hunt get 45mins under his belt too, R.Dennison said with Hunt/Jarvis on we looked a more balanced side, so same team next week except Henry for Edwards?, although i do like Edwards i think KH is a better all round player,maybe give Fletcher a run and rest Doyle? UTW:
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The table does not lie, and good performances need points.
However we are a much better side (and squad) from last year and as the team comes together (injured and suspended players back) we will pick up points and climb the table.
Looking forward to Old Trafford on Tuesday I think we can cause an upset with our reserves!!
Keep positive UTW
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First, let’s put one thing to bed. Albion fans? One word. Hull. They went into the top frame, took points off Arsenal and the like, but it was early days and they fell like a brick.
Wolves? Fletcher? £7 million of seat warmer. Get him up front, Doyle behind and keep Milijas. Dump Edwards, Jones and Ward, then we might have a team that can play and score.
A good performance to day but we had that against Spurs, Fulham and Villa at times and we have now achieved just 3 points OUT OF 24. We need to play the quality and dump the second raters for good.
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9 Games gone and 9 points behind Albion.
Thanks a bunch Mick, you muppet.
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A decent performance by the lads today- they were by no means out of place but as the art mistress said to the gardener Wolves “fail to penetrate in the final third”!!!
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What worries me is, can Jarvis be as effective on the right if Hunt plays on the left?Oh wait a minute though he’ll probably play Hunt at left back!!!!
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Far far better for having Nenad in the side and we should start with him and Hunt next week even if they can both only manage 60 minutes each. Never mind one or two of his waywayrd crosses, as Tomwolf said, give him six games Mick, cvan´t do worse than the worst so far!!!!! And please please don´t leave SEB on the bench until only the last 5 minutes, it doesn´t help him you or us. The guy was red hot in his first two starts.
11 wins from 75 Prem games are YOUR stats (and downfall ultimately) gaffer. Take some responsibility.
Hey but when he says that his choice of changes are not square pegs in round holes, does this mean maybe at last he is listening to his critics????
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I know we lost but I was pleasantly surprised by how we played today.We kept the ball well at times,which shows the benefit of having players in the team who can pass it (Jones and Milijas)and,with Hunt on in the second period,we had a balance to the team. Van Damme is not up to it and Henry should come back in for Edwards next week.
Unfortunately,I think Mick was at least ten minutes too late in getting the two forwards on as subs and it was,of course,too late when they eventually got on.
Tuesday doesn’t really matter,in my mind,but we could nick a point next week v City if we play like we did today.
UTW
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One of the only teams to play Chelsea this year and not had the floor wiped with them. Good effort from the boys, especially when we are without our two main leaders. Keep it up in the next few games and we may well cause a few suprises.
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Just got to face facts, yes we put up a good fight but McCarthy is where he is used to being bottom or second bottom in this league. £36 million spent and our position is not good enough im afraid.
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Baggies 4th :0 us 19th :0 I think liverpool will win tommorrow so that makes it a 3 point gap between west ham, us and the rest near the bottom, watched the full game and we never really looked like scoring, edwards had the best chance but wasted it, we defended ok but chelsea were always going to score was just a case of how many we could limit them to, team for next league game vs man city :
USA
VAN DAMME
CRADDOCK
BERRA
FOLEY
HUNT
MILIJAS
MANCIENNE
JONES
JARVIS
FLETCHER
Looking forward to tuesday as i feel utd will put out their youngsters so think we should play a full strength squad and go for it!!
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i hope mick has learnt a valuable lesson today and continues to play an attacking team from now on!milijas and jones were great today and pulled the strings for us in midfield it goes to show that u can play 2 ball players in the middle of the park but i do feel we need to drop edwards as the lad brings nothing to the team but running around like a headless chicken and really should score more goals as he gets himself in great positions thought it was a great performance from the lads against a top top team in europe dont forget .van damme needs to start as he was good today as he is a real presence and stephen hunt looked very good also when he came on and i think he can be a influential player for us this season.mick has to realise that u can sacrifice the putting a shift in type of player for the quality and individual talent which counts in the one of the top leagues in the world.stick with this formula and i think we will start picking up points again keep the faith wolves fans up the wolves
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No 8, Gold and Black. Mick doesn´t seem to know about “taking a gamble”. More likely he knows about putting a shift in. But I doubt that somehow too.
Ref: Chambers English Dictionary: Shift: To make a change
or “Take a gambol”.
Also Ref: Chambers English Dictionary: To Gambol: To leap (Berra) Frisk playfully (Ward) Frolic (Edwards)
Likewise, two meanings for:Con.
1. What you do to Wolves fans……….&………
2. Connor. (abbreviation of) Someone who´s become as superfluous as and has been around as long as, the motor car and by rights should be consigned to the scrap heap.
UTW
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Just watched the game on match of the day , I thought everyone put the shift in .if we got points for performances we would be top of the league,I hope we can build on this performance against the best team in the premiership and go on and get some good results,keep the faith up the wolves
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Well, what an improvement. How many other teams can boast only losing to cHellsea 2-0 at the Bridge? Nice one Mick, things might be on the mend at last.
Who needs Mancienne? Certainly not Ancelotti. Bring on Zubar, Myokoulo & Hunt. Keep Milijas in the side, and you could do away with Ward & Edwards for good at this rate. Have a blow, put in a shift yerself and look around for a decent center half. How´s the development squad going there Clip. Seen anything decent of late?
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we were ok outside the box, passed in nicely and kept possession but had no thrust/cutting edge inside it and rarely looked like scoring.
Filthy Wolf……Geovanni kept Hull up near the top almost single handed with some wonder goals, the Baggies seem to be able to keep it tight and play with flair cos they have pace in the team – Wolves dont have genuine pace except for Jarvis….make s massive difference at this level
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Frankly speaking me old Lampards I thought we done well today, in only losing 2-0 that is. Well done boyos. An improvement in all areas except where it counts & goal wise I mean by that. Still they must come eventually. See how Blackpool are on the slide and the Toon too, even though they beat the Hammers and we couldn´t. Must be something in all this though I can´t figure out what. Still, I´ll wait patiently and see what the Maestros MM&M have in store for us in the Jan Window. Rumours has it there´s a brill star emrging in some Belgian fourth div side called Jan Window. Moxeys got the old check book out already, the guy will be up to Gary Speed in about two seasons time. We´ll pay over the odds of course but who cares. Belgian cheer anyone?
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Edwards and Ward= championship
Bringing on subs in the 87 minutes is either to waste some time when you are winning a tight game or maybe even dare I say it drawing a game you dont want to loose. What is the point when you are 2 down against Chelsea ? we know what Fletch and SEB can do but surely if you want them to make some sort of impact you bring them on say with 15 minutes to go…Doh
We need some better management skills.
Glad to see Milijas get a run out.
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Why Why Why when taking a corner these so called professionals always hit the first player, should be aiming at the penalty spot
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edwards and ward need to be dropped , elokobi left back ( as van damme does not look good there ) and henry instead of edwards.
would love to see fletcher and doyle upfront together again but it cant be a 4-5-1 formation which is when we play best.
USA , Elokobi Craddock Berra Foley, Hunt Milijas Henry Jones Jarvis , Doyle – 4-5-1
possible switch of sides between jarvis and hunt.
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Watched the whole game in the states and happened to be at the west ham game last week and we played much better. Any team to play as good as we did against one of the best teams in the world must show some quality. At times we had 20 or more passes and played the ball on the deck, starting from the back rather than lofting it up and hoping someone gets a knock on. We had our chances, but our luck will change. Do the same against city next week and we will pick something up.need to start with Milijas, hunt.
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Drop McCarthy now
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Great performance battled really hard BUT HOW THE HELL does MM expect us to score with 2 strikers on the bench for 86 minutes?.
Miljas Superb Edwards Championship at best.
Why oh why did MM not bring Fletcher on to replace Edwards with 15 left at 1-0.Said it before say it again Tactically inept.
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Still only ONE win in NINE GAMES. Smacks of relegation. We all know Milijas, Hunt & Jones will be dropped for having a go. Not negative enough! Bore, Bore, Bore …… Go on Baggies rub our noses in it cos we deserve nothing less.
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Filthy wolf – can i also add to that burnley, reading and ipswhich back when they were in the prem!! They think this season is a sprint!! It aint its a very long marathon and they wont finnish as theyve started!! I cant wait for the bubble to explode and watch how they react when they free fall down the league!!
UTW!!
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14, The top teams have a’lot more than 7 million on the bench. There’s no point trying to fit people in because we paid a’lot of money for them. We need to stick to our best system which is 451/433. The system that saw us play so well last season and for no apparent reason has been changed this season. People try to say its negative or not attack minded, but look at how many good chances we made against Chelsea at their ground.
Unfortunately some people, and I think MM might be one of them, think that 442 is the traditional, proper way to play football. Times have changed. Correct me if I’m wrong but have the Albion play 451 most of this season?
Even though we lost yesterday I think the performance will have given the players a’lot of confidence. Lets hope we can push on from here and start picking up points. UTW.
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A result that was expected, however a much better performance from the team, milijas looked better and hopefully will improve if given some games.
Hunt looks a very good player, which will allow Jarvis much more freedom.
Looks like Mick is unsure what to do with Van Damme, think he should be sold in January.
I thought SEB should have been bought on after they scored, not left to the last few minutes again, no sense in that at all.
For me SEB should be on anyway, cannot see anyone else scoring, we missed many chances that should have been converted today
One thing we did not do today was drop back deep and we were the better for it.
Thought USA was excellent again.
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On this showing we COULD have got at least a point out of the game, but this was CHEALSEA we were playing, AWAY. The points will come in time, we will be OK. I saw both Wolves & Albion games on MOTD. and I thought Wolves were a much better footballing team than Albion. We will see at the end of the season, early days yet. All I can say to the NON BELIEVERS is KEEP THE FAITH, all will be well.
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A good performance but we have said that before and got nothing.Acouple of poor defending lapses and once again a couple of goals.McCarthy couldn`t pick his nose if he did it would be out of position.I agree with Notts Wolves,McCarthy a so-called experienced Manager and DeMatteo in virtually his first season.Come on Mr.Morgan,surely this tells you something.Get rid of this idiot before we are back in the championship and get Martin O`Niel in and do it now not wait for the inevitable.
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What game did you watch POORTHORNS? Dave Jones very poor?!!!!!
The game that I watched saw DJ give a very good performance. My comment is backed by both commentators who specially pointed him out.Our situation is very disappointing but we have to hold our nerve as there are plenty of games to play. If we were playing poor football then alarm bells should be ringing.
My answer is get behind the team and stop moaning and get real- sack MM-no chance!
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Best performance of the season,was this because we had nothing to lose?
We made more passes then we have all season,we even had more possesion than the champions!!
I for one beleive wolves have the potential to do even better,so what is stopping us?MICK!
Mick just does not have the beleif that is required to win games in this league.
Milijias proved he should be in the team was controlled and focused and kept it basic but effective,with more games he will gain confidence and improved performances.WARD is an obvious weak link and gets lost when defending,and is an attackers dream,as he constantly gives them 3-4 yards space,he cant make simple passes and his tackling is costly yet mad mick sticks with him.
Jarvis,millijias,foley (other than the cross he allowed for the goal)berra were v good.
Doyle needs to be dropped he just cant score,and mick needs to realise he must make substitutions earlier if he wants poistive impacts,,fletcher did not even touch the ball,seb ran around for a few mins!!MICK out and wolves will survive as this team needs confidence a few positive changes and a little focus on collective forward play.
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Gents
Who’s bothered what the Albion do????
11, What planet are you on???, our 3 centre midfielders were great yesterday, Milijas & Jones kept the ball really well.
I know we lost & I ain’t a happy loser but we should be encouraged by the performance, especially after the 2nd half collaspe against West Ham.
For me the only one who gave the ball away too much was Ward, but that said defensively he was fairly solid, considering the opposition.
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No more excuses now Mic!
We can play football on the deck and give the best team in Europe a game.
I think when he arrived 4 years ago he won the fans over with the graft and spirit that team showed. We need to move on now and play some decent footy.
The fans will back him 100% if just grows a pair and stops playing the lads that “put a shift in”
Chelsea didn’t break sweat yesterday we need to learn from these kind of games.
Bring on Man City.
UTW
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As long as edwards, ward and foley remain we will be relegated.
Forget the unlucky comments from Mick, points are what keep you in the division not excuses.
Change the weak links or change the manager simple as that.
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A much better performance but we are going down get rid of this idiot manager nowwwwwwwww.
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Great stuff, we lost again, zero points, end of. McCarthy has no plan B when we go 1 down, and the subs were a joke, how is anyone supposed to do anything in 5 minutes?
Saturday set the tone for the rest of the month, we will play well, give a good account of ourselves, and lose…. just not good enough, and we will be down by February
Anyone thinking the 7 games after this “nightmare run” will yield anything have rocks on their heads
Something is not right somewhere…the dressing room perhaps?
Oh..well done again West Brom , credit where it’s due.
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Proud of you yesterday lads. Why cant u play like that all the time against the poor sides!
Hopefully MM will now stick with milijas and hunt.
WOLVES AY WE!
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OK no points but the lads acquitted themselves well. Let’s give MM some credit too. [By the way, how long ago was it that a team scored a goal against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge?]
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Answer to my question: March 27th. [Chelsea 7 Villa 1].
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14. one word Reading, yes thats right a bad case of second season syndrome and you got most of that team playing for you lot now, enjoy!
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better teams than us and ones higher up the table have been totaly outplayed by chelsea and on the end of a hiding. a decent effort and if one or two breaks had gone our way who knows? PS i wish people would concentrate on wolves and not them up the road, whats the obsession? and who cares about em!
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The next 4 games will be difficult but in a few weeks if we can put the following side out we will sart to climb the table rapidly:
Hahnemann
Zubar
Mouyokolo
Craddock
Van Damme
Jarvis
Milijas
Henry
Hunt
Doyle
Fletcher / Ebanks Blake
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15) Notts Wolves
Muppet ? Not very original, in fact decidedly hackneyed and dog-eared.
Your obviously not very bright.
Stay in Nottingham.
Milijas had a half decent game at last let’s hope MM gives him a run of games to see if he can make the grade.
Foley looked good too
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Was at the game. Edwards and ward, poor as usual.
Milijas outstanding. Hunt, outstanding. Fantastic to see two signings actually in the team.
Please Mick, drop Edwards and Ward play Vann damme at left back and bring in the centre half we signed from hull ( the name I can’t spell) and we might have a decent team.
Oh and finally, please don’t bring back HENRY. He can’t pass, his tackling his poor, and his play is nothing but negative every week.
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saw the game on TV.cant fault the team for the really good performance and for keeping going. The fans who went were fantastic too.MM got it tactically right but we concede most of our goals when we lose or give away the ball in our half and thats what cost us again.
I was so surprised to see Miljas in at the start, but I think MM probably had no choice.He was rusty and still well off the pace of the premiership, but he is by a mile the best passer in the team, and all his shots were on target.
The big problem remains we dont look dangerous in front of goal.I know it was chelsea, bit it was the same against west ham. We have a few openings but just not ruthless enough.None of our defenders look capable of getting a goal from a set piece especially with Craddock out.Apart from Miljas,jones,edwards,ward,foley and co could play all night and still wouldnt get a decent shot or header on goal.
I think we need to win one of the next 3 games to keep up with the rest in the bottom 6 and MM will have to gamble in one of these games with 2 strikers, and 2 wingers.
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Was hoping you boys could do us a favour and take some points off Chelsea. Not to worry though, you can help us over the next few weeks by taking points off other top 6 teams.
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Unfortunately we lost 0-2 but we played so well (except for Ward). I have not seen a Wolves side play that well for decades. Please Mick, can you play all matches like this in future – just need to score a couple.
Doyle won’t score very many – his role is targetman. I have to agree with earlier posts, a complete waste of time to bring on 2 subs. They had no chance to change the result.
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well done thick Mick
brings two strikers on with three mins left and us two down, great tactics!!!
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9 games down and still no goal from our £6.5 mill hitman. When is Doyle going to start paying back his fat transfer fee and thousands a week in pay?
Approaching 40 appearances and no double figure goal tally. Another of Muppet’s star purchases failing to perform. May as well see if Frankoski wants to come back.
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By the way.. why can’t we play like that every week ?
I noticed mick said we had to keep the ball against Chelsea, and I noticed that USA was throwing the ball out rather than hoofing it up field all match long.
This meant we could build from the back and pass the ball through midfield.
Well, why cant we play like that against lesser teams? We would play them off the park if we did!
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now muppet let your love kids go i.e ward/edwards not up to it. we played well but no goal scores must play milijas. we have the players but you must play in there positions.
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There was nothing wrong with Mick’s tactics. We were still in the game until the second goal in the 80th minute. You have to keep it tight against Chelsea and bringing on a second striker is far more likely to bring a Chelsea goal on the break.Perhaps people have not worked out if you bring another striker on you have to take somebody off.Ok he could have bought SEB on immediately they scored their second,but a three goal defeat would have seemed like a drubbing.
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Mick care’s you can see that by his face on the touchline,but mick sometime’s care is not the solution.You either start to look at game’s the way you would do as a pundit,and start to erase the weak link’s,like WARD he as to be releivied from his duties as he get’s exposed to often and does not contribute anywhere near enough to justify his selection.Doyle needs to be played more nearer the oppositions goal area,or be placed on the bench,he just does not look like scoring,ok in this game he had more pots at goal but never looked like scoring.
Edwards is running his socks off but again that is all he does.Hunt with his bustling style may do well and have a positive impact on the team,but again mick I for one noticed that you kept pushing him back to defend!
Mick you need to play players in there favoured positions or not at all.
Milijias needs to be stuck with as he as more to give in terms of quality and looks as if a few games will aid his confidence,and what better to give him that chance as the next few games we are on paper going to struggle.I do beleive we can beat CITY by going out to attack them and use the home advantage.Players need to play for there lives as this game can be a pivitol for our season,win and we beat city who will give you chances as they are still vulnerable.
So come on boy’s make this weekends game as if it is your last,and please stay focused for all the game and concentrate on perfecting your game for this match,and the team will come together.lets go out and give it all.
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I will also say mick,if you gave SEB the same run in the team as DOYLE he will have scored a couple atleast.Yes doyle chests the ball down and wins freekicks etc but other than that nothing.Seb may not give you that but he will score the odd one,and may even start scoring more regular if he new he had the backing of the boss,and that he would not be dropped even when he scores!!Why did you buy FLETCHER?mick start being positive and making bold but honest decisions even if it harms your reputation as a grafter.
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We appeared to do OK, but bear in mind Chelsea were rubbish by their usual standards, yet still made it a walk in the park.
We need a Manager with a football brain, it’s not all about putting a shift in, as Malouda and Co showed on Saturday, skill and playing players in the right positions helps for a start.
Van Damme/Elokobi for Ward, Henry for Edwards,
Fletcher for Doyle and Hunt on left.
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45.Grumpy.
What you on about with Foley.
By far,Wolves best player on Saturday.
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63 Chris,Chelsea were not at their best on Saturday and looked jaded from their midweek travels to Russia.With 15 left and only trailing 1-0 would it not have been worth taking the gamble and throwing on at least Fletcher for Edwards who was basically inefective.Who knows maybe we might have nicked an equaliser before their second goal,1 point would have been a fair reflection on our overall performance on saturday but bringing two strikers on when 2 down with little more than 3/4 minutes is a total futile gesture.
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13 shots, including 10 on target, is a huge improvement.
What Saturday proved is that we need to get Milijas in and playing regularly. So how about…
LM Hunt
CM Milijas
CM Henry
RM Jarvis
With Doyle playing the deeper-lying striker, since he’ll run his arse off all game, and Fletcher the target man?
And then we just need another new left-back…
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Wolves played really well and every player performed on Saturday. The stand out performers were Milijas, Foley and Jones. Great to see Hunt in action.
If we perform like this against the rest of the top 4, we will get something out of the next 3 games.
As we have loaned a few out, it will be interesting to see what line up is played tomorrow. Hennessey, Mouyokolo, Elokobi, Fletcher, SEB and Mujangi-Bia will probably get run outs!
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A better performance from Wolves but a disappointment with no points gained. The team do not lack the passion and have good workrate. What is lacking is the finishing.
Goals are needed to win games and the strikers are having a goal drought. It must be addressed soon or we will be indeed be struggling with the increasing gap.
The team do have the ability, what is needed is the belief, confidence and to perservere thru’ all adversity.
We are the Wolves and we will go forward…
From darkness cometh light….
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According to the newspaper reports I’ve seen, the match statistics were very much in our favour. Even the BBC pundits, including Shearer, said we played well. We’ve got to take something from that. Yes, I know, it’s points on the board that count.
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Malta,I know you do not rate Mick,and even if he walked on the Med all the way to your sunny island,you still would not rate him.But why not a bit of credit,if he got the tactics right for 80 minutes away from home; surely he deserves a bit of praise.As for being tactically inept,I can remember Irelands performance against Germany in the World Cup when Mick was manager,it was tactically sound and miles better than England’s tactics last summer under Capello.Some of his signings have been dodgy,but Mick deserves more credit for what he has achieved at Wolves.
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39 – an excellent critique of the two matches based on 3mins 30 secs of each game on MOTD
36 – who would rather start the marathon with 6 points or who would like to start the marathon with 15 points??
i once read…..”we all reach our natural level of incompetance at work, its a matter of whether we realise we have arrived there or not” Micks there and he hasnt realised
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Chris,irrespective of my opinions on MM,it is about WWFC and not 1 man.Never did i think i would see the day when fans are HAPPY with a 2-0 defeat because it wasn’t a 4-5 goal defeat.Yes i thought we played very well on saturday and deserved a point but leaving 2 strikers on the bench until the 86th minute does not give us much chance of scoring.On a lot of your previous posts you put a lot of the blame for lack of quality signings at Moxeys door( Which i totally agree with)but if you spend £38 million on benchwarmers whilst sticking with championship workhorses then in my humble opinion he deserves all the stick that comes his way.Unfortunately MM’S record in the premiership does not make particulary good reading 12 wins in 75 attempts,3 clean sheets in last 20 whilst playing the same back four barring injuries/suspensions.I for one just wonder how much better we might be with a more positive approach and trying to win games rather than looking just to avoid defeat.
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I cannot understand people saying that Chelsea were jaded after their trip to Moskow last Tuesday. These teams have been travelling to Champions League matches all over Europe for many many years now. So why are some diminishing Wolves brilliant performance last Saturday saying that Chelsea were not at their best?
I have browsed many Chelsea websites with one of them saying that Chelsea didn’t play well but it was Wolves who didn’t let them.
Its true they won 2-0 but Wolves had many chances to level the score and that was where the difference was. They have more fire power than most teams be it Wolves or the big boys.
I don’t think that I am exaggerating when I say that Wolves looked as if they were Real Madrid or Barcelona minus the service of Ronaldo and Messi respectively.
Oh how I wish to beat Man. U. tomorrow night. But if Sir Alex will play the youngsters so too will our Mick. If Wolves play with more or less last Saturday’s team they have a reasonable shout.
It’s true they have to play them again in less than a forthnight so two wins are not a possibility and United will play with their best team in the league match.
But who knows anything can happen in football as Wolves showed last Saturday when the forecast was a heavy defeat for the boys in Gold and Black as was the case against the same Man. U. seven years ago but they had to settle for a 1-0 win when Henri Camara should have beaten them on his own.
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What will happen when wolves bubble bursts?. JtH.
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