Time to stand up and be counted
Friday 26th November 2010, 11:33AM GMT.
Wolves blogger Tim Spiers believes it’s time for the players – not manager Mick McCarthy – to prove they are up to the task of escaping relegation.
I’m sure I’m not the only Wolves fan experiencing an increasing sense of dread in the lead up to tomorrow’s game against Sunderland.
They’re all must-wins at the moment, but my mindset is less ‘can’t wait for the weekend, well up for this one’ and more ‘the world is going to end if we lose again – I just can’t take this anymore!’
Yes, the old gold blood in the veins currently feels more like a curse than a blessing as we enter a period of undignified desperation for a win, just 14 games into the season.
I mean really, I’ll do absolutely anything for three points.
Skydive from 15,000 feet, listen to a James Blunt CD from start to finish, swim with crocodiles, spend an hour in the company of Gillian McKeith – just name your price football God and by golly I’ll pay it.
Last weekend’s defeat at Blackpool was the low point of the campaign thus far and had me feeling for the first time that, maybe, we’re not going to get out of this.
The result was made all the more galling by Ian Holloway’s admission that his side’s display was their worst in the Premier League, while every pundit under the sun rubbed it in by rightly judging us to be worth at least a point.
Nothing new there – we’re used to plaudits but no points by now – it’s just that the opposition were so obviously there for the taking.
Unmitigated frustration doesn’t even begin to describe the emotions felt when watching Wolves in the past two months.
The statistics of nine defeats in 11 and four on the trot, no clean sheet, etc, are damning, but in reality performances have been worthy of a much better points haul.
Members of the ‘Mick Out’ brigade are starting to make themselves heard and those murmurs will only get louder if defeat follows on Saturday.
If you’re short-sighted, possess memories which only stretch back three months and have a shameless disregard for the magnificent job the man I’m proud to call our manager has done since 2006, then, I guess I see where you’re coming from.
Too many people have forgotten that we punched well above our weight last season with a young, developing squad.
Although Mick McCarthy is culpable for a few dodgy signings here and there, is often stubborn to the point of foolhardiness and occasionally makes baffling substitutions, it’s erroneous to suggest that he is the sole reason for our precarious position.
The squad he’s assembled, collectively and individually, is good enough to stay in the Premier League, that there is of little doubt.
We’ve all seen, at one point or another, that the vast majority of players are up to the task when playing to their potential.
The tactics used, something which football supporters give far too much credence to, have – Bolton aside – been spot-on, recently causing problems for some of the best teams in European football.
No, for me it’s not the manager, it’s the players. They’ve got us into this mess and now they’re going to have to drag us out of it.
Time after time in recent weeks we’ve found ourselves in goal-scoring or goal-making positions in and around the box but, invariably, the wrong options are chosen.
Either it’s a pass instead of a shot, a shot instead of a pass, an over-hit cross, a misplaced pass, a wayward strike off target or, worst of all, dithering hesitation.
We must be one of the best sides in the division at working the ball into dangerous areas, but from that point onwards the end product just isn’t there.
And in defence individual mistakes have been ruthlessly exposed.
Stephen Ward’s penalty madness at Spurs, Christophe Berra’s needless foul at Fulham, Richard Stearman’s own goal against Bolton, Steven Fletcher’s misplaced pass at Manchester United and goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann’s butter fingers last weekend at Blackpool, to name just a few, have thrown away valuable points.
You could churlishly argue that it’s Mick’s fault for buying the players in the first place, but I didn’t hear many people complaining in the summer that the squad wasn’t up to it, even more so after the first three games of the season.
No, on the whole he’s bought well in the transfer market but he can only guide them so far.
When the players cross that white line it’s up to them to take responsibility for the indecisiveness and lapses in concentration which are costing us so dearly.
Perhaps the burden of trying to repeat last season’s heroics in a more competitive league is getting the better of a few of them.
On the slippery slope to sheer panic and anxiety for a result at any cost, those burdens will only become greater.
If I did have one piece of advice for Mick it’d be to freshen up the side to try and shake off that losing feeling, starting in goal where Hahnemann’s form has notably tailed off of late.
The American isn’t commanding his penalty area like he did so dominantly towards the tail end of last season and at times his distribution is awful.
Wayne Hennessey is itching to play and I’d back him to take his chance.
Stephen Hunt is another who isn’t producing the goods who I’d consider taking out of the firing line.
At the moment he’s not the player who Mick was so desperate to buy in January and, although he’ll come good at some point and is undoubtedly short of match sharpness, we can’t afford passengers.
It’s also time to get our money’s worth from Fletcher, who has been a victim of the fact 4-5-1 is the system which works best for us.
The man has touches of class and composure in his locker that we could seriously do with, so let’s get in the team, put him out wide and see what he can do.
Right, here’s the side which will win three points on Saturday.
Hennessey, Kevin Foley, Stearman, Steven Mouyokolo, Ward, Matt Jarvis, Michael Mancienne, David Jones, Nenad Milijas, Steven Fletcher, Kevin Doyle.
It’s wickedly ironic that Sunderland should be the visitors on Saturday and football’s scriptwriters have their quills at the ready for Mick’s former club to leave him further up relegation creek without a paddle.
For his and our sakes, it’s time for the players to prove they are up to the challenge of saving our season.
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Disagree with your point about Fletcher. We signed him as a striker and every time he has played wide he has been poor. I agree that he should be in the team, but as a central striker or not at all.
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It’s time for McCarthy to stand up and be counted. You can’t blame players, McCarthy bought them, he picks them, he specifies the tactics.
You can understand a player underperforming when he’s played out of position, or gets 20 minutes here and there. Fletcher is a great example of this. Bought as a striker and played as a winger.
Van Damme, bought to bolster our defence, played right mid , left mid, anywhere but centre half.
Ward – Striker come left winger come left back.. the list just goes on and on.
The buck stops with the manager with this mess.
I have a feeling we’ll get a result tomorrow though and go on a bit of a run.
Keep the faith.
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Sorry mate, not very impressed with your starting 11 tomorrow. Firstly take Ward out the equation he simply can’t defend, Jones who is refusing to sign a contract in my opinion should be left in the reserves. Zubar has declared himself fit so play him, he is our best defender FACT! Put Mancienne at left back, Zubar right back happy days. Fletcher must start for me, he is a target man and thats what we need right now. UTW!!
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Good luck tomorrow.Let’s hope they can pull it off.I agree with your team Tim,other than maybe I would stick with experience in the nets.Interesting choice at left back.
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Good article and I absolutely agree with the part of it I have copied below:
“If you’re short-sighted, possess memories which only stretch back three months and have a shameless disregard for the magnificent job the man I’m proud to call our manager has done since 2006, then, I guess I see where you’re coming from.”
Time for the fans to show a bit of loyalty and support for once. We are called “supporters” for a reason you know? Funny how we are all together when we are winning and it is “the players, the manager and the fans” who have helped us romp to the league title two years ago. As soon as things start going wrong the manager stands on his own and first the fans and then the players distance themselves – not right and we should be ashamed to boo Mick on Saturday!!
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3 Spot On. Bringing in Ward is a criminal offence in my book. We havent kept a clean sheet all season long.. Zubes is a must, take him off if he tires. And Fleth has to start up front. Its simple really.
The bloggers team selection is completely bizarre to me, but hey, so’s Mad Micks!
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Can’t believe you picked Ward.Do you really care about the dire situation .If Mccarthy reads this Ward is assured of his place for the season!Please Mr transfer window give us a left back!
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3 leigh – If we weren’t so short in midfield I’d agree about Jones, but we’re out of options. I’d start Fletcher on the flank and he can easily switch with Doyle if it’s not working. As for Ward, well he offers more going forward than Elokobi and Sunderland play quite a narrow midfield.
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Surely Mick can see that Fletcher has to play in the middle. Doyle out wide makes much more sense as he always pulls wide anyway! Everyone else can see this apart from him.
Get the tactics right and we have the players to push us the league
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What a load of rubbish.
Are you actually Mick in disguise?
To attack the critics of Mick in the way done here, is very much the way Mick has done it, so wouldnt be surprised at all.
Its amazing that you can a be writing an official blog, yet posses absolutely no ability to understand where Micks critics are coming from.
Mick has done a good job, but if we do go down, and despite your claims that this squad is good enough, we might well do so, we’ll lose our best players, and be back to scratch.
Dont tell me, the likes of Ward, Henry, etc are good enough to win promotion, withouth the likes of SEB, Doyle, Milijas, Jarvis, Jones, etc who will no doubt be gone.
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I guess the players are feeling the pressure as much as anyone, but agreed, some need to kick on at this point and do what they were brought in to do. Given the injury situation and form not a bad team selection either, gives scope for impact substitutions if we need them.
The statisticians on these pages keep reminding us of Mick’s win ratio in the Prem, 20%, so if that statistic isn’t a damn lie then we should win tomorrow – 3 wins in 15, simple really.
Keep believing, coyw.
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I disagree. The manager takes the blame. How can players who sit on the bench be at fault for us not winning games – arguably throughout the season some of our best players have warmed the bench.
How can the players be at fault for the system we play or the tactics we use, most shocking example was the long ball tactics employed for the majority of the game against Bolton, despite dominating and out passing Arsenal day’s before.
Our defence is still to keep a clean sheet and in recent weeks has looked shambolic – yet the same players get picked regardless of their mistakes or form.
If it’s the players fault why are we losing every week when it’s basically the same side who played in the Championship/kept us up last season (oh…that might be the reason!)?
I agree that Mick’s been our best manager for year’s but that doesn’t mean we have to stick by him no matter what. I’d like to know how long in your opinion do we give him? Based on our current form we’ll do well to win 6 games all season. Is that acceptable after spending nearly £40M in two season on transfers?
If we are bottom by xmas do we bring in a new manager then, so they can spend in January? Or, do we not sack Mick at all even if it meant finishing bottom with a record low points total, purely because he’s been our best manager in recent years?
Don’t get me wrong, whoever is in charge I want to see wolves winning and I hope we do on Saturday but if we lose again I can’t stand this blind faith being employed as it’s glaringly obvious we are rubbish right now.
We have to move forward and keep improving whether it’s with Mick or not.
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You can count on me!
Just for those that can’t remember the last two season’s – our left back was Stephen Ward for the majority of games.
Stop pretending that he is a striker or left midfielder – he is a left back playing in the Premiership, therefore he is a Premiership Left Back! simples
You can argue that he is not good enough, if you want, but stop this stupid debate about him playing out of position……
UTW
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A regrettable stoking of black and whiteness in this article.
I avow that MM is an indisputably decent man and that we need more people who hold his values in football. It is not the same as vouching for his tactical nouse and ability to make sound purchases on a platform of having stayed up.
Ward gives his all but ths does not equate with capability at this level. As a former centre back MM seems dubious to say the least in how he stocks his own defence.
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Looks like the blogger is a happy clapper as well,McCarthy has said on many occasions the book stops with him and hes right its not that he hasnt had the money he just bought the wrong players,he bought Mairhoffer and Halford to play a certain way he bought Fletcher to play 442 without regard to fixing the poor midfield and leaky defence ,he bought Van Damme who if the truth known has probaly falling out with Mick becuse he doesnt want to play on the left wing so he can accomodate Ward.
He signs the players
He trains the players
He picks the team
He decides the tactics.
Why is it that Holloway on a much smaller budget seems to get more from his players,try not picking your favourites for starters Mick,he should have played Guediora when he was clearly the form player earlier in the season,the reason for that is he isnt one of the favoured few and thats whats cost us so far this season.It doesnt matter how many mistakes you make if you are one of McCarthys favourites you will get the nod.
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Tim, I don’t understand your line-up. Fletcher is not a winger so his instinct will always be to come inside. So if you are going to play him then put him upfront with Doyle. One of our problems is not being able to convert the chances so having him there should help.
I think that here is too much talk about 451 being our best formation. Last year it worked because we stopped the goals going in this year we are leaking like mad. I agree that many have been through invidual mistakes but this is as much due to the pressure the back 4 are under due to the middle 5 allowing the opposition to play. We looked great at times against Chelsea, Arsenal etc. because they allowed us to play – Sunderland won’t.
I, like you, would like to enjoy a glass of wine on Saturday night in celebration. I have a fear though that until the right players are picked in the right positions in might have to be a glass of tap water.
I hope that the players, whoever they may be, go out believing in themselves and keep a clean sheet for at least 30 minutes!
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to be honest im fed up with people saying look what macarthy has done in the past etc etc the past doesnt matter anymore its the present!!!! this is a results business and he isnt gettin us the results!!! he plays to many players out of position!!!!! if we lose tommorw he desrves the sack simple as that!!!! my team would be!!! hennesey foley moulkolo mancienne van damme jarvis millilas jones hunt doyle fletcher!!!! over to you MM stop the talking and get a result!!!!!!!
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i am a bit feed up with this us fans with short memories we turn every week look at the
blues/and baggie what support they get and are
doing much better than us.it buying players
and not playing them or out of position sorry,
1 win in11 games when we went up jan/march that
how good he is what we see it take him months
if he ever see it, story time for him to go.
i have seen it all been coming since 1956,
and he no more than average manager.
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Ok, a few sentences I’ve picked up on :
The squad he’s assembled, collectively and individually, is good enough to stay in the Premier League, that there is of little doubt.
There is little doubt? What on earth are you talking about? There’s me thinking we cant buy a win at the moment.. I hadn’t realised we were pushing for a champions league.
We punched above our weight last season..
Did we? I thought we surived by the skin of our teeth having won the championship the previous season.
on the whole he’s bought well in the transfer market but he can only guide them so far.
Has he? Well ,how come our team is almost entirely made up of our championship team?
Where are all these players that he’s bought well. Also, why are we in crisis having picked up only 9 points so far this season?
Finally..
Hennessey, Kevin Foley, Stearman, Steven Mouyokolo, Ward, Matt Jarvis, Michael Mancienne, David Jones, Nenad Milijas, Steven Fletcher, Kevin Doyle.
Your team, I presume you are having a laugh??
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I know football is all about opinions but you must be the only person who supports the beloved Gold and Black who thinks Dave Jones should be in a starting 11. The man is awful, take away the goal against Stoke and what has he done? he would not get in my sunday side, and I am 41!
On a final note it is time he went, his PL record with Sunderland and ourselves is
Played 90
Won 13
Drawn 17
Lost 60. Quality.
Time to knock on Martin O’Neills door while we can still turn this around.
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I agree with the line up apart from the fact that Elokobi should not be dropped and Doyle and Fletcher need to be switched. Fletcher who has more goals than Doyle needs to be centre forward.
Once again people on here are blaming a single player, Ward, for our current position? You are totally clueless. Not so and as pointed out in this article other culprits have been named and let’s add Fletcher’s missed sitter at Old Trafford and Henry’s sending off at Wigan. Also Van Damme’s name has been mentioned. Firstly he would be hard pushed to cope with 90 minutes and secondly if he does not want to play for us and this goes to Jones as well, jog on!
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Micks record as a premier league manager reads
PLAYED 90 WON 13 DRAWN 17 LOST 60 …Call me an old pessimist but asking for more time with 2 wins out of 14 this season, a record of one win in SEVEN over 90 matches ,being beaten by a blackpool side who could be bought with the proceeds of a car boot sale doesn`t inspire confidence.
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Oh my God i can’t believe this ive just heard Wolves are going to win tomorrow. Its friday and im off to celebrate early.
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The midfield looks scary, lacks any legs, but who else is there? I would prefer Doyle to play wide (where he usually ends up anyway) and Fletcher down the middle. I think we are seriously weakened by the injuries. I love Zubes, but putting ‘FACT’ after an opinion doesn’t make it true. He is as prone to mad decisions as anyone – remember Hull away, remember the free kick 5 mins after he came on v Newcatle? Jody Craddock is actually our best defender and his absence has really hurt our organisation at the back FACT!! Not confident at all, but 100% behind the players and management.
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PS if we get Kenny Dalgish in (as if!) and we lose every game for a season will people be on here writing his Premiership record in full? He managed us to the CHAMPIONSHIP – not the play-offs we spent years hoping for – and then to our first Premiership survival.
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My point against mick is that he has wasted so much money. How can he justify not buying a premier league centre half with the money hes been given. There is a major problem if our best defender is christophe and he can barely get in scotland squad. Van damme plays left back for his country and left back for anderlecht in the champions league last season hes a must in that position.
The plan for mick was 4 4 2 this season with signings he has made, team mick hoped for: hahneman zubar craddock berra van damme jarvis henry milijas hunt fletcher doyle.
If any other manager had in excess of 36m -40m to spend they would of flew up the table. there we are struggling big time. this team will go knowhere until mick gets a top centre half in there
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I would be positive and go at Sunderland they have their centre back pairing out and Anton Ferdinand is awful and clumsy so we need to go 4-4-2 whilst attacking and Fletcher to drop in the hole when we are defending going 4-4-1-1. My team:
Hahnemann
Foley
Zubar
Mouyokolo
Van Damme
Jarvis
Milijas
Mancienne
Jones
Fletcher
Doyle (Ebanks Blake after 65 mins)
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Sir Billy
Why dont you vent your anger at the manager and tell him to stop this stupid debate by not playing him at left back.
If Doyle was played at left back for the next two seasons, that doesn’t make him a left back, it makes the manager a complete and utter fool.
Ooo, now there’s a thought isn’t it, wasn’t a certain stephen ward bought as a striker?
How very bizarre.
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In short the opinions of half the posters on this site are:
Managers Rubbish
Players Rubbish
Directors Rubbish
Stadium Rubbish
Anyone out there like the colour of the strip??
We are in our second season in the Premier League, take a look at other clubs that are going through or been through the same process.
WBA – Up and down
B.Ham – Up and down
Bolton – Fighting relegation most seasons
Wigan – Fighting relegation most seasons
Fulham – Fighting relegation most seasons
Blackburn – Fighting relegation most seasons
and then there’s Norwich, Burnley, Portsmouth, Reading, Charlton……..
Point being is that it ain’t easy to establish in the Premier after 20 years out of it (OK one season in 20).
Stop up or go down the club needs stability and steady building – not change.
UTW
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RichWolf64
Rio Ferdinand played as a forward and then as a centre midfielder (at a young age) before being switched to centre half??
Ray Kennedy – Arsenal Centre Forward, Liverpool Centre Midfield?
And what position does James Milner play??
It’s quite stupid to suggest that a player can only ever play in one position.
It may be your opinion that Ward is not any good at left back but that is down to his ability as a footballer not the position he is playing – do you think he would be in our team as a forward??
UTW
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Disagree completly with your blog.
The Manager is at fault for his purchases “more than a few here and there”!
Think you are on a different planet
Tactics, motivation, team, subs, etc,etc.
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Mr Blogger and 21 S Ward Fan club
Both of you should stay at home, you really no nothing about Football, 21 I am sure you are in love with Ward, have you never seen quality footballers, if we have not got any better kids in the acadamy, we should shut it down.
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Tim,
We are in a dire situation because MM constantly picks his favourite’s rather than the best player’s for the position.
Player’s are played out of position, so its no wonder we are where we are.
MM has been backed to the hilt by SM, but has bought badly in the tranfer market -
We have so many full backs – converted or brought in its untrue.
We have been crying out for a right winger (ever since Kightly got injured), a commanding proven centre half, & goalkeeper(as USA is in the last year of his contract and is likely to return home)
My team for tomorrow 442:-
Hennersey,
RB-Zubar, Moyokolo, Van Damme, Mancienne
RW -Hunt, Milijas, Jones, Jarvis
SEB & Fletcher
On the manager front – if we lose our next 2 MM has to be out to give whoever comes in a fighting chance.
A few names to throw in the ring
Martin O’Neil, Gus Poyet, Alan Curbishley
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If we lose then hopefully that will be the end for Muppet and Clipboard. On the other hand, Muppet is so brass-necked he will probably blame everybody except himself.
Ah well – interesting times folks
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I believe we will WIN Vs sunderland !
But its not just a win we need, its a run.
My line up
Hennerz, Gk – inching to play.
Mancienne, L.B
Mouykolo, C.B
Zubar, C.B
R.B, Foley
Hunt, L.W
Milijas, playmaker C.M
Jones, C.M
Jarvis, R.W
SEB, C.F
Fletcher C.F
leaving Doyle out.
this would give us a chance to tinker with things with out loosing shap.
Foley could go R.M
ZUBAR could go R.B
Jarvis could swap wings
Fletcher could go R.M
DOYLE could go A.Mid or C.F
Mancienne could go C.B/D.M
so if the likes of Zubar, Hunt, SEB & Milijas who´s fitness have all been questioned tires we could alter things….
BUT START THEM IN THERE BEST POSITIONS FIRST, apart from our weak areas where we have no choice eg Mancienne.
I´ve seen enough this season for my opinion not to change on Micks tactics & selections (v.poor) but his integrity is second to none.
If for this reason i will cheer & support my team till the end even if it means the ¨R¨ word…. I URGE ALL FANS TO LEAVE THERE NEGATIVE VIEWS (WHICH WE ALL HAVE, WOULDNT BE A TRUE WOLVES FAN IF YOU DIDNT CARE), AT HOME THE NEXT FEW GAMES & BE PROUD TO BE WOLVES REGARDLESS WHERE WE ARE IN THE LEAGUE….
WE ARE WOLVES !
KEEP THE SUPPORT IF NOT THE FAITH !
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Tim, your blog is broadly in line with my feelings about the situation.
It does’nt matter who or how good the manager is, the players who go out onto the pitch have to take responsibility for their performance on the day. It’s no different for any individual blaming their manager for their own mistakes at work. It’s a cop out.
There have been a few comments regarding the position of playing Fletcher wide. This is no different to Anelka who plays wide for Chelsea. In the past Man U have deployed Rooney in a wide position. I’m sure there are other examples.
As for Ward or Elokobi, I don’t see much difference in their defensive qualities. Possibly Ward is better at supporting Jarvis.
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%%% MAKE THIS PLEDGE REAL WOLVES FANS %%%
i will keep my negative opinions on Mick and his team selections & tactics to MYSELF and try not to voice them on here if im hurting….
BUT, at the matches i will shout support to WOLVES my team as louder than ever cos we need it more than ever, i will bite my tongue if i even think of avin a go if we go down a goal or 2…..
…. Because its not helping WOLVES.
IF I CAN KEEP MY NEGATIVE FEELINGS TO MYSELF AND KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT SO CAN YOU !
who´s with me ?
Keep the support if not the faith !
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Oh and for people who STILL keep calling for Van Damme to play its NOT going to happen….
… he hs made his feeling quite clear that he doesnt want to play for us, and wants back to Belgium at the first posible oportunity.
It wouldnt suprise me if there´s a deal already done for him to go back, thus not risking him getting injured and being stuck with him after a Jan window closes.
Could we do with him ? YES
Will he pull on a Wolves shirt again ? proberly not, DEAL WITH IT !!!!!!!!!!!
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Can i just remind people of Hennessey’s performances last and so far this year. Our form turned around last year because he was dropped for Hahnemann. This year he hasn’t managed a clean sheet either against lower quality opposition, let alone three against Man U’s 3rd team.
Hahnemann
Foley
Zubar
Mouyokolo
Van Damme – Tell him to get off his reluctant rear end and start playing for the team he signed for
Mancienne
Milijas
Doyle – in midfield because he has the stamina and the drive to be a great midfielder
Hunt
Fletcher
Hunt
Then SEB can come on for Doyle and we can go 442 if need be. Jones can also come on for Mancienne if we go really attcking.
PROBLEM SOLVED. OODCL
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Time to get your head out of the sand.The players in the squad individually and collectively are not up to the job in hand.The squad is all the manager’s own work and isn’t good enough.The tactics used are not compatible with the ability of the squad,you can’t keep playing players out of position and making strange choices and subsitutions most games.A dose of reality is required,this blog just perpetuates the problem.Forget the last 4 years look at the last two seasons playing record, says it all.
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Wolf child 39,
agree with zubes in centre as foley had been good at r.b so if its not broke dont fix it
also about Doyle, could be a good attacking mid, wins headers, good engine.
Dont agree with J.VD as post 38.) makes a good point.
And dont agree with your formation choice, imv 442 is best V sunderland as they have BOTH C.B´S injured so two strikers will be much harder to deal with than 1 striker and two inside forwards.
its a must win, so go all out attack and maybe we will be the one scoring in the 1st minuite for a change….
Keep the support if not the faith !
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2 – Yes YOU CAN blame the players! Without wanting to defend MM too much, as he is a stubborn bloke, MM cannot legislate for the current players missing chances in front of goal and making individual errors like Stearman made against Bolton, at the back.
The fact that the sqaud is NOT GOODENOUGH IS down to MM as are the tactics, but once they cross that white touchline………
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Mick is the manager who has put a team together who are sub prem standard, so if he can’t get the team to win he needs to be replaced. He’s worse than Hoddle
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Sir Billy Quiet…
You are making me laugh again. Clearly you aren’t the sharpest knife in the draw if I have to explain that Ward is not a left back.
When you are growing up of course you play in any position you want to. Most kids, and I know, want to be a centre forward because they want all the glory.
Ward isn’t a left back which is patently obvious to all but you and a few other people on these boards.
His positional play is awful, he’s nearly always on the wrong side of the player. He also backs off players rather than going to them, the list goes in.
You could see he’s not a left back from his play, regardless of whether he has previously played in attack or anywhere else.
Ward was awful in the championship let alone at this level.
It amuses me that you are like a lone voice in a very big crowd singing the praises of both our manager and the utterly useless centre forward turned left back, steven ward, doesn’t that tell you something? I suspect the answer is no, because It’s like wading through mud isn’t it??
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Wagner is a Wolves fan..
All vote Wagner and join the rage at XFactor FACEBOOK page pls..
Oh and good luck Wolves..
If not… it’s Martin o’neil asap pls…
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RichWolf64
A lone voice?
If you take the small number of posts on this site (50 – 100 at best) as representative of a home crowd of 25,000 then you might have a point.
The Ward argument is boring, he plays ‘week in week out’ get over it……
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43) moss man
Worse than hoddle ??
behave yourself, & go sit in the naughty corner…..
i´m no Mick fan, but he´s 10 times the manager twoddle is.
There isnt anyone who is worse than twoddle, try to use your brain and remember what he did with England then Wolves
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This team is not sub-prem standard. They are playing rubbish at the back. That is the only place where we are sub-prem. We also don’t have a prem goalie. Get these things from somewhere and we are a mid-table team at worst.
OODCL
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19 spot on couldnt have said it better myself.
Micks record in the championship is without question, However his record in the Prem is dreadful. So lets put this question of loyalty into perspective.
If for instance Wolves had just gained promotion with a different Manager and that Manager left, how many of you would be pleased if morgan announced that Mick was going to be our new Manager bearing in mind his less then credible Premiership credentials?????????
Craddocks been a loyal servant but does that mean we keep playing him in 5 years time????
Time for all you happy clappers to gain some perspective and take a reality check!!
As for your team selection Tim are you sure your not Mick in disguise!!!!!! Ward Mancienne, Stearman, Please!!! are you on drugs or what?????
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NO 5, GET REAL PLEASE.
WE DID NOT romp to a league title two years ago, we tore away at the beginning of the season and if we hadn´t banked a good few points before the run in (nervous limp in, more like) we wouldn´t as likely be in the Prem today.
Be honest with yourself please. We survived last season because there were two sides a lot worse than us and Portsmouth got a heap of points deducted.
As for Tim Spiers comment in the above article: “If you’re short-sighted, possess memories which only stretch back three months and have a shameless disregard for the magnificent job the man I’m proud to call our manager has done since 2006, then, I guess I see where you’re coming from”…I don´t think you see at all Tim and then………WARD BACK IN THE TEAM for Saturday,” all adds up to a pretty naff article IMV. Like us all however, you are entitled to your opinion and Tim to his blog. But not Ward, please and it is MM who brought these players in, who picks, trains and tells them their roles and jobs. He got us up, yes but like the glory days it´s all in the past. We have to compete today, so does Mick and if he´s not up to it he too should be moved on.
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i disagree about u.s.a look at hennessey at man utd in the cup should av saves the 3th goal and can.t command his area. and i think fletcher is a waste money
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On the subject of Fletcher, I was talking with a Burnley fan yesterday who believes Fletcher to be “an old fashioned centre forward” who needs therefore the central striking role. He went on to say that many Burnley fans think Iwelumo is a superior player. ( However, as we know , goals are easier to come by in the Championship , ask Sylvan).
So I think it is now time to play Fletch in a position where he can get on the end of all of those Jarvis crosses which go begging. I would play Doyle anywhere except in goal. Hennessey is now overdue for a run. Milijas now has to step up to the plate and shine.I wouldn’t start with Hunt at the moment. Maybe it is time to demonstrate the success of our much-vaunted youth policy and introduce a young wanabee. As soon as Craddock and Zubar
are back there should be enough experience to coach and support a young player throughout a game.There must be several champing at the bit. Other Premier teams seem to bring in 19 year olds and by 21 they are seasoned players.
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Swap Mick for Wagner.
At least Wagner has never been in the bottom two!
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18. – What is all that about?
Richwolf64 – I love the banter on here and in a perverse way enjoy the dual you regularly conduct with Sir Billy Quiet. For my part, I do not think that the anti-MM remarks, etc. expressed on here reflect the majority view. When things go right, these boards generally have little on them but when the opposite happens, they tend to load up with negativity. I think that MM supporters like myself are holding their fire, whereas those who do not care for his approach let rip at every opportunity. People rarely comment about what is satisfactory but will readily do so when the opposite occurs. I think MM has more support than some on here are prepared to admit. I don’t think Sir Billy is a lone voice.
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Mills Wolf
You should look up the records before you talk. Hoddle I agree was a poor poor manager for Wolves but Mick has turned out to have a worse record. Mick needs to leave now so somebody can put it right before its too late
Hoddle like Mick made a few dodgy signings here and there. Was also often stubborn to the point of foolhardiness and occasionally made baffling substitutions but he knew the right way to play football it was just the level of players he had were sub standard. However Mick does not know the right way to play football.He is clueless in the Prem and his record proves my point. He needs to go now.
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52, thing is our youth players are not good enough… I was speaking to a walsall fan yesterday and he was saying how glad they all were that we recalled Davis as he was very poor for them, bare in mind they are bottom of league 1, Hemmings cant even get a start for torquay (league 2) i think the only 2 are malone (LEFT BACK, england under 19 international) and batth (just left on loan for sheff utd) but to show a championship team want him shows he has ability, others have simply not been good enough.. kyle bennett released last year he joined bury and hardly makes it off the bench (he was touted as our best prospect) a lot of the youth players contracts are up this summer and i doubt we will keep any of them bar malone and batth
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i read these comments most days for one id hate to see o’neil come to wolves just simply he WALKED out on his last 3 clubs.
wish everyone would stop moanin about ward it’s not his fault he’s a striker who plays at left back.
i also think we should sell hennessy in janaruay he simply not good enough for the prem id rather have karl ikeme between the sticks anyday
team for tomorrow
ikeme foley zubar VAN DAMME elokobi
jarvis millias davis/rooney hemmings
SEB Fletcher
what you think ?
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32) Listen armchair fan I have quite clearly said that Elokobi should not be dropped. When you have been to as many Wolves games as me I might allow you to question what I know about football!
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Missed 20 games home and away in 30 years,
You can not know much about Football, if you think that Ward or Elokobi or most of the crap MM as at the Mol are Prem or CCC standard.
so just you stay away and meet up with Ward.
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foley out knee, steven molo out back, flecther out (with a cold, man up) stephen ward found a girlfriend to have his big nosed children so he missed training as she was in labour as did JVD who is in belg with his wife
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I am not huge fan of Ward, but I believe him to be a far better player than Elokobi. Van Damme has never really impressed me either; doesn’t want to be here and can’t last 90 minutes (although playing him of the left wing probably hasn’t helped). And Ward has played in all our big results over the last 2 years – I remember him having a superb game at Spurs against Aaron Lennon last season, and likewise at Goodison this season. Ward’s distribution isn’t that bad either in comparison to Elokobi, who plays with great enthusiasm but never fills me with confidence when the ball is at his feet.
I wonder if making the pitch bigger at Molineux has had an effect? Last year we weren’t the prettiest team to watch but we were able to grind out results – we’ve tried to be a bit more expansive this season and have been wide open at times (with the full backs being more exposed), hence the lack of clean sheets. More entertaining, but fewer points in the bank.
And I wouldn’t read too much into Zubar saying he’s fit – all players will say they want to play if asked, but he’s only had part of a reserve game in the last 4 months, so he needs a mini preseason like Hunt. Will be a great asset when fully fit again though, and perhaps Foley can move into the holding midfield berth?
Let’s get behind Mick AND the lads tomorrow – for all of those quoting McCarthy’s overall Premier League record – go away and research Sir Alex Ferguson’s win ratio after 2 seasons at United.
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super mick will lead the glorious wolverhampton wanderers team to victory over sunderland on saturday and leave all the lynch mob with egg on thier faces cant wait. wwfc 2 sunderland 0
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39 wOLFCHILD
I agree with you on Hennessy he scares the life out of me. Understand that Carl Ikeme back at Wolves having finished his loan at Leicester how about him. You are obviously not aware of our latest injuries read No 60 Chris Gibson.
53 Love your sense of humour ah ah
We are going to be ok anyway Dave Jones says he’s going in for the kill. I agree with him we have to take a pop from outside the box, suprise the goalkeeper. Dont know what the team will be tomorrow but I will be 100% behind the lads.
COME ON THE WOLVES
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I think the problems with the club at the moment are as follows, The defence – It simply isn’t premier league standard. Zubar, Berra & craddock played amazing last season but why we didn’t strengthen there in the summer is a mystery to me. Surely every manager needs to consider injuries will happen, its part & parcel of the game. Instead we are left to watch richard stearman, and george elokobi. Two defenders who in my eyes arn’t even championship quality. If you where to total up the ammount of points these two clowns have cost us over the past two seasons I guarentee its over 15. Stearman is quite easily the worst centre back i’ve ever seen. He gives away needless fouls, make constant mistakes and is always a good few yards off hes marker. George on the other hand seems to have no understanding of the position, and is for dead by strikers.
Inconsistancy with player choices and formations – We have played so many different formations this season, surely there is one which works, and for me it still remains the 4-5-1. Last season we shut teams out, something we havn’t done all season so far. Yeah ok, it might be boring to watch but you dont go up into the prem and play beatiful football, you need to grind out results. Look at stoke & sunderland. They had to grind for their status, and now they are an established side they have signed some quality players. I think thats the only way clubs going up now can survive. Teams in the prem do not like the physical nature of clubs who have been in the championship.
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Most of you lot want to get real, apart from the glorious spell in the 50,s and a decent spell in the 70,s we have always been a yo yo team. We dont have a divine right to be in the premiership do we, i,ll support any player that pulls on that Wolves shirt and will never ever boo my team, so if we stick together we can be a force and can pull through this bad run. Remember chorley ?
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Wierd team selection Mr Blogger
Glad you are doing it on a Friday afternoon & not the day after.
Though I too agree with playing Ward, but only because there isn’t an alternative, Elokobi isn’t a footballer of any kind, he can’t play, simple & Van Damme, at the moment is proving to be a very poor professional, he knew where he was coming in the summer when he signed his 4 yr(yes 4yr)contract & doubled his wages.
As for Hennessey, no chance, not at the moment, one day he will be top drawer but he is not up to it at the moment.
I would go for -
Hannemann
Ward
Zubar
Stearman
Moylokolo
Hunt
Jarvis
Mannciene
Milijas
Jones
Doyle
Bench
Fletcher SEB Hennessey Van Damme Davis Bent Mujanji Bia
The other thing is that I think we have missed ‘the old man’ at the back more than people realise & hopefully he is not too far away from fittness, the same will be proved with Karl Henry.
We need to play out of our skins today & the manager needs to use a bit of common & not have one of his more erratic days, I think that will happen & tipping us for a 2 – 1 win, Doyle getting both.
UTW
KTF
Wolvesforever
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You didnt punch above your weight last season, you were just in a league with hull, burnley and a self imploding pompey.
This year their is no self implosion, just a better quality tighter league.
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Good article there but i totally disagree with playing Fletcher out wide like many other fans do. Just play 4-4-2 with Doyle&Fletcher up front as they have the potential to trouble any back line. Also we need more of our midfield players busting a gut to get to the end of a ball in the box because thats where were going wrong we seem to only get players forward in the box when we go a goal down. Like when Man City beat Fulham 4-1 it was because they had lots of forward options all in good positions were to obvious and Jarvis looks to be our only dangerous player. COME ON YOU WOLVES GET BEHIND THEM ON SATURDAY EVERYONE!
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