OFF! OFF! OFF!

By Tom Bason
April 13 2013

Wolves were today defeated in a must win game at home to one of the few teams below them in the Championship. The future looked bright when Stephen Ward put Wolves ahead early on, but Sean Scannell equalised before half time. A double from substitute Jermaine Beckford gave Huddersfield the points, before Jamie O'Hara was sent off.

- First of all, apologies for the site going down during the week. This was my fault; I was away with work for the Birmingham City and Middlesbrough games (I know, I know - two wins while I'm away; I return and we lose to twice...), and that combined with the international break meant that the site hadn't been updated. Normal service should be resumed from now on. 

- During my time away (I was able to watch the Blues game online), Wolves players appear to have dropped like flies. As such, Dean Saunders wasn't exactly able to pick our strongest side, and so it seemed to very much be a starting-XI with a big plaster across it. I had no real issues with the starting line-up, but I would have rearranged them slightly, with Kevin Doyle pulled wide, Stephen Hunt moved to the left and Stephen Ward pushed forward to play alongside Björn Sigurðarson. I've never been impressed with Ward on the left; he doesn't have the pace to trouble fullbacks or the ability to work himself that half a yard needed to whip in a cross. The only time I've ever really been happy with him on the left flank was when we had Michael Kightly on the other side, and Ward's tendency to hug the touchline gave Kightly the space to cause havoc on the other side. Upfront, is a slightly different question, as we could perhaps have utilised his slightly underrated aerial ability. 

- One of the other reasons I would have swapped the front four around is that I believe that Doyle is our most useful and effective wide man. He's impressed when played on the right this season (or at least has looked more effective than when played through the middle), and in the first 20 minutes or so, twice drifted out wide (albeit on the left) and put in dangerous crosses. The first was turned in by Ward (no further questions your honour); while the second would have been a good cross if there had been someone (Stephen Ward perhaps?) making a far post run. As it was, there was only Sigurðarson in the area who had made a near post run. 

- On the way to the game, I was talking with my friend about the midfield, and how pathetic it is. I think that if I'd have been picking the team, I'd probably have gone with a central midfield of Hunt and Kevin Foley, with Adam Hammill just in front of them. I will readily admit that this says far more about the rest of the available midfielders than it does about those three who I would have chosen. And again, considering that Karl Henry and Jamie O'Hara were supposed to be the midfield pairing to send us up the Premier League last season, they look woefully capable of playing against a poor Championship team. Was Karl Henry playing today? I don't need to tell you that he was non-existent going forward, but defensively he was just as poor. There were massive gaps between the midfield and defence that Adam Clayton moved into early on, and later Sean Scannell and Neil Danns took advantage of the space. 

- Indeed, it was Scannell who equalised. The first three goals that we have conceded against Huddersfield this season have come through poor play from the right back; away, twice Foley was outmuscled at the far post, while today Matt Doherty was too slow and too weak to deal with Scannell. One of the defining decisions of Dean Saunders' reign so far has been to blood Doherty and bring in fellow young fullback Jack Robinson on loan from Liverpool. But, the difference between the two is palpable. Robinson is a class above Doherty (and may well get my Player of the Season vote) in everything that he does. Indeed, the best pass of today was when Robinson received the ball on the half way line and swept an inch perfect ball out to Hammill on the right flank. It was a superb pass that underlined his quality. 

- At 1-1, I was thinking that we had started the game well, with Doyle and Sigurðarson looking lively. But, then Huddersfield's extra man in midfield came into play, and I'd argue that they were the dominant side when they took the lead, with Wolves focusing on playing on the counter attack. It was at this stage I was thinking that Saunders should have already made a couple of changes, with perhaps Hammill coming on for the pedestrian Ward. But, it was Mark Robins who gambled, bringing on Jermaine Beckford who promptly scored twice. The first came after he reacted quickest to the ball bouncing in the box after a Huddersfield corner. I'm loath to blame Matt Doherty again, but it appeared that it was the Irish fullback who failed to clear his lines. Beckford's second came after he beat Kaspars Gorkšs well and finished clinically, clipping the ball over Dorus de Vries. Beckford could have grabbed a hat trick goal later when in a similar position, but de Vries saved well. I have to say, that while Beckford will grab the headlines, I thought James Vaughan was excellent. He worked incredibly hard upfront on his own, constantly putting Gorkšs and Johnson under pressure. It was of no surprise that he cramped up at the end and was taken off.

- It was in the aftermath of Beckford’s second that Jamie O’Hara finally made an impression on the game. All the players were clearly frustrated at having conceded two quick goals, while the Huddersfield players were pumped up. Straight from the kick-off, O’Hara played the ball back to de Vries (something that annoys me anyway. We always used to do it under McCarthy; pass the ball straight back to the goalkeeper from kick off. Why do this? Ståle Solbakken appeared to have eradicated it, but it is back under Saunders), and was clattered in the back by Town substitute Keith Southern. O’Hara then waved his hand in the general direction of Southern’s face, who was taken out by a sniper in the crowd dropped to the floor like the proverbial sack of spuds. I’ve no qualms with O’Hara’s sending off; no matter how frustrated he may have been at the time, this is a player aged 26 who should have known better. Southern’s reaction did annoy me though, especially as he was the player who instigated the incident. In situations like this, I wouldn’t have been averse to seeing Southern also getting a red card; the barge into O’Hara’s back was certainly worthy of a caution, while Law 12 also states that a “player must be cautioned for unsporting behaviour, e.g. if a player:… attempts to deceive the referee by feigning injury or pretending to have been fouled (simulation”. That’s not me being bitter about the sending off, which I think was deserved, but also seeing Southern punished for his role in the incident.

- According to the BBC’s stats, we had three shots on target. I can genuinely only remember the goal, and I don’t remember Alex Smithies making a save. But, we did have chances to score. Sigurðarson lashed a golden chance over, an awful attempt to the extent that I assumed it had Gorkšs on his weaker right foot, and was disappointed to see it was the Icelandic forward. Sigurðarson then put a header wide from a second half corner when he probably should have done better. But, the big chance fell to Roger Johnson, who when completely free in the penalty area, just to the right of goal with only the keeper to beat put his shot 18 yards wide. We should have scored more than once, and during the first 10 minutes, I felt we may go on to score two or three, but for long periods of the game we failed to put a poor Huddersfield defence, whose defence record this season is only worsened by bottom of the table Bristol City, under any real pressure.

- On Tuesday, we play Hull City at home; walking out of the ground, I’m struggling to think of any players who I actually hope will play. De Vries did very little wrong in goal, and Jack Robinson was probably our man of the match, but the only strong feelings I have about any players are those that I don’t want anywhere near the first team, including pretty much every central midfielder and every defender bar Robinson. What really frustrates me is considering that Ronald Zubar and Richard Stearman were let go for nothing and on loan respectively in January, and I am confident that both of those players would improve this current team. Although saying that, I think I’d improve this current team…

- Finally, two thoughts on the makeup of the two teams. Wolves had an unusually high number of left footers in the starting eleven – Robinson, Gorkšs, O’Hara, Hunt and Ward. Similarly, of the 14 players used by Huddersfield today, no fewer than five have played for Everton. One for the stats fans there. 

Wolves 1-3 Huddersfield Town

Discussion started by Wolves , 13/04/2013 18:53

Wolves
13/04/2013 18:53

What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:04:17:17:58:46 by toomb.

Reply Quote Report

toomb
13/04/2013 21:35

Some poor quality highlights for the masochists out there: http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/wolves-1-huddersfield-3-championship/



toomb's twitter

Reply Quote Report

Risca TM
14/04/2013 08:29

The horrible thing is that there aren't any players there to sort out the midfield problems, and I can't see Dunno coming up with a creative idea along the lines of what you suggest about Ward.

Another Private Fraser morning, I'm afraid.


PS: glad the site is sorted again - I missed it!

Reply Quote Report

Goto: Forum List•Message List•Search• Log In

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

We record all IP addresses on the Sportnetwork message boards which may be required by the authorities in case of defamatory or abusive comment. We seek to monitor the Message Boards at regular intervals. We do not associate Sportnetwork with any of the comments and do not take responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed on the Message Boards. If you have any cause for concern over any material posted here please let us know as soon as possible by e-mailing abuse@sportnetwork.net