Darren Ward

[Essex Wolf]

Now that he has had a few games alongside Craddock what are peoples views on him?

I recall upon him signing they seemed pretty mixed.

From what I've seen of late my view is that he is more than good enough at this level and he and JC seem to have struck up a decent understanding/partnerhip. I acknowledge the game at Ipswich was a bit of a disaster but that day few played that well and it wasn't central defence that was the cause of most of he problem that day.

So as and when Breen is fit will he get straight back into the side or will he have to wait his chance?

This isn't a pop at Breen who for the most part I rate but for now the central pairing are looking fairly solid.

[Kenny-11]

Ward has been solid since his return. He has reacted well to losing his place in the team and has struck up a good understanding with Jody.

As for Breen, well he had to wait last season to get back in due to Collins and Edwards playing so well and only did when Edwards had to move to right back and I seen no reason why MM will change Ward and Craddock when Breen is fit.

[Taffywolf]

Far too slow, WE need pace in the middle. Now I would say Craddock is our 1st choice centre back. If we could bring someone in to play along side him with pace we would be sorted..

[Kenny-11]

Far too slow, WE need pace in the middle. Now I would say Craddock is our 1st choice centre back. If we could bring someone in to play along side him with pace we would be sorted..

How many teams have destroyed us for pace??

[wolf of sedgley]

He's alright, which is what i expected for the money we paid.

[Akaman]

How many teams have destroyed us for pace??

Exactly!! This quest for a 'pacy centre half' which some people are pursuing is totally worn out now and irrelevant to our defence, which as a unit is solid.

On Ward, he played well on Saturday, best I've seen him, I'd like MM to stick with the Ward - Craddock partnership as long as it's available to him to be honest. Unless one of them has a run of a few stinkers!!

[Essex Wolf]

A CH having pace is a great asset no doubt or argument against it but if a player can read the game well enough and cover the right positions then what they may lack in pace will be made up for. I've not yet seen the Wolves defence suffer due to the oppositions pace.

Look at Teddy Sheringham, okay not a defender but he has never been blessed with pace yet has scored many many goals at the highest level and against defenders far quicker than he.

[Bridgo Wolf]

I thought Ward had a good game on Saturday and has looked pretty solid with Craddock since he came back into the team. Won everything in the air, admittedly with little competition until the big forward came on at the end, but won most - if not all - balls in the air against him too.

The 'we need pace at the back' argument is wearing a bit thin. We have the secong best goals conceded record in the league, and the most clean sheets, 7 to date I think.

It will be interesting to see how they compete with Miller in a fortnight's time though.

[Boss Hogg]

The lack of pace at the back is relevant because it is why Henry and Olofinjana are both having to play so deep - as a result Olo is not getting into the box to support the front two - hence his lack of goals so far this season.

[Paul76]

We don't need pace in our defense. They are doing a very good job.

I remember watching Match of the day about 4 years ago Salt and Lineker asked Alan Hansen what he thought of John Terry, Hansen replied if he had pace to burn he would be a world class defender as it is he'll be an average defender.

[Kenny-11]

- as a result Olo is not getting into the box to support the front two - hence his lack of goals so far this season.

Seyi gets to the edge of the area loads but when he does he refuses to shoot and then plays it out wide....every time.

[Bend It Like Dennison]

Darren Ward has done very well & IMO shouldnt have been dropped in the first place.

Yet again, Wolverhampton Wanderers has benefitted from having Gary Breen either suspended or injured.

[Aylesbury Wolf]

We have, again, one of the best records in this division for goals against. Despite the constant moaning, we do have one of the best defensive units in the division whichever combination of CH's play. The only 'weakness' is that Collins is not a true left back.

What some can't seem to accept is that our defenders are good enough for this league but not necessarily for the Premiership but how many other teams have the same problem?

[Munro Munro]

Sorry but dont fancy him at the moment, i feel his distribution is bad and lacks pace, i agree with the center midfeild dropping back to strenghten at the expence of attack debate.

[Wolv3nsam]

He doesn't deserve to be dropped based on recent performances, with Breen he looked like bambi on ice but next to Jody he looks decent.

[Paul76]

Sorry but dont fancy him at the moment, i feel his distribution is bad and lacks pace, i agree with the center midfeild dropping back to strenghten at the expence of attack debate.

That's rite blame our excellent defense for our strikers not being able to score.

[Essex Wolf]

He doesn't deserve to be dropped based on recent performances, with Breen he looked like bambi on ice but next to Jody he looks decent.


Tend to agree and if he is dropped at the expense of Breen then the favourites tag will be hard for MM to shake.

[Wolv3nsam]

I've been pleasantly surprised and quite warmed by how certain players have reacted coming back into the team. Jody has been a true professional with how he reacted after being carted off to Stoke and then coming back, Jay has transformed, Freddy has done well and put a shift in despite Mick saying how unjustified it was dropping him in the first place and Darren is showing some solid performances in the middle.

[Essex Wolf]

Craddock is a bit of an unsung hero really. He was rediculed, mocked and slated and used as a scapegoat for many a poor result but he has come back from Stoke and been one of the teams most consistent players for he most part.

[SaleWolf]

The worst of an extremely poor much of a muchness bunch.

Played averagely well on Saturday against a side with little or no attacking prowess.

Not good enough like 99% of our defenders.

[Essex Wolf]

The worst of an extremely poor much of a muchness bunch.

Played averagely well on Saturday against a side with little or no attacking prowess.

Not good enough like 99% of our defenders.

You're not including Foley here are you SW?

[Woburn Wolf]

How many teams have destroyed us for pace??
This is a very valid question and the answer is few if any, however having pacy defenders who can recover quickly much reduces the need for a defensive minded central midfield set up which in turn, with the right players, can make us a much more potent attacking force.

[Woburn Wolf]

A CH having pace is a great asset no doubt or argument against it but if a player can read the game well enough and cover the right positions then what they may lack in pace will be made up for. I've not yet seen the Wolves defence suffer due to the oppositions pace.

Look at Teddy Sheringham, okay not a defender but he has never been blessed with pace yet has scored many many goals at the highest level and against defenders far quicker than he.
Bobby Moore had no pace but he was a great reader of the game and one of the best defenders that ever lived.

[Woburn Wolf]

You're not including Foley here are you SW?
Agree totally. Kevin Foley is quality and is one of the few players we have with the ability to be very comfortable in the Prem. If we don't get promoted don't be surprised if him and Kites leave in the summer.

[wallace]

ward is good enough when the ball is in the air but struggles with balls played into the channels because of his lack of pace. having a pacy covering leftback would help him but we lack one of those when gray isnt in the side. if collins stays back we then loose some of our attacking threat, having a player able to get forward or back as required adds so much to a side.

[Stewarton Wolf]

Ward is better than Breen, but so is my mum. However the lack of pace is killing our ability to move the midfield 10 yards further forwards, limiting the supply resulting in the lack of goals.

[dr cool]

Ward is better than Breen, but so is my mum. However the lack of pace is killing our ability to move the midfield 10 yards further forwards, limiting the supply resulting in the lack of goals.

very very rarely do i agree with your blind obsession that all is wrong:o, but on this occasion you are absolutely right....we need a partner for jody and gray to return short term at left back.

dr:cool:

[Stewarton Wolf]

very very rarely do i agree with your blind obsession that all is wrong:o, but on this occasion you are absolutely right....we need a partner for jody and gray to return short term at left back.

dr:cool:

Well thank you, I love your blind optimism and wish I could switch off. I would go as far to say that we also need a replacement for JC, this is a temporary blip he is having.:)

[GoldenHorseshoe]

I've been pleasantly surprised and quite warmed by how certain players have reacted coming back into the team. Jody has been a true professional with how he reacted after being carted off to Stoke and then coming back, Jay has transformed, Freddy has done well and put a shift in despite Mick saying how unjustified it was dropping him in the first place and Darren is showing some solid performances in the middle.

Craddock has always been a true professional at Wolves, he's been in the team, been dropped, made captain, had captaincy taken away, shipped out on loan, with clearly inferior players kept, then brought back, and never (to my knowledge) bad mouthed the club or anybody in the club.
Good man Jody!

[ice cream head]

limiting the supply resulting in the lack of goals.

The lack of goals is mainly due to certain players being afraid to shoot when they find themselves in good positions and at times poor finishing. We create plenty of goalscoring opportunities. How many times this season have we heard people moaning about the lack of a cutting edge? How many times have we said we should have been 3 or 4 up? How many discussions have there been on here regarding who should play up front to put the many chances we create away?

The defence is one part of the team that is excelling. Ipswich apart we haven't let in many goals so far this season during a single match and have the second best defensive record in the league.

[Atlas 1951]

Not good enough like 99% of our defenders.

Do we really have one hundred defenders at our disposal?

[Mugwump]

Darren ward can head a ball. The rest of his game is pants. He is a waste of money. The only value he has to us is if eddie murphy cant play donkey in the next shrek movie.

[Munro Munro]

cant see how people rate Ward as better than Breen

[Bend It Like Dennison]

cant see how people rate Ward as better than Breen

Can head better.
Can tackle harder.
When making clearances puts his foot thru the ball instead of passing the ball to the oppositions top scorer.
Doesnt blame others for his mistakes.

4 good reasons. Glad I could help.

[Paul76]

Second best defense in the league. Yeah you're all correct our defenders are slow, can't head, can't run, can't pass and can't defend.

If it wasn't for our poor defenders we'd be bottom half instead of 5th.

[bod101]

Second best defense in the league. Yeah you're all correct our defenders are slow, can't head, can't run, can't pass and can't defend.

If it wasn't for our poor defenders we'd be bottom half instead of 5th.

or

If it wasn't for our midfielders having to sit back to aid the defence and instead support the attack we'd be running away with the league?

depends on your perspective.

[Paul76]

Well without being in the bootroom or training pitch I wouldn't know if our midfield has been told to sitback and protect the defense.

Maybe it's just a question of Seyi and Henry being to alike.

[Sozzled Wolf]

Totally agree with those who refer to the midfield dropping deep & how this improves our goals against record / gives the perception the defence are better than they actually are.

I may be wrong - I don't have the stats to hand - but from what I've seen when Henry plays the defence leak less goals. When Potter played last season and more responsibility was placed on the centre backs we seemed to have a more penetrative style to our offensive game, but conceded more at the back.

It's all subjective opinion, which ever side you argue for, but I for one can't believe why this position/issue hasn't been addressed to this point. Maybe it has, but MM and co. couldn't attract the player(s) they wanted??

[Mr Wolf]

Our center midfielders do not sit back to protect the defence like people are saying, this is just another one of those myths that appear thread after thread because posters have nothing else to say.

Try watching when we are in possesion in attack next home game.

One of the reasons we struggle to score is because every player in our squad except Jay and Fred cannot shoot from more than 20 yards out. Alot of goals scored from midfielders are from a distance and ours do not have the ability. Every week in every league you see midfielders scoring belters but when was the last time any of ours did?

[jackfieldwolf]

Couldn't agree more Mr. Wolf, this obsessional criticism of our fine defensive record is uncalled for. The midfield sitting deep to compensate for our defensive lack of pace is equally unjustified. Despite our so-called weak left side of Collins and Ward playing 'out of position', both have played with credit [albeit Ward does not have the guile and trickery of a natural left winger], but both have slotted in well enough as you would expect in any decent squad where versitility is required.

Let's just examine the stats going foward, Excepting leaque cup performances [which i havn't seen] Wolves attacking play at home this season has culminated in bucket loads of scoring chances this season.

The problem has been to tuck them away, its that simple.
The way I see it, the problem in our attacking play has, either been over elaboration [one pass too many], inability to shoot on sight., and the meagre goal return of our strikers not to mention our midfielders. I certainly agree with a previous poster who asks the question of 'the midfielder screamer sailing into the back of the net.

This pedestrian paced defensive debate needs to re focus on the foward play, namely our famine like goal return.

[thekentwolf]

Darren Ward is as hard as nails, which is what I like to see in a defender. A large percentage of forwards have lost there personal battles with Darren before set foot on the pitch.

[The_Blade]

A CH having pace is a great asset no doubt or argument against it but if a player can read the game well enough and cover the right positions then what they may lack in pace will be made up for. I've not yet seen the Wolves defence suffer due to the oppositions pace.

Look at Teddy Sheringham, okay not a defender but he has never been blessed with pace yet has scored many many goals at the highest level and against defenders far quicker than he.

You can add John Terry to that too.

[Essex Wolf]

You can add John Terry to that too.

And he ain't too bad.

[Uncle Festa]

Anyone who thinks Ward is a better player than Breen is either $$$$ed up or knows $$$$ all about playing football. When we have been breached at the back, Ward has been the main culprit, and if we want to progress from this league then he needs to be replaced. If we are happy being a nearly team then the likes of Darren Ward are adequate, and at the moment we are a nearly team.

[Essex Wolf]

So are you saying UF that Breen never made or makes mistakes?

[Paul76]

Can anybody tell me a defender who doesn't make mistakes?

[Francis Munro]

He's very average at best, I'd have Breen in the side over Ward any day.

[Bend It Like Dennison]

More fool you.

[Francis Munro]

More fool you.

What's that nonsense supposed to mean?

[Essex Wolf]

I rate Breen and feel he has for the most part done a decent job when playing for Wolves but exactly what is it about him that makes some Wolves supporters almost idolise the man?

Craddock and Ward have struck up a decent understanding after not that many games together yet still it seems Breen's return is seen as a guarantee once fit?

He has no more pace than the current central pairing, is no better a header of the ball and rarely looks like scoring from set pieces.

[wolves85nb]

If you're trying to find a defender with the same 'Championship' attributes our current Centre Backs have (e.g. Experience, Good positional play, commitment, good aerial ability, etc..) + pace & acceleration, how much do you think you'll find him for??? We're talking millions for this type of player (e.g. Lescott/Davies) plus the fact with those attributes would he really be looking at a Championship club?

I think if we had signed someone like Leon Barnett who has pace, fans would then be moaning he lacks in his positional play and decision-making and that we need someone with experience and leadership qualities (e.g. our current CB's)!

The issue about the midfield sitting deep to protect our 'poor/slow defence' which in-turn disturbs our attacking play is utter rubbish IMO. If you go to the games on a regular basis you'll be able to see that we DO create so many chances to score from and our midfielders do get in to positions to shoot but choose not to. Watch the tesco's, their midfielders are constantly on the scoresheet and the goals come from the edge of the box - the same positions Seyi gets into before passing it sideways. If we need to sign someone in January if Davies isn't ready, then it's got to be an attacking midfielder who's not afraid to have a go.

[Sozzled Wolf]

I think if we had signed someone like Leon Barnett who has pace, fans would then be moaning he lacks in his positional play and decision-making and that we need someone with experience and leadership qualities (e.g. our current CB's)!

It's a case of an finding an effective, complementary pairing, combining the two styles. In an ideal world, one has great positional sense and leadership skills, the other some decent pace but maybe a rawness to his game. And when I say ideal, obviously I'm considering budget etc as we can't go out and buy two players who are perfect in every way.

Currently our centre halves are all too similar, and Ward offers nothing above who we already had in place.

The issue about the midfield sitting deep to protect our 'poor/slow defence' which in-turn disturbs our attacking play is utter rubbish IMO. If you go to the games on a regular basis you'll be able to see that we DO create so many chances to score from and our midfielders do get in to positions to shoot but choose not to. Watch the tesco's, their midfielders are constantly on the scoresheet and the goals come from the edge of the box - the same positions Seyi gets into before passing it sideways. If we need to sign someone in January if Davies isn't ready, then it's got to be an attacking midfielder who's not afraid to have a go.

Hmmm....

1) Please don't assume that those with an opposing viewpoint don't regularly go to games. It's a wild and incorrect assumption.

2) You'll find that Phillips and Miller have been banging in most of their goals, and Koren is the only central midfielder to have scored more than one goal.

I agree that Seyi in particular needs to score more but it's not just shots from outside the area where midfielders can contribute - they should be able to get inside the box more and support the strikers from close range, for example when the ball is being crossed from either wing.

[Oldgold Wolfcub]

Can anybody tell me a defender who doesn't make mistakes?
Yep the one who isn't in the team.;)

[wolves85nb]

I agree that Seyi in particular needs to score more but it's not just shots from outside the area where midfielders can contribute - they should be able to get inside the box more and support the strikers from close range, for example when the ball is being crossed from either wing.

It's okay to suggest Koren is the only central midfielder for tesco's to score more than 1 (he's scored 5), but if Olo had scored a similar amount how important might those goals have been in terms of draws into wins, etc. IMO it's not unfair to compare or expect the same return simply because of the attacking way we also play and the positions he DOES get himself into.

In combined full appearances of 31, both Seyi and Henry have contributed just 2 goals. As Olo is our most attacking central midfield player, that's a very poor return from his 16 apps. I don't assume people with different views don't attent games on a regular basis, but I think people who are suggesting that Olo doesn't get into plenty of goal scoring opportunities in and around the penalty area game after game (and then wastes them by passing sideways or taking it too far) can't be taking much notice... It's virtually a fact:o and happens every match. Admitted our strikers haven't contributed as much as they should but I think that's an issue that MM seems to have now sorted out by getting Jay and Freddy mentally right and up for it.

[wolves85nb]

It's a case of an finding an effective, complementary pairing, combining the two styles. In an ideal world, one has great positional sense and leadership skills, the other some decent pace but maybe a rawness to his game. And when I say ideal, obviously I'm considering budget etc as we can't go out and buy two players who are perfect in every way.

Currently our centre halves are all too similar, and Ward offers nothing above who we already had in place.

Agree with ideally finding an effective complimentary pairing and combining 2 styles but who's out there at a reasonable price and would we have the time to get this raw player in and find an understanding with Craddock or Breen???

The defence looks the most solid it's been since MM took over - even better than the Collins/Edwards partnership IMO - and I think it's largely down to Foley balancing out the back four like McNamara did when he managed to be fit and Craddock finding his best form in a Wolves shirt to date. Ward is OK but like the majority of our team won't be good enough for the Premiership.