Unless we sign some creativity...

[Buddhawolf]

... in midfield, we are doomed. The inability of all 11 players yesterday to play an incisive through ball was staggering. I cannot see us winning the 6-7 games we will need to stay up playing the football that was on show yesterday.

 

[bridgnorthwolf]

Our midfield creativity is injured/suspended!

 

[WasStefan]

... in midfield, we are doomed. The inability of all 11 players yesterday to play an incisive through ball was staggering. I cannot see us winning the 6-7 games we will need to stay up playing the football that was on show yesterday.

O'hara and Milijas injured/suspended.

/thread

 

[DawleyWolf]

agree to some extent; however, JOH and to a lesser extent Milijas both can do that - they just need to become available to play again and soon!

Although signing a (right footed) alternative would be good too

 

[WolvesAreBoringOnCeefax]

We need more creativity from all areas, that's why we're down the end of the table we are - or it's one of the reasons anyway. There was a point yesterday where Stearman had the ball and an early, accurate pass would've set Edwards away 1 on 1 with Cech, he was right level with their last defender and looking to make his run. Fast forward to the end of the game and their fullback Cole has the nouse to make the run behind our defensive line and ultimately get them the winner. Obviously midfield is the key area you look to for creativity but certainly we could do with adding to it elsewhere also.

 

[Buddhawolf]

Wolvesareboring - totally agree. If we build a team around exciting wingers then tehy need quality full backs to partner them. I can't understand why Foley didn't start? Beginning to see "square pegs in round holes" again. As for Milijas / JOH: the former isn't the answer (he hasn't been for the last 2 seasons, so why would he suddenly produce in the 2nd half of this). And JOH has not produced enough consistent performances for me.

We should forget about talk of new strikers. Finishing isn't a problem; creating chances is the issue.

Feel sorry for our back four; the ball comes back so quickly, they are constantly under pressure.

 

[bridgnorthwolf]

Hammill's crossing his awesome when he's on-song. A fully-fit O'Hara will help no end, plus Frimpong will add something when he's up to speed. I know he's not strictly a creative player, but he come from Arsenal and he does have the ability to think quickly and make a clever pass. Also when Foley is back fully fit, his decision-making is the best at the club and is an intelligent player.

We have the players when they're all fit and available, just need the spark back.

 

[Ulver]

We need more creativity from all areas, that's why we're down the end of the table we are - or it's one of the reasons anyway. There was a point yesterday where Stearman had the ball and an early, accurate pass would've set Edwards away 1 on 1 with Cech, he was right level with their last defender and looking to make his run. Fast forward to the end of the game and their fullback Cole has the nouse to make the run behind our defensive line and ultimately get them the winner. Obviously midfield is the key area you look to for creativity but certainly we could do with adding to it elsewhere also.

Spot on. We shouldn't just look to one or two creative players and think that will create chances.

 

[Metal Wolf89]

I think its the tactics in all honestly, if the players we have at the moment cannot retain the ball and pass it around comfortably then we really are one of the worst teams in the league. No more hoof ball of hit and hope it lands to one of our players, we need more passing and movement on the deck regardless of Milijas and o hara being out.

 

[Pessimistic Wolf]

I'm not usually one to look for transfers at all, and I don't think we need a new striker or any new defenders (unless we lose Ewok), however I think we do need another attacking midfielder, and whoever it is should be our next marquee signing.

There seem to be rumours that Milijas will be on his way in the summer, and JOH has a history of injury anyway, plus a pretty volatile temperament that could see him sent off.

 

[Buddhawolf]

What I have seen in the last 6 games (including the Sunderland win) fills me with dread.

Alos think part of the problem is the coaching. Surely we can do better than TC. How can Swansea (and, to a lesser extent Norwich) play that style of football with a bunch of "Championship" players. Answer = coaching

 

[gazzahez]

O'hara and Milijas injured/suspended.

/thread

I don't think the absence of those players is the issue at all.

Albion's recent win at Newcastle struck a chord with me because their goals (and in particular Odenwingie's goal from Brunt's pass) came from incisive passes through the middle that led to 1-on-1's for the Albion forward against Krul.

How many times has one of our forwards had a 1-on-1 with an opposition keeper in last 12 months due to a through ball? Only clear one I can recall was Fletcher vs Albion (defensive error!) although arguably Doyle had something similar yesterday.

I can't believe any other league team could point to anything like this paucity of creating chances. This is what worries me about our current management - do they not see what we fans can see as our unbelievable 1-dimensionalness? ie we can only score from crosses or consequences of crosses.

 

[WasStefan]

We don't have the strikers or play the right tactics to play through balls. I have no doubt that if we had a pacey striker and played the correct tactics JOH and Milijas would have no problem in playing balls behind defenders.

I don't think the absence of those players is the issue at all.

Albion's recent win at Newcastle struck a chord with me because their goals (and in particular Odenwingie's goal from Brunt's pass) came from incisive passes through the middle that led to 1-on-1's for the Albion forward against Krul.

How many times has one of our forwards had a 1-on-1 with an opposition keeper in last 12 months due to a through ball? Only clear one I can recall was Fletcher vs Albion (defensive error!) although arguably Doyle had something similar yesterday.

I can't believe any other league team could point to anything like this paucity of creating chances. This is what worries me about our current management - do they not see what we fans can see as our unbelievable 1-dimensionalness? ie we can only score from crosses or consequences of crosses.

 

[Hoganstolemywife]

We've really missed JOH

 

[reanswolf]

We have missed JOH but for years Wolves have had carp midfields, its just our way sadly, whilst Albion build a team around "quality" midfielders - hence they do better than us. Simple really.

 

[Buddhawolf]

StefanWolves - disagree. If we had creativity in midfield, then we could play balls between the CB /FBs for our pacey wingers to run on to. 4-3-3 in attack / 4-5-1 in defence.

Gazzahez - One dimensional just about sums us up. We will stay up because others are worse, not because we are a good team. Agree, Albion are seasons ahead of us in terms of overall quality.

 

[Boss Hogg]

What price a young Paul Cook?

 

[Rocky_Balllboa]

Is Silas still playing?

 

[WasStefan]

Is Silas still playing?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silas_(Portuguese_footballer)

 

[richiej95]

I agree with have no creativity at the moment but as has been said, that is only because we are missing O'Hara and Milijas! Our priorities must be now:

Right-Back
Striker
Centre-Back

in that order.

 

[Rocky_Balllboa]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silas_(Portuguese_footballer)

Decent career after us, pity he didn't make it at Wolves

 

[kennyB]

First minute yesterday, Edwards in acres of space on the edge of the Chelsea box, what does he do? A nice back pass to Cech. Nothing but a plodder in midfield, no flair and little ability.

 

[OldWolvesfart]

Hammill's crossing his awesome when he's on-song. A fully-fit O'Hara will help no end, plus Frimpong will add something when he's up to speed. I know he's not strictly a creative player, but he come from Arsenal and he does have the ability to think quickly and make a clever pass. Also when Foley is back fully fit, his decision-making is the best at the club and is an intelligent player.

We have the players when they're all fit and available, just need the spark back.

Agree totally regarding having Foley back. Interesting video focusing on Frimpong in the match against Bocca Juniors on utube.[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cy9NTad054"]Frimpong vs Boca Juniors - YouTube[/nomedia]
He makes some good long passes in that game but also a few errors overall he looked pretty good and will improve for us once he settles in.

 

[Hatch End]

It's Mad Mick's team, made up of his ideal players.......slow in thought and movement, lacking in basic skills and coached to a lower division standard......but putting in the effort and not arguing with the Yorkshire Guru.

You can be a Mick fan, love the battling qualities, the shifting and sweating, but at the end of the day it's not Premiership football.

We only win games when the opposition have an off day. The rest of the time the more intelligent managers have sussed out our tactics ( such as they are ) and have worked out to play against them.
Mind you, I would think anyone who's done the basic FA coaching course could work out how to play against a Mick team, there's nothing there beyond the effort and occasional flashes of inspiration by individual players.

If a miracle happens and we stay in the Greed league for another season it will be just the same again next time.

 

[JOSWolf]

What worries me is even with Ohara and Milijas in the team we have not pulled up any trees with our style of football and creativity this season.
It surely must be the way we are coached and set out to play football games as both Swansea and Norwich, with far less resources than us, play a far better standard of football and are far more creative than us.

 

[goldeneyed]

We have missed JOH but for years Wolves have had carp midfields, its just our way sadly, whilst Albion build a team around "quality" midfielders - hence they do better than us. Simple really.

Completely agree. Wolves have never spent big on creative midfielders. We need to find a manager from somewhere who can teach our players possession football and who is willing to invest heavily in midfield talent. If you look at Arsenal's options even after the sale of Nasri and Fabregas they are light years ahead of us. If Milijas doesn't do it for MM or Guedioura then best sell them and start again. As I have said elsewhere Sigurdsson who has gone to Swansea on loan and has a brilliant scoring record from midfield would be an absolutely ideal replacement long term.

Resorting to cut price Championshp players like Edwards will always result in failure. O'Hara is a step up but we need much, much more in terms of creative options in that part of the team. Just don't see that ever happening under McCarthy.

 

[welshy]

Our team lack's so much quality it's pathetic, our players cant handle an ounce of pressure and just flaps, the amount of blind balls down the wing we play is laughable.

Our tactics doesnt help either, how can we play through balls when our strikers spend more time on the wing or sitting 10 yards infront of the opposition defenders unless its a hoooof ball.

Im afraid we lack both the quality and tactics to play nice through balls.

 

[Ulver]

I think its the tactics in all honestly, if the players we have at the moment cannot retain the ball and pass it around comfortably then we really are one of the worst teams in the league. No more hoof ball of hit and hope it lands to one of our players, we need more passing and movement on the deck regardless of Milijas and o hara being out.

I don't think you can say that. When they try to pass and move it is often laboured and lacking in sharpness and then we give the ball away. Perhaps it is a by product of the team's strategy as perhaps they don't practice it enough in training.

As others have said though, we've basically got a bunch of fairly crap footballers with a couple of gems thrown in.

 

[Deleted member LP 3925]

As others have said though, we've basically got a bunch of fairly crap footballers with a couple of gems thrown in.

Disagree. All are fantastic footballers, just look pretty average in the PL. (Well, maybe not George, Karl and Dave)

 

[FinnishWolf]

We have missed JOH but for years Wolves have had carp midfields, its just our way sadly, whilst Albion build a team around "quality" midfielders - hence they do better than us. Simple really.

Slightly off-topic...but I love it how people say "team X does Y, that why they do better than us. Simple really."

I think we all know there's nothing that simple about it.

Of course, I really wouldn't mind some more creativity in midfield either...

 

[Greeno]

Incredible you mention West Brom but you cant remember a recent 1-on-1 of ours?

Foley played fletcher in didn't he?

Let's face it. We miss Foley, O'Hara and Ned.

 

[LetTheBullLoose]

It's not just someone creative we need, it's a completely different approach. In order for a creative midfielder to be creative, there needs to be the movement in front of him. If you watch us play there's little in the way of top-class movement off the ball. That's not how the tactics are set up-it's hoof ball and try to get second ball. Watch any decent team and it's pass and then move. We don't do the second bit very well. And that is, in some part, down to tactics. You could see what Frimpong is used to watching him yesterday. His instinctive pass, through months of playing and training with Arsenal, wasn't there for him and he had to check and re-assess. Hence he got caught a few times.

 

[Ulver]

Disagree. All are fantastic footballers, just look pretty average in the PL. (Well, maybe not George, Karl and Dave)

Oh come on dopey, my point was clearly within the context of the premier league.

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

Disagree. All are fantastic footballers, just look pretty average in the PL. (Well, maybe not George, Karl and Dave)

When I come on here I do try not to let the comments wind me up and after yesterday's ding dong I thought tonight will be ok, then one of the 1st statements I read is this????!!!!!! I assume Lupo your remark is tongue in cheek or you are still hung-over from NY????!!! I shouldn't have to remind you that we are in the Prem and it is at this level the players are judged? Regretably too many have not managed to make the step up and our reliance on them after 3 seasons is the reason we are where we are.

 

[Hatch End]

Agree NNW, we are playing in the Greed League, so our players ( and manager ) have to be measured against the league they are in...........not the Championship!

Yes, ok, both Mad Mick and our lesser quality players might ( only might! ) look good back in our ancestral home!
What worries me, is that teams coming up, from the so called lower division ,are playing better football than us.......so how will we get on if we go back there again?

 

[Hatch End]

ps. Mad Mick has a long established record of getting teams promoted from the Championship......but he's getting older, not visibly wiser and apparently dafter, so can we depend on him getting us back to the greed League once again?

 

[WonderWolf]

ps. Mad Mick has a long established record of getting teams promoted from the Championship......but he's getting older, not visibly wiser and apparently dafter, so can we depend on him getting us back to the greed League once again?

....

If the unthinkable happened I feel Mick would still be able to get us back up - but what then?!:dong:...do we sack him or go from square 1 again 4 seasons on?

 

[Deleted member LP 3925]

Ulver/NNW,
my post was partly tongue in cheek, partly to get a bite, but also to pass comment on the fact that we must not get too negative about the general quality of our players. However, I strongly agree that we should have acquired a greater number of 'non-crap' players in three years!

 

[Tettenhall Wolf]

When we have Ohara or milijas back, frimpong and Henry will win it and give it to them. If we play 2 wingers we can push it wide or down the middle. What we need to do though is stop passing it back so much and using henners to just hoof it up to the single forward!

 

[Essex Wolf]

When we have Ohara or milijas back, frimpong and Henry will win it and give it to them. If we play 2 wingers we can push it wide or down the middle. What we need to do though is stop passing it back so much and using henners to just hoof it up to the single forward!

Good point but even whan they are back there's no guarantee Mick will play the players required.

His starting 11 yesterday was as big a mess up as the team that started at Bolton.