Blackburn 0 - Wolves 1 - verdict thread

[Kenny]

He's worried Saunders is coming for him

Just coming back from injury....perfect for Deano. If he fucks his back up he can wait until May and get fit then

 

[Deleted Cyber]

bloody great result- unexpted double over a decent side. Really chuffed now to do blackpool at home and I will be really happy. Love clean sheets. Well done

 

[Deleted Cyber]

and well done to the away support- great noise!

 

[Kford-wolf]

Conversely, props to Hause & Iorfa for freshening up the defence. Their inclusion, plus Stearmans recent numerous MOTM performances (he's been pretty good the past month) have re-secured our back line.

Don't think we can under estimate the impact of jack price either, does the simple things so well and allows those around to do their job - still baffled as to why he was sent out on loan!

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Don't think we can under estimate the impact of jack price either, does the simple things so well and allows those around to do their job - still baffled as to why he was sent out on loan!

Evans was our best player for the first couple of months of the season, no route into the first team for Jack as K-Mac is very rarely going to get dropped - better for him to be getting meaningful competitive games somewhere else rather than sporadic U21 games as they come at our place. Because he's had that match practice he's come back into our team sharp and ready to go.

We also had signed Rowe and Saville who have not had the desired impact but were clearly bought for a reason by KJ, he felt they would improve our options in midfield relative to what we had at the club in May. He was always going to give them more of a shot to start with, they have not made the best of their limited opportunities whereas Jack has and now has the shirt.

Also worth remembering that we finished the L1 season with Price behind Evans. He didn't start that many games in the last 4-6 weeks of the campaign, Evans started the majority.

 

[Lycan]

Hard to really tell what was happening as I was right at the front but will try my best.

Ikeme - 8 - Solid. Really commanding performance, dealt with everything Rovers threw at us. Was tempted to give him MOTM tbh.

Iorfa - 7- I know a few around me weren't too impressed but I thought he played really well today. Was disciplined in his defensive positioning and put his foot in when he needed to. He very rarely gives the ball away but does have a tendency to put Price/McDonald under pressure with the odd hospital pass.

Batth - 7 - Rovers played into his hands. Lots of long balls which he dealt with easily.

Stearman - 9 - MOTM. Despite bizarrely knocking the ball against his own post (wtf was he thinking?) he was superb today. Easily the best defender at the club and he loves Wolves, it's clear to see how much the club and the fans mean to him. A real class act.

Hause - 7 - Unspectacular but solid. Long term he isn't a left back but he's part of a defence who've conceded very few goals recently and it's hard to see how a team are going to really take us apart when we're set up like this. I thought he actually did better going forward than Iorfa.

McDonald - 6 - The game passed him by unfortunately. Don't really have much to say on him today which is disappointing.

Price - 6 - Along with Macca he looked a little overrun in midfield today. Gave the ball away in poor areas and got caught rushing out of position trying to win the ball back. I like his intensity but he needs to improve if he's going to make that no.4 spot his own IMO.

Henry - 8 - Superb. One of his best games in a Wolves shirt tbh, shame I wasn't sat in a better position to fully appreciate it. Had the beating of Rovers inside and outside and added a real touch of class to our attack. His shot against the bar was so unlucky, looked in from where we were sat.

Edwards - 7 - We all dream of a team of Dave Edwards', a team of Dave Edwards'. No1 is Dave Edwards, No2 is Dave Edwards, No3 is Dave Edwards, No 4 is Dave Edwards, No 5 is Dave Edwards, No 6 is Dave Edwards, No 7 is Dave Edwards, No 8 is Dave Edwards, NUMBER 9 IS STEVIE BULL, No 10 is Dave Edwards, No 11 is Dave Edwads, Oh we all dream of a team of Deave Edwards'. Seriously though he played very well today, should've had another goal tbh when he was blocked off at the far post.

van La Parra - 6 - Frustrating. He again showed ability by running past defenders at will and Aiki made a good point today by saying that he's almost undroppable with Sako away at ACON as he's the only midfielder we have with pace. He was okay but as we started defending deeper he wasn't much help, often losing the ball as he became more and more isolated up front. Needs to play smarter.

Nouha - 7 - Didn't look right. Was left out of the Flum game with a back injury and he wasn't moving right today. Had his best spell just after half time immediately after we scored but that was way up the other end of the pitch so hard to comment.

Doherty - N/A - Defended well when he had to and kept a good shape while we held onto our lead.

EEL - N/A - Strong in the air.

All in all a solid if unspectacular performance and a great 3 points. Decent atmosphere as well I thought.

 

[Norman Deeley]

Conversely, props to Hause & Iorfa for freshening up the defence. Their inclusion, plus Stearmans recent numerous MOTM performances (he's been pretty good the past month) have re-secured our back line.

what's our record with a starting back four of Iorfa-Batth-Stearman-Hause? Must be something like played 5 won 4 conceded 1. Iorfa and Hause may not be natural full backs but they've made a huge difference - plus Stears heroics as LJ rightly says

 

[Tony Towner]

Price - 6 - Along with Macca he looked a little overrun in midfield today. Gave the ball away in poor areas and got caught rushing out of position trying to win the ball back. I like his intensity but he needs to improve if he's going to make that no.4 spot his own IMO.

This is an interesting one. Our upturn in form broadly coincides with him coming into the side, but from what I've seen he's been average to poor with reports yesterday including the above that he didn't have a good game. He's given the ball away in dangerous areas on numerous occasions it's just that whereas every shot went in during November our luck has balanced itself out in the last month. If we have a desire to go 442 during some games then I think a 2 of Price and McDonald would be overrun. It would not be a priority for me, but I would not have a problem if we signed someone to replace him and I think we'll see Evans back in before too long as for me he has more of an all round game.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

This is an interesting one. Our upturn in form broadly coincides with him coming into the side, but from what I've seen he's been average to poor with reports yesterday including the above that he didn't have a good game. He's given the ball away in dangerous areas on numerous occasions it's just that whereas every shot went in during November our luck has balanced itself out in the last month. If we have a desire to go 442 during some games then I think a 2 of Price and McDonald would be overrun. It would not be a priority for me, but I would not have a problem if we signed someone to replace him and I think we'll see Evans back in before too long as for me he has more of an all round game.

I think you'll see the upturn in formly broadly coinciding with the return of Dicko as much as Price, there was a pretty long spell of decent form earlier in the season when Price wasn't even at Wolves.

 

[Tony Towner]

Which is the point I am making. I think it is coincidental yet others (not so much here) are suggesting it is pivotal.

 

[Lycan]

The shot against the bar was from Dicko not Henry, my mistake. Was a lovely move down our left with Edwards, Henry and Nouha all involved and looked like it was going in from our angle. The ball rebounded and was blasted over the bar by Rajiv, hard to tell exactly how much of a sitter it was from where I was stood but it looked bad.

It was a strange game really, we lost the battle in midfield but were deserved winners and probably should've scored more. Rovers didn't have any answer for our quick passing on the counter and Henry took them apart time and time again. The difference between the two sides was probably our back 4, we looked a settled solid unit with Stears at the heart playing out of his skin whereas they had players like Hanley and Baptiste who just couldn't cope.

 

[Tom Hark]

Clearly, the absence or presence of a few players (or their form) can make the difference between winning and losing, but I still find the extent of the down/upswings a bit surprising. We went almost instantly from being one of the division’s better sides to Blackpool-type whipping boys or worse and now look a really solid side again. That sort of thing’s not unprecedented, of course (see BCFC), but is more often accompanied by a more radical change of either manager or personnel than has happened here. I suppose it’s a lot to do with confidence, and a couple of wins will do that for you. Feeling mightily relieved, whatever the reason.

 

[YoungWolf]

I think you'll see the upturn in formly broadly coinciding with the return of Dicko as much as Price, there was a pretty long spell of decent form earlier in the season when Price wasn't even at Wolves.

I think this is true, but it's a combinaton of a few things. Hause and Iorfa have brought pace to the back line, and are both excellent defending 1 v 1. Price has come in, and we have moved the ball a lot quicker and worked our way forward up the pitch better. In Dicko we have an outlet who can hold the ball up and stretch defenders.

We just look an all round better team. There's still much to improve as well, which is encouraging.

 

[Lycan]

Not sue which miss was worse, van La Parra's or Edwards. Rajiv's was more spectacular but Edwards really should've buried that chance. How does he end up on the floor? He should be taking that in his stride and placing it in the corner.

 

[YoungWolf]

Think Edwards's miss it worse, though it looks like it took a bobble. Rajiv's came at him very fast but what lets him down is his first touch. If it's half decent he has a complete open goal.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Not sue which miss was worse, van La Parra's or Edwards. Rajiv's was more spectacular but Edwards really should've buried that chance. How does he end up on the floor? He should be taking that in his stride and placing it in the corner.

It doesn't fall into his stride properly, he has to check his run a little just as the ball gets to him and he makes a mess of it as he's trying to sort his feet out, still poor though.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Think Edwards's miss it worse, though it looks like it took a bobble. Rajiv's came at him very fast but what lets him down is his first touch. If it's half decent he has a complete open goal.

He nullifies the 'coming at him fast' thing by taking a touch though, a good touch on his chest at that, but then it's just a woeful lack of composure and he's blazing it into the stand.

 

[Kenny]

Think Edwards slipped on the wet pitch just before the ball got to him. La Parra's was just shit

 

[pr0sl0]

Consistently amazed at RVLP for having such good technique and such awful composure in front of goal in game after game.

 

[Kenny]

He has been unlucky a couple of times not to score (Watford away and Brentford at home most recently) but in general he just seems to snatch at the chances as if he is over desperate to get a goal to his name.