Just how good were/was/is/are (Wolves Edition)

[Deutsch Wolf]

Ince was absolutely outstanding down here when we played United in a friendly in 1994. Like Ian Wright a year or two later, he played it like a proper game. A serious force of nature in those days. Inter fans loved him when he went there.

I'd have fond memories of him if he'd quit in 2003 or 2004. Not sure what happened with him and DJ but they definitely fell out, he wasn't playing towards the end.

Back to Keogh. We had years of fans saying "we'll forgive them anything if they give their best" and then you look at the stick that he and Collins got. That pair never did anything other than their absolute best. It's a tendency in our support that I really dislike.

 

[AndyWolves]

I'd take Keogh over a lot of the absolute pap we've had at wolves. Had lots of unfair criticism but was ultimately limited. He tried his absolute hardest and gave his all

A real microcosm of Mick's reign at wolves

 

[sycophantia]

Always thought Keogh was better than he was given credit for, as well as being a 100%er, imo he was quite a clever footballer and created loads of chances for others especially SEB......just not enough goals for a striker though

 

[darlowolf64]

I liked Keogh. I always equated his role in his partnership with SEB to the one that Andy Much played for Steve Bull, the grafter who helped create the chances

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

35. Björn Bergmann Sigurdarson

Björn Bergmann Sigurðarson (born 26 February 1991) is an Icelandic international footballer who plays as a forward for Rostov.

He began his career with ÍA in his native Iceland before a three-year spell at Norwegian side Lillestrøm, during which time he made his international debut. In July 2012 he moved to English side Wolverhampton Wanderers for a reported £2.4m fee. His contract with Wolves expired in June 2016 without renewal.

On 18 June 2012, Björn's club officially announced that they had accepted an undisclosed bid for him from English side Wolverhampton Wanderers, believed to be in the region of £2.4 million. After passing to a medical and agreeing to personal terms for a four-year contract, the deal was finalised on 17 July 2012.

The Icelandic striker made his Wolves debut as a substitute in an opening day defeat at Leeds United. He scored his first goal for the club in a 2–0 win at Peterborough in late September, the first of five goals during a campaign that ended in relegation to League One.

In the 2013–14 season, under his third different manager during his time at Wolves, Björn failed to hold down a regular place in Wolves' team and on 31 January 2014 he was loaned to Norwegian side Molde for the remainder of 2014 in order to complete the Norwegian league season. During this loan spell he won the league and cup double with Molde.

On 1 January 2016, he came on as a 67th-minute substitute for James Henry in a 1–0 Championship win at Brighton & Hove Albion, his first Wolves appearance for over two years. Björn went on to often be used during the second half of the season, frequently as a lone forward, but failed to score during these 15 appearances, meaning his final goal for Wolves had come almost three years prior, in August 2013.

At the conclusion of the season Wolves announced they would not be renewing his contract. He had made 75 appearances in total for the club, scoring 7 times.

 

[YoungWolf]

Oh Siggy.

I was so excited by this signing. In that first season he had some moments, and I felt like he performed relatively well towards the end of the season in spite of Saunders which gave me some hope he'd be vital the next season.

Really summed up our problems at the end of the Jackett era when he brought him back and played him quite regularly. So toothless.

He's done OK for himself since, but not what we were expecting at all sadly.

 

[Deano]

Came with a decent reputation, I think Everton were linked at the time we signed him, thought he was really poor for us tbh, went through a small patch of promising form at the end of the relegation to League One season but never really looked much of a threat even in League One. Didn't really seem to have any stand out attributes.

 

[Tredman]

Probably the most disappointed I’ve been in a player since Tony Daley. Should have made much more of himself than he did.

 

[Keef]

Didn't he come out and say he'd not much interest in football and was in it for the money?

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I've got some sympathy for him. He was clearly Stale's man, Saunders wouldn't have a clue what to do with him (though as Louie said he wasn't anything like the worst in that period), then Ken never fancied him at all. He'd get 45 minutes here and there and get hooked, while Doyle would get game after game after game despite offering nothing.

The way we used him on his return in 2016 was laughable, just thumping the ball at him from 60 yards away, with no-one in support. Not going to judge him on that.

That said he really had to do more. He never seemed to want it enough. If a manager isn't sold on you then you have to make it happen, he was far too passive. There was enough ability to make it in the Championship but it never happened in more than very brief flashes.

 

[Tony Towner]

A footballer who doesn't like football. Not unique Zamora is another, but unlike Bobby Z he didn't make the most of what he had.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

One of the most bizarre footballers I've ever seen I think, even absolute shitehawks generally have something they can rely on with some sort of consistency but everything about Sigurdarson was erratic.

He could go from having the touch of Berbatov to Dave Edwards, the strength of Drogba to Mancienne, every single attribute seemed riddled with inconsistency both technical and physical. Chopping and changing managers and how differently he was used by them can't have helped his development but that inconsistency over short periods relating to such fundamental characteristics must have made him a nightmare to work with no matter what job you might have had in mind for him you've got no clue whether he's going to be up to it from one moment to the next.

 

[Premier Quality]

I had really high hopes for him as he seemed to have all the attributes- he was quick, had a good touch, was strong, good in the air, could finish - I agree the turbulence around the club sabotaged him, but at the end of the day his own desire and mental strength is what’s let him down, as shown by the career he’s gone on to have.

 

[lemonjelly]

I'm in the middle of mark and youngwolfs perceptions really. He had moments, albeit briefly, where there were signs he could become a really good player. He was inconsistent, but I really thought there was something to work with there.

Stale would probably have signed other players who would have complimented him. However the chopping and changing, combined with employing a clueless arrogant git threw a spanner in the works.

This likely resulted in Sigurdarsson wondering why he ought bother to an extent. Quite possibly he felt after Stales sacking that he'd entered a club in a right state, and thoughts turned to a means of escape.

If correct, this means mentally he didn't apply himself.

He's a Niestroj/Finkler type figure who made a few first team appearances for me (didn't realise it was as many as 75!)

 

[PuntsWolf]

Came as the “next Zlatan” out of Scandinavia. Had all the raw attributes physically and technically but it just didn’t happen. He should have smashed it in L1 but even when he did play he was just average in the best team in the league.

He was rubbish when he came back from the loan but the team was rubbish and so dull at the time. However he should still have offered more than he did.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

36. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake

Sylvan Augustus Ebanks-Blake (born 29 March 1986) is an English professional footballer who last played as a striker for Walsall Wood.

He played youth team football for Cambridge United and Manchester United before making his professional debut in 2004. A spell on loan with Royal Antwerp followed before Ebanks-Blake was transferred to Plymouth Argyle in 2006. During his two seasons with Argyle, he scored 21 goals in the Championship and then joined Wolverhampton Wanderers for £1.5 million, where he won the Championship top scorer award in consecutive seasons to help the club gain promotion to the Premier League.

Ebanks-Blake has represented England at under-21 level, but is eligible to play for Jamaica at senior international level through his parents.

His form attracted the attention from fellow Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers, who activated a buy-out clause in his contract for £1.5 million, and he signed for them on 11 January 2008, on a four-and-a-half-year contract. He scored his first league goal for Wolves on 19 January 2008, against Scunthorpe United, and a run of seven goals in his first eight games won him the Championship Player of the Month Award for March 2008. The season ended with him winning the Championship Golden Boot for the 2007–08 season, scoring a total of 23 goals, 12 for Wolves and 11 for Plymouth Argyle.

Ebanks-Blake started the 2008–09 season in excellent form, scoring nine goals in the opening 13 league games, form which also earned him a cap for the England under-21 side, when he came on as a substitute against Czech Republic U21s on 18 November 2008. At the 2009 Football League Awards he was named Championship Player of the Year, and also received the Goal of the Year Award for his solo effort at Charlton Athletic in March 2008.

During the season he scored his first hat-trick of his professional career, against Norwich City on 3 February 2009 at Molineux, to once again reach the 20-goal mark. Having recovered from a calf injury, his final goal of the campaign came against Queens Park Rangers on 18 April 2009, which gave the team the 1–0 win that secured promotion to the Premier League. The striker finished this Championship-winning season with a tally of 25 goals, enough to retain the Championship Golden Boot for a second consecutive season. Wolves rewarded him with a new four-year deal in July 2009, which saw him stay at Molineux until the summer of 2013.

Ebanks-Blake struggled to repeat his goalscoring form at Premier League level. After struggling with injuries in early stages of the season, he returned but only managed to score one goal, from the penalty spot (against Aston Villa in October 2009). He was then dropped from the side as manager Mick McCarthy preferred to play the 4–5–1 formation, with Kevin Doyle playing the lone striker role. Later on in the season, Ebanks-Blake scored his second and final league goal in the campaign, heading in against Blackburn Rovers on 24 April 2009 to secure a 1–1 draw that effectively guaranteed Wolves their Premier League survival.

He had a brighter start to the 2010–11 Premier League season, scoring four league goals before Christmas: against Everton, Newcastle United, former club Manchester United and Sunderland. Although he was less favoured for a starting berth than Kevin Doyle or new signing Steven Fletcher, he ended the season with seven goals from 28 appearances as the club narrowly avoided relegation on the final day.

In August 2011, he suffered knee ligament damage that put him out of action for six weeks, but when he returned, he was unable to match his goalscoring tally of the previous season as the team struggled against relegation. He scored only one Premier League goal during the campaign (against Norwich) as the club returned to the Championship under the temporary management of Terry Connor.

The 2012–13 season saw Ebanks-Blake return to his goalscoring form and net 14 league goals, before a broken fibula and sprained ankle suffered against Birmingham City on 1 April 2013 ruled him out for the remainder of the season, as well as potentially the start of the following. He was released by the club at the end of the 2012–13 season, which saw Wolves relegated to League One.

 

[The Bear]

Great finisher and a great fee for such a good player.

Thank you to Ian Holloway and his big mouth!

 

[Newbridge Wolf]

I loved Blake, really thought he would kick on in the Premier league with us but feel that injuries and the restrictive playing style and lack of opportunities meant that he missed out.

I was sad to see him go, but I dont think he ever recovered from his leg break. He certainly was no where near the player he was again.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Very sad to see him in Jody's testimonial. Didn't even look like a footballer any more (he did score a tap in though).

LETHAL in front of goal. The best pure finisher we had post-Bully, in fact might still be as Raul does fluff a few and I wouldn't say Fletcher was that deadly.

His all round game was lacking a bit, we could have helped him more though in the PL. Some of those goals are superb.

Another one who obviously loved the club, I certainly loved watching him play.

 

[Newbridge Wolf]

yeah i think he's the best finisher we've had since Bull. Watching that video you notice he hits a fair few of those goals early, similar to Bull in not giving the keeper any time to set themselves.