We were dreadful and I expected a performance filled with passion and pride but we got nothing of the sort. The boys just didn’t look up for it with the exception of Kevin Doyle, Matt Jarvis and Michael Kightly before he came off injured. The most frustrating thing was not being able to see any urgency from Wolves. We lost with our tail between our legs and if there are more performances like this then we will be relegated in this manner.
I don’t think there was any real urgency or passion from Wolves because the players have no confidence. I mentioned in my previous blog that I was dismayed at Mick saying we can go down. I think the players took this to heart and lost the confidence to go out and play their stuff. This was evident today and it looks like Mick has lost the dressing room after his downbeat comments.
Mick’s negativity shone through today after naming a conservative line-up. If we want to have any chance of winning our home games then we have to pick our best possible team and go for it. I have said this before and will say this again. Castillo and Milijas are international class who know each other’s game inside out. This would be a better partnership in the middle than Henry and Edwards who are no better than good Championship players. Kightly also has to be starting even if he isn’t 100% fit. Halford simply isn’t good enough and is only in the side because of his long throw. Most managers in their right mind would see Halford’s track record and not sign him.
I’m not sure if Halford was injured in the first half but bringing Kighlty on after 30 minutes was the right decision. However, Ward for Mancienne at half time baffled me and many other fans sitting with me. Mick had two changes left and these had to be attacking ones if we were going to salvage anything. A left back for a left back was a panic decision. Mick didn’t know what to do.
Milijas and Maierhofer for Henry and an out of form Ebanks-Blake would have been the most logical decision. Milijas looked lively in the middle when he did eventually come on and ‘The Hoff’ was needed for all the balls we were lumping up field.
This brings me on to the Ebanks-Blake conundrum. Wanderers’ number nine hasn’t had the service he might have liked but the 23-year-old looks short of confidence due to a goal drought. He simply doesn’t look up to the pace of The Premiership. Doyle has had the same poor service but his willingness to run into the channels has meant he has created things for himself and looked impressive. The little Irish lad has got pace and an awesome work rate. The same can’t be said about Ebanks-Blake.
I suggest that Maierhofer should be given a go from the start with Doyle. This could be a great partnership which has so far been untested. Little and large worked for us last season with Ebanks-Blake and Iwelumo. Mick should put Ebanks in the reserves so he can have a run of games, score a few goals and get his confidence back while having a good look at Maierhofer and Doyle together.
All of this aside, Wolves were awful against The Blues today. The early goal scored by Brum and then their contempt to play the ball around without really threatening echoed the performance by Pompey last month. When we go on the back foot we just lose all our confidence and produce a poor display for the rest of the game.
The performance was not acceptable today. Mick has to go into training on Monday with a far more positive attitude if we have are going to have any chance against a poor Bolton side on Saturday.
It is time for Mick and the players to turn things around otherwise we are going to plunge further into the relegation mire.
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