Irish Wolves and Opposition Irish

**Sullivinho** · 05/02/2011, 10:07 PM

Wouldn't have given them much of a chance against Man U, especially after falling a goal behind. Great to see Mick 'consoling' Ferguson at the end.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 05/02/2011, 11:08 PM

The BBC described it as 'systematic defending', so there.

Well done Mick & co. On his 52nd birthday!

**Drumcondra 69er** · 05/02/2011, 11:31 PM

Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

The BBC described it as 'systematic defending', so there.

Well done Mick & co. On his 53rd? birthday?

52nd apparently.

**Colbert Report** · 05/02/2011, 11:34 PM

Manchester United 59%
Wolves 42%

I know.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/292958?cc=5901

**Charlie Darwin** · 05/02/2011, 11:44 PM

Americans have never been the best at Maths.

That is some stat by the way. Wolves have 24 points, 12 of them coming in victories over Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool.

**theworm2345** · 06/02/2011, 6:31 AM

**osarusan** · 06/02/2011, 9:38 AM

Originally Posted by theworm2345

Indeed it is, but when the posession is 70-30 its hard for me to call the team with 30 the better side.

I don't know about that. Wolves basically challenged United to get past them in the second half, and United couldn't do it. They had 45 minutes to score against the lowest team in the league, and didn't really come that close. Wolves did what they set out to do better than United did what they set out to do.

**Stuttgart88** · 06/02/2011, 11:18 AM

Exactly, when you're ahead it's completely your prerogative to get play without the ball if you want, especially when you're the underdog. I watched the second half live, United barely threatened. They may have had 70% of the possession but it wasn't very penetrative possession.

**paul_oshea** · 06/02/2011, 1:52 PM

United were as poor as wolves were good to be honest.the league this year is the weakest in years and thay will be the worst united side to win a league in ten years.they were bereft of ideas.still credit to wolves they stuck to a plan but its made a lot easier when the opposition has no ideas or creativity.

**tetsujin1979** · 06/02/2011, 2:22 PM

Zonal Marking's review of the game: http://www.zonalmarking.net/2011/02/...nited-tactics/

**Manc Irish Wolf** · 06/02/2011, 2:25 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

how many times have we seen this? Wolves ahead on the 60 mark and then just play to try and keep it tight and sit back. Its actually very negative, ive watched an awful lot of wolves games this season, and it was one thing that annoyed me under mick when managing us that we would sit on a lead and invariably let the lead slip at the death.

If wolves do stay up mick needs a change in mindset for next season. I actually think it might be the reason for them going down.

I understand how the negative tactics can be percieved however the introduction of Foley and Ward (the only other fit midfielders at the club) into midfield were forced changes with O'Hara on the verge of being sent off and Ward needing to replace the flagging Hammill to give more support to Elekobi. If you could see McCarthy on the touchline he was constantly cajoling the players and barking at them to get out, as he has been all season, however as is often the case with players on the backfoot the natural instinct is to push back. The fact that he put SEB on and changed to a 4-4-2, as he did against Bolton proves that.

With reference to the above, there is an increasingly large cry for Foley to replace Henry as our defensive midfielder. He has grown into the position and his calmness in possession and ability to break up play and get the ball to feet makes him a great option. This may be unlikely in the short-term with Henry as captain, however could be a viable option next year. That said, whereas not having the athleticism, he is definitely a better right back than Zubar for his defensive intelligence alone.

Wardy is in and out of the side at the moment with Elekobi winning the battle for the left back slot, although proves to be a great utility man. Whereas Doyler looks like he is getting back to his hard-working best on that performance, however his preference to hold on to the ball, rather than releasing an early pass or shot, can be frustrating.

Finally, having seen Hammill and O'Hara in the last couple of games, I hope the lads at the FAI are unearthing every stone to see if they qualify for us. O'Hara in particular looks class - always looking for the ball, looking to link up play and has the tenacity that we could do with in midfield. He looks like a born leader and a natural captain and alongside Meyler and McCarthy could form a stong central three for us with Doyler up top in the long term. Hammill also looks like a good confident player who will progress and would give us good competition for Coleman on the right hand side in the years to come.

Overall, couldn't give a monkeys about possession. The history books will only tell one tale. Another great day in a crazy season. Looking forward to sticking it to the cocky gobsh*tes at work on Monday. We are Wolves.

**Manc Irish Wolf** · 06/02/2011, 3:07 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

United were as poor as wolves were good to be honest.the league this year is the weakest in years and thay will be the worst united side to win a league in ten years.they were bereft of ideas.still credit to wolves they stuck to a plan but its made a lot easier when the opposition has no ideas or creativity.

Not meaning to pick you up on points Paul, however I simply don't subscribe to the myth perpetuated by lazy journalists that this is the "weakest league in years". The League is increasingly full of the finest players in the world and never before would previously relegated teams such as Barnsley, Derby and Sunderland have players of the calibre of Green, Parker, Cole, Doyle, Milijas, Jarvis, Rogdalegga, N'Zogbia etc. I agree that United and Chelsea are team's in transition, however United have been poor all season and are still beating everyone. The fact that we beat them is no great surprise, as there is so many quality players in the league, that if any team plays below standard (forced or unforced - a team can't play well if they are not allowed to), they will get beaten, as yesterday's result proves.

**Stuttgart88** · 06/02/2011, 4:21 PM

The bubble years of the EPL are over. After years of looking down their noses at a Bundesliga whose outcome was was hard to predict, which had high goals-per-game avearges, big crowds and where any team could beat any other because the EPL was of higher quality, the EPL is now mimicking the Bundesliga and, as a consequence is far more entertaining as far as I'm concerned.

**Charlie Darwin** · 06/02/2011, 8:10 PM

I think this has been the best season in a few years. People get too carried away by the top teams - having four great teams is not the same thing as having a great league.

**Stuttgart88** · 06/02/2011, 8:30 PM

It's a mix of the two in my opinion. Competitive balance is a necessary but not sufficient ingredient for a great league. I sincerely hope the UEFA Financial Fair Play rules have their desired effect and European football regains a lot of the magic it has lost for me.

**Charlie Darwin** · 06/02/2011, 8:44 PM

It would be great to see the Champions League becoming more of a contest again. The German resurgence has been refreshing but they seem to have just replaced the (non-Inter) Italians.

**paul_oshea** · 06/02/2011, 9:36 PM

Manc, i was aware of the need to replace ohara alright especially after that tackle where he should have been booked for a second yellow. That wasn't what i was referring to but for 30 minutes or so they were happy to just hoof the ball up, thats the reason he brought on SEB to have someone else to hold it up and hoof it up too. I don't think that is positive tactics, thats negative its hit and hope, and try and buy some time. When foley came on for ohara he was the only one to hold onto it and try and pass it out of defence. Watching west ham today noble and parker, particularly parker was always an out for the defence they didn't just hoof it forward and hope that one of their many fast, athletic and big strikers would get onto the end and hold it up and waste some time.

I'm not having a go Manc, but Mick is too happy to just sit back get a point here and there and what not. How many years can he expect to do that and keep doing it. I think it might be an irish malaise to be honest, all the managers go on playing down their team and looking to the future(mccarthy/stan/oleary) etc, instead of just getting on with it.

**Charlie Darwin** · 06/02/2011, 10:40 PM

What's wrong with hoofing the ball to Doyle when he's winning everything in the air? Ferguson used his last substitution to replace Evans rather than making an attacking switch, such was Doyle's dominance. I thought they varied the play well - showed an impressive ability to pass their way out of tight situations.

**Colbert Report** · 07/02/2011, 3:58 AM

Doyle is absolutely unreal in the air. I saw him live in person at the Bulgaria match at Croke Park in March 2009 and I don't think he failed to win a ball in the air the entire match. It was breathtaking how good he was at it, and he's only five ten or five eleven I think.

**tetsujin1979** · 07/02/2011, 9:15 AM

from football365.com: http://football365.com/story/0,17033...735338,00.html

The Defensive Forward
It's not the position they would have dreamt of filling as a boy, but players like Kevin Doyle and Cameron Jerome have achieved something very few players manage in their careers by adding a new entry to football's dictionary.