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Wolves begin rebuilding job for survival of the Premiership
After Wolves sensational promotion to the Premiership manager Steff Browning was left with the task of building a squad capable of avoiding the drop on his first foray into the big time.
Here is a look at those deemed not good enough to remain at the club : -
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Those that were brought in to replace them:-
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With what I had deemed a reasonably decent squad it was time to embark on our friendly matches, here is the results of them here:-
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With all that trivial nonsense out of the way it was time to embark on the serious business of the Premiership!
Sunday 9th August 2009: Newcastle v Wolves: Premiership: 4-0 win
This is it, the start of the big one!
And boy did we start well; this was a story of three debutants, two saints and one sinner.
We only had to wait sixteen minutes for our first goal of the new campaign as Carlos Vela scored his first competitive goal for the club on his debut; Vela was back amongst the goals in the 42nd minute as he doubled our advantage. Just when things were looking great for us another new signing, Evandro Roncatto decided that this game was simply too easy for us and got himself sent off just to make life that little bit more difficult for us. So 2-0 up at half time and down to ten men, could we hold on?
The second half was a very tight affair from the get go as Newcastle looked to take advantage of the numbers game but found themselves unable to convert one of the chances that came their way, we managed to capitalize on their slackness at the back in the 72nd minute as Fernando Cavenaghi hit them on the break and lofted the ball over the helpless Newcastle keeper to make it 3-0 . Carlos Vela wasn’t done yet either as he rattled home in the 89th minute to secure his hat trick and cap an amazing day for himself and Wolves.
Sunday 16th August 2009: Wolves v Nottm Forest: Premiership: 4-1 win
This was another tricky looking match on paper as Andrew Hepburn brought his Forest side to visit Molineux.
It took all of 12mins of this match before Hepburn found his side 1-0 down through a Stillian Petrov goal, Carlos Vela added the second in the 25th minute and quickly followed that up with his second, Wolves third, in the 31st minute. Things were looking very grim for the visitors at this point but they weren’t prepared to give up quite yet and Marlon Harewood through them a lifeline in the 35th minute with a stunning strike.
The second half was more of the same although it contained fewer goals than the first it was just as entertaining, the only goal of the second half fell for Wolves though as Fernando Cavenaghi make it 4-1 and three points in the 63rd minute.
Six points from out opening two goals \o/
Although lets not get carried away here Forest had more of the ball and the greater number of chances in this one, the same can be said for the Newcastle game, and top notch opposition will bury us if we continue to give them
that freedom with the ball.
Wednesday 19th August 2009: Torquay v Wolves: Carling Cup First Round: 2-1 loss
So yeah……..we kill Newcastle and Forest, and then lose to the mighty Torquay?!?!?!
Ok sometimes these things happen in football, right?
Surely this wasn’t the start of a slump, just a blip on the radar? Aye right!
Things had started so well for us as Wilfred Bouma gave us a 1-0 lead inside 13mins and everything looked rosy, but alas we couldn’t finish of Torquay and they found a way back into the match in the 66th minute. Neither team could make the breakthrough during the regulation 90mins and we went to extra time ffs.
After just two minutes of extra time we found ourselves down to ten men after Wilfred Bouma got himself sent off for a stupid lunge, and just as it looked like we were headed for the dreaded shootout Michael Carvill decided he didn’t fancy penalties after all the fired Torquay into the next round with seconds remaining in extra time.
Knocked out by lower league diddies \o/
Saturday 22nd August 2009: Wolves v Man Utd: Premiership: 4-0 loss
Remember how I said earlier that top class opposition would take advantage of our slackness at the back? Well this lot did, as we got a lesson in the art of football at the hands of Man Utd here.
Ruud Van Nistelrooy introduced himself to the class with a stunning volley after only two minutes; Carl Moody surged to the front of the class…erm box and rattled home his effort after an incredible 65 yard run to make it two after only eight minutes. The school bully (well he looks like one) Wayne Rooney headed home in 13minutes to make it 3-0 and end the game as a contest. The second half was a much tighter affair as we defended well against he bigger boys and were only breached once as Van Nistelrooy rattled home his second right before home time, erm……… full time.
1/10 must do better read the Wolves report card.
Wednesday 26th August 2009: Aston Villa v Wolves: Premiership: 3-1 loss
Another crushing defeat here at the hands of Aston Villa, I was starting to wonder if someone had given my strikers the day off as they were largely annonomyous during this game.
Mariano Pavone gave Villa the early lead in the 9th minute, Luciano Figueroa doubled their advantage twenty minutes later and minute after that like leading 2-0 wasn’t enough Damien Delaney decided to give them a helping hand as he headed past his own keeper.
Carlos Vela finally pulled one back for us with then minutes remaining.
Rubbish.
Sunday 6th August 2009: Everton v Wolves: Premiership: 2-1 loss
Wilfred Bouma started this match in fine fashion…… by getting himself sent off in the second minute for the most idiotic I have ever seen in my entire life. Still, credit to my lads as they battled on throughout the first half and managed to sneak the lead right on the stroke of half time through Fernando Cavenaghi. Everton came more into the game as the second half progressed as my ten men started to fell the strain. We couldn’t hold out till the end and Scott Brown scored in the 74th minute to pull Everton level in the match, things were to get much worse for us as Brown would strike again in the 83rd minute to secure all three points for the Toffee’s. I blame Bouma for this loss tbh.
Saturday 12th September 2009: Wolves v Tottenham: Premiership: 3-2 loss
Another loss /o\ this is getting really dire now.
Carlos Vela started us off with his 22nd minute strike; Spurs didn’t have to wait long before they found a way back into the game though as Robbie Keane struck in the 28th minute.
The second half was more of the same as both sides continued to press and make chances, we took the lead again through Fernando Cavenaghi in the 54th minute, sadly for us the lead lasted less than a minute as Craig Cross was on hand to equalize for Spurs.
My players looked like a shadow of themselves for the rest of the match and it was plain to anyone watching this match that there was only going to be one winner, the winning goal came from Stephen Appiah in the 76th minute.
Saturday 19th September 2009: Wolves v Middlesbrough: Premiership: 1-0 loss
Pretty crappy this one, both from a personal point of view and spectator point of view.
The only action of note in the
entire match was Stewart Downing’s goal in the 26th minute.
Yes it really was that bad.
Saturday 26th September 2009: Wigan v Wolves: Premiership: 1-1 draw
The good news? Wolves end losing run!
The bad news? It was against Wigan a team we should have easily killed, furthermore, we needed a penalty to score.
Darren Ambrose was the scorer of said penalty in the 29th minute.
Steven Smith pulled Wigan level in the 53rd minute, only one team looked like winning this match and that was Wigan, but luckily for us the couldn’t take advantage of the chances that fell their way and we escaped with a point.
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