The score line suggests a dour, colourless standoff with the single goal being the result of a clinical finish from the only chance created in the game. The type of bleak game you expected from Arsenal when George Graham was the manager. Given that both teams were tottering over the chasm of relegation, such a display might have been expected. However it was nothing like that. If the teams had possessed strikers of average Premier League scoring ability, the outcome would probably have been in the region of six two. I lost count of the number of chances we created and on that basis we deserved to win. Yet Wolves struck the inside of the post twice and might claim with some justification that they were unlucky.
Given the performances in the last three games, all away from home and which I watched on the internet with varying degrees of clarity, I had little idea which players OC would select. To be honest, I had little idea which players I would have picked. In the event the manager decided that Stuart Holden had done enough against Spurs to merit a Premier League debut, that Sam Ricketts was a better bet at centre back than O’brien, and that Matty Taylor’s ability to take up scoring positions was outweighed by his lack of success in converting such positions into goals. I had no quarrel with any of these decisions. We began with Jussi; Steinsson, Knight, Ricketts, Robinson; Chung, Holden, Muamba, Wilshere; Davies, Elmander. Given that we hadn’t scored a Premier League goal since Adam was a lad, it was hard to see who might end the drought.
It used to be relatively easy to write these reports. In the days of Megson the number of significant incidents stood out like mountain tops in the mist. In this game, there was so much going on that it’s difficult to recall everything.
Early signs suggested that Wolves best chance of scoring would be from a corner as Jussi’s access was being blocked and he flapped hopefully at the ball more than once. This apart the half belonged to the home side. Elmander missed at least three good chances, the first with a weak shot after a neat interchange with Davies and Chung, the second when a Holden free kick caused consternation in the Wolves defence and Elmander’s fierce shot was too close to the keeper, and finally when following a deep cross by Steinsson, his drive hit a defender. Given that Davies himself ought to have converted this last chance before it got to Elmander and that the skipper put an even easier chance wide, it seemed unlikely that the deadlock would be broken by one of our strikers. Sure enough, just before half time, when the goal came, it was Zat Knight that scored. A corner from the right was misheaded by Steinsson and appeared to be drifting out of play. Only Chung’s determination and pace kept it in and the winger then magically dribbled along the line and past a defender before passing accurately to Knight. The big centre back had the simple task of sidefooting it into the net. Elmander must have wondered why he couldn’t get a chance like that.
As the goal scorer was submerged by his colleagues you could smell the relief that spread around the stadium. At last, we thought, the floodgates are open. Wolves must now attack more, and gaps will appear. Such hopes, however, were disappointed. The game did become more open after the interval, at times ridiculously so for teams threatened by the drop, but Knight’s goal was the match winner.
In the second period, goal scoring chances were more evenly distributed between the teams, and it was the visitors that came closest to scoring. After fifteen minutes, a clumsy challenge by Robinson gave Wolves a free kick. Jones lifted the ball over the wall and curved it past Jaaskelainen, only for it to strike the post and bounce away. A few minutes later, Jarvis embarrassed Steinsson with his pace and looked certain to score until he was thwarted by an excellent tackle by Ricketts. Wolves continued to press, and when the home side failed to close down Foley on the edge of the box, the Wolves man struck the other post with a clever shot.
Not that the visitors had things all their own way. Bolton too might have scored several times. Early in the second half we might have had a penalty when the ball struck the arm of Mancienne. Like the referee, I didn’t think it was a penalty at the time but having seen the incident on the television, we were both wrong. There was another hand ball later in the half, on the edge of the box that wasn’t given and, as usual, Davies was fouled umpteen times without the aggressor being censured. As in the first half several chances to score were wasted. The captain missed the first, having been sent clear by Muamba, Muamba himself ballooned over from the edge of the box, and Holden almost marked his debut with a goal when he ran through only to be muscled away by a stronger opponent. The best chances of the second period, however fell to the substitutes. Klasnic replaced Elmander with twenty five minutes left and I would have bet a fortune on him scoring when he was only ten yards from goal with the ball on his favoured left foot. On this occasion, however, he was as prodigal as the man he had replaced. Taylor made a late appearance in place of Wilshire and he had time to add another to his season’s portfolio of missed opportunities.
As I’ve only mentioned the chances that I think should have been converted, and as we had at least as many less clear openings, you will gather that the game was seldom dull. Indeed, it was very enjoyable. However, our display wasn’t convincing. We have still only scored one goal in five hundred and forty minutes of league football and it’s not easy to see how this might be addressed. In a game we had to win, and in which we were the better team by some margin, we rode our luck and might well have lost.
On an individual level there were several good performances. Sam Ricketts was outstanding. Against admittedly modest opposition, he looked at home as a centre back and his pace in the centre of the defence complements Knight’s improved form. Given the encouraging news about Cahill, perhaps the manager will play him at centre forward when he is fit. The full backs were less solid. Robinson is consistent, he plays near the limit of his ability in every game and if others could do this we wouldn’t be at the wrong end of the table. But his ability is limited and his habit of conceding free kicks in dangerous areas is a worry. Presumably, when Cahill returns, Ricketts will move to left back (why Gardner isn’t used there continues to baffle). On the other flank, Steinsson struggled against the speedy Jarvis and his crosses were generally not as penetrating as they sometimes are. I think his enthusiasm and attitude are valuable to the team, but again, Ricketts is probably the better bet. In the second half, Jussi overcame his problems with corners and made some excellent catches. He also pulled out one or two decent saves. He appeared to have got over his bad mistake in the cup tie but communication between him and other defenders looked ropey at times.
In front of the defence there was much to praise. Holden is clearly a decent footballer. He distributes the ball well, works hard, and can tackle. The second after almost breaking through on goal he was winning the ball in his own penalty area. My only concern is that he looks a little lightweight. Maybe when he adjusts to the pace and physicality of the Premier League this won’t be apparent. It was a promising debut. The other debutant, Wilshire, also had his moments. He might have scored after some cool play in the box but his shot was diverted for a corner. However, he too is lacking physically, and though he oozes natural ability, and is the type of player I love to watch, I wonder how much value he will carry in a relegation fight.
Chung also is no Charles Atlas, but he continues both to contribute to the team and to entertain. He wasn’t dominant in this game but his skill made the goal and he was involved in the creation of several other chances. He must be feeling the strain, having played the season in his home country and while some of the players will be having a welcome rest this week, Chung will be one of those playing in internationals.
Amongst all these lightweights, the physical presence of Fabrice Muamba in midfield is important. He had another good game. He often looks awkward and clumsy in challenges but he usually comes away with the ball. His ball carrying and passing have improved and he is beginning to look like a very useful player. His shooting remains wayward; eventually, by the law of averages, he will hit one right and score a screamer.
At the front, both Davies and Elmander worked their socks off whilst frittering away chance after chance. If only Elmander had Chung’s cool head in front of goal he would net a pan full. As it is OC’s patience must be wearing thin; that of the spectators certainly is. The fans in the North Stand were baying for Klasnic (last season they bayed in similar fashion for Riga, who was on the bench for this game), which wouldn’t do anything to enhance Elmander’s fragile confidence. When he came on, the Croatian soon showed he knew where the goals are and he looks the most likely of the three strikers to score. One reflex header from forty yards, following a bad clearance by the Wolves goalie, almost brought the house down when it went narrowly wide. However, he did waste the simplest of chances.
Clearly finger nails will be bitten to the quick before the end of the season. It’s getting time to look at the fixtures and calculate where the points are coming from. With Portsmouth scuppered by their own management, it’s now any two from seven. I remain convinced that under Owen Coyle, things will improve in the long run and, after Gary Megson, I’m content to settle for that. However, I’m less sanguine about the short term. Clean sheets, or shut outs as OC calls them, are a very welcome if unexpected improvement since he came, but we won’t get enough of those to keep us up. Somebody needs to find the goal touch, and they need to find it soon.
