Fan Report: Wolves 0-1 Birmingham City

Blues named an unchanged side at Molineux while Wolves selected a back line which included 4 centre halves. Whether this was some sort of master plan is unclear but it definitely didn’t work. Instead of Wolves tearing into Blues as had been expected the opening minutes were quite the reverse. It was Blues that denied the home side any room to manoeuvre and Hahnemann in goal was like a cat in a wok behind a back line which were almost jelly legged. Blues, who rarely score in the opening half let alone the opening minutes went ahead on three minutes. Chucho, who had been buzzing around the Wolves back four, wasp like, stole in behind and set up Bowyer on the edge of the box. Bowyer chipped a perfect curling shot into the top corner with the home keeper helpless.

Wolves immediately went into an impromptu huddle; their second in 5 minutes and probably they made a good decision to do so. At least they began to look like they had some idea of what was supposed to be happening. The hapless Mancienne was moved to left back with Stearman going on the right. It did not matter much and the on-loan Chelsea player was removed at half time. Hahnemann was forced into making saves from Bowyer again and then Jerome and Larsson while a slick move let Chucho open but he fired over. It was frustrating for Blues fans as these chances went begging as the feeling was that this was a chance to really put the Dingles to the sword.

The frustration increased as Blues made little effort to increase their lead in the second half. This allowed the Wolves to seize the initiative. However a strike force that caused havoc in the Championship made little impression on the Premiership’s best English centre pairing. The tactic of lumping the ball into the box and hoping was meat and drink to Johnson and Dann. Carr and Ridgewell were in no mood to allow Wolves wide players any chance of getting crosses in that may test the visitors.

Blues best chance of the second half came from a swift break which left Mcfadden clear but the shot was deflected by Berra’s last ditch tackle and went inches wide. Jerome too had a good chance on his right foot as he cut inside but the shot was so poor that it would have required an orbital tacking station to determine its destination.

Joe Hart in the Blues goal was called on to make a save after 74 minutes of total non involvement. Even that was a result of his own error as his punch landed at the feet of Matt Jarvis. The piledriver looked goal bound but Hart turned the ball away magnificently. The 4 minutes added time saw a couple of bookings and 21 Players in Blues box. Blues managed to defy the Wolves to the last whistle.

Neither of these two managers has managed to keep a side in the Premiership. It would appear that at the moment, Mcleish has more idea of what is required.

Dingles: Marcus Hahnemann, Dave Edwards, Richard Stearman, Jody Craddock, Karl Henry (C), Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Greg Halford (Michael Kightly 32, Nenad Milijas 68), Christophe Berra, Matt Jarvis, Michael Mancienne (Stephen Ward 46), Kevin Doyle.

Unused subs: Wayne Hennessey, Andy Keogh, Stefan Maierhofer, Segundo Castillo.
 
Blues: Joe Hart, Stephen Carr (C), Roger Johnson, Scott Dann, Liam Ridgewell, Seb Larsson, Lee Bowyer, Barry Ferguson, James McFadden, Cameron Jerome, Chucho (Keith Fahey 88).

Unused subs: Maik Taylor, Gary McSheffrey, Franck Queudrue, James O’Shea, Lee Carsley, Gregory Vignal.
 
Referee: Mark Clattenburg This guy is a bad ref, end of…
 
Bookings: Berra (59); Ebanks-Blake (90); Jerome (90).

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