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Last Modifications 12th April 1999.
Match Reports 1998 - 1999 Season.
Review of Wolves vs Tranmere 2 - 0.Man of the Match : Steve Froggatt.
Tantrum of the Match : John Aldridge.
Review of Wolves vs Barnet 5 - 0.Man of the Match : Steve Bull. Any hat trick is a memorable one.
Review of Wolves vs Swindon 1 - 0.The usual ill tempered display from Swindon with Steve McMahon wishing he could be on the pitch chopping somebody down.
Review of Wolves vs Stockport 2 - 2.Why oh Why oh Why do we sit back?
Review of Port Vale vs Wolves 2 - 1.There I was sitting in the pub with two Vale season ticket holders before the match and they were saying how
Vale were going to lose 4-0 and I thought we're going to lose this. These are the kind of matches we always lose. I thought how many years have I travelled a few miles up the road for a easy victory.Man of the Match : There really wasn't one. However, as usual only a few players showed that they were disappointed by this performance. Steve Froggatt, Kevin Muscat and Steve Bull.
Irritating Point : How many times did Gareth Ainsworth get away with barging Froggatt off the ball.
Review of Wolves vs Sunderland. 1 - 1.Man of the Match : Keane.
Bastard in Black : what rules do referee's go by? Conclusion their own.Wolves vs Bournemouth - I was not in attendance probably a good choice.
Review of Wolves vs Birmingham 3 - 1.Man of the Match : Carl Robinson. Ok so he has the same surname as me but he knows how to celebrate a goal by going up to the Brum fans and commenting on how quiet they are.
Review of Wolves vs Bolton 1 -1Man of the Match : Neil Emblen. Worked tirelessly why has it took until now to get a fans favourite into the squad.
Review of Wolves vs Ipswich 1 - 0.Man of the Match : Kevin Muscat. Overcame flu and scored a belter.
Review of Wolves vs Watford 0 - 0.Scrappy match neither side looked convincing but we did have a good 20 minutes after half time. What does Colin Lee put in that Tea. Carl Robinson was disappointing. Flo showed some good touches but looked a bit unfit and was expecting Wolves players to run onto balls he set-up (Silly Man). Referee seemed to see every time we touched one of their players but when their bruiser No 4 went through the back of Keane or Climbed on Flo that was a different matter. Their Number 7 was lucky to stay on the pitch after having a go at Curle.
Man of the Match : Robbie Keane.
Review of Wolves vs Oxford 1 - 1.Point One - We outplayed Oxford.
Point Two - We still couldn't beat them.Typical Wolves game we needed to win. We completely outplayed them for the first 45 minutes and it looked like we were going to go into half time at 4-0 up. However, the standard of officials was set after 5 minutes Robinson was upended on the edge of the penalty area by a Oxford player with only the keeper to beat. I and everyone around me thought that's it, he's got to be sent off. No just a yellow card and the usual rubbish free kick. Keane and Flo both had chances go painfully wide in the first half. We score it's wolves we gift them a goal with there only attempt at goal in the first half.
Second half we kept trying and had a good ten minutes where Osborn will never be forgiven when one on one with the keeper. You thought he couldn't miss, he's only got to kick it towards either side of the goalkeeper. No he toe pokes it straight at the keeper. After that we let them into the game but faded near the end into a shambles where the whole of the midfield did nothing !! Michael Gilkes played absolute rubbish and some people couldn't hide this by hurling abuse and there was a very loud cheer when Paul Simpson came on. But hello what difference is Paul Simpson going to make.
Today was an indication of how much the players want to win games for wolves. I think you can judge by the score line the answer.I will also state the complete incompetence of the Officials ?? on the pitch. The referee was rubbish and let the game flow with Oxford getting away with everything. The linesman (yes he was a man) was the worst official to grace this earth. He didn't know what an offside was if it came up behind him and punched him. Time after time he gave off sides against us that were given only after the wolves player touched the ball and ran 20 feet. Surprisingly he did not judge our off sides in the second half. The referee can overrule but obviously couldn't be bothered. It's beginning to look like either the standard of officials is absolutely diabolical or there is a conspiracy to send the worst ones to wolves. That's enough of a rant for now.
Man of the Match : Robbie Keane and Havard Flo. They kept going until even they knew they weren't getting the service they should have had.
Review of Wolves vs Port Vale 3 - 1.We won eventually. It was a hard slog and it looked like it was going to be a 2-2 draw as Vale played for 20 minutes in the second half without wolves doing anything. It all started so well with everyone in shock that Paul Simpson had scored then they scored. It was identical to the Arsenal first goal and Oxford's goal. Stowell assisted by dropping the ball and letting it go in. Luckily Keane never stopped working and scored the second in the first half from a tight angle. Vale came back in the second half and played fluently at time. Then near the end Keane got a few tugs from Dave Gardner and we got a penalty. Emblen came on for Robinson (who played OK) and Connolly came on for Flo (who won every header and played well which was a bit mysterious). After this we had no height up front. Later on Lee Naylor came back from his absence to come on for Mark Atkins (who had a steady game) who took a serious ankle knock. Paul Simpson had a go and was obviously better than Gilkes but can't run as fast now as he could.
No player was outstanding and no player was really rubbish apart from Steve Sedgley who seemed to wander around and point.Man of the Match : Robbie Keane.
Review of Wolves vs Huddersfield Town 2 - 2.First half :-
We played well Keane was running rings around there defence. Huddersfield never threatened. Robinson scored a cracker. Robinson had another shot go 1 foot above the crossbar, Keane tried to do a Dennis Bergkamp and chip off the keeper with the defence beat but the keeper saved, Atkins had a long range shot go 3 cm wide of the top right corner and Flo had a free header that he misdirected.
Second Half:-
We sat back and let them play for long periods but they never looked like scoring. Until every time the ball went close to Stowell who wasn't shouting instructions so the defenders thought he was coming to pick up the ball and didn't and kept dropping the ball.
Before they scored their first it only looked a matter of time that it would come and it did by a header close to the post. Then Keane fell awkwardly and went off and Mark Jones came on. After this the players seemed to stop trying they sat back and looked uninterested until Huddersfield scored the first. We then had some pressure and then scored through an OG. Then we attempted to sit back and defend. We can't they scored a equaliser in the 95 minute where the whole defence stopped expecting a off-side. Goal stood another draw at home and all the other hopefuls around us lost.Referee :- Absolutely disgraceful. I said it against Oxford and it was proven against Sunderland away (nobody can still find a reason why the goal was disallowed). This referee was just completely incompetent. Atkins gets tripped in the penalty area right in front of him just after kicking the ball. It's OK lads just play on. Osborn has some argy bargy with a bloke twice his size (later told Osborn tackled from behind) where both players end up on the floor. What happens next? The huddersfield player physically had his hands around Osborns neck. We shout for him to be sent off while chatting saying he's got to be sent off. Result : Osborn booked for the tackle and the other player booked ?? Justify this I can't.. Other niggly decisions along the way of their 18 stone bruisers barging and pushing no free kicks. Flo does it free kick, Osborn does it free kick, Curle does it free kick need I go on. We had about one decision go our way in the second half and I though the home side got the decisions. The 95th minute goal stood. I though (and so did the wolves defence) that there were 3 Yes 3 huddersfield players in a off-side position. Having watched it on TV they were played on side by Dopey Dean Richard's who was 5 feet farther back than the rest of the defence. Thanks Dean. Anyway I'm fuming and I had to try hard not to spout obscenities.
Atkins had a good game again but I still think he isn't good enough long term to keep, Keane good, Gilkes also didn't have a bad game by his standards and got some tackles in, Flo had a poor game he had 2-3 free headers and couldn't score when/if Bully comes back he may lose his place, Stowell very poor get a new goalkeeper NOW, Emblen kept trying and running and tracking back and keeps his title of being the current fans favourite because he may not be the most skilful player but he never gives up. The others average although Robinson doesn't look as fit as he should.
Bully pencilled in for reserves match Wed 3 March.
Man of the first half of the Match : Robbie Keane.
Review of QPR v Wolves 0 - 1.First Half :-
Both sides matched each other the only real difference was a 18 yr old kid called Leon Jeanne who skinned Atkins every time (not hard I know) and then got some good crosses in. Emblen had some long range efforts go close as we attacked the end opposite the away fans. Keane had a chance after the goal keeper messed up but slipped and Flo had a header but should have done better. Generally not a good start it looked to me like we were playing for a draw sitting even deeper than usual.Second Half:-
We started the brighter and had a penalty appeal not given although I wasn't sure from where I was sitting. The game got niggly and a few QPR players got booked but throughout the game Stowell had few saves to make. Then Ready (?) got sent off for a nasty challenge on Flo (second yellow card?) and we started playing better. Then Atkins got sent off for pulling Jeanne down and something else may have gone on but I couldn't see. Then corica came on to much disagreement from the wolves fans. Then bang some neat interplay between corica and Gilkes then Sedgley headed (free header mind) GOAL. Although to be truthful it was a bit like slow motion because many of the wolves fans couldn't see the goal line. Then Robinson came on to play at the back and we defended the lead. QPR I thought played better and always looked a threat when Jeanne went down the wing but they couldn't get the ball in the net. But went really close before we scored after a QPR player turned dean Richard's all ways. No player was outstanding. In midfield Emblen tried hardest and Curle saved us on many occasions at the back. Keane and Flo didn't seem to be playing well together. More of a shock was the goal all match I was slagging Gilkes off for bad passes and letting people run past him as he was defending and Sedgley wandering around midfield and then they create a goal. However, one goal doesn't make up for a crap season. Also in my spell checker Sedgley suggests sedately is there some co-incidence in that !Finally this is a rubbish ground considering it's all seating nearly as bad as the away seats at Selhurst Park. I was on the back row at the top and had to step over people to get into my seat and then couldn't see the goal line. 3 balls were lost during the game as well. Also the all over body search was a bit over the top. Still there was the usual good atmosphere in the away end but more subdued than normal.
Man of the Match : Leon Jeanne (QPR). One for the future bit like David Johnson last year.
Review of Wolves v Bristol City 3 - 0.We got off to a good start 1st half which resulted in a goal from Flo from a cross by Simpson. This was at the Jack Harris end so I didn't get a good look. Then we did our usual and were sitting too deep but we weathered the storm. This included giving Bristol too many shots at goal and free headers which resulted in one effort just rolling wide and one rebounding off the upright.
Second half (playing towards Stan Cullis) Bristol started brightly but we were using the wings better with Atkins, Gilkes and Simpson overlapping and one of them staying back to cover. Richard's and Curle also did this with Emblen covering. We basically were more attacking and it paid off with one of the funniest own goals ever (nearly worth a season ticket in itself) rebound off the goal keepers boot and trickling into the net. They all count though and I didn't celebrate I just couldn't stop laughing for 2-3 minutes. After this Bristol's heads dropped and the third looked inevitable. We piled forward and there were good crosses coming from both wings basically what has been missing for weeks. Flo then scored from a good cross where he seemed to stand on his own and have time to line his leg up ready for a shot and what a scorcher it was. Keane also had a few chances one he definitely should have passed to Flo but as usual decided to go it on his own and then lost it. Bristol had a few chances in the last 5 minutes and Stowell pulled off a cracking save and came off his goal line to catch a few crosses which was a shock !
However, to sum up wolves could have been losing 2-1 at least by half time if Bristol had took there chances (a bit like QPR last week). But in the end we looked good for the last 20 minutes. In midfield Simpson was poor at the start but got better, Gilkes looked like a different player getting tackles in, crossing running at players and beating them, Osborn was the weak link at times putting miss passes in, to me Robinson put in better attacking passes when he came on for the last 20 minutes. Emblen is also wasted at right wing he is not a right winger. Up front Flo and Keane were reading each other well and Flo was getting some good flick ons. At the back Curle looked assured, Atkins looked good (it was his last match before suspension), Richard's made a few very poor passes which got us into trouble and Gilkes as mentioned above was excellent although it still doesn't make up for the rest of the season yet.
The officials were average apart from Torpey was getting away with late challenges and then got booked late on but really he was lucky not to get sent off.
Also Bristol's goalkeeper Steve Phillips was giving a ball boy in front of the Stan Cullis some stick and a caller to Radio WM (local radio station) said that the goalkeeper was swearing and giving him abuse - totally out of order. In fact one steward then began to walk up to the pitch with the ball boy every time he had to give the ball to the goalkeeper. I was too far away to hear anything but I definitely saw something happening between the two.Men of the Match : Havard Flo, Robbie Keane, Neil Emblen, Keith Curle, Michael Gilkes and Mike Stowell (a real spine to the team).
Review of Wolves v Crewe 3 - 0.Well it looked to be a very boring well matched game until number 4 for Crewe got sent off. This was after a series of harsh tackles on Connolly and I presume the referee had to clamp down. A minute later ball onto the edge of the penalty area and it's a goal to Carl Robinson (just back from suspension). Then it was all wolves in the first half. Crewe didn't have a shot at goal. Emblen and Richard's sturdy at the back with Sedgley covering as a kind of sweeper. Muscat and Gilkes overlapping and spending most of the time up the other end of the pitch. Osborn never stopped the same as Robinson and even Corica looked good tonight constantly running at their defence (although his shooting could be better missing one good chance). Then Muscat edge of penalty area crosses the ball and Flo just gets in before the goalkeeper.
First, 20 minutes of the second half we sat back and sat on our lead but never even looked threatened. Crewe passed it about but never looked like scoring. Then Connolly ran into the box and the keeper felled him - penalty. Goal to muscat with a fierce shot. Then wolves had a go again with Connolly having a fine shot saved right by the post.
What was good about tonight was that Osborn, Robinson, Corica, Connolly, Flo, muscat and Gilkes were all shooting at goal not well all the time but better than not trying. Naylor came on and had a go but the substitutions were more to give players a bit of a rest and run down the clock.
After the game I couldn't pick out a player that played badly just the usual mis-placed passes. Overall a good team performance and usually a game we cock up but this time dispatched easily.Men of the Match : The whole team.
Review of Wolves v Portsmouth 2 - 0.The portsmouth spectators got off to their usual vocal start. The team only had one change with Curle coming back from suspension and Corica dropped to the bench which was a bit harsh as he did not play too badly against Crewe. This I think unbalanced the midfield slightly with not enough attacking from midfield unless Gilkes and Muscat could come forward. This is where portsmouth did well because they pinned these pair back well in the first half. It soon became obvious that they came for a draw because as soon as they lost the ball it was 10 men behind the ball usually lining up across the edge of the penalty area. This we found hard to break down. But they never really threatened and we still had most of the possession. However, there were a few good chances in the first half with Flo having one of the better ones which didn't just drop. In fact the best chance of the half fell to Steve Claridge after he turned Richard's for the second time in the match and Curle backed off he sent a one on one wide over the top right hand corner of the goal. Stowell had very little to do but did start throwing the ball out and was doing it well and he did come off his line at corners very well.
So to the second half. Two portsmouth players were flying tackles in just like the crewe match and it was inevitable that one of them would eventually get sent off and he did. After this there was far more room for players to play in and as soon as Muscat and Gilkes had the space to come forward and get the crosses in it was inevitable we would score. After this we dominated the match and they only had one chance that they hit high and wide to which we replied "are you steve claridge in disguise". Then a corner was played to Muscat and he scored a belter and celebrated in front of the Stan Cullis. This is exactly what it needed to break Portsmouth down. Then another piece of luck. The ball came running to Alan Knight and we though he can't pick it up or else it's a back pass and he had Connolly running at him and he picks it up - indirect free kick. Osborn taps it to muscat, muscat stops it dead and Flo hit it hard and low - goal. Then it was all wolves and the other results went our way so we have a healthy cushion between 6th and 7th. Overall we didn't play very well but well enough to win but with the aid of a sending off again very similar to the crewe match but crewe played better and with more of an attacking style than portsmouth who just came to defend. Curle was a bit rusty but then in the second half played claridge out of the game. Richard's didn't have much to do. Gilkes played OK and got forward well. Osborn has become the rock in the centre of midfield although some of his basic passes are poor. Robinson had a poor game although his one touch football outside of their penalty area was good. Flo struggled a bit possibly due to not completely getting over a groin strain suffered against crewe.Worst performance of the match : Steve Sedgley - looked completely out of place and every pass he made was poor. Went large stretches of the match without touching the ball.
Men of the Match : Kevin Muscat (my choice of player of the season), Neil Emblen, David Connolly.
Review of Wolves v Crystal Palace 0 - 0.This was a similar match to the Portsmouth match. Crystal Palace have nothing to really play for and were determined to sit back/put lots of bodies in midfield and absorb all the pressure and go back with a draw.
However, we couldn't break them down and never looked likely to score unless they had a player sent off.
We started the match brightly and had a lot of possession but they were quick to close down and had spotted that Muscat was the danger man and tried successfully to keep him pinned back and they also kept Gilkes pinned back which meant we had no width at all. This was effected by having 5 at the back with Richard's and Emblen man marking and Curle as the sweeper. It was only when Emblen or Richard's came through the midfield that we threatened anything. There were few chances for both teams in the game. But Stowell making his 420th appearance never had a real save to make. Kevin Miller having played well in previous games did make a fine stop getting down low quickly from Robinson which was our best chance. It was a day when our midfield were poor and Connolly and Flo didn't seem to read each other with Connolly squandering a couple of chances. This is our major problem we are not converting the chances we are taking 3-4 chances to score, not good enough. Today was a day when it needed a good piece of skill to beat their defence such as a Froggatt run or some Keane trickery but it wasn't there. What was more disappointing was that Emblen didn't move into midfield and we convert into a 4 - 4 - 2. Corica was brought on too late (and for Connolly which meant it wasn't really a attacking move with still only 2 up front) but as soon as he came on we had a couple of free kicks, perhaps today was a day when he could have sat behind the front 2 and we may have threatened more. The general feeling was that it was a poor game and there were a few boos around the ground because Watford won and closed the gap. So are we going to bottle it ? Who knows. However, Graham Taylor said on TV that the season is now at the stage where the players have to truly believe in their heads that they want promotion. Today wolves didn't have this.Worst performance of the match : Steve Sedgley - I don't know what he adds to the team. Most of his passes are misplaced and he has no speed at all which means he spends most of the time wandering around doing nothing.
Man of the Match : Kevin Muscat - Never stopped working and getting shots in.First Half :-
This was bound to be a scrappy game and this is how it was in the first 15 mins however the referee was being very lenient and Robinson bore the brunt of most of the bad challenges. He got clipped about 4 times and the referee never booked anybody. WBA number 4 and Sneekes being the 2 main culprits. However, the games first match deciding point was when Hughes decided to fall over and try and get Muscat sent off. It only partially worked with Hughes getting a free kick when I never saw any offence take place (barring video evidence). The ball was pinged about then came back to Evan's and he ran into the penalty area un marked and scored. What the hell Deano and Curle were doing god only knows. We continued to have a lot of the play and forced some corners which were taken incredibly badly. I can't remember Stowell having to make a save and they might have had one corner. Then just before half time when we just contemplating suicide. A cross produced panic in the west brom box and Robinson was standing close to the post to hammer one in the back of the net. Corica had a gilt edged chance only to mess it up. They also escaped when a cross came across the penalty area from Emblen and a defender stubbed it out with Flo waiting behind him. Therefore, we ended the half the better team.Second Half :-
More of the same. We had most of the play, more corners but still didn't have that killer touch somehow. There was a change of referee at half time as the other one was injured (thank god) and that meant a better standard of play although Muscat and Robinson got booked for nothing challenges where west brom players did similar things and didn't get booked. Hughes continued moaning about every decision along with every WBA player how one of them didn't get booked for dissent or time wasting I will never know. Stowell had to pull off a couple of saves in this half but we looked dodgy at the back. Deano kept making mistakes and the killer blow came when Muscat ran into the penalty area only to be upended. Curle went to take the penalty, when Muscat looked as though he wanted to take it, and had a look of utter fear in his face I thought he's going to miss and he did. Bad decision Muscat should have taken it. He caused the penalty he should have taken it. Keane came on for corica who never really did as much as he should. Osborn then came on for Simpson which seemed strange as Sedgley did very little (see below). Keane made us look better up front as now we had 2 proper strikers (not one and corica who sometimes dropped back into midfield). Keane caused his usual trouble up front and had a couple of half chances where it would have been better to pass to someone else and made a brilliant run only to see the shot go over the cross bar but the heads dropped a little after the penalty miss. Bull came on for Flo for the last 10 mins as Flo had been injured in a heavy challenge (nobody booked) and was stretchered off with knee bandaged. This caused a little punch up in the penalty area before the free kick was taken (nobody booked). Then 5 mins from the end Keane(?) plays the ball forward into the penalty area Bull latches onto it could this be the dream ending NO a WBA defender just contrived with the goal keeper to save the chance. Game over. Mission accomplished for WBA as they stopped us getting 3 points. Tactical error for Colin Lee I think only picking 1 striker and keeping Sedgley in the team. Usual Ref who allowed the game to flow when a WBA upended a wolves player but not the other way around and in theory gave WBA a goal when they never looked likely to get one on the first half.Worst performance of the match : Steve Sedgley (again) he did something this time but every time he ran for a ball there was no chance he was going to get to it. Had a couple of goal chances that you just knew were going to go nowhere near goal.
Men of the Match : Kevin Muscat, Neil Emblen and Carl Robinson - Never stopped working, got shots in, got tackles in and scored another goal.
First Half :- The first 10 mins was scrappy and then all of a sudden we started to play well and just as some people were slagging Havard Flo he pops up and scores. This was the result of some good pressure then we played well for another 5 minutes then sat back and let them run at us Muscat made an error nobody else near him to try and clear it goal number 1. Goal number 2 very similar with Richard's nowhere near. However, I think Richard's was busy trying to play for bradford. There were ridiculous refereeing decisions and the linesman closest to the Stan Cullis had a nightmare he even got a corner decision wrong. The Bradford subs were in his ear all of the first half which I think was out of order. It was obvious Bradford players were trying to get someone sent off anyway. They were having a go at Curle and Muscat. Still half time 1-2 down it looked bad and the other results were going Watford and Bolton's way.
Second Half :- We started brightly but still didn't seem to want it enough somehow. Then Flo goes off and Bull comes on negative in my view as the usual Steve Sedgley did nothing. Corica comes on for Keane another negative move and Robinson came on for Osborn who got a knock. We played better with fresh legs but after Bradford scored the 3rd the heads dropped and it looked all over. Then Richard's thought he was playing for bradford again and gave them a penalty only for Stowell to pull off a spectacular save. This seemed to gee us up a bit. In the second half Simpson had a shot from outside the penalty area which the keeper didn't see until the last minute then a good bit of interplay between Bully and Simpson and it's 2-3. Could we squeeze a draw for pride and stop Bradford going up automatically. Then 10 minutes from the end a free kick outside Bradford's area and Simpson makes a cracking free kick which somehow came off the inside of the upright and bounced to a bradford defender who kicked it away this was the last throw of the dice. Bradford didn't look that good at the back and were only good going forward because they had proper wingers.
Worst performance of the match : Steve Sedgley just gets beat by Dean Richard's who was absolutely rubbish obviously already dreaming about playing for Bradford in the premier league it does make you wonder if he was pissed from the night before or had a large bet on Bradford to win.
Men of the Match : Paul Simpson (for the goal and 2 very close shots), Neil Emblen (never stopped), Mike Stowell (penalty save) and Kevin Muscat although he had a bad game and was partially to blame for the 2 goals the look on his face at the end painted a thousand words, gutted was one of them.
End of season round up..
That's it then for another season. Looking forward to the usual games against Port Vale, Walsall and West Brom. Thank you Colin Lee and John Ward for giving us some hope at the end when we were playing with what looked like relegation form in mid season but in the end we just weren't good enough. Too many draws when it needed that spark of brilliance that we didn't have especially as this year the first division was rubbish.
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Last Modifications 12th April 1999.