Football Manager Blog | Football Manager Guru | Wolves Celebrates A Memorable Christmas

As we run into the month of Decemeber, my squad seems to be peaking, with a string of good results. Also Decemeber is another exciting month for me, as it meant I could start scouting for new additions for my squad when the winter transfer window opens in Football Manager 2010.
Berra was the name that was on everyone’s lip after the game. Prior to this game he has already scored headers from a few corners and in this game he showed everyone why he’s such a threat from corners. He scored two goals from two corners in this goal, and despite the fact that Otamendi was sent off for two yellow cards, we kept a clean sheet and had a comfortable 2-0 win over relegation rivals Sunderland. This is the second red card Otamendi has received this season and I hope his two-match ban will not have a significant impact on the squad.

In this away tie, with Otamendi serving his two-match ban for his 2nd red card this season, I had no choice but to fill a backup defender in Zubar. Berra once AGAIN scores from another corner to make us lead by a goal, and just as when we looked like we were leaving with all 3 points, Portsmouth equalised in injury time. That was gut wrenching. I bet if Otamendi was playing, we might have a chance in preventing this last minute equaliser. Otamendi was sorely missed.

In our next away game, we played Stoke at home, and Krivets who had been playing every single game of the season in that AMC role, scored twice in the first half after defenders failed to pick ups his runs from midfield into the box. Ebanks-Blake then put us 3-0 up shortly after half-time. However, Zubar, who has hardly played all season as the stellar Otamendi and Berra has been keeping him out of the starting XI, was getting tired late on in the game, and made a mistake that led to Stoke scoring a goal.

Stoke sensed weakness and surged forward and after some constant pressure managed to claw another goal back. Stoke was now trailing 2-3. However, some well timed clearance and shouts from the bench to make sure the players kept possessions ensured that we ran the clock down and went home with 3 points. Another satisfying performance from the boys.

In the game against Stoke, Stearman puts in yet another convincing display on the right of the pitch, with 11 successful tackles out of 11 attempts in the game. No wonder various teams are interested in him.

In this 3rd consecutive away game, we played Bolton to a 3-2 victory. Krivets scores within the first min to put us a goal ahead. Krivets seems to be continuing his good form from the Stokes game. However our lead lasted only 10mins as Klasnic equalised on the 10 minute mark. Matt Taylor then put them 2-1 ahead of us when he scored from a corner. At the end of the first half I was largely frustrated by the amount of chances we created being saved by Bolton’s keeper, Jaaskelainen. He is the only reason why my team is trailing at half time.

After the break, Doyle broke through on the left wing and squared the ball to Milijas who was making a late run into the box. Milijas made no mistake from within the penalty box, finally scoring the equaliser for Wolves. At this point I was so relieved to see that Jaaskelainen has finally fallen after making those string of incredible saves in the first half.

In the 63 min, Zat Knight of Bolton was sent off for elbowing Ebanks-Blake in the face. Sensing that they were going to turtle behind the ball for a point, I took off defensive minded players like Karl Henry and replaced him with Jones. Time wasting was set to the minimum and we went all out on the attack.  Our relentless pressure was denied a goal time and again by who else but Jaaskelainen again. Finally in the 90 mins, just when I thought we were heading for a draw we did not deserve, Berra scored from a corner once again. What a dramatic winner.

Karl Henry, the captain of my squad, heaped praises upon me after comeback win over Bolton.

Henry claimed that it was Teo’s words at half-time that inspired the team to overturn the deficit and emerge victorious at the final whistle

I guess the hairdryer treatment does work from time to time afterall.

Milijas finally returns to form, and I am really relieved to see that. Milijas slumped into a terrible form after a few consecutive defeats by Chelsea and the other big teams at the start of the season. So glad to see him return to top form.

Even the media was excited about our comeback.

For our 4th away game in a row, we played Birmingham, which was 3 days after the Bolton game. Obviously my squad had some very tired legs and some players had to be rested. Doyle had to be rested, and in his place I started with Fonseca pairing up with Ebanks-Blake up front. In the opening 30 mins, Joe Hart made some incredible saves to keep the scoreline at 0-0. At the 40mins mark, Berra missed a free header from a corner, this was so unlike him.

We mounted pressure to no avail, and at the 60mins mark I thought it was time to bring on the big guns. Doyle was put on for Ebanks-Blake, and Milijas was substituted on for Jones. Just 5 mins after being on the pitch, Milijas fire in a freekick from 30 yards out. Joe Hart finally caved and we returned home, once again with 3 points. Perfect way to celebrate Christmas and Boxing Day.

The last game of the year 2009 was played against Burnley. Considering the fact we were at home, and Burnley was probably the poorer teams in the league, I rested several key players. For the first league game since 2009, I dropped my DM, Hasebe, who has never failed me throughout the whole season. Let me just add that Hasebe, is not a DM that will do something out of the ordinary, but he is Mr Consistent for me. He does his job well, and never ever makes a single mistake. Good anchorman for a really cheap price. Otamendi was also rested and Zubar played in his place. The game started out slowly in the heavy rain, both sides not creating any real chances. But everything changed when Burnley was awarded a red card on one of their players for violent conduct.

Berra scored from a corner to put us 1-0 up, before Fonseca put us 2-0 up just before the break. Seeing that we were such a dominant force as the first half came to a close,  I rested Krivets who played in every game since the start of the season as well. Zubar made a mistake that allowed Burnley to score from a corner, but it was no fret as Surman my 2nd choice left back converted a penalty for us after a foul on Fonseca in the penalty box. Berra made it 4-1 in the 89 mins from a corner for the umpteenth time. They pulled a goal back in injury time from a freekick to make the scoreline look more respectable at 4-2.

Great way to end the year.

After the Burnley game, Berra was awarded the player of the month award. The media wrote:

While it isn’t really the centre-back’s job to score goals, the five he tucked away this month have helped the club immeasurably.

Well done Berra!

On the day the transfer window opened, I secured the services of Vyacheslav Shevchuk, a left back from Ukraine, who plays for Shaktar. I am highly confident he could step into the left back role and do a much better job than Michael Ball, as looking at his past experiences, I felt 450k to solve my left back issues was a steal. And he would prove me right later on in the Everton game. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves for now (:  However, my long term goal is to secure a left back for the future, someone in the mould of Javier Garrido who I was unable to sign during this transfer window. Hence I was unwilling to splurge on a left back in January. That could be left to be done after the season is over.

My second signing was someone that I was highly excited about. Sort of the same feeling when I bought Otamendi and Enyeama at the start of the season. Sergio Canales cost me 2.1 million to bring in Racing de Santander. He is a 18 year old AMC, and is already tipped to be a really promising player. Real Madrid is believed to have secured his services for 4.5 million after July 2010 for 6 years in real life. So anyway, Canales ability to do the unexpected due to his high flair at 18 and creativity at 16 in addition to his high technique rating, was something that Krivets could not provide at the AMC role. In addition I also had no real AMC other than Krivets. He could play back up to Krivets for now, but I was certain he would outshine Krivets in the future at the tip of my squad’s diamond formation.

We schooled Plymouth in the opening game of the new year of 2010, in the FA Cup. We put 6 goals past them, despite the fact I played 2nd stringers. Ebanks-Blake scored a hattrick, while young striker Vokes scored 2. The last goal came from an own goal.

We did not get the best of start to the Premier League in the year 2010, in our away game at Goodison Park. Berra, who has been great all season, scored a bizarre own goal under almost no pressure at all, to put us 1-0 down. Baines scored on the counter as my squad surged forward in search of the equaliser in the closing stages of the game.

However, not everything was bad in this game. There was a silver lining of hope.

Shevchuk, my left back that I recently secure about a week ago, made his premier league debut that looked extremely promising. Everton’s right winger had no chance against him at all the whole game. He won 9 out of 9 tackles that he made and looked extremely quick on move up and down the flank, something Ball always failed to do. Michael Ball lacked the pace to track back and defend when we lost the ball, and he can always be found lagging upfield.

Shevchuk had great pace and agility and covered his defensive duties well even when he moved up the pitch to join in the attach. Looks like a steal at 450k after this game.

All in all, it was a great run to the end of the year 2009 for Wolves, and after the series of wins we got, at one point in time we were 6th in position of the league. Will Shevchuk be able to keep up his good performance for the 2nd half of the season? Will wonderkid Sergio Canales make an impact in the 2nd half of the season at the tender age of 18?

At the half way mark, Otamendi, Enyeama look like the best buy for Wolves this season. Fonseca has not exactly lived up to all the hype he brought, and Michael Ball was a total failure whose life span is limited at Wolves. Hasebe has been Mr Reliable for the club all season, working silently yet so effectively in the anchorman role.

Lying in 9th place in the league, Wolves look certain to stay up now, it’s just a matter of how high up can we finish in the table. Join me soon, to find out.