New mentality, new Wolves

While Leicester and Ipswich probably provided harder tests for Wolves, I think it was the win at Peterborough that was the most important.

They hadn't picked up a single point this season, and the Wolves have old may have typically given them their first points. They would have put in a turgid, lifeless performance and left us all miserably. Instead, Solbakken's Wolves put in a confident and strong performance and we had our third win in succession.

The mentality of the team has been talked about by Stale, and he has mentioned how in the Cardiff game we looked like we had accepted that we may lose the game and how we should never do this. We aren't there yet but we have gone a long way to creating this. Too much in the Premier League we set up in the hope that we may nick a point and it cost us in the end.

Most interestingly however, was an article I saw the other day on the Express and Star website. It was about the Sports Psychologist we had brought in, David Young. Stale had this to say.

“David Young has come in with us (the first team) after working with the club for a while.
“I’m always very suspicious about these kinds of people coming in and saying ‘this victory is down to me!’ or that we have to do something else because we lost a game.
“But this guy has really impressed me. I tested him for quite a few weeks to see if he’s really useful and he is very useful. He understands the game and he understands sport and athletes, so he will help us for a day or two a week."

I had read somewhere a while back that we sacked our psychologist before last season, and perhaps that contributed in a small way to our downfall. After a storming start to the season it took one slip by Berra at the back against Spurs for it to vanish. We were never the same; throwing away leads instantly, go in to games ridiculously negatively and never show any confidence on the ball.

Of course a psychologist isn't everything to do with it, but with Stale you can see he is leaving no stone unturned and wants everything to be right. His attention to detail is rather impressive.

Terry Connor leaves Wolves

"Terry Connor’s contract as Assistant Manager of Wolves has today been terminated with immediate effect."

The opening line from Wolves' statement on the official website.

I was expecting this to happen eventually, but for him to be sacked so suddenly and quickly into the Solbakken regime really is a surprise for me.

It's sad to see after 13 years loyal service, two promotions and four Premier League seasons but in the end, I think this is the right decision. We need a fresh start, and I reckon Stale is trying to give the players a wake up call and get them to move on.

Not that Terry is a bad coach, he is quite clearly a good one. Liked by all the players and as Mick said not long ago on TV, 'put ona great training session'. I'm sure he will be missed around the club.

Thank you Terry for your service, I have not a single bad word to say about you and I hope we will see you at Molineux with your new club soon (with Mick?)

Welcome to Wolves, Razak Boukari!

Wolves have announced the signing of Razak Boukari, winger from Rennes on a four year contract. He joins Tongo Doumbia in joining from the French club, for a reported fee of around £3m.

It's nice to see we have acted swiftly to replace Jarvis (Boukari will wear number seventeen too!), because it's clear what some of the problems were against Derby on Saturday. From videos and reports, Boukari is a quick, strong winger who likes to attack his full back.

Also joining is Georg Margreitter a centre back (yes, you read correctly) from Austria Vienna. Only 23, Georg has played at u21 level for Austria and a couple of years ago won the best young player in Austria award. You'd assume that he will go in next to Roger Johnson straight away, and with Stearman and maybe still Berra as back up I think we are okay in that area for now.

It doesn't look like we will be stopping there either. Stale has hinted at more signings this week and one player we've been strongly linked with (some sources saying he is almost a Wolves player) is Bakary Sako, a wide midfielder from St. Ettiene. With Hunt and Hammill allowed to leave, this makes perfect sense really as two wingers and young Forde isn't enouh for a long gruelling season. 

What position or player would you like us to be looking at signing now? Comment below.

Tough test for Stale

Around 10 days left of the window, and it seems that we have finally accepted offers for Matt Jarvis and Steven Fletcher. Around £24 million for the pair is decent business, and will allow us to get in replacements and strengthen in positions we need.

First of all, thank you to the lads who are leaving us. It was disappointing that Fletcher put in a transfer request but he's been a fantastic player for us, and I've really enjoyed watching him. Sunderland have got themselves a top forward. With Matty, it's a bit sadder. We signed him for 600 thousand 5 years ago, and he's always been a key player for us. From league one to England international, we've certainly played a part in his career and he is someone who I will always watch with interest.

Bolanos

Moving on, the days coming up to the end of the window are going to be important and a test of Stale. We need reinforcements, but they need to be the right ones and not panic buys. I would expect the priorities to be a centre half (as Stale has talked about) and a winger. We've been unsuccessful in attempts for Demidov and Geromel, so it's proved tougher than expected in that area. Looking at a winger replacement for Jarvis, we've been linked with Christian Bolanos and Thomas Ince. Bolanos I don't know a lot about, but he does have a year left on his contract and Stale signed him for Copenhagen. Ince I would be delighted if we signed, he would fit the role of a narrow wide player very well. He's a clever footballer and very skillful.

If we could sort those areas out quickly, maybe then we could look at another striker, and a right or left back. I'm not particularly comfortable with Zubar at right back (we do have Foley to return from injury), nor Ward defensively. Oscar Wendt and Bryan Oviedo are both players Stale may be interested in at left back, while we've also been linked with right back Espen Ruud.

It is going to be very interesting to see how Stale approaches the next few days, but I trust him to get it right.

We are back: Wolves 3 Barnsley 1

What a great night.

In the build up to the game, I was excited, but nervous. And I think so were the players. Until the first goal there were a few nervous moments in front of our own goal and we didn't keep the ball great. But when Stephen Ward intercepted, played a one two with Ebanks-Blake and coolly slotted home we really were up and running.

It was a brilliant moment, and the man who started the scoring had a very good game. A bit shaky defensively but he was one of our main threats going forward, and he could have had more than just the one goal!

Our confidence rose in a fifteen minute spell that saw us control the game and play some excellent football. Peszko and Jarvis linked well in their narrower roles and our full backs got forward to good effect.

Our two strikers were much improved too, due to better service and more space around them to play in. Sylvan was particularly impressive, defenders bouncing off him and he looked a real threat whenever he was in a forward position. He fully deserved his goal, a cool finish after a brilliant chipped pass by Doyle. Doyler had a tough time on Saturday but last night he was much improved. He moved the ball, got into good positions and was unlucky not to score. He badly needs one.

Most impressive for me was Roger Johnson, my man of the match. You can really see who is marshaling the back four, he reminded me of the start of last season when you could hear him bellowing instructions and if Stale needs some to organise the defence (and the particularly impressive offside trap we played) he's got a good 'un in Roger. I don't think he lost a single header in the second half.

Still plenty to work on but this was very encouraging and it was just nice to actually win!

Now for Derby, who we can certainly beat if we play the same way and with the same enthusiasm.