Zamora got a broken leg and Wolves got a reputation for foul play at the weekend. Neither was deserved.
What was fair was the result. Fulham outplayed us at Craven Cottage. A last minute winner hurts but you can accept it when you are second best. Jeers about being a disgrace to the league hurt too. Those I can’t accept.
I’m not going to argue that we have got a team of saints. The statistics show that we have the worst disciplinary record in the league at the moment and that is a cause for concern. But we’re only four games in to the season so I’m not reading too much in to it. After all, at this point the stats show Joe Cole and James Morrison as two of the dirtiest players in the league which they clearly are not.
We were 14th in the fair play league at the end of last season and we’ll probably end up around there again because there is no doubt we are committed and combative.
No saints but not sinners either
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What the record doesn’t show though is what the players are doing to get themselves booked.
This detail would show that Wolves are not a team of cheats. You will not find two-footed tackles, elbows or scuffles on our list of crimes. Neither will you find diving, dissent or play acting.
What you will find is a catalogue of clumsy errors just like those that saw Christophe Berra sent off at Fulham. There will be plenty of obstructions and mistimed tackles.
Our fouls are due to our limitations though and nothing to do with our tactics.
I think this reputation claim that had commentators, pundits and fans arguing over at the weekend stems from three things that have happened this season – Zamora’s injury, the tempestuous nature of the game at Craven Cottage and Match Of The Day’s highlight reel of our tackles on Joey Barton in the Newcastle game.
Firstly, let me say that no true Wolves supporter would have wished that injury on Zamora. He’s a well-liked player across the country and on the fringe of the England squad. What happened was awful and I wish him a speedy recovery. However, it simply was not a foul. Karl Henry took the ball, their legs got tangled as they fell and Bobby landed badly. It was just bad luck. Our captain was the first person to offer his hand to his opponent and has since spoken about the remorse he feels though.
Secondly, it was a bad tempered affair at Fulham. This was as much to do with some poor refereeing decisions though. The home side should have had two penalties. Then Clint Dempsey started throwing himself on the ground at every opportunity. Tempers were starting to flair and it all got a bit nasty. We don’t want to see that but it happens in matches between all clubs from time to time.
Finally, I had to laugh when MOTD showed Barton being repeatedly knocked down but it wasn’t really fair to condense 90 minutes of mainly fair tackling in to 15 seconds of fouls and hard challenges. That game was poor for both teams in terms of discipline but that’s what happens when two combative midfields go toe-to-toe.
Today Wolves were fined for picking up seven bookings in each of their last two games so I’m sure the debate will rage on for another week. The best way we can answer it is by playing Tottenham off the field like we did twice last season. Let’s stay committed, cut out the clumsiness and keep playing good football.
Comments
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Posted by Terry Fraser on 09/13/2010
Wolves growing reputation for unfair play is a testemonial to people who don't watch them. Wolves are an aggressive team, they need to be to compete in the Premier League. They play hard and fair, not dirty.
Yes, we have seen some clumsy play this year. Berra has been particularly guilty in practically all the games this year. Henry and Craddock also have their moments for being a tad bit aggressive. However, in every game this year, the competition has been equally aggressive and yes, I'll say, that Wolves seem to actually come out on the SHORT end of the refereering stick. We were turned down for a stonewall penalty against Newcastle, which would have won the game for us, and we had calls go against us agsint Everton as well. Doyle, in particular gets pushed and shoved, but worse, has twice now been tripped when moving towards an open breakaway. That should be a red card. None given.
So, Pantsil and Dempsey should remember that when reviewing this game from an unbiased perspective
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Posted by DF on 09/13/2010
"You will not find two-footed tackles, elbows or scuffles on our list of crimes. "
Haak! What about the time when Karl Henry took out Rosicky with a 2-footed tackle from behind? Isn't tackling from behind outlawed by the new FIFA rules? However, Karl Henry had done it a couple of times and was due a sending off many times.
I do hope Wolves' coaching staff and management warn their players to cut out such tackling, and the use of excessive force in tackling.
Wolves players are not clumsy; they are dirty; they like to hurt players whom they cannot mark or beat by lawful means.
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Posted by Sydney Gooner on 09/14/2010
What a load of nonsense. The cards and trail of bodies don't lie. Henry was responsible for two appalling "tackles" - one of Rosicky, one on Walcott - the last time Arsenal played Wolves. He clearly is "that kind of player", his teammates aspire to be as bad and their manager encourages this behaviour.
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Posted by makenzi on 09/14/2010
You promote thuggery hiding behind commitment. Its a shame
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Posted by muhumuza rodrick on 09/14/2010
thats not the way the game should go. we would like to see a more flowing game rather than broken legs.
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Posted by Harsh on 09/14/2010
Wolves reputation is not deserved. Karl Henry's is.
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Posted by bill n on 09/14/2010
Henry's tackle was cowardly and reckless and deserved a card whether he touched the ball or not. Read the rules. The still photos show he was behind Zamora, who had the ball on his left (opposite)foot. He scissored Zamora's right leg and pulled back on his shirt at the same time. Who cares what was in his heart, he carelessly injured a player with greater skills than any Wolves player. Your reputation for thuggery is hard-earned and much deserved. All those bookings are no accident -- accept some responsibility.
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Posted by Well on 09/15/2010
Karl Henry made two very, very bad challenges the last time you played Arsenal. Walcott was very lucky not to get his foot broken and Rosicky was the victim of a two-footed tackle from behind. The same game saw you guys waste so much amount of time, it was unbelievable. And you were disgraceful against Barton. If that had been an England international, the media would have bee, justifiably, up in arms against you.
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Posted by ero on 09/16/2010
maybe if the english national team played a bit more like wolves.......like with heart and determination then they would'nt be perceived as fairyies and earn some respect in the world
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Posted by Emmanuel Paoria on 09/16/2010
I have always said that the reason the English players will never win Fifa player of the year award is because of the way they play. They put passion and commitment before skill and entertainment. If u simply train to push and shove opponents or try to head the ball into the opponents' net without actually playing football, you will not be the best player in the world. You may get your result, by hitting the Barcelona, Arsenal, Madrid players with a series of hard tackles which may not break the rules much but can cause bodily harm. You may even win the Champions League, but that does not make you a gifted talent to watch. I would rather watch Barcelona, Arsenal play and lose instead of watching a Bolton, Wolves, Blackburn clatter their opponents to submission. Football is beautiful and it should remain that way.
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Posted by mike on 09/16/2010
Give your team more credit, mate. They're not clumsy - they're skilled and highly paid professionals who put their feet and bodies exactly where they (and more specifically their manager) want them to go. Reread Mick's press conference comments and see whether *he* believes that his team is clumsy.
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