By Tom Bason
September 21 2013

Wolves today bounced back from Tuesday's first defeat of the season with a hard fought win over Shrewsbury Town. In a close game, it took second half Bakary Sako penalty to separate the scores, with Shrewsbury finishing with 10 men as Jon Taylor was sent off for handball. 

- Kenny Jackett responded to Tuesday's disappointing defeat to Walsall with two changes. The first was enforced as Kevin Doyle picked up a knock in the week, leading scorer Leigh Griffiths returning to the side after being surprisingly left out previously. In midfield, Lee Evans, who I thought looked ponderous and tentative was rested, being left out of the match day squad completely. With Zeli Ismail returning, Jackett was able to abandon the two experimental formations from the previous two games, returning to the 4-4-2 formation that had been so effective in the early weeks of the season. Scott Golbourne kept his place at left back, meaning there was again no place for Richard Stearman, who I think, and most fans would agree, is quite unlucky to have been left out. 

- I would say that Ismail has had a steady start to the season (and what is effectively the start of his Wolves career), and in the last two games we have been severely lacking width. This was most notable in the game against Swindon Town, where Lee Evans was supposed to provide the width on the right hand side. In theory, with Ismail and Bakary Sako on each wing, width shouldn't be a problem. But, it seems like Jackett has new plans for Sako. Against Swindon, in the diamond midfield it was natural for him to provide a little extra support in the centre. One obvious fault with that formation is that the wide midfielders are expected to tuck in and shuttle out wide. But Sako seemed to be playing in this sort of position today. I don't think you can get heat maps for League 1 players' positions, but I doubt Sako's would show much on the flank today. If you inspected his boots at halftime, I suspect there would be no chalk from the touchline on them. At times, Sako found himself on the right hand flank, doubling up with Ismail. This can be an effective tactic going forward if these players are then used to attack. But so often, they were ignored or didn't work in tandem to make the most of their now dual threat. Saying this, Sako arguably did more on the left than he managed on the right. Pretty much the only thing of note he did was a run down the right, firing a right-footed cross across the goal that was begging to be tucked away at the far post.

- The other issue with this is when the ball was then moved across to the left, Scott Golbourne was the only outlet. I've been disappointed by Golbourne's offensive qualities, especially considering he was playing as a wing back for Barnsley and started his Wolves career in midfield. One miss-hit cross aside, I've seen nothing from him to suggest he will be any threat going forward, and to expect him to provide the main attacking threat down the left from left back is a big ask. This was highlighted in the second half when he burst into the penalty area, with the goal seemingly opening up in front of him. Instead shooting, or laying the ball off for someone else to have a shot, he delayed and delayed before being tackled. At no point during the move did I have any conviction that he would do anything. Now, he may turn out to be a fine and dependable left back, someone whose defensive solidity more than makes up for a lack of offensive creativity. But, this doesn't mean he's the right player to play as a left back who is forced to attack due to the lack of options ahead of him. 

- On the other flank, I thought Matt Doherty had a fine game, possibly the best I've seen him play. He is a full back who is better defensively than he is going forward (which isn't a problem as the onus isn't on him to attack), and he did his defensive duties very well today. What I particularly like about him is the way he covers the far post. There were two or three occasions when dangerous balls were played across the goal, and Doherty was always alert to the danger. Compare the way Doherty defends the far post, and his awareness of what is around him to how George Elokobi does it and you'll see a world of difference. Saying that, Doherty did commit himself once in the middle of the pitch in the build-up to Curtis May's unbelievable miss - a ball across the goal from Shrewsbury's right, and with the ball on the ground and barely six yards out, May somehow managed to blast the ball over the bar. 

- The game was generally about even, with both sides pointing to chances where they could have taken the lead. In the second half, Jackett made a double substitution, taking of Griffiths for Jake Cassidy (not Jack Price as claimed by the Shrewsbury announcer), and David Edwards returning to the action in place of Ismail. Griffiths had gone down injured in the first half, so it wasn't really surprising that he was withdrawn. It was good to see Edwards back fit (and the Shrewsbury fans gave him a great reception, applauding his name when the teams were read out and applauding him again at full time). Edwards is a player who divides fans, but I like him. I certainly don't buy into the myth that he's an attacking midfielder (11 goals in 140 games for Wolves), but I think he improved immeasurably during Stale Solbakken's time at Wolves who clearly did a lot of work with him tactically. I've said a few times that I'm not sure that David Davis is ready to be the senior partner in midfield, and Edwards return will add a little bit of extra experience to the midfield area. He also gives us an extra option out wide. While this is no way his best position, and the sight of Edwards as a 'winger' will bring groans to many a Wolves fan, I'd certainly rather see him play out there than Lee Evans who has been shoehorned there in the last couple of weeks. 

- At the time of the goal, Liam McAlinden was getting ready to come on - he must have mixed emotions when Sako blasted the penalty home. I wasn't sure who was due to come off, perhaps McDonald with Sigurðarson moving to the right and Edwards coming into central midfield. But would Jackett have really wanted for us to with two youngsters in Cassidy and McAlinden as the two forwards? I guess we'll never know. As for the penalty decision, it was at the other end so I couldn't really see. But, my impression was it was a little harsh based on the mixed appeal from the fans around me and the reaction from the Shrewsbury players. As the penalty was scored (similarly to Griffiths' late late winner against Crawley; hard and low, virtually down the middle), McAlinden put his tracksuit top back on, and instead Kevin Foley was introduced for Sigurðarson. Foley sat in front of the defence, as we moved to a 4-1-4-1 formation. I've not yet been convinced by Cassidy (and would probably prefer McAlinden to be given more opportunities instead), but I thought he did quite well in holding the ball up as a lone-striker. 

- With Steve Bull in the crowd, watching his club play the manager who made him (I'm too young to really remember Graham Turner - he was manager when I started watching Wolves, but I wasn't old enough to really have an opinion on him), this was an important win after Tuesday. It keeps us on track to average two points a game, while keeps Leyton Orient (who play at Brentford on Monday) within touching distance. Is it a little worrying that the only two teams in the top half that we've beaten are the two Towns, Crawley and Swindon? Given the unconvincing nature of those victories, perhaps yes it is. Especially when you consider we've taken just one point from teams in the top seven - Walsall and Preston North End. But, today was a win, and a much needed, albeit slightly fortunate, clean sheet for a defence that has been all too easy to breach in recent weeks.