[Imre varadi]

Maybe hutch will be better playing there even when turners fit or when lees back ? like consilio says he can play and hes everything what loovens and turner arnt together !! and westwood has been shit for weeks injury aside i think its time for a kick up the arse although i know hes the best keeper in the division a kick in the arse is whats needed and id do it against Birmingham , he needs a wake up call !! it sounds like hunts had a kick and it did him the world of good !! and bannan is the bollocks ive not seen anyone as confident as him since shezza wore the shirt !1 he doesnt give a xxxx who its against he wants the ball and looks better with the ball than without it !! meening that hes not some frozen scared midfielder depending on the oppositions team ? brilliant player !! if only we had 2 of him ??

[Statesideowl]

Merry Xmas one and all

[St Charles Owl]

Just seen the highlights, both penalties were a bit soft but both seemed the right decision. Pudil took his goal very well, nice first touch and into the top corner. My question to those who went is what was our left back doing in the middle on the edge of the box?? Not a criticism, the highlights didn't show why he was there in the first place! Nuhiu's little dribble and pin point pass to Hooper for the 4th goal was good as well.

[Imre varadi]

Im GOING TO HAVE TO GO MENTAL CHARLIE !!! SEE YA IM OFF ON THE IDIOT BOARD HAHA LOL

---

ONLY JOKING HA !!

[madsteve]

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
When Wednesday are Scoring
The Fans Are all Roaring & Full of Good Cheer
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

After an opening 15 minutes where we struggled, this was was a glorious seventy odd minutes of exhilarating football that would warm the cockles of even the most miserable Scrooge.

Our early efforts went awry mainly from over playing in dangerous areas with Loovens, Hunt (twice), Wallace & Bannan all giving the ball away in our own third of the pitch. Looking back, this was probably due to us adapting to our new formation because once we went behind, we totally dominated the match.

Wolves took the lead after a generous penalty award. It appeared that their player charged into Wallace but the referee penalised us. Afobe waited for Westwood to move then sidefooted it into the opposite corner.

A few minutes later & we were level. Joao burst through the middle and as he was about to pull the trigger, Batth scythed him down. It looked like a clear red card but the referee kept his cars in his pocket. FF sweetly played the spot kick in the bottom left corner.

A few minutes later & we were in front. Joao kept the ball alive well in the box & when the ball broke to FF, he lashed it home.

After that we had several more chances & half chances. Joao, Hooper & FF pulled the Wolves defenders hither & thither. Bannan pulled the strings in midfield, spotting the forwards runs in behind the Wolves defence. Hutch & Loovens looked solid at the back while Pudil rampaged down the left flank to good effect.

It was Pudil who scored the third when he fired in emphatically from the edge of the box. Helan had already replaced Joao, who had a niggle & he and Pudil tormented the Wolves defence. Hooper's tireless running was rewarded when he scored the 4th. His brilliant run gave Nuhiu the simplest of passes to set him up & his finish was quality. He could have had another but the spin on Bannan's clever pass just took it away from him.

FF went close to a hat trick several times, none closer than when he took a quick throw in when Ikeme was out of his box and Hooper's clever chest pass set him up but his effort went just over.

Maybe CC has discovered the formation & tactics that will take us on a promotion push.

The fact that we won so emphatically was pleasing even with Wallace having a quiet afternoon & Hunt giving the ball away too much. Even Nuhiu came on for ten minutes and gave a pleasing little cameo.

Westwood - 6 - shaky on crosses
Hunt - 6 - gives the ball away too much
Hutchinson - 8 - outstanding performance in defence
Loovens - 7 - poor start but magnificent for 75 minutes
Pudil - 8 - attacking threat plus a goal
Wallace - 6 - quiet
Lee - 7 - quiet first half but better second, should have scored late on
Bannan - 9 - spotted the runs of the front three beautifully
FF - 9 - scored two and went close several times
Hooper - 8 - his running off the ball creates spaces plus another goal
Joao - 8 - won penalty, good hold up play
................................................................
Helan - 7 - worked left side well
Nuhiu - 7 - neat performance plus assist

Stat Attack:

Goals: 2 - FF, 1 - Pudil, Hooper

Assists: 1 - Joao, Bannan, Hooper, Nuhiu

Tackles: 5 - Bannan, 4 - Hunt, Pudil, Lee, 3 - FF, 2 - Hutchinson, 1 - Loovens, Hooper

Interceptions: 8 - Hutchinson, 6 - Loovens, 3 - Lee, 2 - Hunt, Pudil, FF 1 - Bannan

Clearances: 14 - Hutchinson, 7 - Loovens, 5 - Lee, 4 - Pudil, 3 - Hunt, 2 - Joao, 1 - Hooper, Helan

Attempts: 12 - FF, 3 - Bannan, Joao, 2 - Pudil, Wallace, Hooper,

Attempts On Target: 4 - FF, 2 - Joao, 1 - Pudil, Hooper

Key Passes: 4 - Bannan, 3 - Hooper, Wallace, 2 - Lee, FF, 1 - Joao, Nuhiu

Dribbles: 2 - Bannan, Lee, Hunt

Dispossessed: 3 - Hooper, 2 - FF, 1 - Pudil, Wallace, Lee, Bannan, Joao, Nuhiu

Bad Control: 3 - Wallace, 2 - Lee, 1 - Bannan, FF, Joao, Helan

Crosses (Accurate in Brackets): 9 - Wallace (1), 4 - Hunt (1), 2 - Bannan (1), 1 - Pudil (0), FF (0), Helan (0), Hooper (0)

Passing Accuracy (Total Passes in Brackets):

Helan - 95% (20)
Hooper - 92% (25)
Lee - 85% (41)
Bannan - 85% (54)
Hutchinson - 85% (26)
FF - 79% (29)
Loovens - 79% (24)
Joao - 79% (14)
Pudil - 73% (37)
Wallace - 71% (28)
Nuhiu - 67% (6)
Hunt - 53% (32)
Westwood - 43% (30)

I have been hoping that CC would try this formation for a while now. Now that it has worked so well, hopefully he will use it more often.

It should be added that Wolves were hopeless defensively and that scoring against Birmingham & Middlesbrough will not be so easy. However, the movement of our front three meant that we kept their defence turning and gave Bannan opportunities to pick passes beyond their back four. Long may it continue.

[Kimmyowl]

I think a little bit of festive cheer has gone to our heads, yes we played well yesterday but let's face it wolves were awful, that is without doubt the worst wolves side I've seen.
But you can only beat what's in front of you, and the pleasing thing is the home games are now where we are at our best.
I think most sides are of a similar ilk in this division and it's the true quality players that make the difference, thankfully we have those players and the consistency will be the key to achieving our objective.
Need to back up yesterday with more points on Boxing Day

[madsteve]

Wolves were awful but if we had won 8-1, they couldn't have complained.

We are inconsistent. There will be some more days like MK but hopefully more & more days like yesterday.

[Jacko The Flopsy Piglet]

If only Hooper had scored first rather than last, I think I would have got another point in the BML!

I suppose you can't have everything.

Merry Christmas everybody.

[consilio]

The only problem I envisage is when we come up against sides with quality in the midfield. I can't see Lee and Bannan being able to influence the game in an attacking sense if they are occupied with defending.

Also, what do we do with Hutch when Lees is back fit. Do we drop Lee, or does Bannan go out left and FF up top. Bannan needs to play in the middle for me.

[Statesideowl]

That's my issue with the team at the moment. Woefully inconsistent.

And as Consilio said above, our midfield can get snuffed out completely at times, we're left thin.

I think when Lees is back we could rotate Hutch & Lee? There's always that risk when playing Hutch consecutively that he'll clock up yellows fast or break his own legs.

Would like to see a natural left winger bought this Xmas. Bannan needs to be in the middle imo, he's a general.