CRAIG HICKEY SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON THE KEY LESSONS FROM OLD TRAFFORD.
The Doc certainly diagnosed the right medicine…
It was just what the doctor ordered, pull your sleeves up and fight, no cowards walked out of Old Trafford last night. To every man, they battled, tackled, tracked back and wanted to go away with at least a point and could have had all 3. I’ve not seen that all season so far, this was my first away game so I’m sure you regular travellers will tell me different but this looked like a team that wants to avoid anymore unwanted records. This is probably the first course of a cure for our losing ailments, taking your medicine takes a while to fully recover. A stronger prescription is required to eliminate this virus that has been sweeping Molineux, our next course of medicine is against West Ham on Saturday, a double dose of fight is required for that.
We can play good football…
We had a good first half with possession and used the width better. The second half we fought, won some tough battles, put bodies in the firing line. If we had played like that against the teams around us and just above, we would have more points. There was a lot more good play than bad, nice interlinking play and putting United on the back foot. We deserved the point and to be honest we could have won it. You can see relationships and understanding starting to build, confidence is spreading through the team, that’s what we all wanted to see.
It appears we can play with a back 4…
The last few games against good opposition have been a bit more solid, it allows us to double up when defending and provide some width when we attack. The personnel seem settled and both Mosquera and Krejci are positioned better when we are defending. It’s easier to see the movement of attackers, allows more space to play up the pitch when in possession. It would be even better if we didn’t concede, today again was a deflected goal, how many of those have gone against us. The personnel playing in a central 3 didn’t gel as well as in other teams we have had, this formation also suits the wide play that we saw at Old Trafford.
He’s in your head….
Matheus Mane, what a talent we have here at Wolves. He has played in 3 of the biggest arenas in English football, The Emirates, Anfield and Old Trafford and boy he looks like he’s going to be a massive player in the next few years. He is only 18 but he has so much confidence and quality, others may buckle in the spotlight but this lad soaks it all up. I’ve not seen a talent as good as him since Ruben Neves came to us, then he was only 20 himself.
If we want to build a team that can reach the dizzy heights we did in our recent history, Mane has to be part of the spine. Every time he gets the ball, he excites the fans….he’s in my head that’s for sure, our number 10 going forward. He can dribble, close down, make clever runs and he is one our own, those are just a few qualities we’ve seen so far, a goal is not far away.
A creative midfielder is priority..
If we want to create more chances we need a creator, since Neves has gone, we have been poor in that area. Sarabia was a cameo role, Cunha was more of a number 10. We all knew this of course but Gomes and André are too similar, Gomes was always looking for an out ball but once that’s achieved it’s sideways and backwards. Tonight was no different at times, either Andre or João Gomes will leave us in the near future, if both go, we will need a defensive midfielder and an attacking one. That will not be easy.
Out with the old and in with the new, 2025 was a disaster…!!!
In January 2025, we were in trouble, 16 points from 19 games, we thought we were in dire straits then. The final 19 games yielded 26 points and we finished on 42 points, we survived, just. Lessons should have been learnt then but once bitten as they say… Alas the first 19 games of this season have brought us just 3 points, no wins and the whipping boys of the league. We’ve conceded 40 goals and scored 11 this season and we achieved more points in March 2025 alone (4 points), than we have so far this season. Yes it’s depressing, we all know that but one thing is for sure, there is no way we will match this year’s catastrophic stats, 28 points in 38 games, over two different seasons. In the Chinese calendar, 2025 was the year of the Snake, no clues needed to say who that might be, the old skin has been shed….2026 is the year of the Horse, as we gallop into the championship. We all hope we can be the thoroughbred that wins the race next season and we don’t fall at the first hurdle, its a long shot that we stay up this season, is it worth a cheeky bet?
ARTICLE BY CRAIG HICKEY
A 53 year old season ticket holder in the Steve Bull stand. Go along with my two young lads who love the Wolves and so far, the positive times. Long may it continue.