Wolves 1 City 2
The trip from Leicester was easy. £10.80 return by train with a 15 minute walk to the ground downhill: friendly reception at Molyneux to visitors. Leicester have a good track record against Wolves in recent years and this proved to be the case again.
Henderson had replaced Logan in goal, Logan having suffered a torrid time against Sheffield Wednesday when clearly unprepared for shots outside the Penalty Area. Henderson had performed well earlier in the season, but although not sorely tested, sometimes looked a little hesitant on this occasion – short of match practice perhaps.
The rest of the team was as expected with Gareth Williams playing at number 8 and Josh Low on the bench – thank heavens.
The Wolves match programme contained a very good analysis of the visiting team and their manager. Why doesn’t the Foxes programme contain this sort of analysis of visitors to the Walkers Stadium?
This famous ground echoing to the names of Stan Cullis and Billy Wright heralded a return to form for Leicester. The atmosphere felt right for Leicester. Both Robert Kelly and Mike Stowell were at home.
Mike was prominent on the touch line – too much so, but this pairing with Robert Kelly is by no means ineffective. Robert Kelly is a mild-mannered sort but you do not have to be loud and assertive to be a good manager and there are grounds for thinking that Robert Kelly is a shrewd, quiet, restrained operator with a non-existent budget: a man who knows his own limitations and that of others – he deserves our support. Stowell is also loyal – bear in mind his many years of devoted service to Wolves in goal: he merits support as well. It would be interesting to see his written assessment of our three goalkeepers….
The first half progressed as much as the first half against Sheffield Wednesday the previous Saturday. Leicester was in control of themselves, playing well, but quietly, within themselves – not exaggerated and not that threatening. On this occasion, however, the first break came to Leicester and Elvis Hammond took his opportunity to slot one in low and angled away from the Wolves goalkeeper – nicely placed. He is quick, given to scurrying around: he is the most effective Leicester forward at the moment. Hume is going through a dull patch. He is industrious, but the world ‘one paced’ might be appropriate: not a very complimentary description, but he can create openings and will do so again. It might be a question of timing his runs.
The two most attractive players in the Leicester side are Richard Stearman and Levi Porter. The former had a good match. He tackled well in an old fashioned way, the noise of the tackle on 2 occasions resounding round the ground as it should be – none of this turning of the body as you go into the tackle which you see so often in the Premier League from expensive imports. And exports for that matter. He heads beautifully in the box and links up well with the Goalkeeper. What he doesn’t do yet is play through the ball to the forwards; he is more of a defender than a sweeper and it shows. There are too many chips forward and not enough long low raking timed stroked into open ground for forwards to run onto. He is a pleasure to watch.
Levi Porter is the other young player who makes it worthwhile buying a ticket. He had, by his standards, a slightly disappointing first half, but in the second half, he showed what he is capable of. He is swift, he is intelligent, he thinks fast, he is fun to watch. When he gets the ball, you expect excitement and you get it. He doesn’t so much turn a defender as cut in past them. It is a thrilling sight and to cap it all he scores goals. An amazing player.
Whoever runs the Academy deserves a solid slap on the back.
In the second half, Leicester played competently dealing with a succession of callers without undue concern. Gosbern, from the Wolves Academy, always looked dangerous; Clapham & Henry also distinguished themselves, but the threat never looked very promising. The goal, if it was going to come, was going to come from a mistake and it did. Hughes made it. We are lukewarm about this player. He makes important mistakes. He also contributes rather flashy upfront, but having had a quiet first half he then had an equally poor second half. He is too dainty for Leicester.
Maybury had a good match, but short of through balls again. Weslowski didn’t. He is an example of an Academy player who is not working out at this level. Fryatt never came on. Kisnorbo marshalled the defence and held the captaincy as if the role suited him.
Eventually Leicester broke free from something of a stalemate with Porter scoring on the dot of full time. Leicester are a slightly fragile side and, as a result, fun to watch.
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation