It is fair to say that the 2024/25 campaign has been utterly disastrous for Wolverhampton Wanderers so far. The Old Gold have struggled to get on any sort of run of form, and are actually winless after seven games. Unsurprisingly, they sit rock bottom of the table.
Naturally that has put reams of pressure on Gary O’Neil, the Wolves boss. They have begun to be linked with other managers, and rumours are already swirling. When looking at their underlying numbers for this season so far, it is easy to see why his side are struggling for any points and why O’Neil is under pressure.
Wolves stats from 2024/25
Wolves’ start to the new season is perhaps surprising for many. Plenty of people, including BBC Sport’s chief football writer Phil McNulty believed the Old Gold would manage to steer well clear of relegation this term. He explained in his preseason predictions he thinks ‘Wolves can avoid danger’, praising O’Neil for his performances last term.
Sadly for the Midlands outfit, it has not quite worked out that way. Wolves are letting in far too many goals this season. Concerningly, O’Neil’s side have conceded a whopping 21 goals, an average of three per game, and the main reason they are yet to chalk up a win, drawn one and have lost the other six.
Shockingly, this is the biggest number across the entirety of the Premier League and the football league. There are several sides who have conceded 20 goals, but none have let in as many as the Old Gold.
Perhaps an even more damming statistic than that comes from FBref. No team has let in more goals this term across the big five European leagues so far than the Molineux side. French club Montpellier have also conceded 21 times, but no one has more than that.
Goals conceded
21
Goals against per game
3
Expected goals against
15.18
Gap between goals conceded & xGA
5.82 (biggest in PL)
When looking at the defensive stats, it is perhaps not a shock that the Midlands club are considering a change of manager. Whilst there are a few suitable candidates out there, there is one option that stands out amongst the rest.
Expected goals against (xGA) is the number of goals a team is expected to have conceded based on the quality and quantity of shots they face.
Who Wolves could replace O’Neil with
The manager in question here is former Brighton and Hove Albion boss, Graham Potter. The 49-year-old, who has also managed the Swedish side Ostersunds, Swansea City and English giants Chelsea, has been out of work since being sacked by the West Londoners in April 2023.
However, according to a report from Football Insider earlier this week, the Englishman would be ‘very keen’ to take up the job at Molineux should O’Neil be removed from his post. Former Manchester United boss David Moyes is also interested in the position.
Potter could be exactly what the Old Gold need to get their season back on track and avoid relegation. Football analyst and host of The Overlap Breakdown H described him as a “great man-manager”, which could be ideal for the Wolves players now.
Having a new manager who can offer a fresh perspective on things and rally around them, who is particularly great at working with players, could be exactly what the Old Gold need to stay away from a relegation battle.
Potter’s reputation was at its strongest when he was at the helm at Brighton. Using his famed 4-2-3-1 system, from which his side became superb at playing out from defence and technical players on the ball, he continuously improved the Seagulls’ league finishes.
In his first season in charge, they finished 16th in the Premier League, bettering that the next campaign by coming 15th. Potter then defied all expectations by seeing his side to a ninth-place finish, a very impressive performance. Whilst it did not work out at Chelsea, the Englishman showed just how talented of a manager he is on the South Coast.
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Indeed, whilst his first focus will be solidifying the Wolves defence, there are certainly some players who would thrive under his attacking play, including Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-Chan.
Not only that, but he could represent something of an upgrade on O’Neil. In 141 matches in charge in the Premier League, Potter has racked up 173 points, with a points per game average of 1.23. The current Wolves boss, meanwhile has recorded just 83 points from 79 career top-flight games at the helm, with a points per game of 1.05.
Should the Old Gold get this appointment over the line, it could be a superb piece of business which could change the course of their whole season and help them survive the drop.
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1 ByKelan SarsonOct 9, 2024