They finished 14th in the league last season, 20 points above the relegation zone but the underlying data wasn’t as strong. Should Wolves’ fans be concerned?
Gary O’Neil’s side were handed a very difficult start when the fixtures were drawn. They have faced five of last season’s top seven in their first six matches. Wolves’ schedule is set to be a little more forgiving in the coming months, so can they catapult themselves up the table?
Wolves’ Struggles During Tricky Start to the Premier League Season
Premier League Market | Odds |
|---|---|
Brentford vs Wolves - Wolves Double Chance | |
Brentford vs Wolves - Wolves To Win | |
Ipswich To Be Relegated |
Odds courtesy of Betway. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Wolves made a slow start last season. They lost four of their first five matches, with their only win coming against Everton. Gary O’Neil’s side were 17th in the league after that poor run, but they soon shot up the Premier League. A run of seven wins in 11 matches starting on Christmas Eve saw them climb to a high of 10th in the division.
The underlying data did highlight some cause for concern. Wolves had the fourth-highest xGA in the top tier of English football with 76.11. They managed to concede just 65 goals. O’Neil’s team netted 50 goals, which was in line with their xG of 50.65, so there was no drastic overperformance at the other end of the pitch.
Despite the tough start to the current campaign, Wolves have performed reasonably well. Eight teams have a higher xGA than the Old Golds’ 11.04. Gary O’Neil hopes that translates into clean sheets as his side takes on some easier opponents in the lead-up to Christmas.
Gary O’Neil’s Side Set for a Favourable Run of Fixtures
Wolves face Brentford this weekend, who currently sit 12th in the Premier League, but they aren’t out of the woods just yet. They host Manchester City before heading to Amex Arena to take on Brighton later in October, so the clash with the Bees could prove to be important.
Between the start of November and Christmas Day, Wolves will face the three newly promoted sides as well as three opponents who finished in the bottom half of the Premier League last term.
Interestingly, Brentford have failed to win any of their last six home matches against Wolves. This dates back to 2017, when both teams were playing in the Championship.
Thomas Frank’s side were beaten 4-1 in this fixture last season. The away side had just 39% possession, but were incisive on the break. Gary O'Neil's team will be on the hunt for their first win of the season this weekend and it could change the tide in the race against relegation.
With Wolves gearing up for a favourable run of fixtures, their relegation could suffer. Ipswich have four points from their opening six matches. The Tractor Boys have the second-lowest xG in the Premier League, with an average of 0.72 per game. Their xGA of 1.99 per outing is also the third-highest in the division.