Why Wolves Are Ready To Go Again Despite European Reality Check
There are few clubs in England that can match the rollercoaster ride that has been Wolverhampton Wanderers over the past decade.
After falling from the Premier League to League One in consecutive seasons before an immediate return to the second-tier, things settled down for a few years. That was until Fosun International took over and things really picked up when they appointed Nuno Espirito Santo twelve months into their reign.
Since then, the ex-Porto chief has brought almost unimaginable success to Molineux, winning the Championship title in his first campaign before recording back-to-back 7th places finishes in the top-flight. That brought a memorable Europa League run that was deservedly ended by Sevilla at the quarter-final stage (Source BBC).
A failure to have another season in Europe has prompted talk that this Wolves side could be picked apart – which is understandable. After all, Adama Traore has been unplayable at times with his pace and power, Raul Jimenez is a complete number nine and Ruben Neves continues to impress in the heart of the midfield.
Plus, those individuals, and others, may feel they’ve hit the ceiling with Wanderers and a quick glance at the latest football betting odds ahead of next season shows Santo’s men are outsiders to finish in the Champions League places – the level those individuals will feel they belong.
Thinking about it like that could cause some Wolves fans to panic. However, it’s important to remember that they are backed by wealthy owners who are determined to take the club back to the top (Via The Mirror).
Plus, the vast majority of the players that would attract attention from elsewhere are secured on long-term contracts. Essentially, that gives the power to the West Midlands outfit in negotiations and it ensures only a ridiculous fee would see them sell one of their prized assets.
More importantly, they have a manager who has shown he can work wonders and the bond that Santo has with his players means they will believe he can take them to the top.
But, there’s no getting away from the fact that Wolves are short in key areas. Their summer dealings twelve months ago did not work out at all and the lack of options from the bench is a major issue when you compare them to fellow top four hopefuls.
So, that’s what needs to be addressed in the coming weeks but Wolves are starting from a strong position.
They have a boss that commands respect and is tactically astute, they have links with an agent that gives them an edge with recruitment, a board that have deep pockets and a squad that aside from Joao Moutinho has its best years to come.
The defeat to Sevilla put Wolves’ European dreams on hold for at least another year and highlighted the areas that need to be improved. In the bigger picture though, the foundations are in place for the club to sustain their challenge towards the top of the Premier League and there should be a lot of optimism about just how high the team can go under Nuno Esparto Santo’s guidance.
Posted on August 17th, 2020 by scott
Filed under: Article
i totally agree that Wolves are lacking in some key areas, i feel that we need at least one more world class midfielder and also one more world class defender. We have enough options up front with Traore, Djota, Jimenez and Podence.I would like to see some more options in the middle though.
Being a wolves fan I’m worried about next season. The players aren’t robots and since the restart have been a level below their best. I’m hoping this doesn’t continue in to next season.
Nuno is a top manager so why worry he will sort it
dont fret Nuno will get the right players in .They need two class centre backs to supplement the back.