Wolverhampton Wanderers

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

One of potentially the biggest moments in English football is coming on Friday, but precious few people understand how important it could be or even know about it.

The Premier League is considering 'anchoring' wages, which would cap the amount any club could spend on their squad at five times the smallest central Premier League broadcasting and prize money payout.

It is a complex argument. The league and some clubs are considering it because they want to ensure wage inflation does not continue to rise endangering their long-term financial security. From the other side - the players and their union, the PFA - this unnaturally limits the amount they can earn in what has until now been a free and open market.

Any changes to that position foisted upon the players without their prior consultation and agreement will not go down well. Remember, the players are the people that the paying public, the TV companies and the advertisers want to see, not a bunch of chairmen, executives and directors arguing over accounts, dividends and profit margins.

The game has increased the number of games played per season without consulting those who are physically doing it. No studies on how that will affect their health in the short and long term were considered, and so the PFA in England looks like it is finally ready to take a strong stand for its members.

Strike ballots are not unknown, I should know, as chairman of the PFA my name was on the bottom of every ballot paper when we last considered strike action over changes in working conditions. The modern owners may have forgotten, but we had 99% backing from our members.

Owners may think of footballers as ultra wealthy, mercenary, thickos who can easily be controlled - well they thought that last time and they lost.

It is time for serious and meaningful negotiation between equals and not a master and serf attitude from one side towards the other.

Sign up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

One of the biggest stories of the Premier League season so far is the decline of goals scored in open play and how teams have been scoring more from set-pieces instead.

When we compare how goals have been scored to the first 11 games last season, there have been 39 fewer scored in open play and 26 more from team set-pieces and penalties, giving us 13 fewer overall.

If we look at the bigger picture and the number of shots teams are taking, there have been an incredible 370 fewer in open play than at this stage last time out.

So which teams are most responsible for this change in how goals are scored this season?

The above graph compares how teams have gone up or down in numbers of set-piece and goals from open play compared with the same stage last season.

In terms of goals scored from open play, Wolves have seen by far the biggest decline, scoring just four in 11 games and that is 10 fewer than at this stage last season.

Outside of Wolves, the Premier League's decline in open play goals is very much a London thing, with five of the capital's seven sides scoring at least five goals fewer from open play than last season.

In fairness, that is largely down to them scoring lots of goals at the start of last season rather than them really struggling to score in open play this campaign.

Meanwhile Manchester City have seen the biggest increase, with all but one of their 23 goals scored this season coming in open play.

When it comes to goals scored from set-pieces (excluding penalties), Arsenal and Chelsea have seen the biggest increase, with both sides replacing the five fewer goals that they have scored in open play with the same number from dead-ball situation.

Manchester United have scored twice as many goals from set-pieces as they did in the 11 games before Ruben Amorim took charge last season.

On the flipside, Manchester City do not seem to have got the memo about scoring more from set-pieces because they've scored three fewer than last season, as have Nottingham Forest, although that might be down to the change in style they have tried to implement.

Read more about this season's scoring trends here

Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Saturday will be a big day. However, the next few days might be the most important in Wolves' season as Rob Edwards' full squad finally assembles and many of them meet him for the first time.

First impressions count, especially when there is no time to waste.

Former Wolves winger Matt Jarvis said on Tuesday's Radio WM Football Phone-In that Edwards will have to establish which players he can rely on at speed.

"You can work this out pretty quickly when you meet the players and can see what their training is like," Jarvis said. "In that first training session, although it's not the be-all and end-all, you can really start working out which players are going to be on board with what you're thinking.

"So that will be a massive part of what he has to do."

The least important hour of Edwards' week will be when he gives his first news conference as Wolves manager on Friday lunchtime.

So far, the only comment from the club since his appointment has been through their official channels, but they still contained a lot of interesting strands worth noting - not least executive chairman Jeff Shi indicating that this change of head coach would not be the standard fire-and-hire job but a more profound reset.

"After the takeover in 2016, it has been almost 10 years, we are at a new chapter," Shi wrote. "Rob will bring new things to the club and I think we truly have the base to work as a whole club - every member of staff will be linked to the first team and the whole club will support the first team to perform."

We need to hear more about that.

Shi has become so unpopular that you could almost hear thousands of Wolves fans simultaneously rolling their eyes though.

However justified the cynics might feel after a few seasons of decline, they should park those feelings if they can because, in this instance, Shi is right.

This perilous period does present an opportunity to remodel the club. If they trust Edwards' judgement as much as Shi says, they should allow him to be the chief architect and not just the occupier - but that is not a job for right now.

The most direct route to a successful and renewed Wolves still remains through Premier League survival. All of Edwards' time and ingenuity will be required for that right now, if they are to stay in the race.

The important work on the future can follow, but Edwards will need time to give the present a go first.

Listen to full commentary of Wolves v Crystal Palace at 15:00 GMT on Saturday on BBC Radio WM (95.6FM)

And tune into The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights

Explore Wolves content on BBC Sounds

Emlyn Begley
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

The Africa Cup of Nations kicks off earlier than usual this year, with up to 17 Premier League clubs set to be affected by players jetting off to host country Morocco.

The tournament runs from 21 December until 18 January.

There has been no official announcement about which date clubs will have to release their players by - and it could vary depending on agreements.

Players could miss up to six, or in some cases seven, Premier League matches - plus FA Cup and Carabao Cup games - if they reach the final.

The group stages end on 31 December, so quickly eliminated players may only miss half that amount.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Leeds do not have any players due to play in the 2025 Afcon - with Sunderland and Wolves losing the most players.

• Aston Villa - 1

• Bournemouth - 1

• Brentford - 2

• Brighton - 1

• Burnley - 3

• Crystal Palace - 1 to 4

• Everton - 2 to 3

• Fulham - 3

• Liverpool - 1

• Manchester City - 2

• Manchester United - 3

• Newcastle United - 0 to 1

• Nottingham Forest - 1 to 4

• Sunderland - 7

• Tottenham - 1 to 2

• West Ham United - 2

• Wolves - 5

Read the full article here to know which players will feature at Afcon

Dazzling Dave
Fan writer

Which player is flying? "Flying" feels a bit strong for our current form. It would be great to see anyone really hitting those heights right now because even a small spark of brilliance would help our situation. If I had to name one, I would say Ladislav Krejci has handled the switch to the Premier League the best. He has settled quickly, looks composed and rarely hides when things get tough. Joao Gomes also deserves a mention. He always shows heart and fight and he never stops working for the team, even if he has not quite reached his usual high standards this season.

Which player is floundering? You could argue that many of them are floundering because we were clearly lacking leadership and direction. We need a settled captain, a settled team and a settled management structure. Ideally, Rob Edwards will sort the on-pitch leadership issues quickly. He has already said in his early interviews that he wants every player to step up and be a leader, whether they are on the pitch or on the bench.

Jorgen Strand Larsen is probably the most disappointing player so far. After scoring 14 goals last season, many expected him to kick on and develop even more. Instead, he is struggling. The service to him has been limited, but ever since those summer offers came in, he has not looked like the same player.

Tactically I think we... are naive. We have conceded some very soft goals and made unforced errors that have gifted the opposition chances. We need focus and mental strength for the full 90 minutes, not just in patches. It will be interesting to see what Edwards does here. For me, I would like to see players in their natural and preferred positions, instead of trying to squeeze them into a rigid managerial idea.

I want my manager to give me more... consistency. Vitor Pereira made 31 changes to his starting line-up in the first 10 matches, the most of any club. He often said players had to earn their place and subsequently he kept rotating. But the constant changes created inconsistency and uncertainty. He also shifted systems several times. I want Edwards to give us more stability in selection and system, so the players know their roles.

Our fans seem obsessed with... the Championship. Many fans were convinced we will go down and were packing their bags for a Championship tour.

But they should be thinking about... getting behind Edwards. He put himself forward for a very tough job. He is one of our own and deserves - and will get - our full backing, even if the odds are not in our favour. He has committed to us, so he deserves the same commitment in return.

My expectations for the season were... not very high but I never thought we would be rock bottom and cut adrift after 11 games. Honestly, I had major concerns about Wolves' preparation in pre-season. Now I am hoping for a relegation battle and, against the odds, to pull off the greatest of great escapes.

Score out of 10 for the season so far: It is very hard to give a score. I sadly cannot give it any more than a 1/10 for the season to date. Wolves' problems run much deeper and start with how the club is being run.

One sentence on how you are feeling right now: Depressed, but ready to back Edwards and the boys until the end. After all, the club motto is: "Out of darkness, cometh light."

Find more from Dazzling Dave at Always Wolves, external

Over the past week, we have been asking you to send in the best Premier League XI your club could have put together.

We know football existed before 1992 but as a Leeds United fan asked our experts on the club to name theirs - using the Ask Me Anything form on the Whites - we stuck with their parameters.

Here's BBC Sport's Wolves fan writer Dazzling Dave's effort.

And you can ask us about Wolves using the Ask Me Anything form at the top of this page or here

Find more from Dazzling Dave at Always Wolves, external

Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes is open to joining Manchester United with a fee of £44m enough to prise the 24-year-old Brazilian away from Molineux in January. (Record - in Portuguese), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

We have, roughly, run the numbers and here is the XI your submissions have produced.

It could be 2017 with the squad it has turfed out, with many of you commenting about Nuno Espirito Santo's side and the stalwarts that are now long since departed.

In many ways, we already know how much this group of players can achieve and with the addition of the irrepressible Joao Gomes, there is no chance they would be scrapping at the bottom of the league.

If Rob Edwards can assemble a side half as good as this one, he is on to a winner on his Molineux return.

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

The statistics might say playing at home is an advantage - but what happens when it is not?

So far this season, 53% of Premier League matches have been won by the home team - the highest ever rate in a single campaign.

On the flip side, just 26% have been won by the away team - the lowest rate since 2010-11.

However, this has not been the case for all teams.

For some, being on the road has been more favourable. Tottenham are perhaps the most contrasting example having the joint-most points away from home with 13, but the second-worst in front of their own fans with just five points.

In the second part of her chat with BBC Sport, performance psychologist Marie Cartwright explained: "With crowds when playing away from home, there is a reduced scrutiny as a whole for away teams in that those crowds expect the home team to be the ones in charge. The players feel less judged. The pressure is on the other side.

"Another reason could come down to something in psychology I like to call simplification of the task. The team has a better collective identity when they are away.

"The human brain still goes back to the cavemen days. We have to, as a collective, fight for something. We have to protect our name. It goes back to that hunter-gatherer-against-danger mentality.

"When players are in front of a home crowd, there can be a bit of playing up to the individuality.

"I really do believe that collective identity has a strong enough influence because it amplifies the purpose and the belonging - let's belong together, let's be stronger together."

The focus might be on the players' performances being impacted by being home or away, but what about the managers?

Wolves, West Ham and Nottingham Forest make up three of the bottom four for their home records so far this term, and all have changed their manager in recent weeks.

"100% managers and coaches can be affected, and sometimes even more so because there is so much riding on that one person," Cartwright said.

"The decision-making is the main thing. The crowd is chanting - 'take this player off, do this' - and it can lead to rushed decisions, particularly when the noise becomes relentless.

"Then there is the emotional regulation and touchline behaviour. A manager is pacing up and down, mirroring the stress state, and players see that. It can lead to mimicking and players feeling that stress too."

The impact on teams psychologically playing home or away is apparent, so how can they make the most from these different conditions?

"Our brains are wired to think negatively - it's a protection mechanism," Cartwright said.

"So when it comes to performing home and away, those players and managers who deal with it best are those who know how to use the noise and scrutiny and move on quickly from it - an ability to have a reset routine and regulate their emotions in these pressurised situations."

Read more from Marie in part one of her chat around the impact of playing at home here

Image source, Getty Images

Wolves legend Mel Eves has been reliving his time playing at Molineux between 1975 and 1984, having signed his first professional contract at 18 years old before going on to make 214 appearances and score 53 goals for the club.

The former striker and left-sided attacker, who is now 69 years old, was born and bred in Wolverhampton and has been a life-long supporter of the club.

"I first went to Wembley Stadium in 1974 to watch Wolves beat a star-studded Manchester City team," Eves told BBC Radio WM. "We won 2-1 with goals from Kenny Hibbitt and John Richards, two of the greatest Wolves players ever.

"One year later, I joined the club as a young professional because I had just turned 18 years old. It took me a few years to actually get into the first team though because the quality of the players I was up against was immense.

"The club had just come off the back of winning the League Cup, they had finished fourth in the league, and they had reached the final of the Uefa Cup.

"I keep pinching myself at how fortunate I was to actually achieve becoming a professional footballer and to do it with my club. Playing for the club you support is the cherry, the icing and the cream on top.

"In terms of the most important goal I've ever scored for Wolves, the overhead kick against Swindon in the League Cup semi-final has to be number one.

"If I hadn't scored that, literally five minutes later we would've been out of the competition and we wouldn't have gone on to win it."

Listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds

Real Madrid are considering offers in the region of 20m euros (£17.69m) - from Sunderland, Aston Villa and Wolves for 21-year-old Spanish forward Gonzalo Garcia. (Fichajes), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

"Home advantage gives you an advantage."

It is a quote - among many - attributed to the famous former England manager Sir Bobby Robson - a simple, yet fair reflection of a historical format of football.

For as long as teams have played in leagues, games taking place home and away has been the norm, with the idea that playing at home will be to the benefit of that team.

But what is the impact of playing at your own ground in front of your own fans?

In the first part of her chat with BBC Sport, performance psychologist Marie Cartwright explained: "Home impact can be viewed in two ways. Sometimes it does have a positive impact, and what happens is there is an elevated motivation.

"What that means is the crowd energy increases adrenaline and that creates a momentum in effort and intensity in the players. It is also a familiar environment for the players, so that means it reduces the cognitive load. They don't have to think as much about anything else other than their play because they know the pitch, they know the routines, they feel settled.

"However, there are a couple of potential negative impacts as well, with the potential intensification in pressure in the home fans, most times, expecting dominance from the home team. That can lead to mistakes from players feeling bigger to them.

"There can then be what we call a threat state. The players might perceive consequences as high, so they feel they might be facing more criticism when they are at home."

While those who watch football know there are more factors than just where the match is being to take into consideration, the statistics do suggest the influence is there.

Since the Premier League started, the home win percentage has outweighed the away win percentage in all bar one season - the Covid-hit 2020-21 campaign in which fans were largely not allowed admission saw a 38% home win rate compared to 40% away win rate.

So how a team handles this additional crowd pressure seems to be a key factor.

"In psychology, there is something called the challenge and threat theory," Cartwright said.

"In reality what that means is a 'challenge state' can push the player into thinking, 'I've got this, I've got the resources to cope with this'. That leads to better decision making and quicker reactions.

"The threat state, on the other hand, players might think the consequences outweigh their ability to cope. In any match context, that can mean they have a narrow sense of focus, the focus is not quite the same, so the play becomes slower because of overthinking."

"It can also be called 'red brain or blue brain' - with red brain being the one with fear-based dialogue and internal negative self-talk, while blue brain is the cool, calm and collected one that can handle its emotions.

"What sits in the middle of these is distraction. How a player responds to distraction and filters out the noise, like the crowd, can impact which of these mindsets they move into and ultimately how the team performs."

Read more from Marie in part two of her chat about why teams some teams play better away from home and how it impacts managers - that will be on this page early next week.

Here's another clutch of selections for your best Premier League XI.

See what you make of them.

Max: 4-3-3. Patricio, Irwin, Coady, Saiss, Jonny, Neves, Moutinho, Ince, Jimenez, Cunha, Jota. Unstoppable on its day. As much as Irwin and Ince had their better days before us, they were so vital back then.

Steve: 5-2-3. Patricio, Doherty, Kilman, Coady, Boly, Jonny, Neves, Gomes, Traore Jimenez Jota. Balance, speed, identity and confidence with Nuno at the helm.

Allan: 4-3-3. Patricio, Saiss, Coady, Boly, Ait-Nouri, Neves, Cunha, Moutinho, Jota, Jimenez, Traore. Good defence, great midfield and plenty of pace in attack.

Adrian: 5-3-2. Ruddy, Saiss, Boly, Coady, Doherty, Ait-Nouri, Moutinho, Neves, Gomes, Jimenez, Jota. Mostly Nuno's team. Oh the good old days.

John: 3-4-3. Patricio, Saiss, Boly, Kilman, Bueno, Moutinho, Doherty, Jota, Jimenez, Neto. Pace, skill and power up front, with clever wing-backs to cross or cut inside. Pure silk and football IQ in the middle and centre-backs that can play and defend.

Peter: 3-4-3. Patricio, Boly, Coady, Kilman, Semedo, Neves, Moutinho, Ait-Nouri, Jota, Jimenez, Cunha. Solidity in defence, creativity in midfield and pace in attack. with Nuno as coach. All legends and we will never see the like of them in gold and black ever again.

George Mills
BBC Sport senior journalist

In a recent addition of the Football Extra newsletter, Roger asked BBC Sport: Players are frequently injured on international duty - such as Chris Wood for New Zealand last season, which may have ultimately cost Nottingham Forest a Champions League place. Are clubs compensated by the country or does insurance cover compensation?'

Since 2012, Fifa's Club Protection Programme has covered the salary of players injured on international duty - although there are some conditions.

Firstly, the player must be out of action for a period of at least 28 consecutive days and the injury must have been sustained during an "accident", which is defined in very boring and legally-specific detail in Fifa's guidelines, though it covers most of the examples you could think of.

The scheme pays the salary of an injured player up to the maximum amount of €7.5m (£6.6m) until they are declared fit to return for their clubs.

Transfermarkt lists Chris Wood as missing 18 days - three games - with the hip injury you mention from last March, suffered on international duty with New Zealand. As he returned inside 28 days, Forest would not have been eligible to claim compensation.

There are a couple of clubs who will currently be beneficiaries of this scheme though, including Newcastle United, whose £55m summer signing Yoane Wissa is yet to make an appearance since suffering a knee injury while playing for DR Congo.

Sign up to read more from the Football Extra newsletter

Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your questions.

We want to reward your time by telling you things you do not know and reminding you of things you do.

Find out more here

Image source, Getty Images

Former Wolves winger Steve Froggatt believes Rob Edwards has "done the right thing for himself" after joining a club he has a "21-year association with" and choosing to leave Middlesbrough just four months into his tenure.

Speaking on BBC Radio WM's Football Phone-In, Froggatt called the criticism Edwards has received "slightly unfair".

"He has just had a house recently built in this area and he has a young family," Froggatt said. "I made a big career decision years ago as well.

"When I left Wolves, I actually could have gone to four Premier League clubs. I went up to Middlesbrough and I was offered an absolute fortune, then I went to see Gordon Strachan at Coventry City.

"I knew in my heart of hearts that the worst move for my pregnant wife would be Middlesbrough, a place where she had no family contacts and would be bringing up two young children, so I made a decision for my family.

"It was the best decision ever because everyone said I'd never do anything if I went to Coventry City. I was vindicated when I got into the England squad at the end of my third season there and I was able to say: 'Actually, I chose the right club for me'.

"Rob Edwards has done exactly the same thing. He loves the club, he has a 21-year association with Wolves, he knows the club inside out and he won't have to settle in.

"He passionately wanted this job so - shock horror - he left another football club. If the boot was on the other foot, a football club can sack a manager without thinking twice about it within a few weeks.

"He has done the right thing for himself - and I think for Wolves as well."

Listen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds

Brazil and Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes, 24, is being looked at by Manchester United in their attempts to strengthen their number six position. (Mail - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

We wanted your suggestions for Wolves' all-time best Premier League XI.

And you delivered!

Here's the first bunch of your replies:

Mark: 5-2-3. Patricio, Coady, Saiss, Boly, Semedo, Doherty, Neves, Moutinho, Jimenez, Jota, Traore. Simply the best Wolves XI that we have seen since being promoted back to the Premier League. The team that gave me the most pleasure to watch, without question.

Stookie: 5-3-2. Patricio, Jonny, Saiss, Coady, Boly, Doherty, Moutinho, Neves, Gomes, Jimenez, Cunha. Nuno Espirito Santo's team plus add-ons.

Darren: 5-2-3. Patricio, Ait-Nouri, Coady, Boly, Kilman, Semedo, Neves, Moutinho, Cunha, Jimenez, Jota. Great players who have served the club well in the Premier League era.

Nick: 4-4-3. Patricio, Foley, Boly, Coady, Jonny, Moutinho, Neves, Gomes, Traore, Jimenez, Jota. Patricio has over 100 caps for Portugal, Foley was underrated, Boly and Jonny were class, Coady was the leader, Moutinho was a little genius, Neves is a wonderful passer, Gomes is our only current great player, Traore is so exciting, Jimenez was our best striker in 40 years, and our much-missed superstar Jota.

Nathan: 5-2-3. Patricio, Semedo, Coady, Boly, Saiss, Ait-Nouri, Neves, Moutinho, Jota, Cunha. Combination of the good times where they played as a team and just great players with pure talent!

James: 5-3-2. Patricio, Semedo, Saiss, Coady, Kilmna, Ait-Nouri, Neves, Moutinho, Traore, Neto, Jimenez. This team would smash ANYONE.

Image source, Getty Images

Former striker Lyle Taylor has defended Rob Edwards' decision to leave Middlesbrough after just four months as manager, citing that there is "no loyalty in football".

The new Wolves manager has signed a three and a half year deal at Molineux and will take charge of his first game against Crystal Palace a week on Saturday.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast, Taylor said: "The lack of loyalty is evidenced by the fact that fans live in this football utopia whereby loyalty exists, but when a fan doesn't think a player is good enough - what do they do? They want the player out.

"When a player wants to leave a club to better themselves, they are treated like a turncoat. When a manager wants to do the same thing, it is the same situation.

"Football is a business and ultimately money rules business.

"Let's be honest, if there is ever a time Rob Edwards has to manage against Middlesbrough, he will get dog's abuse.

"But, for me, the presumption that there is loyalty in football is wide of the mark."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

• Find and follow your club here

Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

Fosun Group's investment has been the subject of several questions sent in via our 'Ask about Wolves' form.

The only consistent narrative on Fosun's intentions comes from the occasional statements and interviews given by their representative on the ground since the takeover in 2016, the Wolves Executive Chairman Jeff Shi.

Over the last two or three years, these indications have all pointed towards the goal of being financially self-sustaining.

"If a club can't find a way to be self-sufficient sooner or later, then the day its owner stops funding is literally the day it starts to prepare for administration or to be sold," he wrote in the Express and Star in May 2024. , external

Reviewing that quote now might prompt Wolves supporters to think perhaps a sale is exactly what Fosun do want.

However, Shi has never implied that Fosun wish to sell, with a reported offer from the prolific football investor John Textor in recent weeks apparently coming to nothing.

They have been interested in minority investments, and allowed the American firm PEAK6 to take a share in Fosun Sports in 2021, before buying it back.

In a long interview with the "Business of Sport" podcast, external in the summer, he made his clearest comments for a while about the overall financial strategy. They did not make him any more popular with fans.

"When you invest less but enough but the capital investment is limited, then you have more space to survive or sustain or grow," said Shi.

"If you spend £1bn into Wolves, for example, maybe for one or two seasons you will be good enough. But if a bad season comes you can't revive from that, because if you go down or you have a bad season, you have already spent £1bn. Even if you sell the club now, you will lose money for sure.

"The important thing is to control the spending in a range and you still feel safe. It's like in a bank, you have to have enough reserves.. That's our way to think about the long-term future. If the league may come good eventually, but you die before the dawn."

By that reading, keeping the club financially secure is more important to Fosun than maintaining Premier League status.

Yet at the same time, relegation would dramatically cut the value of the club, with no cheap way of winning it back.

Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your questions.

We want to reward your time by telling you things you do not know and reminding you of things you do.

Find out more here

Dana Malt
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Straight off the bat, expect the classic new manager soundbites.

I know this season has been dire for Wolves fans, so he will no doubt look to generate buy-in from supporters through words first.

The local paper will probably have one of his glittery quotes on the back page. He says the same stuff everywhere he goes, though - "the fans are the most important part of the football club".

It is up to you whether you get reeled in by that. My advice? Let the football do the talking - always.

To give him credit, Middlesbrough's defence this season has tightened up. We defend our box well, no matter the formation (Edwards has alternated between three and four at the back).

If you are a fan of xG, our 'expected goals against' this campaign is the third best in the league. If you don't like xG, ignore what I have just said.

Offensively, however, Boro have struggled. We do not create a lot at all.

Edwards did not have a clue what to do with the attacking options he had. He often overthought it, I feel.

Thankfully, because our defence is good, we have been on the right end of a lot of fine-margin games. Was that sustainable? Boro were trending down before he left.

He has quite the task on his hands at Wolves.

I would not be surprised to see a lift in performances, but expect to encounter problems that Edwards may find hard to fix.

Find more from Dana Malt at The Boro Breakdown, external

Image source, Getty Images

Wolves' new head coach Rob Edwards says he made "one of the toughest decisions" of his managerial career by choosing to leave high-flying Championship side Middlesbrough to join a club currently eight points adrift of Premier League safety.

The 42-year-old previously played for Wolves, making more than 100 appearances between 2004 and 2008, has been a coach at Molineux and also grew up in Telford.

"This has been one of the toughest decisions of my career," Edwards wrote on Instagram. "In truth, I wouldn't have considered leaving Middlesbrough for any other club.

"Wolves is a special club for me. It's where I grew as both a player and a coach. It's still where my family calls home.

"It has always been my dream to come back and these opportunities do not come around too often.

"Middlesbrough is an incredible club with a fantastic owner, staff and passionate supporters. I want to thank everyone at the club for the opportunity to lead this squad.

"It is a great group of players that I genuinely hope and believe will deliver success this season.

"I could not be prouder of the environment we built together and how it all gelled together so quickly - the players, the staff and the fans, who drive it all."

We asked for your views on whether Rob Edwards is the right man for the Wolves job.

Here are some of your replies:

Alan: Edwards brings bags of enthusiasm to a team he loves. His attacking mentality is exactly what we need if we have any chance of escaping relegation. I would far rather us go down giving our all and playing attractive, attacking football. I wish Rob every success. The supporters must get behind the team and save their angst for the board of directors and, specifically, Fosun.

David: Even though he has limited top-flight experience, Edwards is Wolves through and through. It's about time we appointed someone with a passion for the club, instead of just being used as a stepping stone to get a Premier League club on their CV.

Lee: I feel a little sorry for Edwards already. Under the current ownership, this club is a poisoned chalice for any manager. He isn't keeping us up, the owners have made sure of that with poor investment. I hope I'm wrong, but it feels like Edwards has made a poor decision in coming to join us. He should have stayed at Middlesbrough.

Mark: Edwards' appointment sends a very clear message that Wolves are gearing up for a complete reset in the Championship next season. None of the best managers in the world would be able to save the club from relegation this season. The quality within the squad is simply not good enough to compete at this level. The owners, with a total lack of football knowledge, are solely to blame for this.

Ian: One can only assume Wolves must have offered him a huge salary with a large bonus should relegation be avoided. Will it be sufficient recompense for what will, in all probability, be a miserable experience though?

Mike: Definitely the right choice. He is a local lad, a former Wolves player and he will be backed by the fans. If he is backed by the club in January, he can bring in some of the players he wants. As long as the team shows some fighting spirit for the rest of the season, he is in a no-lose situation and will retain the fans' backing even if we go down.