Fulham 1-4 Wolves: Did you know?published at 17:59 23 November 2024
17:59 23 November 2024
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Wolves have won successive Premier League games for the first time since February 2023, while this is their first win in the competition when conceding first since a 4-2 victory at Chelsea the same month.
Fulham 1-4 Wolves - send us your thoughtspublished at 17:01 23 November 2024
Sutton's predictions: Fulham v Wolvespublished at 11:03 23 November 2024
11:03 23 November 2024
Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.
For week 12 he takes on The Farm singer and Liverpool fan Peter Hooton.
The Farm's new single, Forever & Ever, is out now and their new album, Let The Music (Take Control), is released in May 2025.
Sutton's prediction: 2-1
Wolves got their first win of the season when they beat Southampton before the international break. Matheus Cunha has started scoring and, when I look at their squad, I do think they are good enough to stay up.
I am not backing them here, however. Fulham are flying and regular readers will know I am a big fan of them when they play at home.
Emile Smith Rowe has looked really bright since joining Marco Silva's side and I am expecting more of the same from him, plus I would not be surprised if Fulham striker Raul Jimenez had a say against his former club.
Hooton’s prediction: 2-1
Wolves have got Cunha scoring again and Jimenez is doing the same for Fulham. If they both play then it is going to be very close, but with Fulham being the home team, I am going with them to edge it.
Wolves cannot afford to fall into another west London trap at Fulham published at 19:11 22 November 2024
19:11 22 November 2024
Nick Mashiter BBC Sport football news reporter
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Gary O'Neil spoke for just over half an hour at Compton on Friday, fielding questions on momentum, emulating Saturday's hosts Fulham and their recent success.
None were on his position at Wolves - it would have been futile as it has been discussed and there is nothing else for the manager to say.
Nothing has changed at Molineux. In an ideal world, they do not want to make a change - especially following the show of faith of a new contract in August.
O'Neil played down the importance of the next six games, insisting he did not know the fixture list after the visit of Bournemouth next weekend, but is it not a stretch to suggest they are season-defining.
Everton, West Ham, Ipswich and Leicester come immediately after the trip to Craven Cottage and the game against the Cherries.
All are within reach and points must be taken if Wolves are going to head into the New Year with a realistic prospect of survival.
First, though, comes Fulham on Saturday with Wolves second bottom in the Premier League.
The danger of falling into a trap is obvious and it happened at Brentford in October, when Wolves still came unstuck even though playing a side not expected to challenge for the top four after their tough opening fixtures.
Fulham and Bournemouth may not be in the title race but the Cottagers are fifth in the form table over the past 10 games, while the Cherries are second if it is reduced to the past six matches.
O'Neil drilled his players to ensure the mistakes at Brentford did not happen again and, after a heartbreaking loss to Manchester City, they are unbeaten in three.
That run needs to extend. Wolves have no room for manoeuvre and, regardless whether O'Neil knows the fixtures or not, results in the next month are likely to decide whether he has a future at Molineux.
O'Neil outlines Wolves' position as he looks for progression published at 15:53 22 November 2024
15:53 22 November 2024
Nick Mashiter BBC Sport football news reporter
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Boss Gary O'Neil insists Wolves are still "stabilising" as they try to plot their way to Premier League survival.
The sales of Max Kilman and Pedro Neto in the summer raised almost £100m but Wolves were unable to reinvest all of it in the squad.
O'Neil was asked about emulating Saturday's hosts Fulham, who are seventh in the Premier League, but he tempered expectation as Wolves continue to find a balance between spending and surviving.
He said: "We are still trying to stabilise. After that comes the progression. We are still in that spell where we are trying to stabilise. Discussions around the progression of the club will come later on.
"The focus is on the short term and making sure we are able to be competitive and pick up enough points. Hopefully in the future we are able to progress the club."
Wolves are unbeaten in three games, beating Southampton and drawing against Brighton and Crystal Palace, and O'Neil recognises the importance of maintaining the momentum they have.
He said: "I was really pleased with the performances. We had some tough opponents. We took Liverpool to the wire, should have taken something off Newcastle and were the better side at Aston Villa for a long while.
"At Brentford [a 5-3 defeat] we fell below the level and there was a lot of work done to work out what we needed to do. We have tried to do that over the last few weeks and it's helped us.
"There is still room for improvement. We are in a decent moment, as strange as that sounds given where we are in the league, especially the pressure from the two home games [Southampton and Crystal Palace]."
O'Neil on stabilising the club, resilience and goalkeeper optionspublished at 14:51 22 November 2024
14:51 22 November 2024
Nicola Pearson BBC Sport journalist
Wolves boss Gary O'Neil has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Fulham (kick-off 15:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
O'Neil confirmed there are a "few [players] to check" following the international break but added: "I'm confident we will be able to name a strong team. I don't want to give too much away but I'm hopeful that we will be fine."
On being able to follow Fulham's footsteps after losing key players in transfer windows: "Wolves is a fantastic club, but we are still trying to stabilise at the moment. After that comes progression - but we are not there yet. We are still trying to stabilise and be in a good spot week to week. Discussions on where we want to progress to will come but focus is on the short term being competitive."
He praised Fulham's recruitment strategy and "excellent coach" Marco Silva, adding: "He has had a lot of time there but used it well. They have a good style and understand what they do. Players they recruit fit excellently and they have had a good transition since the Championship. It will be another real test."
Having started on the bench since coming off at half-time against Manchester City, O'Neil said "it is just one of those moments" for midfielder Andre and that he "still works hard, still shows quality and is still adapting". He added: "He is going to have a big impact on the team [in the future]."
On whether the Brentford defeat was a turning point in their season: "Interesting season for us so far in the journey, not results. Performances I was so pleased with at the start. We had tough opposition with Liverpool, Newcastle and Aston Villa, but some really good performances. For some reason, at Brentford, we fell way below the level, but a lot of work has been done to figure out what we needed to to do to get points from games."
He added: "There is still room for improvement and it will be a tough test against Fulham. But we are in a decent moment, as strange as that sounds, with where we are in the league."
On their increased resilience after a clean sheet against Southampton: "We need to find the right blend. We look like scoring goals. Wolves used to struggle for years in that area, now we always look like scoring. It's trying to find that right balance and making sure we are solid enough. We don't want to take away from being an attacking team."
On switching goalkeepers: "I have been pleased with Jose [Sa] and his response to Sam [Johnstone] coming in and being on the bench for a few weeks... There may be extreme circumstances where I think one is better than the other for a certain game but it is not a position I want to keep flipping. It is too extreme to keep flipping goalkeepers."
'Wolves are not in crisis'published at 10:39 21 November 2024
10:39 21 November 2024
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BBC Sport pundit Nedum Onuoha gives us his insight and opinion every fortnight on your Premier League club but this week he's in the hotseat answering your questions.
Dan asked: The players and coaching staff have stayed united despite a very bad run of form since about March. Do you think this will be what’s needed to stay up by keeping things consistent, or will it lead us to a delusional relegation if things don’t change?
Nedum replied: That is a great question. A sense of unity will always give you a chance, especially when people are all pulling in the same direction. At times you can fall out of form but that's when you really see what the clubs are like.
Other teams who have faced similar have found themselves with in-team fighting and falling-outs - but that doesn't seem to be the case at Wolves. They are not in crisis.
So, because of that, I don't think the team and staff are being delusional. Sometimes you just need belief because you know you have the quality and that might have come from their first win of the season over Southampton.
Harmony through disappointment is so important because it shows they are happy to work hard to break the situation they are in now. That is what makes a difference.
Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Katie Stafford
Gossip: Wolves eyed by Van Nistelrooypublished at 07:57 21 November 2024
'Resurgent' Jimenez and Strand Larsen's promisepublished at 17:17 20 November 2024
17:17 20 November 2024
Mike Taylor BBC Radio WM reporter
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When Raul Jimenez left Wolves, there was great mutual affection between him and the fans, and some sadness that his best days appeared to have been cut short in such an unfortunate way.
He really had been a fine attacking leader in the best period of Wolves' recent history and was a popular, genial figure. It was hard for everyone, and no doubt hardest for Raul himself, that after all his struggles to recover from his dreadful head injury in November 2020, his peak form would not return.
It was therefore greatly uplifting watching Fulham's recent game against Aston Villa, to find that the peak-Jimenez was back - rattling defenders, racing onto chances and, most of all, obviously relishing the contest. Those who cheered him in his Wolves days will be thrilled for him too, but this week are probably queasy at the idea he might prove to be a very challenging opponent on Saturday.
Wolves took a long time to adequately replace him. There have been some failed auditions and some alternative approaches. Matheus Cunha has turned out to be a fine player, but not best as a number nine. Sasa Kalajdzic might have been the answer but suffered dreadful luck. Diego Costa was fun, but only ever passing through.
At last, to some relief, Wolves signed Jorgen Strand Larsen last summer. Tall and strongly built, with a promising record and a similarly affable manner to Jimenez - he looks the part.
It has not been an easy start in a struggling team - admittedly not one struggling to score goals. Larsen has plugged away willingly, although it has sometimes seemed like a lonely trudge, and he has often left the scene midway through the second half, visibly spent. Still, four goals is not a bad return in a team near the bottom, and his hard yards will have eased the physical pressure on others, perhaps Cunha most.
This weekend's game at Fulham offers the chance of a direct comparison, although a slight distraction from the main story. The key issue from the first part of the season is that Wolves' leaky defence will sink them unless the holes are plugged.
They held firm against Southampton for a long-awaited clean sheet, despite - as Gary O'Neil explained - Craig Dawson and Santiago Bueno labouring through with injuries. Patched up or not, if they can hold off the resurgent Jimenez and company this weekend, things may be looking up.
Fulham v Wolves: Did you know?published at 09:29 20 November 2024
09:29 20 November 2024
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Only Manchester City (seven) and Nottingham Forest (five) have scored more goals from outside the penalty area in the Premier League in 2024-25 than Wolves' three, while Fulham have conceded more goals from outside the penalty area than any other side in this season's competition (five).
Since the start of the 2023-24 campaign, only three players have been involved in a higher proportion of their side's Premier League goals than Wolves' Matheus Cunha (39% - 17 goals, nine assists). The forward has also netted in his past three away league games.
Is individual brilliance keeping O'Neil in his job?published at 12:45 19 November 2024
12:45 19 November 2024
Dazzling Dave Fan writer
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In July, when Wolves acquired Jorgen Strand Larsen, sporting director Matt Hobbs expressed his ambition for the team to target the European competition spots.
Fast forward to today, and Wolves find themselves far from realising that goal.
Despite outscoring fifth-placed Nottingham Forest this season, Wolves are anchored to the bottom of the table.
Inconsistencies in defence have hindered Gary O'Neil's efforts to build a cohesive team. According to WhoScored, Wolves are the league's biggest under-performers for xG against - conceding 27 goals versus an expected 22.41, a discrepancy of 4.59.
Their attack tells a different story, with Wolves scoring 16 goals compared to an expected 12.88 - surpassing expectations by 3.12 goals, the highest attacking over-performance in the division.
At the heart of Wolves' attack is Matheus Cunha, a beacon of hope for O'Neil. Cunha has a remarkable ability to turn the mundane into the spectacular, having scored five goals and provided two assists so far this season.
He has been instrumental in nearly half of Wolves' goals this season, but his impact goes beyond statistics.
With 23 goal contributions in his last 28 Premier League starts, he stands among the elite and he is only surpassed in consistency by six players from top-six teams. His shot rate of 3.2 per 90 minutes even surpasses notable players like Mohamed Salah and Ollie Watkins.
Without Cunha, Wolves' offence would lack potency and direction.
We have to ask: is it O'Neil's tactical nous shaping results or the sheer talent of individuals like Cunha?
O'Neil, once lauded for his tactical acumen on Monday Night Football, now faces a formidable test with Wolves.
While his attacking unit shows promise, defensive frailties undermine their efforts. Vulnerabilities at set-pieces and open play offer openings that opponents readily exploit.
Though Wolves possess the core of a solid mid-table team, defensive improvements are essential or O'Neil's tactics may prove ineffective.
While the squad boasts many talented individuals, survival in the Premier League depends heavily on Cunha's continued performance. Any injury or transfer involving Cunha could significantly diminish Wolves' chances of retaining their league status.
'Difficult' decisions with 'pressure' on injured playerspublished at 10:00 16 November 2024
10:00 16 November 2024
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There has been some pressure on players carrying an injury going into international breaks with their national side because you are contracted to these clubs and that is where your income is.
But, for me, as a player I had a similar mindset to Harry Kane that I would always be available - injured or not injured. I would have injections when I was on international duty just so I could represent my country because it meant that much.
It is difficult, however. If you look at Jack Grealish and Pep Guardiola's comments, he has a point because the forward has not been able to play for Manchester City because of injuries. So if you have been sidelined for three or four games, I would agree that you are then not fit and available to go on international duty.
But when you look at some of the other players, ones who have been playing and being managed by their club, then I do not see it being different to being played and managed by your country.
From the club's side, when they are competing at such high levels in the Premier League, you can understand why they would want their players to be rested and get fully fit again over the two weeks, rather than having to come back straight into a hectic period of fixtures.
I kind of get it from both points of view but, as a player, if I am half fit and being played by my club, I would be fully available for my national team.
It is really difficult with the pressure that is on the players, though. I would not look at it as a decision players have made solely.
Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson
The answerpublished at 16:59 15 November 2024
16:59 15 November 2024
Image source, PA Media
Earlier, we asked you who scored Wolves' first Premier League goal of the 2024-25 season.
The answer is Matheus Cunha, who netted in the 6-2 defeat by Chelsea on 25 August.
Today's trivia challengepublished at 08:59 15 November 2024
08:59 15 November 2024
Who scored Wolves' first Premier League goal of the 2024-25 season?
Answer will be revealed at 17:00 GMT
Gossip: Barcelona interested in Buenopublished at 08:32 15 November 2024
08:32 15 November 2024
Barcelona are interested in Wolves left-back Hugo Bueno, who is currently on loan at Dutch side Feyenoord. (Sport - in Spanish), external
Sa or Johnstone? Wolves' goalkeeper dilemmapublished at 12:43 14 November 2024
12:43 14 November 2024
Phil Cartwright BBC Sport journalist
Wolves' 2-0 win over Southampton on Saturday was a notable one; not only was it the club's first Premier League victory since April, but it was also the first time they had kept a clean sheet in the league for 258 days.
The £10m signing of England international goalkeeper Sam Johnstone from Crystal Palace in August added competition for Jose Sa, who stayed at the club beyond the summer transfer deadline despite reported interest from Saudi Arabia.
The pair, both 31, have shared goalkeeping duties in the early weeks of the campaign and some Wolves fans have suggested that Johnstone has not proved to be an upgrade, but has merely created a selection conundrum for boss Gary O'Neil.
Based on this season's stats, there is little to separate the two.
Portugal international Sa has a slightly better record in terms of goals conceded per game and has that solitary clean sheet to his credit although, according to Opta, he has made one error that has directly led to a goal, while Johnstone has a marginally higher save percentage.
Neither goalkeeper is close to Sa's save percentage of 69.31% in his 35 Premier League appearances in 2023-24, although other factors may have contributed to Wolves' poorer defensive record this term compared with last.
Max Kilman, Craig Dawson, Toti Gomes, Nelson Semedo and Rayan Ait-Nouri formed a fairly settled back line for much of last season, with all five making at least 25 league starts.
Different defensive setups have been tried this term, Kilman was sold to West Ham in the summer with no first-choice replacement signed, while the serious knee injury sustained in September by Yerson Mosquera - who returned to Wolves in the summer after a loan spell at Villarreal - further reduced O'Neil's centre-back options.
Sa appears to have the goalkeeper's shirt in his possession for now. With Johnstone out injured, he returned to the line-up against Manchester City on 20 October and made a string of fine saves in a 2-1 defeat.
He has played in each of the past four games, but who Wolves' starting goalkeeper will be moving forward will likely be on the agenda again following fit-again Johnstone's return to the bench against Southampton.
'It never appeared the players given up on O'Neil'published at 12:33 13 November 2024
12:33 13 November 2024
Mike Taylor BBC Radio WM reporter
Image source, Getty Images
"I understand the crowd," said Wolves captain Mario Lemina on Saturday. "But we know our manager."
Results and the calendar appeared to be conspiring against Gary O'Neil. Failure to win the final game before the November break - the last until the spring - would have stress-tested Wolves' resolve to keep him, perhaps to breaking point.
We will never know now, or not for a few weeks at least.
The conditions for change were clear, but one factor so common to these situations was missing. Sometimes with struggling teams, suspicions that players have lost faith in the coach seem too obvious to ignore. Not always a lack of effort, but a sensed lack of conviction, and often there is one game when everything unravels.
It has not happened. There have been plenty of faults to spot - especially defensively - but it has never appeared that the players have given up on their work, or on O'Neil. It has always felt as if they care.
There has been despair and emotion from the players, but even at the darkest stage of the past few months, when they were being taken apart at Brentford, Wolves still kept pushing enough to score the last goal of the game. They have shown the will, but not found the means.
Not until Saturday, anyway.
The early goal helped enormously, but soon afterwards, it was hard to claim that it had settled the nerves. After half-time, though, they adjusted and seemed settled. They certainly were after Matheus Cunha's fine shot.
It had not all been enjoyable, but - in the circumstances of the day - once Wolves had scored, the only two words that mattered were "Southampton nil". Better performances will need to follow, but this game had to be won first, by any means.
Lemina has faith and is happy to share it: "We know our manager is doing everything. Sometimes it's not about him - it's just about what we do on the pitch. Today showed he was a good tactical manager."
Nevertheless, there is a section of supporters, voluble in public channels even after Saturday, who still feel that this is the time to change, with winter in mind.
The idea that Wolves are now into an easy spell, after their demanding start, is a fallacy with Fulham next. But for now, O'Neil seems to have the club's backing.
Lemina says he certainly has support from the players.
"We have to stick together. The whole city has to stick together, the club need to stick together, and that’s what we did."
A game of numbers - Premier League weekend in picturespublished at 18:48 12 November 2024
18:48 12 November 2024
Henry Brownsey BBC Sport journalist
There were plenty of memorable numbers across the weekend's Premier League football...
1 - How many games it took Brighton's Matt O'Riley to open his account in the top flight.
Image source, Getty Images
250 - How many appearances Bruno Fernandes has now made for Manchester United, registering a combined 155 goals and assists in this time.
Image source, Getty Images
4 - Consecutive defeats for Pep Guardiola's Manchester City side, and the first time he has had such a losing run in his managerial career.
Image source, Getty Images
28 - Points Liverpool boss Arne Slot has earned in the Premier League in his first 11 games in charge - the joint-most of any new manager.
Image source, Getty Images
80 - Seconds between Bournemouth going 2-1 up and Mikkel Damsgaard equalising for Brentford.
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1:48 - How long into the game Pablo Sarabia put Wolves ahead against Southampton - becoming the club's earliest Premier League goalscorer.
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22 years, six months, two weeks and three days - The amount of time Ipswich Town had gone without a Premier League victory before Sunday's win at Tottenham.