Wolves' survival 'could depend on mental strength'published at 12:37 1 October
12:37 1 October
Dazzling Dave Fan writer
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Wolves are experiencing their worst Premier League start in 20 years. The last time they had just one point at this stage was during the 2003-04 season.
October offers little respite and it is understandable fans are worried about when the next point or win will come.
Arne Slot was correct when he noted Wolves' performances are better than their league position suggests. Their display against Liverpool showed resilience and did not feel like a match between the top and bottom of the league.
However, many supporters are questioning Gary O'Neil's strategies. Things unravelled when Santi Bueno left the pitch injured, leaving only one recognised central defender. Carlos Forbs injected speed into the attack, but without Jorgen Strand Larsen, who was subbed off, there was no target in the box, and again Hwang Hee-chan just did not cut it.
Meanwhile, Rodrigo Gomes, Sarabia and Guedes stayed on the bench, yet they might have added much-needed energy. Some tactics remain a mystery - yet the real challenge for Wolves might be the mental strength.
The players appear committed. Mario Lemina’s emotion after the final whistle showed his frustration. Football is as much a mental battle as a physical one. When players' emotions falter under pressure, their performance suffers. Nerves in crucial moments can lead to mistakes. If they fail to earn points in October, will they be ready for supposedly easier games? A drop in morale could lead to desperation but if the team keep spirits high, there is a chance for improvement.
While some fans call for O’Neil’s dismissal on social media, this sentiment was not evident at the stadium. There were no boos, and the supporters applauded the team.
It seems fans understand the difficulties and lack of fortune, but that will soon turn if Wolves do not start moving up the table.
Wolves 1-2 Liverpool - the fans' verdictpublished at 12:35 30 September
12:35 30 September
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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Wolves and Liverpool.
Here are some of your comments:
Wolves fans
Mark: We have one idea, play across the back and hope to make space, even when there's four minutes to play! Excuse has been the fixtures, so let's see against Brentford, lose that and Gary needs to go! Our club get what they ask for, selling our most attacking player and our regular centre-back and captain. Maybe Fosun's luck has run out - two summers of selling our best!
Bryce: Baffling selection and baffling subs again from the manager. Bellegarde did nothing and Forbs looked up for it, but the manager took off our target man Larsen and Hwang was non existent. Semedo again in a defensive shocker for their winner. Changes needed at the top or we are done by Xmas.
Allan: I did say that we wouldn’t win any of the first six games and it proved to be true. We now have to take the positives out of the performance which was good. We now have a few games coming up where we maybe can get results and pick up a few points.
Ed: O'Neil out-coached again. Those substitutions were criminal, wasted all of our opportunities to change the game. Lack of direction, no depth in defence and a coach looking more clueless by the game. We could be adrift before the fixtures 'ease.' Newsflash. it's the Premier League. It's never easy.
Liverpool fans
Robel: Important and fortunate three points. Mo Salah is one of the best Liverpool players of all time. However, coaches need to learn to take him off when he is having a bad game. Both he and Szobo weren't up to par. Szobo got replaced but Mo stayed and almost gave away a goal in the dying minutes. Coach has to be more ruthless if we're to be real contenders.
Lee: Liverpool made hard work of it but a win is a win and in these early days of the season it is a very important one. Saw some big difference in approach between Slot and Klopp here, Slot seemed happy, especially in the last 15, to allow Wolves to be on the ball. The press was much more conservative and targeted throughout.
Gerry: Liverpool didn't ever get going. Slow from the start and uncomfortable in control. We had only a few moments where I thought we could get something out of this match. Sloppy passing at times led to chances missed that should have won the game. We've only played lower placed teams at the moment. I'm not convinced Slot's style will beat the best!
O'Neil on Lemina tears and 'belief'published at 08:53 30 September
08:53 30 September
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Wolves' winless start to the Premier League season continued on Saturday following a 2-1 defeat to leaders Liverpool.
Gary O'Neil's side have just one point to show from their opening six games but the manager is adamant that things aren't quite as bad as they appear right now.
Speaking after the match, he said: "I wouldn’t even class it as a situation. If we played these six games over the course of a season it would feel nowhere nears as bad as it does at this moment. Things have not gone as we want them to but no Premier League game will be easy.
"Playing Brentford next week will be just as hard. What I can guarantee is, the lads will always be ready to give everything.
"I have real belief in the group and myself that we will maximise what we can achieve this season. Whatever we do achieve will definitely be every last drop we can get out of this group."
Midfielder Mario Lemina was seen leaving the field in tears following the full-time whistle.
When asked why, O'Neil added: "I’m not sure, he’s disappointed.
"He hates losing, as we all do, but there is an understanding of where we are.
"One point from six, you’d expect a boo or cries for the manager to be changed or some negative reaction from the fanbase but what you see is them staying behind to clap their team because they see what they give. They show a good understanding of the situation.
"We have lost two starting centre-backs this week, we rushed Toti back from a hamstring and have gone out and shown everyone what we are. I’m disappointed it didn’t give us enough to get a result which we need and want but I can only hold them accountable to what I think they give and they gave everything today."
Catch up on the Premier League actionpublished at 11:06 29 September
11:06 29 September
Highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures.
'We are scrapping and giving absolutely everything'published at 20:04 28 September
20:04 28 September
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Wolves manager Gary O'Neil has been speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live after today's defeat: "Really positive performance from the players. You can see by the reaction of the fans at the end. It was a big effort and a lot of positives against a top side. Disappointed we went off-plan for a second and opened the game up and got punished. Apart from that, I thought the lads were excellent. There were some decisions we made that were not ideal and not patient enough.
"In terms of a group giving everything and fighting one of the biggest clubs in world football, big performance.
"I have seen a lot in the first six games that I am confident. We have Brentford away who are really tough. But we are fighting against some of the big hitters at this moment and lost two centre-backs this week. We are fighting, we are scrapping and giving absolutely everything."
'I ask the fans to stick with us'published at 19:54 28 September
19:54 28 September
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Wolves defender Toti Gomes, has been speaking to Sky Sports after today's loss: "A tough defeat according to what we did in the game. We started well and we were a bit unlucky suffering the first goal, but we responded immediately in the first half.
"We were not paying attention to some details. We deserved something from this game - at least a point.
"All the details count especially against the big teams. If you do little mistakes they will make a goal and we will suffer."
On the penalty: "Straight after our first goal, but these are the small details. Suffering again from the penalty is tough - we tried to go again. The game is finished and we did everything we could."
On Wolves' form: "It is not easy, but it is a matter of time [until results improve].
"We are not in a good phase, but we have to stick together. We have had tough defeats against big teams but we are going to keep fighting and we have a lot to prove.
"I ask the fans to stick with us as we are going to keep improving."
Wolves 1-2 Liverpool: Did you know?published at 19:40 28 September
19:40 28 September
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In 2024, only Ben White, Fabian Schar and Josko Gvardiol (all 6) have been involved in more Premier League goals among defenders than Wolves' Rayan Ait-Nouri (5 - 3 goals, 2 assists).
Wolves 1-2 Liverpool - send us your thoughtspublished at 19:26 28 September
O'Neil urges his side to trust the process published at 15:22 28 September
15:22 28 September
Nick Mashiter BBC Sport football news reporter
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"Stay the course" was Gary O'Neil's message ahead of Wolves' clash with Liverpool.
He has also written about "scrapping for everything" while still wanting to keep Wolves' style in Saturday's programme.
The confidence remains at Molineux and O'Neil said to the media on Friday he did not expect to be talking positively throughout the entire season.
Wolves' winless start is magnified by the fact it comes at the start of the season while O'Neil said it had been suggested to him it had been the hardest opening - in terms of opposition - for any Premier League team.
Although, with a goal difference of -9 already having conceded 14, Wolves have not made it easy for themselves. The calamitous second half against Chelsea springs immediately to mind.
Performances against Chelsea, Arsenal, Newcastle and Aston Villa have been promising and with better finishing or without individual mistakes Wolves would have more points.
They need to find a way to convert positive spells into consistent displays and while victory over Liverpool would be a shock it is clear O'Neil believes his team have it in them.
Follow Saturday's Premier League gamespublished at 11:30 28 September
11:30 28 September
Seven matches make up Saturday's Premier League action, and we will bring you every moment.
Sutton's predictions: Wolves v Liverpoolpublished at 11:17 28 September
11:17 28 September
Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.
For week six, he takes on Maximo Park singer Paul Smith, whose latest album, Stream Of Life, is out on Friday.
Wolves host Liverpool at 17:30 on Saturday.
Sutton's prediction: 1-2
Wolves have not been as bad as their results suggest but I suspect the fans' patience is wearing a bit thin with their manager, Gary O'Neil.
That is slightly unfortunate, and unfair, because overall he did well last season, but the way Wolves ended the last campaign poorly and have started this one the same way does not help him, clearly.
This game probably won't do much for his cause, either. It is hard to look past a Liverpool win, based on their firepower and their strength off the bench.
They wiped the floor with Bournemouth last week and, while this will be closer, I still think Liverpool will win it.
Smith's prediction: 0-2
This is going to be harder for Liverpool than you might expect on paper against the bottom team. Results have not gone Wolves' way but they have been playing OK and they will put up a good fight here.
There is something that makes me think they can get a draw but we are in the predictions game here and I have to go with percentages.
'Wolves have triumphed in adversity before'published at 19:07 27 September
19:07 27 September
Nick Mashiter BBC Sport football news reporter
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This time last year Wolves ended Manchester City's unbeaten start to the season with a 2-1 win at Molineux.
It ignited their own campaign and helped shape fan opinion about Gary O'Neil, who had only been in post under two months.
Wolves already had a win, at Everton, under O'Neil but it is hard not to look at the comparisons ahead of Saturday's visit of Liverpool.
Another big team rolls into town, expected to win, with Wolves struggling to assert themselves.
Winless and bottom of the Premier League they are under the spotlight again after a difficult start, although there is little internal panic.
They pushed the Reds close last season, going ahead before losing 3-1, and their home record against the traditional big six was impressive.
On Friday, O'Neil played down any links between the City win and any possible victory on Saturday, especially as he deals with a virus which has swept through the squad and left key men doubtful.
Having lost defender Yerson Mosquera, most likely for the season, following a serious knee injury, it is another issue which the head coach would have wanted to avoid.
Defender Alfie Pond, 20, who captained the Under-21s to a 4-1 win over Leeds on Monday, could be given a Premier League baptism with the defence already stretched but Wolves have triumphed in adversity before and will have to again.
O'Neil not 'fazed' by winless start for virus-hit Wolvespublished at 15:05 27 September
15:05 27 September
Nick Mashiter BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Gary O'Neil could be without several players through illness when Wolves face Liverpool
Wolves' squad has been hit by a virus before Liverpool's Premier League visit on Saturday.
Goalkeeper Dan Bentley was ill last week and several of his team-mates are now major doubts for the Molineux clash.
Boss Gary O'Neil, whose side are winless and bottom of the table, did not reveal who could miss the game, but said some players will need to be assessed on Saturday morning.
"There is quite a bit of illness at the moment, there are a few who will need a check on how they are feeling," he added. "Quite a few missed training today [Friday].
"Some of the lads will struggle for tomorrow, whether they don't quite make it or are not fit enough to start. Sometimes it can clear up in 24 hours.
"We are hopeful that all of the guys who have had something over the last couple of days will be fine. But, as the doctors told me, at this stage it's difficult to give a definitive answer."
Defender Yerson Mosquera is expected to be out for the season with a serious knee injury so 20-year-old Alfie Pond, who made his full debut in the Carabao Cup defeat at Brighton last week, could start against the second-placed Reds.
Struggling Wolves are one of six teams looking for their first win of the season, but O'Neil added: "I'm not fazed at all. I'm looking forward to the next part of it.
"First thing is you have to accept where you are. So we accept where we are at this moment and then we fight with everything we have to improve it.
"We have to get the group in the best spot possible for Liverpool and then give absolutely everything to try and improve our points tally."
O'Neil on Mosquera's injury, defensive options and squad illnesspublished at 14:11 27 September
14:11 27 September
Wolves boss Gary O'Neil has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Liverpool (kick-off 17:30 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
On Yerson Mosquera's knee injury, which has ended his season: "He's OK. He's a great kid and I'm absolutely devastated for him because of the energy [he brings]. No matter how things go each week he gives absolutely everything and he always attacks things and does things in the right way. It's a big loss to us. It's a big blow to the team but it brings an opportunity to others. Alfie Pond, for instance, is now a step closer. He has a chance."
On illness within the squad: "There is quite a bit of illness so there will have to be a check on some with how they are feeling. [Dan] Bentley is fine now. There's a virus going around, the doctor has been busy this week trying to help the lads feel a little bit better. Quite a few missed training today. We'll see how we are tomorrow."
O'Neil added on Toti Gomes' injury: "We'll test him [Toti] again in the morning. He's trained but he's not fully fit. There is another day to go and he is getting closer. In an ideal world we'll probably leave him longer, but we'll see."
On Alfie Pond: "I know all about Alfie Pond, obviously, he is one our players. I think I would be lying if I said that I expected him to be in and around Premier League starts this season. He was on loan to Stockport last year, didn't play a lot so it's a big step even in training for him to be in and around it."
On the club's tough start to the season: "It's no secret we are on a tough run of results. Enough has been made already by myself and by you guys [press] around the toughness of the fixtures. It is what it is. There's a real focus on us and let's go and win a home game. Let's go and win a game in front of our fans. Let's fight, scrap and make it difficult."
On the team's resilience: "When you are losing games it becomes tougher to win them. They are a resilient group and at Aston Villa they gave absolutely everything. They made some errors and we made some mistakes and we got punished. But not through a lack of effort, resilience and togetherness. I know sometimes it can look different to that from the outside but I can guarantee you, 100%, that there is no lack of togetherness, resilience and desperation to get over the line."
On Liverpool manager Arne Slot: "He is excellent, coaching wise and the way he sets his team up. It's not a surprise to me that he has started well. Liverpool is very well run and very well organised, there's no real mess there to go in and fix. He has gone into a well run football club with a good squad and he's a good coach."
What next for clubs in bottom seven?published at 13:13 27 September
13:13 27 September
Former Premier League midfielder Michael Brown has been speaking to the Football News Show about the teams who have struggled to get points on the board so far.
Everton
"Sean Dyche understands the pressure. He is comfortable in his surroundings, he’s got broad shoulders but the pressure is starting to mount. The supporters are grumbling, but they need to try and relax.
"There is rumblings regarding the manager and the style he is going to have to try and play. It is a totally different ball game in the Premier League."
Wolves
"What is surprising everyone is how good Wolves were last season compared to their start this term. It was an incredible run from Gary O’Neil. He has lost players [over the summer] and I think he needed a bit more support in the transfer window. We can all see that he will be disappointed.
"They have a tough game against Liverpool next, so it does not get any easier."
West Ham
"Getting beat 5-1 by Liverpool is not a true reflection of them. Early on in the game they had several chances. Even into the second half when they were 2-1 down, there was a couple of good opportunities. They brought on Kudus, Paqueta and Antonio so there were several changes.
"But what was disappointing, is that they went down to 10 men with Alvarez having the second yellow card and then it was capitulation. That is what the manager did not need.
"They did not seem to have the gritty style what West Ham have had. Julen Lopetegui wants to be more attractive, more aggressive, at the top of the pitch and that is not coming to light at this moment in time. There is a lot of work to do and the pressure is mounting. West Ham fans wanted the change [of manager] but it is going to take him a little bit of time."
Wolves still looking up despite strugglespublished at 12:10 27 September
12:10 27 September
Nick Mashiter BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Gary O'Neil has stressed the context of Wolves' winless start
It never rains but it pours, certainly for those at Molineux this week.
Yerson Mosquera's serious knee injury, which has almost certainly ended his season, is crushing for the 23-year-old but adds to Gary O'Neil's concerns amid a difficult start.
You do not have to tell anyone at the club about the ramifications. They could ill afford to lose anyone at the back, not least a defender who was poised to become a key man for the campaign.
The immediate issue, though, is to earn the first win. That five other sides in the Premier League are also winless is unlikely to provide much comfort for O'Neil, but it at least means Wolves are not adrift at an early stage.
Saturday's visit of Liverpool, with O'Neil holding his news conference later on Friday, does not make things much easier. Yet there is calm at Wolves.
Chairman Jeff Shi said this week: "The nature of our jobs is to find a way to improve and do better in the next game. We are moving forward with the plan and everyone knows their roles.
"It's not a time to be over-optimistic or negative. It's a normal time, like in any season, and from our point of view this is all going to plan and we must not deviate."
Come back to this page later for all the key lines from O'Neil
What's with the dark arts?published at 07:58 27 September
07:58 27 September
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There has been a lot of conversation this week about "dark arts" in football following the draw between Manchester City and Arsenal on Sunday.
Realistically, everyone who has watched football for longer than one game has seen things they would perceive as "dark arts"; whether it is a player always going down winning free-kicks to take the sting out of the game, kicking the ball into row Z when there was no multi-ball system or time-wasting on goal-kicks.
These are things we see all the time but our perception of it is dependent on the context of a game. You always see some version of it somewhere, and you hope your team would be doing the same thing if in the same situation - because why should you do something that would benefit the opposition you are against?
It is the same as going down a bit more easily to win penalties - some people will say "this guy is a cheat", but then on the other side of their mouth, if it is something that could benefit them, they say "he has tried too hard to stay up, he needed to go down there".
You can have rulings, Ifab can get involved to change this and that, but there will always be a way to push the rules to their limits.
What we saw with Arsenal in that game, where David Raya sat down to get some treatment while the teams gathered, we have seen those moments before. It is not just new to Arsenal - other teams do it.
It is always based on certain moments. You do get more frustrated if it happens against you, but when you need to do it, you encourage people to do it. That is one of the beauties of football - the way you see things is always going to be down to perception, context and just whether you think it is benefiting you or not.
Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Phil Cartwright
Wolves problem may be 'tricky to identify' and 'tricky to fix'published at 12:18 26 September
12:18 26 September
Mike Taylor BBC Radio WM reporter
Image source, Getty Images
The news that Yerson Mosquera's season is almost certainly over has added to the sense of the walls closing in on Wolves even at this very early stage.
This is wretched luck for the player himself. For the second time since arriving at Wolves in 2021, injury has terminated his season in September, costing him an ideal opportunity for months of development at his highest level yet.
It is also poor fortune for the club, further restricting Gary O'Neil's defensive options, although the feeling that they had taken a risk by failing to find a senior replacement for Max Kilman was already widespread.
But it is too late to pick over transfer window decisions now.
O'Neil's switch to a four-man defence rather than a wing-back system has been a regular discussion point but the injury to Mosquera does not necessarily shut off the option for a return to three central defenders.
Should O'Neil want to revert to it to stem the flow of goals conceded, when Toti returns he would be a natural choice to Craig Dawson's left, while Santiago Bueno, Matt Doherty or Nelson Semedo could play to his right.
At Villa Park, however, the tactical options were not really the issue. Wolves were rolling along happily enough for an hour in their current shape. The problem may be tricky to identify and therefore tricky to fix.
Yes, Wolves were leading – and through a very well-taken goal – but in the second half you could sense in the stadium that they were growing less confident.
After the equalising goal, it was hard to escape the feeling that only one team seemed to believe they could win - and they duly did.
This "losing mentality", as Mario Lemina called it recently, appears to have a hold on Wolves. Shaking it off it is harder than talking about it, although that is probably the first step.
Succeeding in the Premier League with – in relative terms – middleweight financial resources requires such clubs to occasionally upset the odds.
Wolves have done this many times since promotion, but they must be convinced in their own minds they can do it again - for a whole game, not just a part.
Waiting for apparently easier games to come along will not be enough.
'No internal panic buttons' being pressed'published at 16:51 25 September
16:51 25 September
Nick Mashiter BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Hindsight is a wonderful thing and Wolves were not blind to their needs before the transfer window closed.
Yerson Mosquera's serious knee injury, which is likely to end his season, leaves the squad even more stretched in a crucial defensive area.
A replacement for Max Kilman after his move to West Ham was key even before any injuries, but restrictions and availability hampered Wolves.
After being beaten by Ipswich to the signing of Dara O'Shea, they looked at defenders, including Aston Villa's Diego Carlos but a deal never progressed from the exploration stage given the potential cost.
West Ham's Nayef Aguerd also rejected a move to Molineux before heading on loan to Real Sociedad.
Other defenders in the Premier League were considered, so it was not for the want of trying or any lack of recognition of what they needed.
Boss Gary O'Neil has always been ready to play the cards he is dealt, although now his hand is weaker.
Liverpool come to Molineux on Saturday with Wolves still bottom and winless - although performances point to deserving better.
The crucial thing for O'Neil and his staff now is to continue to navigate the squad through a tough time and ensure morale does not dip.
No internal panic buttons are being pressed and O'Neil feels reassured, but he is also sensible enough to recognise the sooner the wins come the better.
