Wolverhampton Wanderers

Dazzling Dave
Fan writer

Image source, Wolves FC via Getty Images

If Joao Gomes leaves Wolves this summer, he will go with the thanks of supporters who know exactly what they are losing.

In a season that has too often lacked control, composure and fight, Gomes has been one of the few constants.

Since arriving from Flamengo in January 2023, he has brought urgency, aggression and heart to Wolves' midfield. He did not need long to settle. He looked like a Wolves player almost from the start.

The numbers show just how much he has carried.

Premier League statistics show Gomes is joint-third for the number of duels won this season (184). Opta have him fourth for total tackles in the Premier League with 85. Of the leading 10 players in that metric, Gomes has the third-best percentage for tackles won (64.7%).

Those figures underline how much defensive work he gets through, often in a side that has left him with far too much to do.

Of course, Gomes plays on the edge. He is second for fouls committed this season. But that is part of the package. He is not a player who hides. He gets stuck in, takes responsibility and tries to shift momentum when Wolves need a spark.

That is why his absence would be felt on so many fronts.

Wolves would miss his ball-winning ability, his energy and his drive. They would miss the way he covers ground, breaks up attacks and drags the midfield into the fight. Just as importantly, they would miss his attitude. Even in difficult spells, Gomes has never looked like a player going through the motions, he always gives 100%.

There is also an emotional side to this. Supporters took to him because he played with total commitment and because he seemed to understand what effort in a Wolves shirt should look like. Taking on the number eight shirt after Ruben Neves was no small thing, but Gomes has worn it with pride.

If he goes, Wolves will not just lose a very good midfielder. They will lose spirit, steel and a player who has truly set the standard this season.

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Celta Vigo want 21-year-old midfielder Fer Lopez to remain at the club beyond his loan from Wolves, which expires at the end of this season. (Faro de Vigo via SportWitness), external

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None of the headline figures emerging from the latest Wolves accounts, released this week, feel very comforting even if the reported loss of £15.3m was not much different from the previous period.

Confirmation that Wolves do not appear to be close to the regulatory limits of losses, beyond which there may be punishments, is tempered by the thought that the punishment was effectively served in advance by selling several of their best players.

This accounting period was extended to 13 months, a one-off move to bring Wolves in line with other clubs and player contracts, and therefore includes two Junes, months in which wages still have to be paid but income is not generated. Wolves report that allowing for that, to provide a more accurate comparison with previous years, they roughly broke even for 2024-25. The extended period, though, means these accounts include the sales of not only Maximilian Kilman and Pedro Neto in the summer of 2024, but Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri last year.

The problem with selling the best players – all right, the other problem with selling the best players, apart from the obvious one – is that you can only sell each of them once. Upward pressure on the wage bill and wage-to-revenue ratio has been eased by some mid-season departures, as well as free-transfer exits of big earners like Pablo Sarabia and Nelson Semedo last summer. But Wolves did spend quite a lot last summer too, in the new accounting period, and when that statement lands on the doormat this time next year it may not make pleasant reading either.

By then, the course for Wolves' immediate future will have been set. Some running costs may decrease in the Championship, but revenues will of course be much lower, and the new chairman Nathan Shi has already committed to reducing the cost of season tickets next season. That will be a relatively small price to pay to keep as many fans onside as possible. Ultimately, the only way to really win them back over will be to deliver a promotion back to the Premier League, which will surely require a significant reinvestment of any player sales this year back into the squad.

Fosun, through Shi, have restated their intention to restore Wolves back to the Premier League and continue to future success. These accounts do not foretell the future, but after reading them it is hard to imagine getting there without significant new financial support from the owners. The goal of self-sustainability may itself be unsustainable after relegation.

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Manchester United are among the clubs interested in Joao Gomes and the midfielder could be available for about £39m if Wolves get relegated. (Caught Offside), external

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Emma Milton
Fan writer

Image source, PA Media

When Rob Edwards took over at Wolves, he was walking into a mess.

This was not a settled squad that simply needed a fresh voice. It was a group low on confidence, short on balance and carrying the scars of too many poor performances.

The football had gone flat, belief had drained away and the league table reflected that. In that context, the question is not whether Edwards has performed miracles, but whether he has restored enough trust to be the man to lead the rebuild if Wolves are relegated.

On that front, the answer may well be yes.

Since his arrival, Wolves have at least started to look like a team again. Wins against sides such as Liverpool and Aston Villa, plus a draw with Arsenal, suggest there has been genuine improvement.

More important than the points alone is the change in spirit. Wolves have shown more intensity, more organisation and more willingness to compete. That should not be dismissed, because those things were badly missing before he came in.

Edwards also appears to understand the bigger picture. Reports of his early involvement in recruitment-planning matter. If Wolves are heading for the Championship, they need a manager already thinking beyond the current crisis. That kind of forward-planning is a good sign.

The concern, of course, is Luton. Edwards has already lived through relegation and then a failed rebuild. He has spoken before about lessons from that period, especially around loyalty and recruitment. Luton did not refresh enough and they paid for it badly. If Wolves keep him, the hope must be that he has learned from that experience and is now more ready to make ruthless decisions.

That is the key issue - not whether Edwards is a good coach, but whether he can rebuild decisively.

The squad he inherited was broken in key areas. The one he may take into next season still looks in need of major surgery. Some players will leave. Some should. The Wolves manager must build a squad fit to win the Championship and a nucleus strong enough to compete on return to the Premier League.

Right now, Edwards looks like he has done enough to be given that chance. He has not fixed everything but he has restored some order, some fight and some direction.

In a season full of damage, that may be the clearest sign yet that he is still the right man to take Wolves forward.

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Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

Image source, Getty Images

"We are changing the way we do things at Wolves. It must always be football first and around that we are building greater clarity, accountability and longer-term thinking to create a better future" - Nathan Shi, who is still officially interim executive chairman, said in a recent statement.

You, like me, might have grown up thinking that being "football first" ought to be so intrinsic to a football club that there would be no need to actually state it, let alone revert to it, but perhaps we are products of a simpler age.

However, starting from a "football first" standpoint sounds like a good lodestar - and this is no time to be churlish.

Many Wolves fans ran through the stages of grief for their Premier League status quite early. Though the moment will still hurt when it comes - let us also make room for the possibility, however slim, that it won't come - the most intense anger associated with relegation may have already passed.

But there is a moment of opportunity here.

Like every other aspect of Wolves' probable demotion, the fracturing of the relationship between the owners Fosun and the supporters is not a product of this season alone.

Fans revered Fosun's name in the early years after the takeover; now they take it in vain. Much of the anger was directed personally at previous chairman Jeff Shi, and the appointment of Nathan Shi as his replacement in December was greeted with a lot of eye-rolling.

But the relationship is not beyond repair and Fosun continue to insist their interest remains long-term.

Nathan Shi's statement spoke of a "responsibility to them to put the right structures in place at Wolves so we can build something we are proud of again". His lack of previous football experience need not prevent him from succeeding.

Organising the right people into key positions, and taking care to ensure supporters feel invested in and respected by the club, matter more.

Announcing an average 25% cut in season-ticket prices and committing to regular meetings with the club's Fan Advisory Board and wider support forums are a good start.

The Wolves Report podcast's Ryan Leister met Nathan Shi at one of the recent meetings. "What we stated was the things you're saying are great but these things are only going to become real, and you be believed and trusted, when words become actions," said Leister.

Lost hearts and minds can be won back if the fans feel the club is listening and they can see that football is once again first. "If Nathan's saying it then great, but he has to keep showing us," Leister added.

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Rangers could land centre-back Nasser Djiga for just £5m, if they decide to make his loan move from Wolves permanent. (FootballFanCast), external

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Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

The Premier League's Key Match Incidents Panel has ruled that Brentford should have been awarded a penalty in their 2-2 home draw with Wolves on 16 March.

But it was also decided that the VAR was correct not to intervene as there was no clear and obvious error.

The Bees were 2-0 up in the 41st minute when Kevin Schade was held back by Andre.

Referee Stuart Attwell allowed play to continue and there was no monitor review advised by the VAR, Paul Howard.

Wolves came back strongly in the second half to score twice and earn a point at the Gtech.

The KMI Panel said that the holding was "sustained" and voted 4:1 in favour of a penalty.

It was a split 3:2 vote in support of no VAR intervention.

Dazzling Dave
Fan writer

Image source, PA Media

Wolves going into a 25-day break with no match is one of the strangest situations of the season.

In a campaign packed with games, injuries, pressure and emotional swings, a pause this long can feel both helpful and harmful at the same time.

There is a clear upside. After a heavy schedule, the lads finally get a chance to breathe. They can spend time with their families, switch off mentally and recharge physically.

At this stage of the season, that matters. Fresh legs and fresh minds could make a real difference in the run-in. For those away with their international sides, there is also a chance to build confidence, get minutes and come back sharper.

But there is another side to it - and it is the one many Wolves fans will worry about most.

Wolves were beginning to build some momentum, not just in results but in performances too. There were signs the team was finding rhythm, belief and a bit more control. To stop that flow now feels frustrating.

Rob Edwards summed it up perfectly when he said: "It's mad, isn't it?" He also called it "strange" to have 25 days with no game.

And he is right. We have seen long breaks before because of Covid and the World Cup winter break, but those pauses affected everyone. This one is different. This time it is only Wolves dealing with it.

That makes the challenge even bigger for the coaching staff. The good news is they are trying to manage it properly, with friendlies planned to keep players sharp and avoid too much drop-off.

If Wolves handle this break well, keep the momentum alive and return focused, there is a real chance to make it count.

This pause can either drain Wolves' progress or fuel their run-in. It is up to them now.

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Image source, Getty Images

Former Wolves captain Jody Craddock has spoken to BBC Radio WM about his journey to Molineux, relegation, promotion and his time under Mick McCarthy - who he says is "one of the best managers I have had the privilege to be coached by".

"His recruitment was fantastic," Craddock added the former centre-back.

"He brought in some really good young players, and he had me as the 'older head'. He and the scouting team saw something in them that was potentially good enough to take us in to the Premier League. What a big ask that is."

Hit play below to hear more from Craddock or listen on BBC Sounds here

Image source, Getty Images

We are getting to the stage of the season where every Premier League team is managing injuries in their squad as the sheer volume and intensity of games begins to take its toll.

But who has been most affected by injuries across the campaign so far?

Ben Dinnery, from Premier Injuries Limited, has provided the data below, showing the number of domestic injuries each top-flight team has suffered, defined by a player missing at least one Premier League game.

The data has been taken from the opening weekend up to and including 18 March.

Despite this table listing domestic injuries, it is unsurprising that the top three of Arsenal, Chelsea and Aston Villa have all competed in European competition, with the Gunners still fighting on four fronts and the Blues also coming off the back of a much-shortened pre-season following their Club World Cup victory.

Perhaps more surprisingly, however, is the fact Arsenal's 31 domestic injuries so far comfortably leads the way, illustrating the strength and depth available to Mikel Arteta to still have his side nine points clear at the top of the table.

The graphic below shows Tottenham lead the way for days missed by injured players, illustrating the issues faced by Thomas Frank, who had to cope with long-term absentees including Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison.

Both West Ham and Brentford are in the bottom three for domestic injuries and days missed through those injuries, while Arsenal and Villa are in the top three for both.

Chelsea drop down the table when looking at days missed, showing they have predominately suffered from short absences spread throughout the squad.

It is worth pointing out that Newcastle's two longest absences this season - Emil Krafth (120 days) and Yoane Wissa (88 days), who had not yet even trained with his new side, resulted from injuries picked up on international duty and are not factored into the figures.

Rangers are set to find it difficult to sign Wolves loanee Nasser Djiga permanently this summer because the defender has a contract at Molineux until 2030 and could command a sizeable asking price. (Football Insider), external

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Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

Image source, Getty Images

"The quality that we have, you see it every day in training," said Adam Armstrong after Monday's draw at Brentford. "I couldn't quite believe the position in the table."

Armstrong joined Wolves on deadline day, at which point they were 18 points from safety with 14 games left to play. Halfway through those matches, the deficit has been trimmed to 12. It is not enough progress to make the prospect of somehow tunnelling out of the relegation zone seem any less fanciful.

His observations are, however, a useful indicator of progress. Whether this Wolves squad was ever properly equipped for this season is now moot. But we can now say that, even after selling three players for more than £80m mid-season, they look like a team that believe they can compete at this level.

Armstrong agrees. "You see it in the second halves of games," he said. "You see the lads sticking together. The fans are right behind us. It gives us that extra push. We could hear them all game, especially in the second half when were pushing for another goal. We have to take the positives to go on to the next one."

It was possible to see Armstrong's signing on 2 February as the start of Wolves' 2026-27 season, bringing in for reasonable cost a player proven to meet the very specific demands of the Championship. But there is more to preparing for an expected relegation than just scouting and signing players.

Few clubs have ever had so long to brace themselves for impact as Wolves in recent months, but we can now see that rather than writing off the remainder of this campaign and just waiting it out, positive vibes are being generated by successive performances.

That matters, even if at least some of the players generating them will be playing somewhere else by the time next season begins. The supporters feeling those vibes, at Molineux and on the road, will not have moved, and Wolves will need them.

Supporting a football club does not stop and start with new seasons. Feelings, good and bad, linger. Wolves' likely relegation is not a one-season story. The contributing factors have come together over time, and the same will be true of any future promotion back to the Premier League.

If the objective of ensuring Wolves are a Premier League club on 1 August 2027 is met, on that date we will reflect that the successful campaign to achieve it started before now.

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Dazzling Dave
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

The Brentford draw felt like a snapshot of Wolves' season. A slow start, a mountain to climb, then a late surge of belief.

The second-half response was everything you want from a side in trouble. Wolves were tenacious, confident, and played with conviction. The fightback did not feel like blind hope, it felt like intent. It showed there is spirit in this group, and it showed there is quality too.

That is why Jamie Carragher's line on Monday Night Football has stuck with me: "I've been saying this for a few weeks now, they are not the worst team in the Premier League, they are not."

Watching that second half, it was hard to disagree.

But football is cruelly simple. Carragher is talking about what he sees. The table is talking about what we are. Mathematically, survival might still be technically possible, but with so few matches left it feels like an impossible dream.

That is what made the first half so painful. We were passive, loose in our shape, and second to too many second balls. Brentford's first goal was a quality strike, the kind you almost have to applaud, but the bigger issue was what happened before it. We lost our man in the box and switched off for a split second. At this level, that is enough and before we know it we are 2-0 down.

This was not just a slow start in a single game. It is the story of the season. Wolves are starting to play with freedom and confidence when the stakes are at their highest and the time is at its shortest.

So what does it say about the psychology of the team? Do we start too cautious? Do we only play with freedom once there is nothing to lose? Either way, it is a pattern, and patterns define seasons.

The second half at Brentford yet again proved Wolves have fight. Now it feels just like the game, too late to save our season. But at least we have our pride back.

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We asked for your thoughts after Monday's Premier League game between Brentford and Wolves.

Here are some of your comments:

Brentford fans

Les: Did not learn anything from the Burnley game. Andrews too late with the subs. How can Brentford think of Europe when they are struggling to fill the subs bench?

Matt: We knew it was coming… Comfortable for much of the first half, two good goals in the bag - but letting that goal in before half time, you could just sense that Wolves were going to come out with more belief and we did not adjust accordingly. Love Keith, but not sure the subs were right today. On the plus-side, great to see Kayode get his first Brentford goal. Well played to Wolves though, showing real fighting spirit in the face of impending doom.

George: The engine's fallen out of our season at this point - we need the international break to put ourselves back together. We can't seem to play two good halves at the moment, and the second half of this one had shades of our hairy 3-4 win at Burnley but without a now injured Damsgaard to save our hides.

Zachary: We are really missing Janelt. It is clear that Henderson is not up to pace, and his balls over the top are becoming far too predictable. Our midfield was pretty much not existent at times and that was massively exposed during Wolves first goal, and their player was allowed to walk the length of the pitch. Need that midfield anchor. Poor changes from Keith Andrews too, bringing on Yarmo for Schade and Ajer for Damsgaard - pretty much going to a back five and inviting Wolves to score. We go again on Saturday. UP THE BEES.

Wolves fans

Stanley: Great second half when Angel Gomes came on in place of Mane, the lad is not playing well right now with too many mistakes - but he will learn from that. Our first half was not that good and we allowed two goals by not doing basic defensive work. We got lucky with Armstrong's goal because that was a back pass, but we take any luck we get. Tolu looked strong and determined to do the job coming on as sub and his header got us the point. He could have got us three if the cross bar was not in the way! We can't stay up but we can give a fight of it .

Wol: Good performance after a terrible 35 minutes at the start. We showed a great spirit second half and the atmosphere was terrific throughout from the fans. Well worth the long day to see us tonight.

Rhys: We did fantastically to get back into the game - just a shame that we didn't go on and win it.

Dan: It was a good game of football. The referee got a bit trigger-happy awarding free kicks towards the end, which stopped the flow of the game and maybe dented either side's chances. But overall we'd happily take the point from 2-0 down. Keep fighting lads.

Image source, Getty Images

"It was looking like everything was just falling apart. It's not looking like that now."

Rob Edwards' post-match news conference at Brentford on Monday was straightforward but a few lines still resonated.

It was another battling performance, a second comeback from 2-0 down in the last six games, and further evidence of the unit Wolves are becoming under Edwards.

Seven of his 12 defeats came during the club's 12-match losing run as Edwards battled to install his philosophy after replacing Vitor Pereira midway through the streak.

Since then it is five losses in 16 games in all competitions, a run which has left Wolves mid-table in the Premier League form book.

The recovery has come too late and the 12-point gap to safety will be too great to close with just seven games left.

Wolves have delayed relegation, which looked inevitable even in October, as Edwards and his staff get to grips with the squad to change the direction.

Part of Edwards' brief was to restore fight, belief and pride and he has done that, despite winning only five of his 23 games.

Wolves may still be going down but they are not falling apart, with cause to be optimistic.

Wolves boss Rob Edwards, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Really, really pleased and proud. To be 2-0 down, I didn't feel we deserved it, but we were, so credit to Brentford. I thought we made a couple of errors and got punished. I felt we were playing really well.

"We showed a lot of belief and quality as well, but great fighting spirit to keep going and get to a point in the game where I felt we could go on and win it. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be, but I'm really proud of the performance overall.

On Adam Armstrong's goal: "It gave us belief. The lads felt that we were right in the game as well, so having that goal certainly helped. Then it wasn't a case of changing too much structurally [at half-time], changed a little bit personnel wise, and then we controlled big spells of that second half."

On the back pass before the goal: "I've just seen it now in another interview and, yes, it looks that way. I think he felt there was a nick on it at the time, but if we've got away with that one, then we'll certainly take it. Of course, a lot has happened then to get to the goal, but maybe that has gone for us."

• Listen to Adam Armstrong react to the draw

On the fight: "The players are, and we owe it to the football club, ourselves, the fans to keep fighting all the way until the 38th game, so we'll do that. We spoke a lot today about the impact the subs can have from the side, and they have been in recent weeks, whether that is scoring goals or having a big impact, and we got that again tonight. All the lads that came on were really effective. It is a squad game. Really pleased for Tolu, but all the lads were great."

On West Ham after the break: "We know that's a big game, they all are. We'll get some time off, and then it will be a mixture of good training weeks and a friendly in there as well to make sure we prepare for the right way. We've never had a 25-day break in the season before, so it will be a new one for all of us."

• You can listen to Edwards speak to Radio WM on BBC Sounds here

Did you know?

• Wolves have come back to draw on each of the last two occasions they've found themselves 2+ goals down in a Premier League game (also v Arsenal in February), after losing on each of the previous 22 occasions they were two or more down before that.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Wolves may be going down but they are going down with a fight.

For the second time in six games Rob Edwards' side came from 2-0 down to earn a deserved point.

The first time it was against champions-elect Arsenal and, on Monday, Wolves proved their fightbacks are not down to luck.

Two defeats in eight games in all competitions show the improvement under Edwards and they were well worth a point at the Gtech Community Stadium.

It was a timid first-half display until Adam Armstrong's goal just before the beak gave them a lifeline which they built on in the second half.

The players have rallied to Edwards' call to remain committed to the cause and he has fostered the unity which was leaving Molineux before his November arrival.

Wolves are running out of games, with just seven left, and they are 12 points from safety having played a match more than their rivals.

It will be a fight they will ultimately lose but Edwards has fulfilled the brief from when he replaced Vitor Pereira.

He has restored hope and desire within the squad and the fanbase and, despite impending relegation, Wolves can look to the future with some optimism.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Brentford's performance

What did you make of Wolves' display?

Come back on Tuesday for a selection of your replies

Sepp van den Berg and Mathias Jensen return for Brentford as they look to close the gap to the top five.

Kristoffer Ajer and Yehor Yarmoliuk drop to the bench following the Bees' FA Cup exit at West Ham.

Keith Andrews' side - currently seventh in the Premier League - will move just two points behind fifth-placed Liverpool with victory.

Brentford XI: Kelleher, Lewis-Potter, Collins, Van Den Berg, Kayode, Jensen, Henderson, Damsgaard, Schade, Thiago, Ouattara.

Subs: Valdimarsson, Pinnock, Yarmoliuk, Nelson, Ajer, Donovan, Furo, Bentt, Shield.

Wolves boss Rob Edwards makes four changes for their trip to west London.

Jose Sa, Ladislav Krejci, Andre and Adam Armstrong return for Wolves, bottom of the Premier League and looking to stage an improbable push for survival.

Toti Gomes, Angel Gomes and Tolu Arokodare drop to the bench, while goalkeeper Sam Johnstone is not in the squad.

Wolves XI: Sa, Tchatchoua, Mosquera, S Bueno, Krejci, H Bueno, Andre, J Gomes, Bellegarde, Mane, Armstrong.Subs: Bentley, Lima, Doherty, Toti, Wolfe, A Gomes, R Gomes, Hwang, Arokodare.

Subs: Bentley, Gomes, Arokodare, Pedro Lima, Doherty, Toti Gomes, Hwang Hee-Chan, Rodrigo Gomes, Moller Wolfe