To date, Wolverhampton Wanderers’ 2024–25 season has been nothing short of catastrophic. The Old Gold are now winless after seven games as they have struggled to find any kind of winning streak. They are, predictably, at the very bottom of the table.
Naturally, Wolves manager Gary O’Neil has been under a lot of criticism because of that. Speculation is already circulating as they have started to be connected to other managers. It is clear from their season-to-date underlying figures why his team is having trouble earning any points and why O’Neil is under fire.
Many people may find the Wolves’ start to the new season surprising. Many observers, including Phil McNulty, the top football writer for BBC Sport, thought the Old Gold would avoid relegation this season. He praised O’Neil for his performances the previous season and stated in his preseason predictions that he believes “Wolves can avoid danger.”
Unfortunately, things haven’t quite gone that way for the Midlands team. This season, Wolves are giving up far too many goals. O’Neil’s team has given up an alarming 21 goals, or three goals per game on average, which is the primary reason they have lost six of their last six games, drawn one, and failed to record a victory.
Surprisingly, this is the largest figure in the entire football league and Premier League. While a few of teams have let up 20 goals, none have allowed as much as the Old Gold.
FBref may have an even more damning statistic than that. The Molineux club has allowed more goals than any other team in the top five European leagues so far this season. No one has more than the 21 goals Montpellier, a French team, has given up.
The Midlands club’s consideration of a manager change may not come as a surprise given the defensive statistics. Even if there are many qualified applicants, one choice sticks out from the others.
The manager in question is Graham Potter, the former manager of Brighton & Hove Albion. The 49-year-old, who has managed Swansea City, Ostersunds of Sweden, and Chelsea of England, has been unemployed since the West Londoners fired him in April 2023.
But if O’Neil were fired, the Englishman would be “very keen” to take over at Molineux, according to a report published earlier this week by Football Insider. David Moyes, the former manager of Manchester United, is also considering applying for the job.
For the Old Gold to salvage their season and escape relegation, Potter might be just what they need. He was called a “great man-manager” by the football expert and host of The Overlap Breakdown H, which would be perfect for the Wolves players right now.
A new manager who can unite the team and provide a new viewpoint, especially when it comes to working with players, might be just what the Old Gold need to avoid relegation.
When Potter was leading Brighton, his reputation was at its peak. He consistently raised the Seagulls’ league finishes with his renowned 4-2-3-1 style, which helped his team become excellent at playing out from defense and technical players on the ball.
They placed 16th in the Premier League in his first season as manager, but improved to 15th the following year. Then, in a really remarkable performance, Potter surprised everyone by leading his team to ninth place. Even though things did not work out at Chelsea, the Englishman demonstrated his managerial prowess on the South Coast.
Indeed, even if he will prioritize strengthening Wolves’ defense first, Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-Chan are two players who would undoubtedly flourish under his attacking style.
Furthermore, he might be considered an improvement over O’Neil. Potter has amassed 173 points in 141 Premier League games while serving as manager, averaging 1.23 points per game. In contrast, the current Wolves manager has only managed 83 points from 79 top-flight games throughout his tenure, averaging 1.05.
It might be a fantastic move that could alter the trajectory of the Old Gold’s entire season and help them avoid the drop if they are able to secure this appointment.