OPPOSITION VIEW: WOLVES

With Sunderland looking to bounce back from that 5-0 capitulation with a trip to relegated Wolves, we spoke to Ben Whitehouse from Always Wolves to reflect on their season and look ahead to the future too...

Wolves are bottom of the league, with relegation already confirmed. What went wrong for yourselves this season?

A series of unfortunate events: years of mismanagement, consistent selling of quality players (especially attackers) and not maintaining a manager for more than 18 months since 2021. Heading into the season, we had replaced the likes of Matheus Cunha, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Pablo Sarabia by gambling on inexperienced young signings, decisions which proved fatal. The continued poor form after sacking Vitor Pereira - and the revival he has subsequently initiated at Nottingham Forest - demonstrated to us fans that whilst he may not have been the best for us at that moment, the quality in the squad is the major issue.

Has there been any improvement since relegation became a certainty? Sometimes teams play with a bit more freedom.

Whilst formally, Wolves have only played one game since relegation, we have been resigned to relegation for quite a few months now. We enjoyed a decent run in February until the extensive international break in March: an awfully satisfying 2-2 draw with Arsenal and then back to back home victories at the expense of local rivals Aston Villa and Liverpool. However, since returning from the break we have seemingly returned to our stagnant, uninspiring ways of old; Wolves faced some of the poorest opposition in the league in West Ham, Leeds and Tottenham Hotspur and managed to lose 4-0, 3-0 and 1-0 respectively. The absence of goalscoring is the most worrying current concern.

Thoughts on Rob Edwards in the dugout? Will he remain at Molineux for the Championship?

Edwards has not been the kind of revelation Wolves owners have often relied on to rejuvenate the squad. Usually, we get a new manager around Christmas who is asked to rescue us from relegation and make the most of the quality players available. The problem Edwards faced was that he had very few quality players left to work with. A 14% win rate is certainly not an encouraging sign for Wolves fans although there is acknowledgement that it is undoubtedly better than it had been previously (the atmosphere was beginning to get toxic under Pereira) and that the resources he had to work with were insufficient.

As for next season, it remains to be seen: since his appointment we have a new seemingly ambitious chairman who may want to go in a different direction so despite Edwards Championship experience, we may seek someone who has rebuilt squads before and proven that they can get a team promoted and keep them in the Premier League. Whether we can attract that calibre in our current situation however, is another story...

Who are some of your best players?

Our midfield is without a doubt the strongest facet of our team - which we are inevitably bracing ourselves to lose as soon as the transfer window opens - the pairing of Andre and Joao Gomes. Andre is a workhorse with a great eye for a pass, whilst Gomes is excellently well rounded; he has won the most tackles in the league this year and the third most duels whilst also having the ability to progress the ball either with his passing range or silky dribbling skills - he is Brazilian after all! Mateus Mane has been a positive from this season and adds a bit of dynamism to the side, Rodrigo Gomes too has some pace and determination whilst chipping in with a few goals too.

Alternatively, what have you made of Sunderland's season?

I've been very impressed by Sunderland and pleasantly taken by surprise! It is great to have a club of Sunderland's stature back in their rightful place in the Premier League and even better to see you excelling! Even the most optimistic of Sunderland fans probably did not anticipate this good a season (especially the double over Newcastle...) and with European qualification well in reach, you may await a similar fate that Wolves did upon our return to the top flight back in 2018, finishing 7th and qualifying for the Europa League. Excellent business, an effective system and the stewardship of Regis Le Bris have been very impressive, making you one of the most entertaining teams in the league to watch. Hopefully you can maintain your good form and challenge the monopoly of the bigger clubs to break into those top spots.

Which of our players have stood out to you?

A plethora of your new signings have outperformed expectations massively: Xhaka was clearly some smart business, but those who were expecting the ill-tempered Xhaka who left Arsenal with fireworks would be awfully shocked by his calibre this season, a definite contender for signing of the season. Brobbey has been an interesting player this season, whilst he hasn't set the league alight with goals, his overall contributions have been far more than that and pivotal to your success. Le Fee is also undoubtedly a classy player, his composure on the ball and creative vision is great to watch. Hopefully you are able to keep hold of these players next season!

Are you going to the game?

Sadly not, I’ll miss Molineux this time, but I’d love to take in the atmosphere at the Stadium of Light one day.

What's your score prediction? Goalscorers?

I've learnt not to expect much from my side this year, so I would be wholly satisfied with just seeing a goal! I'll go for a 3-1 Sunderland win, Brobbey, Mukiele and Le Fee to convert the penalty we will almost definitely concede.

Finally, do you think Wolves will come straight back up?

Completely depends on the recruitment in the summer, whether or not Edwards stays in his position and how much we are allowed to spend by our owners. Optimistically, I would have to go with yes, the signs seem to be pointing in the right direction so far!