Resilient Wolves could yet crash the top four party

wolves

1-0, 0-0, 0-0, 0-1, 0-1, 1-0, 0-0, 1-0. No, not binary code, but Wolverhampton Wanderers’ results between November 20 and January 3. If goals are your thing, it would be advisable to steer clear of Molineux for the remainder of the season. But although Wolves are the opposite of free-scoring, the club’s supporters are enjoying themselves this term.

We are more than halfway through the campaign and Wolves are involved in the race for the top four. Sure, they are outsiders compared to the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal but, if their form continues, it would put them within touching distance of the final Champions League qualification spot.

Bruno Lage has done a terrific job since taking the reins in the summer. Under Nuno Espirito Santo, Wolves were already renowned as a team that was hard to beat and difficult to play against. The football was not always the most exciting but what it lacked in prettiness it more than made up for in effectiveness. Wolves recorded back-to-back seventh-place finishes under Nuno before things went a little awry last season.

Lage was identified as a continuity candidate and he has impressed in his first eight months in the role. The former Benfica boss has succeeded in making Wolves even tougher to break down. Only Manchester City have conceded fewer goals than Wolves, whose backline has been breached just 16 times in 21 games.

That is just as well because Lage’s side are not particularly efficient in attack. Only Burnley and Norwich City have made the net ripple less often than Wolves, who are averaging less than a goal per game. That is not the sort of ratio usually associated with Champions League contenders, yet Wolves could feasibly find themselves in the Champions League positions if they do well from a pivotal run of games against Tottenham, Leicester, Arsenal and West Ham.

A big part of the reason for Wolves’ defensive solidity is Jose Sa, who has been one of the signings of the season. The Portuguese is a proactive goalkeeper who sweets up behind his defence to good effect. He is also an excellent shot-stopper and is comfortable with the ball at his feet, which helps Wolves to build up from the back.

A glance at the expected goals table shows that Wolves ‘should’ have shipped 27 goals this season as opposed to 16. They have been a little fortunate on occasion, but much of the difference can be attributed to Sa’s terrific displays between the sticks. No goalkeeper in the division has a higher save percentage than Wolves’ No.1.

Elsewhere, Lage has retained the organisation and discipline for which this team was renowned under Nuno. His continued use of a three-man backline meant Wolves did not need to adapt to different defensive from a new manager.

“When you are playing a long time with that (system) and a new guy comes with a different idea, if you want to change everything at the same time, in my opinion that’s a mistake,” Lage said earlier this season.

It remains to be seen whether Wolves have enough quality to fend off Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham in the race for fourth place. It seems like a long shot at present, but if Wolves can continue to restrict their opponents to very few goals, their chances of Champions League qualification cannot be dismissed.

 


 

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