Gary O’Neil’s Wolves side are eight games into the Premier League season and already they could be facing a mini crossroads.
When Wolves hired Gary O’Neil as their new head coach, the decision was shrouded in skepticism and, to some extent, ridicule.
O’Neil’s name unexpectedly shot to the top of the list of candidates when Julen Lopetegui abruptly ended his tenure at Wolves, despite having been solidly positioned at the bottom of most people’s wishlist.
Now, despite having lost twice as many games as they have won, O’Neil has gained the support of a sizable portion of the Molineux supporters, the players have been reconciled, and it appears like the pack is back together and getting their teeth sharpened.
The victory over Man City grabbed the headlines and shocked the division, and the draw against Aston Villa went a long way to appeasing even the harshest of critics.
The next three games for O’Neil’s Wolves should act as a very early benchmark for the aspirations of this next-generation, post Lopetegui side.
The trio of fixtures each pose a unique set of questions and conundrums for O’Neil to solve. A win against Bournemouth away from home, on paper, is a game that could and should be won.
It’s also the kind of game that Wolves definitely lose and have historically faltered in games like this over the years. A win against the Cherries on the road would be a big statement.
Then there are old adversaries Newcastle who will be visiting Molineux, they are flying high, beating PSG in Europe, and looking like the team they were predicted to become when the takeover happened and the mega money hit the Geordie bank account.
Wolves thrive on being the underdog, they are better when they are, and this is the kind of game that they will give a good account of themselves in, but probably won’t win. The plucky runner-up has been a familiar tale.
Sheffield United complete the next three fixtures when they journey to the Black Country. To date, the Blades are significantly blunt with no wins since their top-flight return. They have only scored 6 goals, and shipped in a whopping 22.
The international break will have come at a good time for O’Neil to take stock of the first batch of 18 games. Wolves are not in trouble in the table, but they have yet to reveal any consistency.
The team’s identity is clear to see, there is relentless pressing and vitality to the side. Pedro Neto looks like a tremendous player again, and there are strong performances throughout the team.
Wolves fans have a starting point for any team wearing their gold and black colours – passion and effort. If they can see players busting a gut for the cause, the team will have the backing of the supporters.
The time is now for Gary O’Neil to prove that he is the right man for this job and to build a team that the crowd can be proud of, if he does that, he can silence any doubters once and for all.
We will undoubtedly have a much clearer vision of the future and the club’s intent when these fixtures are complete.
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