Wolves Technical Director Matt Jackson: Fresh Start or Same Old? Plus Premier League Predictions Week 13
Wolves fans are having to stomach a lot right now. Only 2 points from 12 games, a new technical director in Matt Jackson, and a fanbase trying to work out whether this really is a fresh start or just more of the same. At least there is still the weekly battle between Dave and Emma on Premier League predictions to bring a bit of fun to proceedings.
This week brings a mix of scorelines, tactics, strong opinions on the club structure, and a closer look at why Wolves are struggling so badly. If you want the predictions, they are all here. If you want thoughts on Jackson and the direction of the club, that is here too.
Week 12 prediction results: honours even
Week 12 of the prediction league ended in a draw between Team Dave and Team Emma.
Both finished the week with 5 points. Emma nailed Burnley 0-2 Chelsea, while Dave got Leeds 1-2 Aston Villa spot on. Each also picked up two more correct outcomes, just not with the exact score.
The running joke is that, even when they do alright, it does not exactly scream tipster greatness. As they put it themselves, “still rubbish though, aren’t we?”
There have also been several weeks where the scores were level, so the gap is not massive. In fact, Emma is closer to catching Dave than Wolves are to the nearest team in the Premier League, which says plenty about the state of the season.
Premier League Week 13 predictions: Dave vs Emma
Both Dave and Emma have gone through every fixture for Week 13 and given a scoreline plus their thinking. Below you will find a breakdown match by match.
Saturday matches
Brentford vs Burnley
Emma: Brentford 3-1 Burnley
Emma backs Brentford at home. She points out that Brentford are 13th with 16 points, while Burnley sit 19th on 10 points. Burnley are inconsistent, and Brentford tend to be strong on their own patch. She sees the Bees having too much, with a bit of extra attacking punch.
Dave: Brentford 2-1 Burnley
Dave also goes for a home win. He likes “them busy bees” here and agrees Burnley are too inconsistent. He does, however, see Burnley getting on the scoresheet, just not getting anything from the game.
So, both go for a Brentford win, Dave simply expects them to score one more.
Manchester City vs Leeds United
Emma: Manchester City 3-1 Leeds
Emma expects goals. Both sides like to attack, but City have far more quality. She thinks Leeds will get chances and grab one, but City will control the game and score three.
Dave: Manchester City 3-0 Leeds
Dave matches Emma on the three for City but does not give Leeds a sniff. In his view there is just too much of a gap in class, and he has “no goals for you, Leeds fans”. Straightforward home win.
Sunderland vs Bournemouth
(7th vs 8th, both on 19 points)
Emma: Sunderland 1-1 Bournemouth
Emma sees two well-matched teams here. Sunderland are usually solid at home, and both sides are locked on 19 points. She cannot pick a winner, so goes for a draw with one goal each.
Dave: Sunderland 1-0 Bournemouth
Dave leans more strongly towards Sunderland. He notes Bournemouth are on a bad run and points out how strong Sunderland have been at home. He backs the Black Cats to edge it, with Bournemouth’s Cherries offering less threat than earlier in the season.
Everton vs Newcastle United
(Everton vs Newcastle, 11th vs 14th, 5.30 pm kick-off)
Emma: Everton 2-1 Newcastle
Everton’s gutsy win with 10 men against Manchester United sticks in Emma’s mind. She likes their strength at home and is not impressed by Newcastle’s away form. Emma admits she nearly went 1-1, but in the end he changed to a 2-1 home win.
Dave: Everton 1-1 Newcastle
Dave stays with the draw that Emma almost picked. He sees it as a tight contest, expects Newcastle to offer more than they have in some away games, and thinks a point apiece feels about right.
Tottenham Hotspur vs Fulham
(London derby, 8.00 pm kick-off)
Emma: Tottenham 2-1 Fulham
Emma notes that Spurs have lost three of their last six, so they are not flying. Fulham, on the other hand, have lost five of their last six away games, which is far worse. She still trusts Spurs to have enough quality at home and goes for a narrow 2-1 win.
Dave: Tottenham 2-0 Fulham
Dave is also on a Spurs win, but he predicts a clean sheet. In his words, he gives “the cottage cheeses no goals”. Dave expects Spurs to control Fulham’s attack and win without too much drama.
Sunday matches
Crystal Palace vs Manchester United
Dave: Crystal Palace 2-1 Manchester United
Dave fancies Palace here. He feels they are having a very good season and can get at United. Selhurst Park is not an easy place to go, and he sees the Eagles edging it 2-1.
Emma: Crystal Palace 1-1 Manchester United
Emma thinks it will be tight and cagey. She cannot split the sides, so goes for a draw. She picks a 1-1 as the safe middle ground when she does not feel a strong pull either way.
Aston Villa vs Wolverhampton Wanderers
This is the big one for Wolves fans, and it is not an easy watch at the moment.
Wolves have gone four games without a goal, never mind a win or even a draw. Confidence is low, and the league position reflects that.
Emma: Aston Villa 2-1 Wolves
Emma does at least give Wolves a goal, but she cannot justify predicting a win. Villa look stronger, Wolves are struggling badly in front of goal, and the gap in form is clear. She says she would love to predict a Wolves win and would happily lose prediction points for it, but cannot see it on current evidence.
Dave: keeps his prediction for the preview
Nottingham Forest vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Emma: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Brighton
Emma calls this a close one. She thinks Forest will be buoyed by their win at Anfield and will not roll over. Brighton have quality, but she sees Forest matching them enough for a draw.
Dave: Nottingham Forest 1-2 Brighton
Dave was tempted to sit with a draw as well, but in the end he thinks Brighton will “edge it”. Dave backs Brighton’s attacking style to grab a second goal and pinch the points.
West Ham United vs Liverpool
Emma: West Ham 1-2 Liverpool
West Ham have been poor at times, but Emma points out that Liverpool have had a rough patch as well. Emma still backs Liverpool to win and expects them to have just enough, even if they are not at their best.
Dave: West Ham 1-1 Liverpool
Dave spots that West Ham are on a better run right now and thinks Liverpool might stumble again. So he goes for a 1-1 draw instead, with Liverpool failing to find a winner.
Chelsea vs Arsenal
Emma: Chelsea 1-2 Arsenal
Emma looks at the experience in the Arsenal side and the form they are in. Yes, Chelsea picked up a stunning 3-0 win over Barcelona in Europe, but Arsenal are strong and more settled. She thinks Chelsea’s youthful side will be outmatched over 90 minutes, so goes for a 2-1 Arsenal win.
Dave: Chelsea 2-1 Arsenal
Dave takes the opposite view. He feels that at some point Arsenal will “have a wobble”. He does not think it will be a total collapse, more a little “shimmy” as he puts it, but enough to catch them out. Dave gives Chelsea the 2-1 victory and sees this as the start of Arsenal’s blip rather than the end of their good run.
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Attention turns to our matchday partner, Match Bingo.
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The idea is that, if the football does not entertain you, the bingo card might. As they joke, Wolves might not provide much joy at the moment, but your Match Bingo card at least gives you something else to cheer while you are watching.
Matt Jackson as Wolves technical director: fresh start or spin?
Away from predictions and apps, the serious chat this week is about Matt Jackson being confirmed as Wolves’ new technical director.
What Jackson’s appointment looks like
Jackson first joined Wolves in 2021. His most recent role was director of player recruitment and development, which means he had a say in the transfer business and pathways through the club.
He has also worked as president of Grasshoppers in Switzerland in the Fosun network, and he has a background in punditry. At Wolves, he will now support executive chairman Jeff Shi alongside:
- Matt Wild, director of football operations.
- Phil Hayward, director of performance.
- Max Fitzgerald, PR and communications director.
The club has presented the move as part of a new era under head coach Rob Edwards, with talk of process, pathways and joined-up thinking.
Emma’s view: familiar face, no new voice
Emma is far from convinced.
Her main points:
- Jackson was head of player recruitment in the summer. Even if decisions were shared, he was part of the group that signed off on the squad that is now in deep trouble.
- He has been around the club since 2021 and already “on the scene”. That means he is not a new broom who can come in from the outside and challenge what has been happening.
- She feels this is another example of Jeff Shi surrounding himself with people he knows and trusts, rather than voices who might question the current thinking.
Her argument is simple: if you keep the same people in charge of the same processes, you are likely to keep getting the same results.
Emma would have preferred someone external to come in, review the club properly from top to bottom, and be willing to say “this is not working” without having to protect their own past decisions.
She has written a full piece on this on the Always Wolves website, titled Matt Jackson appointed technical director: fresh start or familiar spin?, which you can find on this website.
Dave’s take and the wider fan debate
Dave largely agrees with Emma’s logic. He quotes the basic rule of common sense: if you keep doing what you have always done, you are likely to keep getting the same results.
Jackson has been part of the structure since 2021, and the results since then are plain to see on the pitch. Whether that is directly his fault or not, the pattern is there.
At the same time, Dave gives Jackson credit for fronting up and doing an interview, which is more than some in his position have done. There is at least a line of communication.
The big question for fans is whether this is genuine change or simply another internal reshuffle:
- Is Jackson going to challenge how recruitment and planning works, or keep it going as it is?
- Has he already been vocal in meetings and simply not been listened to, or has he been part of the problem?
Nobody outside those rooms really knows, which is why there is so much debate.
Relegation reality check and Rob Edwards’ early impact
On the pitch, things are bleak.
Emma mentions Opta data that had Wolves at around a 91% chance of relegation, even before the latest setback. She jokes that it is probably closer to 95% now, but crucially, there is still that small sliver of hope.
Rob Edwards has only had one game in charge and a couple of proper training sessions. In that short time, there were at least some positives:
- The team looked more solid and better organised.
- There was more energy and desire to chase loose balls.
- Wolves looked like a more connected side, even if the result did not go their way.
The big issue remains the same though; no goals and almost no belief in the final third.
Final thoughts: predictions, pressure and a “new era”
Week 13 of the prediction battle looks finely poised, with several games where Dave and Emma differ. There will be swings either way, but as both keep saying, they would gladly lose points if it meant a Wolves win.
Off the pitch, Matt Jackson’s appointment sits right at the heart of the debate about what this club is and where it is going. Some will want to give him time, others already fear it is another case of reshuffling the same deck.
The football is tense, the mood is heavy, but the conversation is alive. Share your Week 13 predictions, your view on Jackson’s promotion, and whether you still believe in a great escape.
Whatever happens, one thing never changes: always Wolves.