IN THIS WEEK'S PIECE FOR BBC SPORT DAVE TALKS ABOUT SLEEPWALKING IN TO RELEGATION
Being a Wolves fan isn’t for the faint-hearted. Supporting the team is emotionally exhausting, and I’m tired of discussing the same old issues while watching them fail to clinch another victory.
After Saturday’s game, Jorgen Strand Larsen said: “There were some positives, but it’s not enough.”
He is right.
The 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace sums up our season. It is promising that Wolves can score but, despite having some good chances, our two goals were overshadowed by defensive errors.
We are now a quarter of the way through the season and have only secured three points.
The main issue is the goals we have let in – 27 so far. The stats are grim. An average of 2.7 goals against per game means we need to score three or four to win.
Gary O’Neil’s overall record with Wolves in the Premier League stands at 13 wins and 92 goals conceded in 48 matches. This means we have conceded 1.9 goals per game on average during his tenure.
No wonder we only have one win in 20 games.
Both Palace goals resulted from set-pieces, highlighting our weaknesses again – especially at the back post. Despite sacking the set-piece coach a few weeks ago, we have not seen any real improvement in this area.
The players show heart and grit, but there is no clear identity. It is hard to criticise them as they seem committed, but they lack direction. I see no indication that O’Neil knows how to fix the problems.
No team in the Premier League can concede this many goals and survive.
Wolves fans have been so patient, but we have endured seven months of misery. It cannot go on.
We are sleepwalking into relegation. When is this nightmare going to end?
