Before the start of every season, more than half of the clubs in the Premier League ask themselves ‘Which three teams are going to finish below us?’
Recently, the answer has been relatively easy. In each of the last two seasons, the three promoted from the Championship went straight back down again. The gap seemed to be growing so wide that it was tempting to wonder how any side from the second tier could survive again.
How times change. Sunderland, Burnley and Leeds look equipped for the fight and Leeds’ win at Wolves will have sent shivers through much of the league, as they contemplate how they would cope without the guaranteed television millions.
That is five defeats in five for Wolves. They had hoped to cheer supporters by announcing new deals for coach Vitor Pereira and centre-forward Jorgen Strand Larsen. It backfired spectacularly and long before the final whistle, Wolves supporters were urging owners Fosun to sell up and directing abuse at chairman Jeff Shi.
One match cannot define a whole season and Leeds scored from all three of their shots on target in the first half. Yet where Wolves new signings struggled, Leeds’ looked slick. It made Wolves’ summer planning look even poorer – not to mention the decision to announce Pereira’s new deal before Wolves had even scored a point. At the final whistle, the sight of a half-empty Molineux would have been bleaker for the owners than the inevitable boos.
Pereira contract looks baffling
Before the start of last season, Wolves gave Gary O’Neil a new four-year deal – only to sack him in December with the club 19th.
Pereira did superbly to steer them to safety yet after such a bad start, it seemed bizarre to commit to the Portuguese boss until 2028. Depending on Pereira’s severance terms, it may cost Wolves no more to sack him under the terms of this deal than it would have previously.
Yet rewarding a manager for such a shocking start sent a strange message. Don’t bet against Wolves doing their usual – changing managers near Christmas and trying to buy their way to safety in January. A club can only do that so many times, though, before their luck runs out.
Leeds signings show up Wolves
Wolves spent more than £120million this summer to try to make up for the departures of Matheus Cunha, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Nelson Semedo. Leeds spent only about £90m.
But in Anton Stach, Gabriel Gudmundsson and Noah Okafor, they look to have acquired three gems who immediately make their team better.
Don’t forget Daniel Farke’s men were without also Dan James and Wilfred Gnonto here due to injury, not to mention goalkeeper Lucas Perri. Why weren’t Wolves in for these players and if they were, why are they losing out to a promoted club?
Due to their lack of elite European experience, Wolves’ summer arrivals are learning on the job – and there can be no tougher school than this.
Stach shines
Whoever at Leeds identified Anton Stach deserves an immediate pay rise. Bought from Hoffenheim for £17.5m, the 26-year-old midfielder was magnificent. His display will be remembered for the superb free-kick that put Leeds 2-1 up yet he caught the eye for his movement, touch, awareness and work rate.
Stach combined brilliantly with left-back Gudmundsson and when he found space between the Wolves defence and midfield, the home side could not handle him. If Leeds are to maintain their early-season form and earn a comfortable survival this term, they will need more displays like this from Stach.
Bleak days for Fosun
When the crowd start targeting the owners, the owners usually respond by sacking the manager. But after such a public show of faith in Pereira, Shi and company can hardly take that road immediately.
This is Wolves’ longest unbroken sequence in the Premier League and there have been some fabulous times, particularly under Nuno Espirito Santo when they finished seventh twice and reached the last eight of the Europa League.
Wolves could not keep spending at that level and staying in the league every year is a difficult job. Now, though, this feels a club in decline. If there were credible buyers, Fosun would consider selling.
With these yet to materialise, though, would Shi consider stepping down? It might not change much about the team, but it might just lift the mood a little.