Wolverhampton Wanderers are one of the rising powers in English football, and they are an excellent bet to survive the relegation battle with ease. In fact, their managing director Lauri Dalrymple has claimed that they are looking at more than survival. How much more? We don’t now that yet, but it would surely be a fun ride as the West Midlands outfit have shown in its first encounter against Everton at the Molineux. For the better part of the game, Nuno Santo’s side were looking the dominant team; however, they couldn’t take advantage of being a man up as they got off the mark on the points table by securing a 2-2 draw.
Backed by Fosun’s money and ‘super agent’ Jorge Mendes’ contacts, Nuno Espirito Santo is building something special at the Molineux. Their expansive style of play was too good for the Championship as no one even came close to stopping them from being the runaway winners. It isn’t often that one sees a club coming from Championship who is not being touted as a relegation contender, but that is indeed the case with this Wolves side.
Many expect them to finish around midtable but we are going to stick our head out and say this side has got a good chance of finishing in the top 8 (Basically 8th we mean). Let’s first try to see who are the probable competitors for that position. Our bet will be on Burnley, Leicester City, West Ham United, Everton and Crystal Palace.
The Hammers and the Toffees have got a new manager in and from the pieces of evidence from the first game, it is clear that they would take time to get their philosophies to work. With just one game into the season, the pressure has already started to mount on the Foxes boss Claude Puel, and rumours are doing the rounds already that he can be shown the door from the club. Indeed not a good environment for the manager to work in at the moment.
Burnley are going to be burdened with the extra set of fixtures of Europa League if they make it through the main draw and Crystal Palace, well, we are not sure yet whether they would be able to replicate the form of the second half of the season. Commiseration to other teams who we haven’t considered as top 8 contenders.
There is more than good enough chance for Wolves to have a go for the 8th spot especially given the fact that the team has been together for more than a season now and the players they have added in the market have also boosted them significantly. International players like Joao Moutinho and Rui Patricio will bring a lot of experience and sense of calmness in the dressing room which will help the team during adverse situations.
Wolves style of play will also suit the Premier League as they are devastating on the counter-attack. Santo has used the likes of Helder Costa, Ivan Cavaleiro and Diogo Jota to good effect, not to forget the wingbacks. Selling Barry Douglas to Leeds United after a good season might come back to bite them, but they seem to have ample cover for the left wing-back role.
It’s still early days, and we can fall flat on our prediction, but there is nothing wrong in dreaming if you are a Wolves fan. Even if they don’t finish in the top 8 this season, the world won’t come crashing down on them, and they would be better adept to do that in the upcoming season.
