It’s that time of year again; the days are getting shorter, the leaves are starting to change colour, and managers are getting sacked. Vitor Pereira is the latest Premier League victim, leaving Wolves rock-bottom of the table.
After just over a week of searching for his replacement, they’ve appointed Rob Edwards, luring him away from promotion chasing Middlesbrough, who are understandably frustrated to lose him.
So, what can Wolves expect from the 42-year-old, and what is Edwards walking into?
Prepare for the worst, hope for the best
Edwards has a mountain to climb if he wants to keep Wolves in the English topflight, no side with two points from their opening 11 games has survived. It’s more likely he’s been appointed as the man to earn promotion rather than secure their Premier League existence.
“It’s obviously a tough job,” said interim head coach James Collins when asked to assess the challenge facing Rob Edwards after their 3-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday (November 8).
“The boys are at the bottom of the league. What I would say to him — if it is to be him — is that the boys are together. The boys are working hard. There are no little cliques; they are very together, and that is a good place to start.”
Middlesbrough rescued Edwards after his spell as Luton manager ended in heartbreak, and he appeared to have been an inspired appointment with the club now in second, even though he wasn’t in charge for their 2-1 win over Birmingham City on Saturday (November 8).
At this point, Edwards is a pretty accomplished Championship manager, with his best moment obviously being 2022-23 when he took Luton up to the Premier League and their il-fated yet well fought stint in the top flight.
Rob Edwards tactical analysis
At the start of the season, Edwards has his Middlesbrough side playing a 3-4-2-1, winning 16 points from a possible 18 in their first six Championship games. Alongside Frank Lampard’s Coventry, they were looking like genuine promotion chasers.
There have been a few tweaks along the way, but the wing-backs, usually Callum Brittain and Matt Targett remain a constant, providing the width, with the likes of Morgan Whittaker, Sverre Nypan and Sontje Hansen have rotated heavily in the two number ten roles.
Tommy Conway, who isn’t having the best season in front of goal with just two in 15, most often leads the line as the lone striker, although he has partnered Delano Burgzorg as a strike partnership on occasion.
It’s impossible to talk about Middlesbrough without mentioning Hayden Hackney. Starting as a central midfielder, Hackney often drifts higher up the pitch, naturally assuming the No.10 role. His forward runs create overloads through the middle and turn Boro’s attacking shape into a diamond.
All of this bodes pretty well for Wolves. They’ve been playing a similar formation this season, although their poor form as seen their wing-backs turn into full-backs. They also don’t control games like Middlesbrough do in the Championship, although Edwards doesn’t put too much of an emphasis on possession.
Which players would be key?
In a summer that saw so many star players leave, Jorgen Strand Larsen remains their best hope for goals after scoring 14 in his 35 Premier League games last season. That form earned interest from Newcastle, but that move never happened.
He’s yet to get going this summer, however, with a couple of little injuries meaning he’s not quite been 100% across his nine Premier League appearances, in which he’s only scored a single goal, a penalty in the 3-2 defeat to Burnley.
Larsen is clearly bereft of confidence, when a Wolves counterattack, rare moment of positivity in the 14th minute at Stamford Bridge, fizzled out with a heavy touch and a poor pass from the Norwegian.
Brazilian midfield duo Joao Gomes and Andre, in theory, should be a mid-table partnership in the centre of the park, both have previously been linked with moves to some of the Premier League big boys.
Gomes in particular was impressive in the defeat to Chelsea, facing arguably the best midfield in the league, ending the game having won the most duels (9), completed six passes into the final third, and made eight defensive contributions.
Verdict
This feels like an appointment for next season rather than this one, with Wolves resigned to being relegated from the Premier League come the end of the season. Edwards isn’t quite the inspired leader needed to secure their safety.
Wolves’ on-going ownership debate needs to be resolved if they want to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking, it’s unlikely Fosun International won’t be putting in the type of money they did last time.