Fear, anger or excitement - how are Wolves fans feeling?published at 17:16 BST 9 April
17:16 BST 9 April
The Premier League's return this weekend brings trepidation for some and excitement for others.
Football's emotional rollercoaster becomes intense at this time of year, unless of course mid-table mediocrity has taken a grip of things in recent months.
So how are you feeling as a Wolves fan with just a handful of weeks left to go?
The league form reads: DDLWWD
The next three league fixtures are: West Ham (a), Leeds (a), Spurs (h)
Edwards on 'love' for Andre, Johnstone's injury and 'momentum'published at 14:56 BST 9 April
14:56 BST 9 April
Millie Sian BBC Sport journalist
Wolves boss Rob Edwards has been speaking to the media before Friday's Premier League game against West Ham United at London Stadium (kick-off 20:00 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
In terms of injury news, Sam Johnstone is suffering with a "shoulder issue" and Matt Doherty has picked up a "niggle", so neither will feature on Friday night.
The goalkeeper's injury may hamper his chances of featuring in the final seven games of this season, although Edwards hopes to obtain "more detail" soon.
The "ultra-long" 25-day international break has been "good but strange". He explained: "I can't remember ever having this amount of time between fixtures, apart from during Covid, so it has been new and different for me."
It has been an opportunity to "review some stuff, take some time off, do some good training and look forward" though.
He added: "West Ham have had a couple of competitive games since we last played, so maybe that will help them. Hopefully the break has been good for us. It will be interesting to see how we turn up."
When asked how Wolves will approach the fixture, he replied: "It is a really big game for both teams. We want to try to take things as far as we can, keep improving, keep the momentum going, and go into it wanting to win."
Edwards feels the 3-0 victory over West Ham United earlier this season "certainly helped morale and built belief", but there had been "a lot of good performances" prior to picking up that result.
He feels Nuno Espirito Santo is a "brilliant manager", who rightly has "legendary status" following his time at Wolves.
On being able to move off the bottom of the table with a win, he said: "We want to try to take as much positive momentum into next season, so clearly we want finish as high as possible. To do that we need to get points, but we haven't thought about what it might do to the table. It would be silly to do so."
He hasn't "thought too much" about what would make a good end to the season: "I suppose I want to try to keep the feeling we've got around the club right now. If we feel good about the football club and the work we have done, that's some success to take into next season."
Lastly, when asked about defensive midfielder Andre, he replied: "I love him to bits. He is brilliant, as a person and as a player. He is a wonderful guy. When he plays well, we play well."
Will improving Wolves beat their lowest Premier League points tally?published at 08:37 BST 9 April
08:37 BST 9 April
Phil Cartwright BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
While the most optimistic fans still dream of what would surely be the greatest of great escapes, the likelihood is that Wolves will be playing in the Championship next season.
Rob Edwards' side have taken seven points from their past three Premier League games and ending a disappointing season on a positive note will be high on the club's list of achievable goals.
Chasing down and overhauling 19th-placed Burnley, who are three points ahead of them, will be another. The two clubs are scheduled to meet at Turf Moor on the final day of the season.
Another target will be getting past 25 points, Wolves' tally from the 2011-12 relegation season, which remains the club's lowest in a top-flight season during the Premier League era.
And they remain without an away league win this season, an unwanted statistic that Dave Jones' side posted when Wolves went down in 2003-04.
As far as their remaining fixtures go, Wolves could not have asked for a much kinder run-in - they do not face any of the current top eight in their final seven matches, a sequence which starts at third-from-bottom West Ham on Friday.
'Wolves' last laps in Premier League for now need not be a bitter experience'published at 13:42 BST 8 April
13:42 BST 8 April
Mike Taylor BBC Radio WM reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Readers with long memories will recall the days when Wolves used to play football matches.
Their elongated 25-day gap between games was the result of an unfortunate combination of circumstances and was unwelcome. Football seasons have a natural rhythm and before this break, for the first time, Wolves had at last seemed to be moving with the beat.
Seven points from the past three league games did more than just ensure they would overtake Derby's 11-point record, of which they had been reminded all winter.
They were not always fluent or attractive in those games, but had at last begun to appear regularly competitive even against strong sides.
The possibility of somehow tunnelling out of the bottom three has remained just within sight for those willing to believe in it.
While the club and their fans have been coming to terms with what relegation means for some time now, there is no harm in talking up that faint chance. You have got to have a dream.
It should also ensure that the players, who kept trying even when prospects were at their most bleak, push hard to the end. Their supporters deserve that, at the very least.
Clearly, some will also have personal motivations. Several Wolves players are World Cup probables for their countries. Some will want to leave. Some will probably have to, and the sooner in the window the better to give Wolves time and leverage to regenerate their squad.
Of those, some will be missed more than others, as Dazzling Dave's paean to Joao Gomes on this page on Tuesday explained.
Wolves' last laps in the Premier League for now need not be a bitter experience. The atmosphere around Molineux on matchdays recently has been brighter.
If that can be maintained when Wolves finally play there again after an absurd seven-week gap between home games, while it is a lot to ask of supporters who have been given thin rations in recent years, it will be valuable.
By then, for all their wriggling on the hook, it may be that the last hope of Premier League salvation will have disappeared. That will still feel sad if it happens, but there can yet be honour in relegation.
While the squad that finishes this season may look very different by the start of the next - and maybe different again by 1 September - Wolves can still carry more momentum into the Championship than those just above them who fall into the trap late. They must.
'Losing Joao Gomes would be felt on so many fronts'published at 08:27 BST 7 April
08:27 BST 7 April
Dazzling Dave Fan writer
Image source, Wolves FC via Getty Images
If Joao Gomes leaves Wolves this summer, he will go with the thanks of supporters who know exactly what they are losing.
In a season that has too often lacked control, composure and fight, Gomes has been one of the few constants.
Since arriving from Flamengo in January 2023, he has brought urgency, aggression and heart to Wolves' midfield. He did not need long to settle. He looked like a Wolves player almost from the start.
The numbers show just how much he has carried.
Premier League statistics show Gomes is joint-third for the number of duels won this season (184). Opta have him fourth for total tackles in the Premier League with 85. Of the leading 10 players in that metric, Gomes has the third-best percentage for tackles won (64.7%).
Those figures underline how much defensive work he gets through, often in a side that has left him with far too much to do.
Of course, Gomes plays on the edge. He is second for fouls committed this season. But that is part of the package. He is not a player who hides. He gets stuck in, takes responsibility and tries to shift momentum when Wolves need a spark.
That is why his absence would be felt on so many fronts.
Wolves would miss his ball-winning ability, his energy and his drive. They would miss the way he covers ground, breaks up attacks and drags the midfield into the fight. Just as importantly, they would miss his attitude. Even in difficult spells, Gomes has never looked like a player going through the motions, he always gives 100%.
There is also an emotional side to this. Supporters took to him because he played with total commitment and because he seemed to understand what effort in a Wolves shirt should look like. Taking on the number eight shirt after Ruben Neves was no small thing, but Gomes has worn it with pride.
If he goes, Wolves will not just lose a very good midfielder. They will lose spirit, steel and a player who has truly set the standard this season.
Gossip: Celta Vigo want to keep Fer Lopezpublished at 07:15 BST 2 April
07:15 BST 2 April
Celta Vigo want 21-year-old midfielder Fer Lopez to remain at the club beyond his loan from Wolves, which expires at the end of this season. (Faro de Vigo via SportWitness), external
Wolves' accounts offer glimpse of challenges aheadpublished at 14:23 BST 1 April
14:23 BST 1 April
None of the headline figures emerging from the latest Wolves accounts, released this week, feel very comforting even if the reported loss of £15.3m was not much different from the previous period.
Confirmation that Wolves do not appear to be close to the regulatory limits of losses, beyond which there may be punishments, is tempered by the thought that the punishment was effectively served in advance by selling several of their best players.
This accounting period was extended to 13 months, a one-off move to bring Wolves in line with other clubs and player contracts, and therefore includes two Junes, months in which wages still have to be paid but income is not generated. Wolves report that allowing for that, to provide a more accurate comparison with previous years, they roughly broke even for 2024-25. The extended period, though, means these accounts include the sales of not only Maximilian Kilman and Pedro Neto in the summer of 2024, but Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri last year.
The problem with selling the best players – all right, the other problem with selling the best players, apart from the obvious one – is that you can only sell each of them once. Upward pressure on the wage bill and wage-to-revenue ratio has been eased by some mid-season departures, as well as free-transfer exits of big earners like Pablo Sarabia and Nelson Semedo last summer. But Wolves did spend quite a lot last summer too, in the new accounting period, and when that statement lands on the doormat this time next year it may not make pleasant reading either.
By then, the course for Wolves' immediate future will have been set. Some running costs may decrease in the Championship, but revenues will of course be much lower, and the new chairman Nathan Shi has already committed to reducing the cost of season tickets next season. That will be a relatively small price to pay to keep as many fans onside as possible. Ultimately, the only way to really win them back over will be to deliver a promotion back to the Premier League, which will surely require a significant reinvestment of any player sales this year back into the squad.
Fosun, through Shi, have restated their intention to restore Wolves back to the Premier League and continue to future success. These accounts do not foretell the future, but after reading them it is hard to imagine getting there without significant new financial support from the owners. The goal of self-sustainability may itself be unsustainable after relegation.
Has Edwards done enough to keep Wolves job if relegation happens?published at 12:29 BST 31 March
12:29 BST 31 March
Emma Milton Fan writer
Image source, PA Media
When Rob Edwards took over at Wolves, he was walking into a mess.
This was not a settled squad that simply needed a fresh voice. It was a group low on confidence, short on balance and carrying the scars of too many poor performances.
The football had gone flat, belief had drained away and the league table reflected that. In that context, the question is not whether Edwards has performed miracles, but whether he has restored enough trust to be the man to lead the rebuild if Wolves are relegated.
On that front, the answer may well be yes.
Since his arrival, Wolves have at least started to look like a team again. Wins against sides such as Liverpool and Aston Villa, plus a draw with Arsenal, suggest there has been genuine improvement.
More important than the points alone is the change in spirit. Wolves have shown more intensity, more organisation and more willingness to compete. That should not be dismissed, because those things were badly missing before he came in.
Edwards also appears to understand the bigger picture. Reports of his early involvement in recruitment-planning matter. If Wolves are heading for the Championship, they need a manager already thinking beyond the current crisis. That kind of forward-planning is a good sign.
The concern, of course, is Luton. Edwards has already lived through relegation and then a failed rebuild. He has spoken before about lessons from that period, especially around loyalty and recruitment. Luton did not refresh enough and they paid for it badly. If Wolves keep him, the hope must be that he has learned from that experience and is now more ready to make ruthless decisions.
That is the key issue - not whether Edwards is a good coach, but whether he can rebuild decisively.
The squad he inherited was broken in key areas. The one he may take into next season still looks in need of major surgery. Some players will leave. Some should. The Wolves manager must build a squad fit to win the Championship and a nucleus strong enough to compete on return to the Premier League.
Right now, Edwards looks like he has done enough to be given that chance. He has not fixed everything but he has restored some order, some fight and some direction.
In a season full of damage, that may be the clearest sign yet that he is still the right man to take Wolves forward.
Shi has made 'good start' repairing 'fractured relationship'published at 18:14 GMT 27 March
18:14 GMT 27 March
Mike Taylor BBC Radio WM reporter
Image source, Getty Images
"We are changing the way we do things at Wolves. It must always be football first and around that we are building greater clarity, accountability and longer-term thinking to create a better future" - Nathan Shi, who is still officially interim executive chairman, said in a recent statement.
You, like me, might have grown up thinking that being "football first" ought to be so intrinsic to a football club that there would be no need to actually state it, let alone revert to it, but perhaps we are products of a simpler age.
However, starting from a "football first" standpoint sounds like a good lodestar - and this is no time to be churlish.
Many Wolves fans ran through the stages of grief for their Premier League status quite early. Though the moment will still hurt when it comes - let us also make room for the possibility, however slim, that it won't come - the most intense anger associated with relegation may have already passed.
But there is a moment of opportunity here.
Like every other aspect of Wolves' probable demotion, the fracturing of the relationship between the owners Fosun and the supporters is not a product of this season alone.
Fans revered Fosun's name in the early years after the takeover; now they take it in vain. Much of the anger was directed personally at previous chairman Jeff Shi, and the appointment of Nathan Shi as his replacement in December was greeted with a lot of eye-rolling.
But the relationship is not beyond repair and Fosun continue to insist their interest remains long-term.
Nathan Shi's statement spoke of a "responsibility to them to put the right structures in place at Wolves so we can build something we are proud of again". His lack of previous football experience need not prevent him from succeeding.
Organising the right people into key positions, and taking care to ensure supporters feel invested in and respected by the club, matter more.
Announcing an average 25% cut in season-ticket prices and committing to regular meetings with the club's Fan Advisory Board and wider support forums are a good start.
The Wolves Report podcast's Ryan Leister met Nathan Shi at one of the recent meetings. "What we stated was the things you're saying are great but these things are only going to become real, and you be believed and trusted, when words become actions," said Leister.
Lost hearts and minds can be won back if the fans feel the club is listening and they can see that football is once again first. "If Nathan's saying it then great, but he has to keep showing us," Leister added.
No VAR error but Brentford denied penalty v Wolves - panelpublished at 13:52 GMT 26 March
13:52 GMT 26 March
Dale Johnson Football issues correspondent
Image source, Getty Images
The Premier League's Key Match Incidents Panel has ruled that Brentford should have been awarded a penalty in their 2-2 home draw with Wolves on 16 March.
But it was also decided that the VAR was correct not to intervene as there was no clear and obvious error.
The Bees were 2-0 up in the 41st minute when Kevin Schade was held back by Andre.
Referee Stuart Attwell allowed play to continue and there was no monitor review advised by the VAR, Paul Howard.
Wolves came back strongly in the second half to score twice and earn a point at the Gtech.
The KMI Panel said that the holding was "sustained" and voted 4:1 in favour of a penalty.
It was a split 3:2 vote in support of no VAR intervention.
How will Wolves handle 'strange' 25-day break?published at 07:04 GMT 24 March
07:04 GMT 24 March
Dazzling Dave Fan writer
Image source, PA Media
Wolves going into a 25-day break with no match is one of the strangest situations of the season.
In a campaign packed with games, injuries, pressure and emotional swings, a pause this long can feel both helpful and harmful at the same time.
There is a clear upside. After a heavy schedule, the lads finally get a chance to breathe. They can spend time with their families, switch off mentally and recharge physically.
At this stage of the season, that matters. Fresh legs and fresh minds could make a real difference in the run-in. For those away with their international sides, there is also a chance to build confidence, get minutes and come back sharper.
But there is another side to it - and it is the one many Wolves fans will worry about most.
Wolves were beginning to build some momentum, not just in results but in performances too. There were signs the team was finding rhythm, belief and a bit more control. To stop that flow now feels frustrating.
Rob Edwards summed it up perfectly when he said: "It's mad, isn't it?" He also called it "strange" to have 25 days with no game.
And he is right. We have seen long breaks before because of Covid and the World Cup winter break, but those pauses affected everyone. This one is different. This time it is only Wolves dealing with it.
That makes the challenge even bigger for the coaching staff. The good news is they are trying to manage it properly, with friendlies planned to keep players sharp and avoid too much drop-off.
If Wolves handle this break well, keep the momentum alive and return focused, there is a real chance to make it count.
This pause can either drain Wolves' progress or fuel their run-in. It is up to them now.
'It was a pleasure to be involved with McCarthy'published at 15:19 GMT 23 March
15:19 GMT 23 March
Image source, Getty Images
Former Wolves captain Jody Craddock has spoken to BBC Radio WM about his journey to Molineux, relegation, promotion and his time under Mick McCarthy - who he says is "one of the best managers I have had the privilege to be coached by".
"His recruitment was fantastic," Craddock added the former centre-back.
"He brought in some really good young players, and he had me as the 'older head'. He and the scouting team saw something in them that was potentially good enough to take us in to the Premier League. What a big ask that is."
Which side has suffered most from Premier League injuries this season?published at 11:59 GMT 19 March
11:59 GMT 19 March
Image source, Getty Images
We are getting to the stage of the season where every Premier League team is managing injuries in their squad as the sheer volume and intensity of games begins to take its toll.
But who has been most affected by injuries across the campaign so far?
Ben Dinnery, from Premier Injuries Limited, has provided the data below, showing the number of domestic injuries each top-flight team has suffered, defined by a player missing at least one Premier League game.
The data has been taken from the opening weekend up to and including 18 March.
Despite this table listing domestic injuries, it is unsurprising that the top three of Arsenal, Chelsea and Aston Villa have all competed in European competition, with the Gunners still fighting on four fronts and the Blues also coming off the back of a much-shortened pre-season following their Club World Cup victory.
Perhaps more surprisingly, however, is the fact Arsenal's 31 domestic injuries so far comfortably leads the way, illustrating the strength and depth available to Mikel Arteta to still have his side nine points clear at the top of the table.
The graphic below shows Tottenham lead the way for days missed by injured players, illustrating the issues faced by Thomas Frank, who had to cope with long-term absentees including Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison.
Both West Ham and Brentford are in the bottom three for domestic injuries and days missed through those injuries, while Arsenal and Villa are in the top three for both.
Chelsea drop down the table when looking at days missed, showing they have predominately suffered from short absences spread throughout the squad.
It is worth pointing out that Newcastle's two longest absences this season - Emil Krafth (120 days) and Yoane Wissa (88 days), who had not yet even trained with his new side, resulted from injuries picked up on international duty and are not factored into the figures.
Gossip: Rangers could struggle to make Djiga loan permanentpublished at 11:21 GMT 19 March
11:21 GMT 19 March
Rangers are set to find it difficult to sign Wolves loanee Nasser Djiga permanently this summer because the defender has a contract at Molineux until 2030 and could command a sizeable asking price. (Football Insider), external
'Not a one-season story'published at 08:23 GMT 18 March
08:23 GMT 18 March
Mike Taylor BBC Radio WM reporter
Image source, Getty Images
"The quality that we have, you see it every day in training," said Adam Armstrong after Monday's draw at Brentford. "I couldn't quite believe the position in the table."
Armstrong joined Wolves on deadline day, at which point they were 18 points from safety with 14 games left to play. Halfway through those matches, the deficit has been trimmed to 12. It is not enough progress to make the prospect of somehow tunnelling out of the relegation zone seem any less fanciful.
His observations are, however, a useful indicator of progress. Whether this Wolves squad was ever properly equipped for this season is now moot. But we can now say that, even after selling three players for more than £80m mid-season, they look like a team that believe they can compete at this level.
Armstrong agrees. "You see it in the second halves of games," he said. "You see the lads sticking together. The fans are right behind us. It gives us that extra push. We could hear them all game, especially in the second half when were pushing for another goal. We have to take the positives to go on to the next one."
It was possible to see Armstrong's signing on 2 February as the start of Wolves' 2026-27 season, bringing in for reasonable cost a player proven to meet the very specific demands of the Championship. But there is more to preparing for an expected relegation than just scouting and signing players.
Few clubs have ever had so long to brace themselves for impact as Wolves in recent months, but we can now see that rather than writing off the remainder of this campaign and just waiting it out, positive vibes are being generated by successive performances.
That matters, even if at least some of the players generating them will be playing somewhere else by the time next season begins. The supporters feeling those vibes, at Molineux and on the road, will not have moved, and Wolves will need them.
Supporting a football club does not stop and start with new seasons. Feelings, good and bad, linger. Wolves' likely relegation is not a one-season story. The contributing factors have come together over time, and the same will be true of any future promotion back to the Premier League.
If the objective of ensuring Wolves are a Premier League club on 1 August 2027 is met, on that date we will reflect that the successful campaign to achieve it started before now.
'The table is talking about what we are'published at 14:47 GMT 17 March
14:47 GMT 17 March
Dazzling Dave Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
The Brentford draw felt like a snapshot of Wolves' season. A slow start, a mountain to climb, then a late surge of belief.
The second-half response was everything you want from a side in trouble. Wolves were tenacious, confident, and played with conviction. The fightback did not feel like blind hope, it felt like intent. It showed there is spirit in this group, and it showed there is quality too.
That is why Jamie Carragher's line on Monday Night Football has stuck with me: "I've been saying this for a few weeks now, they are not the worst team in the Premier League, they are not."
Watching that second half, it was hard to disagree.
But football is cruelly simple. Carragher is talking about what he sees. The table is talking about what we are. Mathematically, survival might still be technically possible, but with so few matches left it feels like an impossible dream.
That is what made the first half so painful. We were passive, loose in our shape, and second to too many second balls. Brentford's first goal was a quality strike, the kind you almost have to applaud, but the bigger issue was what happened before it. We lost our man in the box and switched off for a split second. At this level, that is enough and before we know it we are 2-0 down.
This was not just a slow start in a single game. It is the story of the season. Wolves are starting to play with freedom and confidence when the stakes are at their highest and the time is at its shortest.
So what does it say about the psychology of the team? Do we start too cautious? Do we only play with freedom once there is nothing to lose? Either way, it is a pattern, and patterns define seasons.
The second half at Brentford yet again proved Wolves have fight. Now it feels just like the game, too late to save our season. But at least we have our pride back.
Brentford 2-2 Wolves - the fans' verdictpublished at 13:16 GMT 17 March
13:16 GMT 17 March
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We asked for your thoughts after Monday's Premier League game between Brentford and Wolves.
Here are some of your comments:
Brentford fans
Les: Did not learn anything from the Burnley game. Andrews too late with the subs. How can Brentford think of Europe when they are struggling to fill the subs bench?
Matt: We knew it was coming… Comfortable for much of the first half, two good goals in the bag - but letting that goal in before half time, you could just sense that Wolves were going to come out with more belief and we did not adjust accordingly. Love Keith, but not sure the subs were right today. On the plus-side, great to see Kayode get his first Brentford goal. Well played to Wolves though, showing real fighting spirit in the face of impending doom.
George: The engine's fallen out of our season at this point - we need the international break to put ourselves back together. We can't seem to play two good halves at the moment, and the second half of this one had shades of our hairy 3-4 win at Burnley but without a now injured Damsgaard to save our hides.
Zachary: We are really missing Janelt. It is clear that Henderson is not up to pace, and his balls over the top are becoming far too predictable. Our midfield was pretty much not existent at times and that was massively exposed during Wolves first goal, and their player was allowed to walk the length of the pitch. Need that midfield anchor. Poor changes from Keith Andrews too, bringing on Yarmo for Schade and Ajer for Damsgaard - pretty much going to a back five and inviting Wolves to score. We go again on Saturday. UP THE BEES.
Wolves fans
Stanley: Great second half when Angel Gomes came on in place of Mane, the lad is not playing well right now with too many mistakes - but he will learn from that. Our first half was not that good and we allowed two goals by not doing basic defensive work. We got lucky with Armstrong's goal because that was a back pass, but we take any luck we get. Tolu looked strong and determined to do the job coming on as sub and his header got us the point. He could have got us three if the cross bar was not in the way! We can't stay up but we can give a fight of it .
Wol: Good performance after a terrible 35 minutes at the start. We showed a great spirit second half and the atmosphere was terrific throughout from the fans. Well worth the long day to see us tonight.
Rhys: We did fantastically to get back into the game - just a shame that we didn't go on and win it.
Dan: It was a good game of football. The referee got a bit trigger-happy awarding free kicks towards the end, which stopped the flow of the game and maybe dented either side's chances. But overall we'd happily take the point from 2-0 down. Keep fighting lads.
