Wolverhampton: A beast of a team joins the EPL
By Zaph Hutson
Wolverhampton Wanderers FC just finished their dominant Championship season on Sunday. Even though they were by far the best team in the league, there is no doubt they belong here.
There are few teams that have been promoted to the Premier League in recent history that look as hot as Wolverhampton. The West Midlands squad has a rock-solid defense with an electrifying attack. It was almost as if they were emulating Manchester City’s season and style of play in their own league. This can be said for a couple of reasons.
The first is that Wolves and City were far-and-away the points leaders in their respective leagues. The Wolves were nine points ahead of second place and City finished a whopping 19 points ahead.
Like City, Wolverhampton utilizes a quick and pass-heavy strategy that is deadly on the counter. This is the reason that two of the top three players in assists in the Championship wore the yellow of Wolves. Interestingly, there is no player on the team that is at the top four in goals scored.
This isn’t to say that the team doesn’t score as they led the league in goals and have a fantastic attacking midfielder in Diogo Jota (17 goals). This simply shows that the ball is shared well and passing is precise in the opponent’s third.
Wolves On the Hunt
They also have a savvy and well-connected manager in Nuno Espírito Santo. It usually takes a couple of seasons for coaches to get settled into a position. This is not the case with Santo. After being brought on board in May 2017, he got his team in top form and rocketed up to the Premier League in just one season.
It’s not just Santo’s tactics that make Wolverhampton a superb team – it’s also his connections. When the company Fosun acquired the team in 2016, they provided massive amounts of capital. However, money doesn’t inherently make a team great. A brilliant coach is needed and that is exactly what Wolverhampton got in Santo.
Nuno drew some impressive talent in preparation for the past season. At that time he signed the young yet skilled Rúben Neves and the aforementioned Diogo Jota. He’s not resting on his heels this off-season with several rumors already swirling.
Among the many players being transferred to Wolverhampton is Nuno’s fellow Portuguese Rui Patricio. Patricio is likely Portugal’s best goalkeeper and would be a formidable addition between the sticks. Renato Sanches and Victor Lindelof are two more names that could be added.
Whatever the case may be, one thing is clear- the Wolves are sharpening their teeth.