It has been a tough season so far for Wolverhampton Wanderers. After a challenging 2023/24 campaign where manager Gary O’Neil guided them to safety, the Old Gold now find themselves at the bottom of the Premier League.
Wolves’ struggles this season have come as a surprise to some. BBC Sport’s chief football writer Phil McNulty, for example, expected them to avoid relegation trouble this term, believing that the Midlands club “can avoid danger.” However, their season has not gone according to plan.
A closer look at their underlying stats raises concerns for O’Neil, especially ahead of their match against Brighton and Hove Albion. Wolves remain winless so far this season, sharing that distinction with Ipswich Town, Crystal Palace, and Southampton. Their only point came from a 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest.
The team’s biggest issue this season is clear: defensive frailties. Wolves have conceded 23 goals, the most in the Premier League, with five more goals conceded than any other team. This includes heavy losses, such as a 6-2 defeat to Chelsea at Molineux and a 5-3 loss away to Brentford.
Interestingly, despite their poor defensive record, Wolves rank 16th in the Premier League for expected goals against (xGA), with a tally of 16.54, according to Understat. This indicates that they are underperforming significantly compared to their defensive metrics.
Offensively, Wolves have scored ten goals, which is better than seven other teams. However, they are overachieving in this area, as their expected goals (xG) tally sits at 8.13. Notably, half of their goals came from just two matches—against Chelsea and Brentford.
With Wolves seeking a turnaround, Gary O’Neil may consider adjusting his attacking lineup for the clash against Brighton. One potential option is young winger Rodrigo Gomes, who could provide a spark in the final third.
Gomes, 21, joined Wolves in the summer of 2024 for £12.7 million from SC Braga, signing a contract until 2029. The Portugal under-21 international showed promise during a loan spell with Estoril last season, where he scored nine goals and provided eight assists in 36 games across all competitions, including 14 goal contributions in 30 Liga Portugal matches.
A direct winger, he can be simply devastating to an opposition defence.
| Gomes stats in Liga Portugal 2023/24 | |
|---|---|
| Stat | Number |
| Goals and assists | 14 |
| Expected goals | 6.37xG |
| Big chances created | 7 |
| Key passes per game | 1.2 |
| Expected assists | 3.19xA |
| Dribble completion rate per game | 41% |
| Ball recoveries per game | 3.8 |
| Duels won per game | 3.4 |
| Stats from Sofascore | |
Opportunities have been limited for Wolves’ number 19, Rodrigo Gomes, who has made just four appearances for the club, featuring only once in their last six Premier League matches, without registering any goals or assists so far.
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series dives into tactical insights from around the global game, and in their discussions, football scout Antonio Mango highlighted the £25k-per-week winger as “a diamond” during his loan spell at Estoril Praia last season. While Gomes has yet to showcase his best at Wolves, he possesses the potential to become a key player in reversing their poor run of form.
Despite only having one Premier League start under his belt, Gomes showed promise in the EFL Cup earlier this season against Brighton, where he made two key passes during a narrow 3-2 defeat at the Amex.
With Wolves struggling, manager Gary O’Neil may consider a fresh approach, and giving Gomes more playing time could be part of that strategy. While facing Brighton will be a tough challenge, Gomes has the ability to make an impact if given the opportunity, potentially helping lift the Old Gold out of the relegation zone or at least beginning to turn their season around.
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