By Martin Graham
It has been more than seven months since Wolves last celebrated a league victory, a period marked by upheaval on and off the pitch. Across that time, three different managers, two sporting directors, and a technical director have tried—and failed—to halt the slide, while the team has leaked 41 goals.
Their position has become increasingly dire. With only two points collected and a yawning 13-point gap to safety, they are nailed to the foot of the table and already certain to be bottom when the festive period arrives. The latest 4–1 defeat at home to Manchester United stretched their losing run to eight league outings, matching their longest top-flight sequence of losses dating back to the early 1980s.
A solitary strike from Jean-Ricner Bellegarde finally snapped their lengthy scoring drought dating back to late October. Yet those meager positives do little to hide a grim reality: no side across the four highest English divisions has ever had fewer points after 15 fixtures.
Supporters showed their displeasure by staying outside for the opening 15 minutes of the meeting with United, venting frustration at Fosun’s stewardship. Manager Rob Edwards admitted he sympathized, stressing that while he desires the crowd’s backing, he understands their anger and accepts that visible effort is essential. He warned that an instant reset was never realistic for a squad still learning his demands and facing relentless pressure.
Why the decline became so extreme
This collapse cannot be viewed solely through the lens of the current campaign. Wolves had already fallen far from the heights of consecutive seventh-place finishes under Nuno Espírito Santo. In the five years since, they have hovered in mid-table or lower, repeatedly relying on managerial changes to stave off trouble.
Edwards is the fifth man to take the reins in four years and the third within a single calendar year after the departures of Gary O’Neil and Vítor Pereira. Simultaneously, the spine of the successful Europa League-reaching side has been dismantled. Key figures such as Raúl Jiménez, Rúben Neves, Adama Traoré, Pedro Neto, Max Kilman, Conor Coady, and João Moutinho have departed, while more recent exits—Nelson Semedo, Rayan Aït-Nouri, and Matheus Cunha—remain deeply felt.
Summer recruitment has done little to stabilize the situation. Apart from the permanent signing of Jørgen Strand Larsen, none of the new arrivals had previously played in the Premier League, and their adjustment has been slow. Edwards has conceded that additional seasoned players are required, though January options may hinge heavily on how far the team drifts before then.
There have been concerns about cohesion, given the varied backgrounds within the squad, and questions about overall conditioning. Edwards has pushed for higher intensity levels, but the transition has been uneven. Former Derby striker Robert Earnshaw, who lived through the Rams’ historically poor 2007–08 campaign, noted that off-field issues at Derby contributed heavily to their collapse, warning that a club can effectively sink itself through internal dysfunction and negativity.
Chants urging the ownership to sell have echoed around Molineux, yet Fosun are expected to remain even in the event of relegation. There is openness to minority investment—discussions have taken place with former Crystal Palace shareholder John Textor—but no intention to relinquish control. A recent internal reshuffle, including Matt Jackson’s elevation to technical director, has been met with skepticism by supporters who crave sweeping reform.
Whether they can avoid an unwanted record
Wolves’ failure to win any of their first 15 league matches places them on the edge of several unwanted milestones. The longest winless start in top-flight history belongs to Bolton, who went 22 games without a victory more than a century ago. Sheffield United’s Premier League record of 17 could also fall soon.
In order to prevent that, Wolves would need to defeat either Arsenal or Brentford—both challenging prospects—before confronting daunting trips to Liverpool and Manchester United. They have already matched the lowest points tally seen at Christmas during a typical-timed Premier League season, with only Sunderland’s five points from 17 games offering a modern comparison.
History does contain one glimmer of hope. West Brom famously survived in 2004 after being bottom at Christmas and eight points off safety. Earnshaw, a central figure in that escape, believes Wolves lack the match-changing moments needed to replicate that feat. He argues that the side struggles to create enough meaningful opportunities and lacks the decisive spark required at this level.
He acknowledges that players like André, João Gomes, and Strand Larsen possess ability but suggests that something deeper is missing—whether confidence, belief, or a willingness to embrace the scale of the challenge. For a team already showing signs of dread rather than determination, the path upward appears worryingly steep.