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Good to see Wolves competing at the top level
On 13th February, Wolverhampton Wanderers won 2-0 against Tottenham Hotspur, strengthening their chances of a top 4 finish. For a side who lost their manager and (arguably) best player last summer, their performances have been remarkable. Just how has unfancied Bruno Lage made the difference?
For all of his good work, Nuno Espírito Santo's last season had been disappointing. Injuries and a small squad meant Wolves finished 13th in 2020-21. The fans were a bit underwhelmed when Bruno Lage, a manager who had mostly coached youth teams before, was appointed as Santo's successor.
After 3 consecutive losses to begin the new season, some fears seemed justified. But with Wolves producing a higher xG than their opponents in each of those matches, a rise in fortunes seemed inevitable. It did happen, with Wolves losing just 4 of their next 19 games...conceding just 14 goals in the process.
What exactly was responsible for the turnaround?
Lage initially played a fluid 4-at-the-back system which yielded no goals or points. He then decided to stick to the basics- a defensively solid 3-man backline which the players were very accustomed to playing.
The results were instantaneous. Wolves currently have the joint 2nd best defence in Europe.
The 3-man defensive structure not only suits the regular starters, but also players coming through the ranks. In the Wolves academy, the 3-4-3 and 3-5-2 systems are used. As a result, academy players like Max Kilman have been the standout defenders in England this season.
Then there is the signing of goalkeeper José Sá. His predecessor Rui Patricio had quite a mediocre season- conceding 3 goals more than xGA. Sá has clearly been an upgrade. The Portuguese sweeper-keeper has already prevented 6 more goals than xGA and claimed the 2nd most crosses in the PL. His commanding performances has instilled even more confidence among the Wolves defenders.
With a relative lack of squad depth and a lot of football still to play, a top 4 finish seems unlikely. But if Wolves manage to maintain performance levels, this might go down as one of the best defensive seasons in Premier League history.