Wolves slipped to another Premier League defeat yesterday, losing 2-1 to Arsenal – and it was yet another missed opportunity for a clean sheet.
Wanderers were hoping to bounce back from the 3-2 loss to Fulham, with several big decisions going against the team that night.
But there was to be no big response at the Emirates Stadium, with two early goals from the hosts making the job much more difficult.
Matheus Cunha did pull one back for Wolves but Arsenal dug in and kept things tight to take the win.
Perhaps it was always unlikely for Wolves to get a clean sheet yesterday, but the lack of them this season is actually very alarming and Gary O’Neil really has to address the issue…
Just one Premier League clean sheet so far is a huge concern for Wolves and Gary O’Neil
We are now 14 games into the season and so far, Wolves have managed just one clean sheet in the Premier League.
That came against Everton back in August, with Jose Sa having to be on top form that day. His save from Abdoulaye Doucoure’s header was one of the best so far this season.
But that is the one and only time Wolves have managed to shut out the opposition.
For context, Wolves had managed to keep four in their first 14 Premier League games last season. But of course, last term, Wolves had a much greater issue scoring goals.
This season, Wolves have not done too badly up top, having scored 19 so far.
Granted, Wolves have been very unfortunate at times with some VAR decisions. But on the whole, things have to improve at the back and in midfield.
O’Neil needs to solidify Wolves again
Wolves have done well this season but O’Neil now needs to find a way of keeping the goals out.
Craig Dawson and Max Kilman are brilliant defenders and both have had great games this season, but they and the wing-backs must work harder to keep the ball out of the net. There also needs to be better protection from the likes of Mario Lemina and Joao Gomes.
At the moment, Wolves are having to try and outscore the opposition and this is not particularly sustainable. While Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-chan have both chipped in with goals this season, there are occasions where there is simply too much to do for the pair.
Wolves were solid under Julen Lopetegui, especially at home. While the football was not particularly exciting, he did make the team a tough nut to crack, and O’Neil should be looking to try and bring back that solidity, while maintaining a decent attacking threat.