Wolves face Chelsea in the Premier League this weekend, and one statistic has suggested where the Old Gold can get real joy.
Wanderers take on the Blues once again, having faced Enzo Maresca’s side in the Carabao Cup only last week.
Wolves lost that game 4-3, and showed good character in the second-half to run the Blues close.
But Chelsea are likely to field a stronger side this time around, and getting a result at Stamford Bridge will not be easy.
And of course at the moment, Wolves still don’t have a new manager. And it has been claimed this morning that James Collins and Richard Walker are set to manage Wolves against Chelsea, with a new appointment not close.
Wolves’ lack of a succession plan in the event of Vitor Pereira’s sacking has led to fierce criticism from fans, and undoubtedly, getting a result against Chelsea without a manager is going to be a tall order.
But there is one encouraging statistic that Collins and Walker can sink their teeth into ahead of the contest.
Chelsea struggle on set-pieces as Wolves seek upset at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea will no doubt see this game as a major opportunity for three points and to push into the top four.
They had a disappointing result last night in the Champions League last night against Qarabag, only drawing 2-2.
But they’ll be looking to respond in a big way against managerless Wolves – but it appears the Blues do have an Achilles heel.
BBC Sport have offered up an interesting statistic ahead of the game, which is that Chelsea have conceded 6.1 xG from set pieces (excluding penalties) in the Premier League this season. That is the most of any side in the division. But by contrast, they’ve only faced 62 shots in open play, with only Arsenal (53) conceding fewer in 2025/26.
So Chelsea are good at keeping opponents at bay when the ball is in play.
But from set-pieces they’re clearly susceptible to presenting high quality chances to the opposition, and that has to play into Wolves’ plans for the game this weekend.
Wolves have carried little set-piece threat so far
Despite a lot of Wolves players being over six feet tall, there has not been much threat this season from set-pieces.
Wolves have scored seven goals in the Premier League so far this season, which is the joint-fewest along with Nottingham Forest.
Of those seven goals, only one has come from a set-piece (via WhoScored).
Wolves are about to face a side who have been weak when it’s come to set-pieces this season and hopefully, James Collins and Richard Walker have acknowledged this and have been trying some things with the players at Compton Park.
It is going to be hugely important on Saturday night that Wolves make the most of set-piece scenarios, because breaking Chelsea down from open play is going to be tough, especially for a team lacking creativity.
It’s also worth noting that Chelsea, being at home, are likely to have the lion’s share of possession. This will only make set-piece opportunities even more important for Wolves, because they will surely be defending for a lot of the game.