Usually after a 4-0 loss, pundits would be laying into a team, their manager and their players; however, Jamie Redknapp took a different view of Wolves after the Manchester City game.
It’s been a summer of change at Molineux, and Vitor Pereira has done his best so far to embed the new signings into his style of play.
Before the Manchester City game, Wolves had managed four signings, with one being a permanent move for Jorgen Strand Larsen, while losing five of last season’s key players.
The business the club has done in the transfer market has led to an incredible but concerning stat being revealed, and Jamie Redknapp has given his opinion on Pereira’s side.
Wolves had the highest total percentage of minutes last season by players no longer at the club
Jhon Arias, David Moller Wolfe, and Fer Lopez had never played in the Premier League before joining Wolves, so an adaptation period was always likely.
Of the new signings, only Moller Wolfe started against Manchester City, as Wolves slumped to a disappointing result.
However, pundit Jamie Redknapp wasn’t too critical of Pereira’s side, as a stat revealed Wolves had the highest total percentage of minutes last season by players no longer at the club.
Wolves top the chart with 36.5%, followed by Bournemouth with 33.5% and then Burnley with 31.8%.
Redknapp says that Wolves’ squad has been “absolutely decimated”, and that the new signings may “take a little bit of time for those players to bed in.”
But he goes on to say that Wolves need to “trust” Pereira based on “how well he did last season.”
The Wolves boss hasn’t been shy about needing more quality in his squad, and recently Pereira confirmed Fosun are working on three or four signings.
However, if those players are also new to Premier League football, the adjustment period for the Wolves squad could be prolonged.
Jamie Redknapp is right about Wolves signings; time is key
Jamie Redknapp is right; fans should be patient with their new signings. The Premier League is one of the most physical and intense in the world, and coming in with no experience can be difficult.
Vitor Pereira proved last season that he is able to get results in England, but he has lost a tonne of players experienced with English football.
Matheus Cunha, Rayan Ait Nouri, Nelson Semedo, Pablo Sarabia, and Goncalo Guedes have all left, and unproven Premier League talents have stepped in to replace them.
It will take time for the new signings to become accustomed to English football, and for now Wolves supporters may have to bide their time.
Additionally, Wolves have a new leadership group, and it will be up to them to also help the new players settle in and try to fill the void left by those who have departed.