Wolves have had plenty of issues this season and set-pieces have certainly been a real problem.
Currently, Gary O’Neil’s side are bottom of the Premier League table having taken just one point from the first seven games.
Part of the reason for this is that the defending has been very, very poor.
Many fans couldn’t quite believe what they were seeing at times during the latest 5-3 defeat to Brentford, and the frustrations really did spill over after the full-time whistle with some Wolves supporters chanting for owners Fosun to go.
Ethan Pinnock was able to score far too easily with a header from a corner at the end of the first-half, and it was yet another scenario of Wolves conceding from a set-piece.
Some have felt that heads need to roll for the way Wolves have started the new season – and the club have actually now decided to sack their set-piece coach.
Set-piece coach Jack Wilson leaves Wolves after just three months
It has been reported today by Sky journalists Danyal Khan and Paul Gilmour that Wolves have parted ways with their set-piece coach Jack Wilson, just three months after he was first appointed.
Wolves have decided to act, with Wilson having seemingly not had the desired impact.
The decision has apparently been made between O’Neil and the hierarchy.
As reported by Khan, Wolves have conceded from set-pieces in five of their seven Premier League games so far.
At the other end, Wolves have scored just one goal from a set-piece, when Jorgen Strand Larsen found the back of the net against Chelsea in the 6-2 defeat back in August.
Wilson arrived at Wolves in early July as the club’s first-ever set-piece coach, and he came with a solid reputation having worked at Manchester City.
At the time of his appointment, O’Neil admitted he was ‘delighted’ to have Wilson at Wolves, telling the club’s official website: “I don’t meet too many people who go into as much detail on gameplans as I do, but Jack is one of the closest I’ve ever met to being as extreme in his detail.
“I’m delighted to be able to take him from Manchester City and he’ll be a huge asset to us.
“His purpose is to make Wolves better at set plays and he can knuckle down and get into the details, and the players have responded well.”
Khan adds that there are currently no plans for Wolves to bring in a short-term replacement.
Furthermore, according to the E&S, Wilson did not integrate well into Wolves’ backroom team. He was apparently recently demoted from his place in the bench.
Embarrassment for Wolves and O’Neil
It is somewhat embarrassing that Wolves have decided to part ways with their first-ever set-piece coach after only three months.
Wilson arrived at Wolves with a good reputation, with The Athletic reporting that he had been credited with ensuring some marginal gains for his previous club Manchester City.
Some may remember the brilliant free-kick Kevin De Bruyne took against Burnley in the Carabao Cup back in January, where he slipped in Julian Alvarez for a first-time finish. Wilson and assistant coach Carlos Vicens were the brains behind that idea.
So far this season at Wolves there has been no such invention and no goals scored.
Meanwhile, at the back, Wolves have been all at sea.
It is perhaps not the sacking some Wolves fans had hoped to see this week, but many will now hope for major improvements in this area.