Wolves have certainly gone under the radar this season, and it may come as a shock to many fans that they are currently three points behind West Ham, who are 7th, and six points behind 6th place Man United.
Hopes were relatively low when Wolves unveiled Gary O’Neil as their new manager, especially after his ineffective football almost cost Bournemouth their spot in the Premier League.
But this season, he has defied everyone’s expectations and has impressed throughout the season, guiding Wolves to an all but guaranteed top half finish, and a very unexpected, late, European push.
How likely are Wolves to finish in the top seven this season then, and what will it mean for them going into next season?
Remaining Fixtures
The first thing to consider is who Wolves play between now and the end of the season. Their first fixture will be one that goes a long way in deciding not only their European hopes but their opponents as well, Aston Villa.
Should they win this, it will put them in good stead for their next few fixtures, away against relegation-threatened Burnley, and then at home to European rivals West Ham, in what is another huge game for them.
They have some fairly difficult games to come in the future as well, which could have a say on both the title race and who gets relegated.
Wolves host Arsenal and Luton in back-to-back games, before travelling to Premier League holders Man City. Wolves then finish their home season off with a game against Crystal Palace, before travelling to Liverpool on the final day of the season.
It is a mixed bag for Wolves in terms of their remaining fixtures. They have some fairly straightforward games coming up against teams around the bottom of the table, which they will be hopeful of winning.
But, they also have some extremely difficult games against some of the top sides in the division as well. Their away trips to Liverpool and Man City will be very difficult, with both clubs vying for the Premier League title, and the Liverpool game being Klopp’s last game in charge of a Premier League fixture.
Wolves will have high hopes of beating these sides though. They have already beaten Man City in the league this season, have done the double over Chelsea and Spurs, and have had entertaining fixtures against the likes of Liverpool and Aston Villa.
Key Players
Who are Wolves’ key players that are pushing them towards a late European charge then?
A lot of credit is owed to Wolves’ attacking players. Hwang Hee-Chan has, arguably, had the season of his career, especially for Wolves. His 10 goals helped Wolves earlier in the season when they were struggling to score, and he has single-handedly won them games this season with his exploits in front of goal.
Matheus Cunha is another that has impressed more and more as the season has gone on. Despite a struggling start to life at Wolves, he is now their second-top goal scorer and has recorded their second-highest amount of assists, with nine and six respectively.
His creativity when attacking has been key to some of their attractive football when going forward. But he has not been their most creative player despite his impressive displays.
That crown is held by Pedro Neto, Wolves star man. Despite missing numerous games through injury this season, he has notched nine assists so far, whilst also grabbing himself two goals.
His ability on the ball, and his creativity in wide, or central, areas, has been the difference for Wolves this season. When they have needed someone to unlock a tight defence, he has been the man to do so.
Moving away from their defence, Wolves do have a few key men further back on the pitch as well. Mario Lemina has certainly enjoyed life at Wolves so far, and this season he has been a midfield rock for them.
It is not just in the defensive areas, or controlling the game either. Lemina has been getting in on the action further up the pitch as well, registering four goals this season.
In the defensive areas, Ait-Nouri has impressed, alongside Max Kilman, Nelson Semedo and, surprisingly, Craig Dawson. The Wolves' defence has at times been leaky, but more often than not they make themselves hard to beat.
So do Wolves have a chance of achieving an unlikely spot in Europe next season? Well, they have every chance, and the ball is in their court. They need to beat the teams around them, such as Aston Villa and West Ham for starters.
They will need points against Arsenal, Man City or Liverpool as well, if they do not want to rely on other teams dropping points, which is hard to see.
Their key players are hitting form at the right time, and O’Neil has the entire squad believing. You can see the confidence running through them when they are on the pitch.
Europe this season may be a step too far this season, but they may be a force to be reckoned with next season. With the right additions, and if they manage to keep hold of their key players, they may find themselves pushing the top six next year.
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