Wolverhampton Wanderers

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  1. What could Wolves do next season?published at 16:51 15 April

    Chief football writer Phil McNulty byline banner
    Wolves celebrate a winImage source, PA Media

    BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty has been answering your Premier League questions during a special Q&A session on Tuesday.

    He was asked: You were at Molineux on Sunday. Notwithstanding Spurs gifting goals, what did you make of Wolves and what they might do next season?

    Phil: I think Wolves have some very talented players, although I fear they will lose their key striker Matheus Cunha this summer. He has got real star quality, which I suspect will attract bids from elsewhere.

    I really like what Vitor Pereira has done. He has achieved real unity with the fans, as proved by the players and staff taking a bow at both ends after the final whistle.

    There seems to be a genuine spirit and optimism there.

    As always, summer recruitment will be key, but even without Cunha I would not expect Wolves to struggle as they have this season next term.

  2. 'A match made in football heaven' - how far can Pereira take Wolves?published at 12:34 15 April

    George Lakin
    Fan writer

    Wolverhampton Wanderers fan's voice banner
    Wolves manager Vitor Pereira Image source, Getty Images

    Vitor Pereira is a miracle worker.

    Tactically he is a genius. From a man-management point of view, he is unshakeable. The whole Matheus Cunha debacle was dealt with consummate ease - after a tumultuous week on social media, the Brazilian ended up sealing the win against Tottenham and beaming with joy while doing it.

    Pereira seems able to deal with any challenge the Premier League and public life throws at him.

    But just how far can he take Wolves?

    In his words: "We continue to rise." How high? Time will tell.

    This season, at least, he has openly said: "17th is not acceptable, it's not a success." Understandably so. While this was his sole objective when he arrived, he has set a much higher standard than that, and deserves more. As high as 13th place is still anyone's, and no one is in finer fettle than ourselves right now.

    In fact, if the season had started when he walked through the doors, it would be 16 games deep and Wolves would be sat in eighth place on 26 points, three points off a Champions League spot.

    Momentum is vital. Building it is hard. Pereira has made that bit look easy. He has unified the club, fans and city. The last time a team that looked as utterly broken and doomed to relegation ended the season like this was a certain Leicester City.

    We all know what happened next.

    Claudio Ranieri, amidst all his charisma, understood the power of momentum. Pereira carries a similar aura to the Italian. Passion is priceless, and his "man of the people" vibes are helped massively by his post-match drinks with fans in the local pub, like a real-life Ted Lasso.

    So, with the wind in his sails and the city behind him - who knows? One thing's for certain though - Pereira's ambition is relentless. And after mistakes made in the past, primarily in not backing managers, it feels like the club is duty-bound to match it. To lose what we have now would be unforgivable, and the absolute final straw for most.

    Vitor is special, and he has given us our club back. Much like times gone by under Nuno Espirito Santo, the city of Wolverhampton has a smile on its face once again: charming, warm, and of the Portuguese persuasion. A match made in football heaven.

    Find more from George Lakin at Always Wolves, external

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  3. 'We need to talk more about Strand Larsen'published at 10:44 15 April

    Tom Gayle
    Match of the Day 2 commentator at Molineux

    Jorgen Strand LarsenImage source, Getty Images

    How many strikers would describe scoring a Premier League goal as an "off day"? Jorgen Strand Larsen would.

    Understandably Matheus Cunha grabbed a lot of the headlines following Wolves' victory over Spurs, not only for his goal from off the bench as he returned from a four-game suspension, but doing so a day on from a deleted social media post where the Brazilian appeared to once again suggest his future lies away from the club.

    However, for me, we need to talk more about Strand Larsen.

    The Norwegian's tap-in in front of the Sir Jack Hayward Stand was his 12th goal of the season and leaves him on track to become the first Wolves player to score in a fifth consecutive Premier League appearance when they head to Manchester United on Sunday.

    Since the days of peak Raul Jimenez, the club have struggled to find an out-and-out striker capable of scoring regularly. There was hope Fabio Silva would become the main man, especially given a then club record fee of £35m was paid to secure the teenage prodigy back in 2020. He looks set to depart Molineux this summer having not been seen in the gold and black for almost 18 months, and with a derisory tally of five goals in 74 appearances.

    Alan Shearer's analysis of Strand Larsen's performance during last weekend's victory at Ipswich was as follows: "His hold-up play was excellent, his touch and control were superb." It was an assessment which you could easily copy and paste into Sunday's match report. Erling Haaland was more concise with his appraisal: "Mannnn" followed by two fire emojis when responding to his international team-mate's social media post.

    When speaking to Strand Larsen afterwards, rather than indulge in praise regarding his individual contribution, I found him to be admirably self-deprecating. Form of five goals in his past four games he says is down to "my team-mates", and he said it was "nice to be close to such a legend" when I pointed out he was just one shy of Jimenez's club record for the total scored by a Wolves player during a debut Premier League season.

    In what was a largely jovial post-match press conference with boss Vitor Pereira, he could not have been more steely when refusing to answer questions about Wolves now being safe from relegation: "If I start to speak about being safe then I am not being ambitious. I did not come to England, to the Premier League, to work just to avoid relegation. I am not this kind of coach."

    Given only eight other clubs have players who have currently scored more Premier League goals than Strand Larsen this season, I feel he has already proven himself more than capable of helping Pereira target those desired loftier ambitions in the future.

  4. Wolves transformed under Pereirapublished at 14:54 14 April

    Wolves stats under Gary O'Neil and Vitor Pereira

    Vitor Pereira took charge of his 16th Premier League game as manager of Wolves on Sunday.

    A 4-2 victory over Tottenham was Wanderers' fourth successive win and their eighth in the league under Pereira.

    Wolves had taken just nine points from their 16 matches under Gary O'Neil this season before his departure in December. In the 16 games under Pereira, Wolves' points tally is 26.

    The other most noticeable improvement has come defensively; Wolves are conceding at a rate of 1.31 goals per game in Premier League games under Pereira, compared with 2.5 goals per game this season under their previous boss.

  5. Wolves 4-2 Tottenham - the fans' verdictpublished at 10:53 14 April

    Your views banner
    Cristian RomeroImage source, Getty Images

    We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Wolves and Tottenham.

    Here are some of your comments:

    Wolves fans

    Bill: We're playing like a top-10 team now, but just need to cut out the silly defensive mistakes.

    Steve: Great home win and moved up a place. Amazing confidence and all round performance as the team grows with new players and a new lease of life under the manager, whose strategy is working and bringing rewards. Looking forward to next season already, maybe with a couple of new players that have been rumoured. Everyone wants to play for the team and the manager.

    Nathan: This team has found the formula. Two-goal lead and then every time Spurs got one back, the response was quick and effective. Rayan Ait-Nouri, Jorgen Strand Larsen, Andre and Joao Gomes were a different class again!

    Tottenham fans

    Jake: Yet again, a gutless performance from Tottenham, something that seems to be symptomatic for this season. The amount of mistakes and uninspired in-game decisions from management are simply indefensible. I'm afraid to say this but: Ange needs to go, end of.

    Paul: Possibly the worst defensive performance I've ever seen from a Spurs team. No fight, too many players are too easily dispossessed and some of the passing is non-league standard. The keeper gives me kittens every time the ball is put into the area and Cristian Romero has been awful for two seasons now. Overall I would say I'm a little disappointed. If we go out of Europe on Thursday, Ange will be gone on Friday.

    JS: Some of these players are not worthy of representing our football club, they are seemingly already planning their summer holidays. And for all the Ange critics, the manager is not responsible for individual mistakes for all four of the goals conceded today. Without those four individual errors we may well have won this match!

  6. 'We deserved the result'published at 16:45 13 April

    Rayan Ait-NouriImage source, Getty Images

    Wolves manager Vitor Pereira speaking to Sky Sports after the 4-2 victory against Spurs: "I'm very happy with the team, the personality, the commitment, the organisation, the confidence to play. We faced a strong team but in my opinion we deserved the result.

    "I believe as a manger you transmit your personality to the players. I am an ambitious guy, I want more and more. This is the image I ask the players to send to the supporters. We have a team that can reach other targets.

    "Joao Gomes played a fantastic game. Each day he gets better and better. But today I cannot say that one player did not have a good game."

    On Matheus Cunha deleting a social media post that angered some fans:

    "We are together, we are committed, we are a family and the supporters are our family. Cunha is our family. Together we can be stronger and stronger."

  7. Did you know?published at 16:30 13 April

    Vitor Perira managing WolvesImage source, Getty Images

    Wolves have won four consecutive Premier League games for the very first time, while it's their longest winning run in the top-flight since January 1972 (4).

  8. Follow Sunday's Premier League games livepublished at 11:05 13 April

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    Four matches make up Sunday's Premier League action and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

    • Chelsea v Ipswich

    • Liverpool v West Ham

    • Wolves v Tottenham

    • Newcastle United v Manchester United (16:30)

    All kick-off times 14:00 BST unless stated

    Follow all of the action and reaction here

  9. Sutton's predictions: Wolves v Tottenhampublished at 11:03 13 April

    Sutton's predictions graphic

    Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has got his big players back from injury but he will have his eye on the Europa League and getting past Eintracht Frankfurt, so will he rest people here?

    I have been really impressed with Wolves under Vitor Pereira, especially defensively.

    When Gary O'Neil was sacked in December, they had shipped 40 goals in their first 16 league games but, under Pereira, they have only conceded another 19 in 15 matches.

    Wolves have won their past three games to move 12 points clear of the relegation zone and I am expecting them to make it four wins in a row here, with another clean sheet.

    Sutton's prediction: 2-0

    Read the full predictions and have your say

  10. Semi-automated offsides a 'step in right direction' but take 'with a pinch of salt'published at 11:07 12 April

    Nedum Onuoha, BBC Sport columnist
    Referee Craig Pawson checks the VAR monitorImage source, Getty Images

    There are lots of different perspectives in terms of how you watch a game of football, and I think for the majority of time the people in the stadium get the best atmosphere, but the worst views of how a game has actually gone.

    You don't really get the chance to see multiple replays and have discussions about things, because you just get caught up in the moment.

    With the incoming semi automated offsides, they did promise it earlier in the season - but I think the caveat was they're only going to do it when it's ready.

    It is a positive that they didn't do it when it wasn't ready.

    One upside to to the new technology is some of the arguments disappear. Previously you could say 'but it looks like it's this to me' or 'it looks like it's that to me'. When it is presented now, there aren't many people that will then be looking at the animation, going back to the video, and then going down a proper conspiracy rabbit hole.

    So, it ends more arguments, not all arguments, but more arguments.

    I think people, as a consequence, will be more accepting of it.

    But, I still do believe that there's things for people to understand, because it can't be used in every situation. There are certain decisions which can still be a little bit more complex, and there's certain times where human intervention will still need to be brought in.

    I wouldn't say it's as clear as, say, goal line technology, but it's a step in the direction to where most people feel more comfortable accepting the outcome and the speed of it as well will be encouraged.

    It's not to say that it's going to be instant. If you believe this is going to be perfect, and always extremely fast, ask yourself, why do you think that?

    Unless somebody has told you that from PGMOL, then take it with a pinch of salt and you see how it goes.

    I think it's something that many people have seen before so hopefully there will be fewer arguments.

    But, because it's football, there'll always be something to argue about the end of the day.

  11. Did you know?published at 18:01 11 April

    Rayan Ait-Nouri shoots for Wolves against TottenhamImage source, Getty Images

    No sides have seen more goals in their Premier League games this season than both Tottenham Hotspur (103 - 58 for, 45 against) and Wolves (102 - 43 for, 59 against).

    Only leaders Liverpool (72) have scored more goals than Spurs (58) in the division this term, while only the current bottom three sides have conceded more than Wolves (59).

  12. Pereira on Cunha's return, staying motivated and Spurspublished at 14:54 11 April

    Wolves boss Vitor Pereira has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game at home against Tottenham (14:00 BST).

    Here are the key lines from his news conference:

    • Pereira confirmed leading scorer Matheus Cunha will not go straight back into his starting XI on his return from suspension: "What is fair? It's fair to keep going with the same team. That is my opinion. This is football, this is commitment, leadership. Matheus will come to help us, he understands, I had a conversation with him, but I will play the same team."

    • Pedro Lima has twisted his ankle and will be unavailable.

    • Has the team shape changed in Cunha's absence? "Yes I think so. Tactically when we are attacking we are doing different movements. I am asking different things than when I started. When you start to put more and more things on the system, the system will show you that we can do a lot of things differently. We are trying to improve our style of play, especially with the ball."

    • On staying motivated after all but securing survival: "If you relax it's a big mistake. It's my responsibility to not allow them to relax because the next game will be very hard for us."

    • He stressed the importance of keeping the supporters behind them: "We need to feel the energy and make this connection with the supporters. Of course we are not finished yet, but together we are stronger. If you play with your soul they will be proud, if we don't press and show courage they will tell us. I want confidence and fight."

    • On the challenge posed by Spurs: "We will face a very good team, a strong team. I watched them yesterday, they are with fire. The coach will for sure do some changes but they are still very strong because they have a very good squad."

    Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

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  13. 'Pereira passionate about big things, little things - everything'published at 10:40 10 April

    Nedum Onuoha, BBC Sport columnist banner
    Vitor Pereira celebratesImage source, Getty Images

    Vitor Pereira seems like he's got a really strong mind in terms of how he wants to seem to play.

    He's very passionate on the sideline about big things, little things - everything, basically.

    One thing that he's done, just looking from just from a stats perspective, is bring down the goals conceded a ton.

    At the start of the season Wolves were scoring goals, but they were conceding so many, especially from set pieces.

    Since he's been in charge, his team have now gained more points than the bottom three combined and in doing so have conceded 19 goals in 15 games which is very good and such a stark contrast to what it was previously.

    The amount of goals scored has gone down, but he's made Wolves a tougher team to play against and that makes a big, big difference. They will have that goal threat but now when you play against them opponents are not thinking they will just be given something.

    When you're down there you shouldn't be expected to score a ton of goals, but you have to be competitive and they've basically done that

    The narrative was that if you stop Matheus Cunha you stop Wolves but now the threat is coming from different positions. There are other points in the team with a greater emphasis.

    In terms of how he set the team up, Pereira has helped the understanding between the players on the pitch as well and harnesses the mentality to go out there and get points, which is impressive given how bad the team had been to the point of his arrival.

    Now they're showing to be more of the team that he believes that they can be and are showing mid-table Premier League form.

    It's been really good to see the players play in that manner, and for him to be able to hit the ground midway during the season, because for lots of managers that tends to be a bridge too far sometimes.

    Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Nat Hayward

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