With just 16 games played, a mere two points, and a staggering goal differential of -26, you’d think this record belongs to an amateur team that jumped into the top division prematurely. Surely, a professional team wouldn’t be struggling this badly, right?
Well, think again. This shocking statistic belongs to a Premier League club having a disastrous season – and it’s not a team newly promoted to the league.
Advertisement
The Wolverhampton Wanderers are setting new low records week after week, each one indicative of a historically poor season before even reaching the winter break.
After only 14 matches, the Wolves managed to secure their first unpleasant milestone. Following a 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest, they now share the record for the fewest points after fourteen league games with Sheffield United.
On the Brink of the Longest Winless Start
What’s even more troubling is that since then, they have suffered defeats against Manchester United and Arsenal without earning a single point. As a result, the Wolves remain at the bottom of the table with just two points, a staggering eight (!) points behind newly promoted Burnley, who sit just above the relegation zone. If they fail to secure a win in today’s match against Brentford, they will match Sheffield United for the longest winless start to a Premier League season.
Advertisement
The Wolves have endured an astonishing nine consecutive defeats, leaving their confidence shattered. Their only two points so far were earned in matchdays 6 and 7 against Tottenham and Brighton & Hove Albion at the beginning of October. Do the players even remember what it’s like to get results? It’s hard to say.
A change in coaching staff has already taken place, yet it has yielded no positive results. After Vítor Pereira was sacked, his successor Rob Edwards has yet to secure a single point.
Where Did It All Go Wrong?
That’s always the pressing question in hindsight.
In summary, the Wolves lost several of their key players over the summer. Important figures like Matheus Cunha and Rayan Aït-Nouri departed for rival clubs, while Pablo Sarabia and Nelson Semedo also exited. The absence of Cunha, who contributed 15 goals last season, highlights just how much the club depended on his scoring ability.
Advertisement
This season, the Wolves have managed a mere nine goals in total, averaging about half a goal per game. The new signings, Jørgen Strand Larsen (27 million euros) and Tolu Arokodare (26 million euros), have combined for just two goals.
Fans are still waiting for appropriate replacements for the players who left, and their frustration is mounting.
Even prior to the match against Manchester United earlier this month, Wolves supporters voiced their anger, protesting against the club’s owners – a Chinese investment group – and only entering the stadium well after kick-off.
Chairman Jeff Shi has since resigned but continues to lead the investment group Fosun Sports Group. His interim replacement is Nathan Shi, who is not related and has been with Fosun since 2016.
Advertisement
Even with the chairman’s departure, the mood at the club is unlikely to improve. According to statistics from ‘Opta’, the club has virtually no realistic chance of avoiding relegation, with over a 98 percent probability of finishing in the bottom three by season’s end. Given their current position, it’s no wonder: they are already 14 points adrift of safety. That’s a monumental challenge.
Season Objective: Damage Control?!
The goal now must be to avoid setting any more negative records. The current record for the fewest points in a Premier League season is eleven. To surpass the lowest number of wins, the Wolves will need at least two additional victories, a target that seems feasible until you consider their performance so far this season.
It’s even conceivable that they might lose 30 or more of the 38 Premier League matches – a fate only matched by Southampton last season, who lost all but eight of their games.
Advertisement
The Wolves have lost every match so far, with the exception of two. Today, they face another opportunity to finally secure their first win or at least earn a point, as they host 15th-placed Brentford.
Securing even a draw would be crucial to avoid making history as the earliest confirmed relegation in league history, a dubious honor currently held by Derby County, who saw their relegation sealed as early as March 29 in the 2000s.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.
📸 Alex Pantling – 2025 Getty Images