Will Wolves bounce back?
Wolves have huffed and puffed this season, but they have not come close to blowing the house down. Since the Premier League began in 1992, fewer than a quarter of relegated teams have returned at the first attempt. For clubs that fail to come straight back up, the longer-term risk grows; something Wolves know all too well.
[BBC] [Getty Images] Wolves have huffed and puffed this season, but they have not come close to blowing the house down. The old nursery rhyme feels uncomfortably accurate. Too often we have looked like a side lacking conviction, lacking fight, and lacking ideas.
This week brought more of the same: another flat performance, another afternoon spent sitting deep and inviting pressure instead of taking control. So the question now is simple: will Wolves bounce back? The numbers offer little comfort.
Since the Premier League began in 1992, fewer than a quarter of relegated teams have returned at the first attempt. That alone shows how difficult the climb can be. And the danger does not end there.
For clubs that fail to come straight back up, the longer-term risk grows; something Wolves know all too well. We have been there and got the t-shirt, with back‑to‑back relegations in 2012 and 2013. That history is exactly why this season feels so alarming.