Gary O’Neil believes one victory is all it is going to take to supply lift-off for Wolves’ season, because the Premier League’s backside facet put together to go to Brentford on Saturday.
Wolves have taken only one level from their first six matches of the season, having final didn’t win any of their first seven video games of a top-flight marketing campaign once they completed backside in 2003-04.
They fell to a 2-1 defeat to leaders Liverpool at Molineux final week and have additionally confronted Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Aston Villa in a frightening begin to 2024-25.
O’Neil believes their performances have warranted higher outcomes and insists his crew retain the backing of supporters, saying: “The lads at all times present that they’re not a bunch that may’t bounce again.
“After we misplaced to Arsenal, we went full throttle in opposition to Chelsea. Then we went full throttle in opposition to Newcastle and we suffered a late defeat. We go to Aston Villa, and we go once more.
“We’re able to go once more and that may at all times be the case. Everybody on this soccer membership is doing completely all the things they’ll, myself included. I’m actually upset for the lads as a result of they deserve one thing to indicate for his or her efforts at this second.
“We simply must discover a technique to get that first win on the board, then we’ll be capable of push off.”
Brentford, in the meantime, sit twelfth within the desk with seven factors, after drawing 1-1 with West Ham final outing.
Goalkeeper Mark Flekken has made a stable begin to 2024-25 after initially struggling to adapt to the Premier League when first becoming a member of the Bees final 12 months.
Chatting with the membership’s official web site about his upturn, the previous Freiburg man mentioned it was his purpose to change into a participant coach Thomas Frank may at all times rely on.
“I need to put in the identical performances that I did throughout the second half of final season, however over the complete 12 months,” Flekken mentioned.
“I’m not the person who seeks out to be decisive in a sport; if the boys maintain all the things away from me, that’s higher. I need to save these one, two, three photographs heading in the right direction the place the crew wants me. That’s my purpose, to be that particular person they’ll depend on.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Brentford – Bryan Mbeumo
Mbeumo’s purpose in opposition to West Ham final outing was his forty eighth Premier League purpose involvement (27 targets, 21 assists), the outright most of any Brentford participant.
The Cameroonian is trying to rating in three consecutive league video games for the primary time since December 2019 (a run of 4 within the Championship).
Wolves – Matheus Cunha
A lot of Wolves’ attacking play goes by means of Cunha, and the Brazilian may have a pivotal position to play if they’re to stand up and operating right here.
He has had extra photographs (16), created extra possibilities (9), had extra touches within the opposition field (25) and performed extra passes into the field (30) than another Wolves participant within the Premier League this season.
MATCH PREDICTION – BRENTFORD WIN
Brentford gained 2-0 at Wolves in February, with the Bees final successful consecutive league video games in opposition to them within the 2015-16 Championship marketing campaign.
However Wolves have a powerful file in West London, going unbeaten by means of their final 5 away league video games in opposition to Brentford (three wins, two attracts), successful two of their three visits within the Premier League together with a 4-1 triumph final December.
O’Neil’s males have additionally gained three of their final 4 Premier League away video games in opposition to London sides, as many as that they had of their earlier 21 such visits (4 attracts, 14 losses), although they did lose on their solely go to to the capital to this point this season (0-2 at Arsenal).
Wolves have, nonetheless, conceded 16 targets from simply 9.8 anticipated targets in opposition to (xGA) within the Premier League this season, the worst such distinction to this point this time period (-6.2). Brentford will hope their porous showings proceed on Saturday.
The Bees ought to be cautious in the event that they do hit the entrance although, having dropped a league-high 38 Premier League factors from successful positions for the reason that begin of final season, together with eight already in 2024-25.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Brentford – 47.4%
Wolves – 27.9%
Draw – 24.8%
