Wolverhampton Wanderers fans are growing more and more impatient that Gary O’Neil is still at the helm, even in spite of what the under-pressure Old Gold manager achieved last season during trying times.
O’Neil managed to pick up the pieces from Julen Lopetegui’s short stint in charge and guide the West Midlands side to a respectable 13th-place finish in the Premier League. That doesn’t necessarily read as an impressive position at first glance, but one that was acceptable after a harrowing mass exodus severely damaged the camp.
Ruben Neves, Nathan Collins, Raul Jimenez and more would desert the top-flight club in the summer of 2023, leaving many in the dark over what Wolves could realistically achieve in the wake of all these absences, with safety a clear priority.
O’Neil did pull off just that, but it looks as if the swirling waters he managed to keep his head above last season are now getting the better of him, as the Old Gold currently sit in a depressing 19th spot.
Amazingly, he looks set to remain in the Molineux hot seat for the time being, hopeful that a number of his star performers keep excelling, away from a whole host of underperformers that have dragged his team down to the bottom three.
Key players under O'Neil
The obvious place to start here is to talk glowingly about Matheus Cunha, who has stepped up to be one of his team’s brightest sparks in attack ever since Pedro Neto’s disappointing exit to Chelsea.
The 25-year-old – even with the backdrop of his team being only on nine points deep in the relegation zone – has a mightily impressive seven Premier League goals next to his name from 15 appearances, which included this stunner beating Bernd Leno just last month in a big 4-1 away win.
His Nordic partner up top in Jorgen Strand Larsen has also filled the void left behind by Neto well, with the Celta Vigo loanee powering home six strikes of his own in the top division.
Unfortunately, the Scandinavian menace has fired blanks across his team’s two last defeats, as his unusual shyness in front of goal nearly cost O’Neil his livelihood.
But, the ex-Cherries boss will know his 6 foot 4 asset can strike fear into the hearts of opposition defenders from nothing when at the peak of his powers, having picked up a brace against his former employers at the close of November from just 32 touches of the ball.
Whilst it goes without saying to Wolves fans that both of these attackers have been overwhelming successes amidst a bleak campaign to date, this Old Gold flop has continued to find himself out of his manager’s first-team plans even as he routinely tinkers with his XI, after so much hype met his initial purchase in 2022.
What was said when Guedes signed for Wolves
Wolves have often succeeded when bringing in many a Portuguese talent in recent years, with the aforementioned names of Neves and Neto sticking out among many others.
But, it’s fair to say now that Goncalo Guedes goes into the dud category away from being considered a worthwhile import, despite lots of praise greeting his arrival to Wolverhampton.
Wolves chairman Jeff Shi would wax lyrical about the ex-Valencia attacker after his major £27.5m move to Molineux was officially confirmed, stating that he was “delighted” to win the services of the forward who had starred in flashes in Spain.
Guedes would exit the Mestalla with a promising 36 goals and 30 assists notched up from 178 total games, and with Bruno Lage – who worked with the Wolves number 29 in his native Portugal – in charge at the time of his signing, everything felt like it was slotting in place for this to be a fruitful buy.
Unfortunately, that’s not how it’s worked out in reality, with Guedes one face that could be permanently shifted on in January after only being given one start all season long so far in the Premier League.
Guedes' ongoing woes at Wolves
Across 32 appearances to date in England, the once up-and-coming ace at Valencia has only managed to fire home two top-flight goals, with the transfer just left to feel like a gigantic waste of money in the here and now.
O’Neil certainly isn’t his biggest advocate either, with Guedes out on loan all of last season when the 44-year-old was far more in the good books of the Old Gold faithful, which has led to the 28-year-old tasting minimum first-team minutes this campaign.
Season
Games played
Goals scored
Assists
24/25
14
4
2
22/23
18
2
1
The underwhelming Wolves number 29 has fired home three strikes from two games in the EFL Cup when thrown into that competition this season, but he is not one O’Neil will want moving forward if his troops remain in the trenches of a relegation fight.
He managed just 20 touches of the ball when given a rare start versus Everton at the start of December, alongside only tallying up one shot on goal, as he was substituted off just shy of the hour mark in the humiliating 4-0 defeat.
With rumours circulating that Villarreal could give him a route out of the West Midlands this coming transfer window, Wolves would do far worse than to offload their significant flop, especially when you cast an eye at his excessive salary at the club.
As per reports, Guedes is currently the joint-highest earner in O’Neil’s camp despite his ongoing woes, with the 28-year-old raking in a healthy £90k-per-week.
Player
Wage
1. Goncalo Guedes
£90k-per-week
2. Pablo Sarabia
£90k-per-week
3. Nelson Semedo
£80k-per-week
4. Hwang Hee-Chan
£70k-per-week
5. Matheus Cunha
£60k-per-week
Staggeringly, despite his mentioned heroics for the relegation-threatened outfit, Cunha is £30k-per-week off Guedes’ bumper wage when glancing at the above table, with a decision on the £27.5m flop’s future needing to be made urgently.
O’Neil will also know he needs to have a group at his disposal that he can rely on as games become even tenser at the foot of the division, away from keeping his fingers crossed that duds like Guedes will eventually come good.
Wolves supporters would have been praying that this explosive version of Guedes would eventually come to the forefront in the Premier League, but with a busy January coming closer and closer into view that might well decide the fate of the season with a potential flurry of incomings and departures, selling on the 28-year-old could be the best way to go.
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