Just a week ago, after Wolves’ narrow home defeat by Liverpool, manager Gary O’Neil said he was unwilling to class his team’s precarious position at the foot of the Premier League table as a situation worthy of concern.
After watching his side’s desperate display at Brentford on Saturday, O’Neil may be tempted to review the matter.
“It’s the worst game I’ve been involved in as a coach,” O’Neil told BBC Match of the Day.
Wolves scored two first-half goals at the Gtech Community Stadium, but their attacking endeavours were undermined by some truly woeful defending as Bryan Mbeumo, Christian Norgaard and Ethan Pinnock added to Nathan Collins’ second-minute header to give the hosts a 4-2 half-time lead.
Fabio Carvalho made it five for Brentford late on before Rayan Ait-Nouri’s effort in second-half stoppage time put a more respectable sheen on the scoreline from a Wolves’ perspective – but it was one they scarcely deserved.
“It’s the furthest I’ve seen the group from what we wanted to look like,” O’Neil added.
“We were wide open. Crazy, crazy goals we gave away. [We made] crazy decisions with and without the ball. It was so loose.
“It’s an unbelievably disappointing afternoon for us.”
Wolves had responded well to Brentford’s first two goals – replying first through Matheus Cunha, then Jorgen Strand Larsen – but the Bees’ two-goal half-time lead was gifted to them on a plate by the visitors.
Mario Lemina lost possession cheaply in the build-up to Norgaard’s effort, while Pinnock was left with the freedom of the penalty area to nod home Mikkel Damsgaard’s corner before the interval.
“This is the first evidence that we need a rethink,” O’Neil told Sky Sports. “The early goal rocked us, but whatever it is [that caused the defeat], it’s not acceptable.”
The loss leaves Wolves bottom of the Premier League table with only one point from their opening seven games, with games at home to Manchester City and away at Brighton coming up after the international break.
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O’Neil has now overseen Wolves’ worst-ever start to a Premier League campaign – and their joint-worst opening to a top-flight season since 1964-65.
Thirteen teams have collected only one point or fewer from their opening seven matches in the Premier League era. Only four – Southampton in 1999, Newcastle in 2000, Sunderland in 2014 and Crystal Palace in 2018 – have gone on to avoid relegation.
Saturday’s defensive shambles means they have conceded 21 goals so far, more than Sheffield United, who were beaten 8-0 by Newcastle in their sixth game, had shipped at the same stage last season before finishing bottom of the table with a goals against tally of 104.
Leicester are the only club to have let in more after seven Premier League matches, conceding 22 in 2022-23.
Moreover, O’Neil’s team have not registered a top-flight clean sheet since beating Sheffield United 2-0 in February.
That run of 19 Premier League games without a shut-out is matched only by Southampton.
‘No structure – a complete loss of control’
Reflecting on his team’s latest defensive horror show, O’Neil said: “There was no structure – a complete loss of control of what the team are meant to do and be.
“[We were] just far too open. No real understanding. We gave ourselves no opportunity at all, really, because of the level of defensive shape and structure.”
The Wolves supporters made their feelings known at several points during Saturday’s defeat, singing “you don’t know what you’re doing” in O’Neil’s direction after the 41-year-old replaced midfielder Andre with out-of-form striker Hwang Hee-Chan in the 57th minute.
The club’s Chinese owners also came under fire, fuelled by the summer departures of star players Pedro Neto and Max Kilman and their failure to find adequate replacements.
But despite masterminding only one win from their past 17 fixtures – a 2-1 home victory over Luton in April – O’Neil remains confident he is the man to lead the club away from danger.
“Today, I gave my best to help my football club have a successful day and it was miles below the standard we expect. Tomorrow, I will get up and do the same.
“My feeling to the football club and fans will never change. We are in a tough spot as a football club, funds-wise and results-wise. The fans deserve us to always give everything and keep fighting.
“They deserve better than what we managed to produce today.”