Wolverhampton Wanderers have confirmed the departure of Vitor Pereira as head coach following their 2-0 away lose to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. Wolves currently sit bottom of the Premier League table without a win from their first eight games and look to be favourites for relegation. The club have acted fast in replacing Vitor Periera with unknown manager Josh McEwen taking the reigns must to the disappointment of Wolves fans who are concerned that an unknown manager with no experience has been handed the tough task of saving Wolves from relegation woth a number of supporters clubs already criticising the appointment. A statement from Wolves was released earlier this morning.
Wolverhampton Wanderers can confirm that Vitor Pereira has left his position as head coach by mutual consent. The club wishes to express its gratitude to Vitor for his dedication and hard work during his tenure at Molineux.
This decision comes after a period in which results have unfortunately fallen short of both the club’s and supporters’ expectations. After careful consideration, the club’s leadership felt that a change was necessary not only to address immediate challenges on the pitch, but also to lay a stronger foundation for the long-term progress and success of Wolverhampton Wanderers.
In light of this, the club is pleased to announce the appointment of Josh McEwen, as Vitor’s successor. The club believes that Josh’s fresh approach and vision can help to turn the season around, instil renewed confidence in the squad, and set a positive course for the future. Wolverhampton Wanderers are committed to supporting Josh as he takes on this role and look forward to the next chapter under his leadership.
Josh added a brief statement saying “I am delighted to have been given this opportunity to manage Wolves, it is a club that belongs in the Premier league and our whole focus is on helping improve both performance and results on the pitch to ensure the club is still in the Premier League next season. I know concerns have been raised about myself being appointed but I urge our fans to get behind the players and give me the chance to show that I can turn this season around and keep this fantastic football club where they belong.”
Subs: Mamardashvili, Bradley, Szoboszlai (On 65), Ekitike (On 90), Robertson, Jones (On 57), Chiesa, Bajcetic, Gomez
Q: Josh what a result for your team. You dominated the midfield what did you make of the game?
Josh McEwen “As you said we dominated the midfield particularly in the first half we kept the ball superb and we were surprised that they let us have as much of the ball as we did without pressing as much. Second half they pressed us more but we still kept it well and you could see how frustrated we made them with the reckless tackle from Jeremie Frimpong on Tyrique (George) it was reckless and the referee got it spot on with the straight red card. We deserved to win and we had chances to score more but more importantly we defended as a unit and I think this was our best performance of the season against probably the best team we will face.”
Q: Arne not your sides day today not helped by the red card just how costly was that red card?
Arne Slot “It obviously made things alot more difficult for us, it was a reckless challenge but I thought it was a foul on Jeremie he was being pulled for him to lose the ball and then Jeremie has reacted in a stupid way. I can’t say we lost only because of this because wolves were better then us for the game said to the players ignore the fact they lost the last match at home 4-0 we have to be at our best work hard and create chances to beat them but we didn’t press well enough especially in the first half. I think the way they kept the ball without going forward much they were happy to draw we should have remained patient but when we went down to ten men you could see how they moved the ball forward faster and they could smell blood and fair play to them they got the win that they deserved. We have to bounce back it is the worst we have played but we still believe we can win the title”
Brentford (4-2-3-1): Kelleher, Kayode, Collins, van den Berg, Henry, Henderson, Yarmoliuk, Ouattara, Schade, Milambo (Off 74), Igor Thiago
Subs: Sa, Agbadou, Lembikisa, Bueno, Tchatchoua, Gomes (On 69), Larsen (On 37), Arias (On 69), Hwang Hee Chan (On 69)
Q: Keith a 1-0 loss in a closely thought game, what are your thoughts on the match?
Keith Andrews “It's a frustrating one because I thought we played really well they didn’t have as many chances as us but we’ve lost the game. I thought we started brightly Igor (Thiago) forced their keeper to push one on to the post and Jordan (Henderson) forced their keeper into a good save from a free kick and then the first real chance they created they’ve managed to score and you know the way they keep the ball and the way they defend it is going to be difficult from there but we kept battling and I think on another day we probably get a draw if not a win from the game.”
Q: Josh ,Tolu Arokodare was forced off in the first half can you give us an update on that injury and also your thoughts on the game?
Josh McEwen “He landed awkwardly on his shoulder and felt quite some discomfort in there I’ve been told by the physio it isn’t dislocated which was the initial concern but we will monitor it over the next couple of days and see how he feels ahead of next week. I thought it was another brilliant display from my lads all over the pitch the first half we rushed on the ball a little bit and gave it away in some silly areas but in the second half I thought we were back to our best and I think we deserved to win. The goa we scored was a real team goal Wouter (Goes) was aggressive in the tackle to win the ball Ardon (Jashari) showed a superb piece of skill, a lovely little dink over the top by Alex (Toth) and then on the volley Romain (Esse) has put it right in the bottom corner he’s deserved that goal for the way he’s played lately.”
Wolves (4-3-3): Johnstone, Garcia, Goes, Krejci, Wolfe, Andre, Jashari, Toth, Esse (Off 76), Larsen, George
Subs: Sa, Agbadou, Lembikisa, Bueno, Tchatchoua, Gomes, Arokodare, Arias (On 76), Hwang Hee Chan
Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya, Laimer, Hincapie, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly (Off 76), Rice, Zubimendi, Norgaard, Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard (Off 82)
Subs: Kepa, Calafiori, Madueke, Jesus, Saliba (On 76), Martinelli (On 82), Havertz, Nwaneri, Mosquera
Q: Josh a defeat today again your side could only score once and your the second lowest scorers in the league is that a concern for you?
Josh McEwen “I wouldn’t say it is a massive concern to be honest with you because since January you can see the players we have brought in have had a positive impact in us going forwards. You can look at it and say well you’ve only scored once in your last three games but on the other hand we have picked up six points, two clean sheets and played Liverpool who are top, Brentford who is always tough away and Arsenal who are also fighting for the title. Theres still quite a way to go this season but we’re playing some good football at the moment and I’m confident we will pick up some more positive results.”
Q: Mikel a hard fought win for your side today. What are your thoughts on the game today?
Mikel Arteta “I am so pleased with my team today, to come here and play the way we played against a very difficult side who play great football and press you all the way I am so happy with the character we showed especially the way we responded to their equaliser. The last couple of months you have seen how they want to play football they keep the ball well and can break at pace but I thought we had the better chances and we deserved to win the game.”
Consecutive 1-0 wins including one against Liverpool. Things are beginning to improve for Wolves. Reminds me a bit of their spring form, struggling in 17th, then suddenly to win 6 in a row, climbing to 13th or so.
Unfortunate defeat to Arsenal, conceding just a few minutes after equalizing in the 2nd half. Always important to avoid conceding in the first minutes after a goal.
The win against Liverpool was our best performance I think we were superb to follow it up with a tough away win at Brentford it was a near perfect month until Arsenal came to town but they deserved to beat us so we can't have any complaints
West Ham United (4-1-4-1): Hermansen, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Diouf, Potts (Off 63), Bowen (Off 89), Ward-Prowse, Paqueta, Summerville, Fullkrug (Off 89)
Subs: Fabianski, Igor Julio, Soucek (On 63), Wilson (On 89), Mavropanos, Fernandes, Marshall On 89), Earthy, Walker-Peters
Wolves (4-3-3): Johnstone, Garcia, Goes, Agbadou, Bueno (Off 63), Gomes, Jashari, Toth Off 79), Esse (Off 63), Arokodare (Off 79), George (Off 79)
Subs: Sa, Tchatchoua, Krejci, Andre (On 79), Arias (On 63), Lembikisa, Wolfe (On 63), Hwang Hee Chan (On 79), Larsen (On 79)
Q: Nuno not a single shot from your side but a point none the less are you happy with a draw today?
Nuno Espirito Santos “We need wins we know that especially at home but today we were up against a team in very good form who have played some very good teams lately and beaten them. The main focus was on making sure defensively we were very solid and to try and counter obviously defensively we were very good but in transition we were poor and we allowed them to control a lot of the ball but I don’t think they ever looked like scoring I think if anything they came here and were happy to take a point and didn’t leave themselves open to any counters.”
Q: Josh not a classic game you managed to not allow them any shots but struggled to create many chances yourselves. What are your thoughts on the game?
Josh McEwen “I think that sums it up to be honest West Ham sat really deep and we struggled to really create many clear cut chances. We wanted to come here and win the game, we wanted to dictate the match but in the final third we weren’t good enough I don’t know if the long gap between games had a negative affect on that but defensively we were outstanding both centre backs won everything in the air and like you said they didn’t have a shot. It wasn’t a classic game and a draw is the fair result because it was a boring contest.”
Subs: Sa, Tchatchoua, Krejci, Wolfe (On 68), Lembikisa, Gomes (On 68), Esse, Larsen, George (On 68)
Q: Daniel a very damaging loss for your side today overshadowed by a serious injury to Gruev. What are your thoughts on the game?
Daniel Farke “Yeah seeing Ilia stretchered off just before half time wasn’t nice we wish him all the best. The result was obviously not the result we wanted and I think is a bit harsh on my players. We were 1-0 down due to a corner at half time but then we had two glorious chances right at the start of the second half and you could feel the crowd lift everyone thought we would score the next goal and then out of nowhere they break and suddenly we are 2-0 down and against a Wolves team who moved the ball well it was difficult and we struggled to lift ourselves after that second goal. It is harsh on my players because we worked hard but on the balance of play Wolves probably edged it but we have to keep fighting if we want to remain in this league next season because Everton and west Ham are breathing down our necks now.”
Q: Josh you made the decision to bring Hwang Hee Chan in, he won the corner you scored from then added the second was your choice vindicated?
Josh McEwen “Hwang has earnt a start, he has been training fantastically and has made a positive impact recently when coming on so I’m happy for him as are all the lads. He was superb today but I thought all the lads were it was a massive game for us and we have come away with three points that have given us a six point gap now from the relegation places with five games to go. The way people said were talking about us when I came in everyone was saying we would be relegated but we have put ourselves in a strong position to stay in the league next season it is upto us to see it through now.”
Subs: Patterson, Hume, Talbi (On 63), Mayenda, Masuaku, Le Fee (On 72), Abdullahi, Neil, Ballard
Q: Josh your team dominated large parts of the game but were unable to find that crucial break through even having a penalty saved. What are your thoughts on the game?
Josh McEwen “It’s a disappointing result because of how well we played, we created enough chances to win the game but their keeper has made some great saves I thought the penalty was poor but he still guessed right and kept it out. I think Sunderland came here to try and catch us on the break and if they couldn’t do that they were happy with a point and I thought they kept to their game plan really well so credit to them for that. It is another point towards safety and remaining in the league.”
Q: Regis a tough point away to Wolves with your team just two points above the relegation places how important could that point prove to be?
Regis Le Bris “It was an important point for us with three games left we are only two points above the relegation places so it is important that we pick up as many points as possible to ensure we retain our Premier League status. Wolves are a very good team especially at home I thought my team executed our game plan perfectly and we created a couple of chances that if we had taken we would be in a much stronger position but we will keep fighting because there isn’t a long way to go now.”
Subs: Sa, Agbadou, Lembikasa, Bueno, Tchatchoua, Andre, Larsen, Esse, Hwang Hee Chan
Q: Fabian a very difficult loss to take especially considering you had that penalty to equalize in the dying moments. What are your thoughts on the game?
Fabian Hurzeler “It is difficult to accept this defeat because we deserved to win the game, their keeper made some really good saves and we missed a couple of good chances and then they create only two clear cut chances and they score from them both so it hurts us to lose in this way. Obviously the penalty gave us a golden chance to secure a point but their keeper has made a great save and they then held on to win the match but we know we deserved something from the game
Q: Josh a backs to the wall performance but with this win your now mathematically a Premier League team next season how does that feel?
Josh McEwen “It means so much not just to me but also to my players, I have tears in my eyes now I first want to thank god all glory belongs to him but I want to thank my players, our fans, the board and everyone who works so hard behind the scenes. Today we weren’t at our best but I am so happy for Ardon (Jashiri) and Alex (Toth) getting their first goals to seal our place in the league next season both players have been superb since signing and today Sam (Johnstone) was unbelievable between the sticks. This club deserves to be in this league and with three games left we can relax play good football and finish the season strong.”
Subs: Kinsky, van de Ven, Simons (On 70), Kolo Muani (On 67), Danso, Bahoya (On 88), Richarlison, Gray, Takai
Q: Josh a huge result for your side coming from behind, obviously the team is safe but how important is it for your team to keep the momentum going now?
Josh McEwen “Yeah I think it is crucial now to keep playing good football and keep picking results up we might be safe but we want to finish as high in the table as possible and try to build confidence ahead of next season. I thought going in 1-0 down was a little unfair on my players I don’t think it was a penalty but the character we showed in the second half to come back and win and I actually thought at 2-1 we were the team most likely to score the next goal so I am pleased and hopefully we can win the two remaining games and finish the season on a high.”
Q: Thomas 1-0 up at half time what do you think went wrong in the second half today?
Thomas Frank “We looked a little bit tired in the second half, it was a poor half from us and we apologise to our fans for it. When they got the equaliser I think it was a little against the run of play we were playing some good football and had a couple of little chances but after the equaliser it was like it knocked our confidence because we couldn't get going again and obviously Wolves scored again and then Gigi (Vicario) had to make some good saves to keep it at two so it wasn’t our best game.”
Subs: Lecomte, Diop (On 86), King, Jimenez, Castagne, Smith Rowe (On 65), Kusi-Asare, Cairney, Sessegnon (On 88)
Q: Josh a loss in your final home game of the season, how disappointing was todays result?
Josh McEwen “It obviously isn’t a good way to end our home run but I thought we were poor today. I’m not happy obviously with the red card and then two minutes later one of the subs gives away another penalty but we can be proud of how hard we have worked this season especially at home we were in a bad position when I came in and sometimes results don’t go your way we have worked so hard this season so maybe there were tired legs but next week we have the final game of the season and we will give our all to win.”
Q: Marco a superb win for your side against a team that has been in good form. How pleased are you with that result?
Marco Silva “I am really pleased with how we performed today even when Wolves had eleven men we were the better team and should have been in the lead but the way we managed the game at 1-0 up and against ten men I thought was superb. They are a very good side when we played them earlier in the season they were bottom but you could see their quality and today we came here and we outplayed them so I am proud of my team. Now we have one game left hopefully we can win for our fans and finish as high as possible.”
Subs: Sa, Doherty, Lembikasa, Bueno, Tchatchoua, Mane, Hwang Hee Chan, Esse (On 64), George (On 64)
Q: Isaac obviously taking over the team in the circumstances the team is in, however your team performed very well today have your team lost that game?
Isaac Corbyn “I don’t know to be honest, we created chance after chance absolutely dominated large periods of the game and then with their first shot of the game they’ve scored but we bounced back created more chances but it wasn’t to be. I think that result has summed our season up to be honest we dominated them earlier in the season and only drew and today we dominated and have ended up on the losing team this time.”
Q: Josh a backs to the wall performance but you have emerged victorious, what are your thoughts on that win?
Josh McEwen “It wasn’t our best performance but we got the win and that is the main thing today to finish the season off with a positive result for our fans. It has been a season with that had so many downs at the start and to finish it with a win and a twelve placed finish I couldn’t have imagined that when I took over. My job now is to sit down with the board over the summer hopefully discuss a new contract and then start putting plans in place for next season that will see us build on the foundations of this season.”
Would you prefer to see a season review or a season preview on the eve of our first game? I will still show who won trophies but won't go into detail on Wolves season but will instead preview the season starting I'm leaning towards a preview
Formidable end to the season with 3 wins in the last 4. A slow end for Arokodare though, could have finished a bit higher in the top scorer race, if he'd kept his pace for goals...
Asking for preferences, I think you should just kick off the next season any way you like. But some kind of overview of the squad could be good to see, providing information about which positions are well covered and which are perhaps a bit light and could use a bit of focus in the transfer window.
I'll probably do one of each tbh but don't want to drag pre season out I want to get playing and with transfers as well to write up there will be a few updates to do haha
Hayden Hackney has signed for Wolves from Middlesbrough in an £8,000,000 deal The young England midfielder was part of the Middlesbrough team who lost out in the play offs last season and has said he is keen to make the step up to the Premier League and show what he can do in the top flight. The midfielder was linked with Wolves in January but the teams couldn’t agree terms on a deal however the player has now made the switch. Also signing for Wolves is Spanish goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala who has signed from Athletic Bilbao on a five year deal in a transfer worth £10,000,000. The players are our second and third signings of the window after the obligation to buy Tyrique George was activated upon our survival in the Premier League last season.
Hayden Hackney said, “I’m absolutely delighted to be joining Wolves. There was a real possibility of making the move back in January, and the club’s consistent interest in me ever since played a huge part in my decision. Knowing that Wolves have been eager to bring me in for some time made it the right place for me, especially when I had a couple of other options on the table. I’m excited for the challenge of proving myself in the Premier League and contributing to a team that’s made impressive progress over the last six months. I can’t wait to get started and help us push to break into the top ten or even compete for a spot in Europe this season.”
Julen Agirrezabala said, “Joining Wolves is an incredible honor. Playing in the Premier League is something every footballer aspires to, and I’m thrilled to have this chance. When the club first showed interest, I spoke with the manager right away, and his vision for Wolves really inspired me. Although I didn’t get as many opportunities at Bilbao and had a positive loan spell with Valencia last season, I was eager for a fresh challenge where I could prove myself as a top goalkeeper. I truly believe Wolves is the ideal place for me to continue developing my game.”
Josh McEwen added this on the latest additions “Hayden was one of the players we highlighted in January that we would love to add to the team, we couldn’t get a deal done in January but he was right at the top of our target list this summer and to be able to get the deal done I am over the moon and we can’t wait to see what he can add to the team we are trying to build this summer. We are pleased to get Julen in, he is a great goalkeeper who has been unlucky that Bilbao have one of the best keepers in the world playing for them which has meant he hasn’t had the opportunities his talent deserves for them, hopefully he can showcase just how good he is here and help us push on from the success we had at the end of last season. He is a top keeper and I think he adds a lot of quality to that position and I believe him and Sam (Johnstone) will push each other this season to help us reach our goals.”
In terms of outgoings the club have been extremely busy in moving a number of players on please see below breakdown of outgoings.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have experienced a major shake-up in their midfield this transfer window with the departure of Andre to Liverpool in a £40,000,000 deal. Andre, who was a key figure for Wolves last season has made the switch to the Champions. His move represents a significant loss for the team, both on and off the pitch.
In response, Wolves have acted swiftly to bolster their midfield options by securing two new signings. Florentino arrives from Benfica for £22,000,000, bringing with him valuable experience from last season’s loan at Burnley. Additionally, England international James Ward-Prowse joins from West Ham in a £6,000,000 deal on a three-year contract. The duo are expected to play vital roles in filling the void left by Andre and will be available for selection in the upcoming season opener against Manchester United. These acquisitions signal Wolves’ intent to rebuild and remain competitive in the Premier League despite the challenges posed by high-profile departures.
Florentino: "I'm really pleased to be joining Wolves. This club has a rich tradition of Portuguese players, and I’m proud to be the next one to pull on the shirt. Watching last season, I could see what the manager is building here—the team plays exciting football and works incredibly hard to win the ball back quickly, which are qualities that fit my game well. I’m looking forward to meeting my new teammates and getting started."
James Ward Prowse “Last season was a really tough one for me personally, I didn’t play much for West Ham and obviously being relegated really hurt but I’m thankful for being given this opportunity to play in the Premier League again this season. I think everyone saw that Wolves played some really good football at times last season and I can’t wait to get working under the manager and helping the team build on from a really good season. I know there’s a few young lads in the squad so hopefully I’ll be able to contribute both on and off the pitch and help the club finish as high as possible.”
Josh McEwen added this on Andres move and the new signings “We are obviously gutted to lose Andre so close to the season starting but he had a massive opportunity presented to him and he has chosen to take that so we wish him well and thank him for his professionalism whilst the talks were going on and also for his contributions last season where he was a key player for us. We had been looking at different options and decided Florentino would be ideal for our team, I think he would improve most teams and we can't wait to see him line up for Wolves this season. James is a brilliant player you have to be to play for England and he will add valuable experience to the team I can’t wait to integrate them into the squad and see what they can contribute to the team this season.”
As we prepare for a new season we reach the final team in our season preview and that is Wolverhampton Wanderers. Finishing twelve last season despite their poor early form you have to say that it was in the end a good season, this pre season has been challenging for them they lost Ardon Jashari as he returned to his parent club AC Milan. The blow of losing Ardon became worse when their other key midfielder Andre signed for Liverpool earlier this week. Wolves top target this summer appeared to be Lucas Paqueta but they failed to get him in and instead had to settle for his team mate James Ward-Prowse, they did also add Florentino who despite Burnley’s relegation did impress last season and he seems the perfect replacement for Andre although they are still left with the hole of Ardon Jashari with many not thinking that Tommy Doyle (returning from loan), Hayden Hackney or James Ward-Prowse are quite on his level. Heres what Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville, Micah Richards and Roy Keane expect from Wolves this season
Jamie Carragher “I worry about Wolves this season, I think that when you look at the team they had the last game of the season compared to this team I think they might have gone backwards over the summer. Florentino is a great signing don’t get me wrong but none of the other signings make me sit up and say yeah he has really improved Wolves. My concern is they were the second lowest scorers in the league last season and I don’t think this summer they’ve addressed that issue.”
Gary Neville “I agree with Jamie which doesn’t happen very often, although what I would say is Hayden (Hackney) had a great season in the Championship last season and we have seen some players step up in recent seasons and if he does play like an Adam Wharton did when he came up then he could be a strewed bit of business however I’m not convinced he is of that calibre. The keeper they’ve brought in I’ve not seen alot of but it was an area they had to bring in some competition into but we have seen keepers come and struggle with the physicality in this league and if he does that Wolves will be in real trouble.”
Roy Keane “I get what the other guys are saying Wolves have a tough start and you hear their fans are concerned that they haven’t seemingly brought creative players in but I don’t think they’ve had as bad a window as is being made out. The keeper I’ve not seen loads of, but he probably suits the managers style of playing a little more than the keeper's last season. The key players they lost were in midfield and your expecting him to sign a striker to replace them give me a break.”
Gary Neville “But Roy as a Wolves fan you can’t score goals would you be happy not signing a creative player?”
Roy Keane “I’d say the manager took us from 20th on two points to 12th so maybe he knows what he's doing. Theres three weeks left of the window if he isn’t happy with what he sees I’m sure he’ll go and do some business with the money from the Andre deal but he’s said he’s happy and he’s the manager who I thought was superb last year.”
