Wolves nightmare three managers, Diego Costa and £58m transfers haven't solved
Since a Wolverhampton Wanderers striker last scored a Premier League goal, there have been three different Prime Ministers and as many men in the Molineux dugout.
Few would have ever thought that when Raul Jimenez put Wolves in front against Watford on March 10, 2022, there would be a year-long wait for the next one. It’s a stat that is almost difficult to comprehend, but with their next game not coming until Sunday, the ‘landmark’ has now been reached.
It’s been 12 months of genuine turbulence at Wolves - a club which had appeared one of the more settled in the top flight. In that timeframe, Bruno Lage saw his charges go from European candidates to relegation near-certainties. He was sacked in October when found to ultimately be out of his depth, with the job offered to Julen Lopetegui. After the Spaniard turned it down it was Michael Beale’s turn to say no, with Steve Davis given an interim role for the foreseeable future.
As Wolves slumped to the bottom of the table before the World Cup break, the club’s owners, Fosun, went back in for Lopetegui, who at the third time of asking, finally said yes. It was a U-turn which has had a galvanising effect on a team which looked to be hurtling back towards the Championship.
In 11 games since his appointment, Lopetegui has guided Wolves to 17 points and from 20th in the table to the relative comfort of 13th. But one thing he hasn’t yet mastered? A striker scoring a goal.
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Julen Lopetegui has changed plenty at Wolves, but the wait for a striker to score goes on (Getty Images)Their 19 goals from 26 games this season is a Premier League low only Everton can equal, although 11 of those have come since the change in manager. Wolves’ Golden Boot is currently shared between Daniel Podence and Ruben Neves with a meagre tally of just five. Beyond that pair, Adama Traore is the only other player to have scored more than once, with his second coming in last weekend’s vital win over Tottenham.
Mirror Football takes a look at the contenders to end one of the Premier League’s most bizarre stats and how Wolves have found themselves in this position in the first place.
Raul Jimenez - 117 PL minutes, 0 goals, 8 shots on target , 22/23 xG 2.45.
For much of the first half of the season, it appeared that the Mexican’s brilliant Molineux career would come to an underwhelming and acrimonious conclusion. Confusion over fitness issues and whether he was available or not, meant he appeared in just three games before the mid-season break.
He has been slowly integrated since, but performances at Fulham and against Spurs have shown signs of the old Jimenez. No longer the complete forward he was before his devastating injury, Jimenez could still be a very valuable asset. Spurs assistant boss Cristian Stellini admitted his defenders couldn’t handle the Wolves number nine and he came close on several occasions to finally getting a goal.
Matheus Cunha - 405 PL minutes, 0 goals, 2 shots on target, 22/23 xG 1.10.
Signed on a loan deal which will become a record £43million permanent deal, big things are hoped for the January arrival. Lopetegui pinpointed the Brazilian as his top target, but despite some really promising moments, he has yet to find the back of the net.
“I think he can do both things. He has the skills to do both,” the Wolves boss said of the striker being both a creator and a scorer of goals. “He can score and he can create space for his team-mates.”
He was also close against Spurs and there is a hope that when he does break his duck, more will quickly follow.
Matheus Cunha has yet to score, but has impressed since his January switch from Atletico MadridDiego Costa - 713 PL minutes, 0 goals, 7 shots on target, 22/23 xG 2.88.
Wolves did plenty of work to get Costa back to the Premier League, including a desperate appeal for him to be given a work permit. His announcement was completed along with three snarling wolves, but in truth, that’s as threatening as he has looked since.
After 14 appearances, his red cards outnumber his goals, with his dismissal vs Brentford amazingly the first of his Premier League career. The former Chelsea forward has never really looked up to the pace, despite earning plenty of opportunities.
He was stretchered out of the game with Tottenham with what looked like a serious knee injury and it remains to be seen whether he will play for Wolves again.
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Diego Costa has one red card and 0 goals since his free transfer (PA)Hwang Hee-chan - 1177 PL minutes, 0 goals, 7 shots on target, 22/23 xG 0.41.
His run of four goals in his first six Premier League matches now seems like a lifetime ago. His record since…one goal in 41. The South Korean has played across the front-line and unlike some of the others on this list, he is asked to do a lot more defensive work.
However, he was still signed with the hope he would at some point find the net. Hwang does have three international goals since his last club strike, including one at the World Cup. He is currently sidelined with an injury, a major blow after showing signs of real progression under the new manager.
Sasa Kalajdzic - 45 PL minutes, 0 goals, 0 shots on target, 22/23 xG 0.54.
A cruel blow which has perfectly summed up Wolves’ struggles in front of goal this season. Never prolific, Kalajdzic looked to be the kind of focal point they have been crying out for since Jimenez’s injury in 2020.
And there were flashes during his solitary appearance that he could be just that. Unfortunately for all concerned, it was just a flash, with the Austrian suffering an ACL injury which will rule him out until next season. Signed for £15m, he should have a big part to play next year.
Sasa Kalajdzic lasted just 45 minutes of his debut before his season endedFabio Silva - 311 PL minutes, 0 goals, 4 shots on target, 22/23 xG N/A.
A return of 14 goals and five assists by March would have been in the realms of ‘wildest dream’ had it been offered at the start of the season. However, all of those goals have come with the Portuguese star out on loan, first with Anderlecht and now with PSV.
The decision to send the 20-year-old out for the season remains highly controversial. After all, he physically couldn’t be doing any worse than those that remained. In the long 12 months since that goal vs Watford, Silva can probably argue he has had the best individual performance of any strike.
Fabio Silva is now working with Man Utd legend Ruud van Nistelrooy at PSV (ANP via Getty Images)He did everything but score against Aston Villa last April and ran Tyrone Mings ragged during the 2-1 win.
Lopetegui insists Silva’s future is on the backburner while his current crop battle against relegation, but the £35m investment in him means he will definitely be given a chance for the top job in pre-season.
The next few months working alongside Manchester United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy in Eindhoven could be crucial to Wolves finally getting it right up top.
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