Wolverhampton Wanderers

Dazzling Dave
Fan writer

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Season rating: 5/10. Wolves' season cannot be summed up by a single score. Before Vitor Pereira arrived, the team struggled and barely earned a two out of 10. Since his arrival, Wolves have looked stronger and more confident, earning an eight out of 10 for their impressive turnaround.

Happy with your manager? When Pereira arrived, the team was in a difficult place—low morale, poor results, and little belief on or off the pitch. His disciplined approach, tactical understanding and clear communication have changed all that. Under his management, Wolves look better organised, more committed, and capable of competing with anyone in the league.

It is clear that Pereira has not reached his full potential with this squad yet. If the club back him this summer, the team can push up the table. But if the board fails, they risk losing a manager who could give Wolves a bright future.

Unsung hero: While star players often grab the headlines, Matt Doherty contributes in ways that often go unnoticed. When Pereira repositioned him to the right side of a back three, he adapted quickly and put in consistently strong displays. his experience, work rate, and tactical awareness have made him key to the new setup. He's handled tough opponents, helped organise the backline, and provided stability.

Player you would most like to sign: Yuri Alberto is an exciting prospect because he offers the qualities the team has been mis front. He's a strong, mobile forward, known for his clever movement and sharp finishing. Still only in his early 20s, Yuri has made a name for himself in Brazil's top division and his style suits the Premier League.

Right now, my overriding emotion from the season is: Relief after what looked like a season in real trouble. At times, relegation seemed likely. Pereira has brought back belief and a fighting spirit. There's cautious optimism for the future. With the right gs, Wolves can aim for far more than survival next season. Fans know there's still work to do, for the first time in a while, there's an honest sense of excitement about what comes next.

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Here's my quick assessment of Wolves' Premier League season - and a return to my August predictions.

Pre-season prediction: 15th

Ended the season: 16th

Points then pints was the mantra of Wolves' manager Vitor Pereira as he talked about sharing a drink with fans - and he got more than his share after he replaced sacked Gary O'Neil in December when they were second from bottom.

They had a tame end to the season, but Pereira brought new unity, leading to a revival which included six straight top-flight wins for the first time since 1970.

Wolves, who are likely to lose star striker Matheus Cunha to Manchester United, faded once safety was assured, but there is now cause for cautious optimism under the charismatic Pereira.

What I said in August: "I think Wolves can avoid danger - and surely they will get a better deal from VAR this season."

Read my assessments of the other 19 teams here

Manchester United want Wolves right-back Nelson Semedo, who is out of contract at Molineux next month. (Football Transfers, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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Former Wolves goalkeeper Matt Murray has been speaking to BBC West Midlands about how a former Olympic champion helped him prepare for his man-of-the-match performance in the 2003 Division One play-off final.

Murray was part of a Wolves team that beat Sheffield United 3-0 at Millennium Stadium to secure a return to the Premier League.

But it was words from former Olympian Darren Campbell that helped ease the pressure on the then 21-year-old.

"We travelled two nights before the game and in my room, it was Paul Ince, Nathan Blake, Darren Campbell and George Ndah and I can't lie I was nervous," Murray told Steve Hermon.

"Incey - you know what he's done, Blakey had been there and done it, G was injured and Darren Campbell was an Olympic gold medallist and I'm sat there at 21.

"Darren Campbell picked up on that and when he spoke to me, it was amazing.

"He said to me: 'This is your chance to shine. I train for four years to run a 10-second race. If I false start, it's gone. Everything I've done since I was little, that's why I'm ready to stand on the starting line in an Olympic final and it's the same for you. You are not just arriving in a play-off final - you've been on a journey.'

"It was a wicked chat, he probably won't even it!"

Listen to Murray's full recollections on BBC Sounds

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Former Wolves goalkeeper Matt Murray has been speaking to BBC West Midland's Steve Hermon about his man-of-the-match performance from 22 years ago when Wolves won promotion to the Premier League by beating Sheffield United in the 2003 play-off Final.

Murray also reflects on how a former Olympian helped motivate him for the biggest game of his life.

Listen to the full chat now on BBC Sounds

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We asked for your views on Wolves' season after rounding off 2024-25 with a draw against Brentford.

Here are some of your comments:

Ian: Well, we are comfortably safe, which is the important thing, but I'd like to have seen a bit more fight in the past few games. If Matheus Cunha and Nelson Semedo go, then so be it, but I hope that we will have a more even season in 2025-26. I'm sick of this yo-yoing around.

Spencer: Season's ended. We weren't relegated. Beyond that, there's not much to praise. A new manager was a great addition but Fosun have proved season after season they are not ambitious and it remains to be seen if anything will change. Bittersweet being a Wolves fan these days.

Lee: Let's be honest - six months ago most fans would've thought today would be the last in the Premier League. As disappointing as the past four results have been, I think we'd take that and hope the board backs Vitor Pereira over the summer.

Keiran: Sloppy in front of goal against Brentford. Season was nervy at times but we stayed up. We need to invest though, to avoid a repeat next season. Nice to finish level on points with Manchester United and above Spurs though.

Steve: Except for the well-taken goal - pathetic. The manager has more work than he anticipated. Chalk this down as a loss as the substitute did more in five minutes to assist a goal than the rest of the team. Too busy looking forward to holidays as they had the points to survive. Hopefully new or more experienced and hungry players are on the horizon. Some players from other clubs that are being replaced may have a point or two to prove. Let's grab a few who are still hungry winners.

John: I watch the Wolves matches using a streaming service from Costa Rica, starting at 8 or 9am. This game was really exciting for me and to finish 1-1 was acceptable but if only Fosun had fired Gary O'Neil earlier, how much better the season could have been. Being a er for nigh on 76 years I have seen the highs and the lows but under the coaching of this present guy I believe the team will finish 10th next season. I just hope that the owners back him in the next window to improve and strengthen a really good team.

Highlights and analysis from Sunday's 10 final day Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Nottingham Forest 0-1 Chelsea

• Liverpool 1-1 Crystal Palace

• Wolves 1-1 Brentford

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Wolves manager Vitor Pereira, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Very proud of my players, the club and our ers.

"We wanted to finish with a win, but it was not possible in a good game with chances for both sides. It was a game we could win, but [Brentford] could have won also.

"We lost two positions [in the table]. I'm not happy with this, but I'm very happy with what we've achieved this season since we arrived.

"After the City game, we committed some mistakes that were not usual. Sometimes it looks like we're not focused in those moments. We've conceded some goals that we cannot concede."

On Marshall Munetsi: "It was a fantastic goal. He'll score more goals next season, for sure."

On next season: "We want to do better. We need to keep our base and to start our work in the beginning of the season, competing from the beginning.

"In my opinion, we can't play to avoid relegation. We have to look to the middle of the table."

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Wolves have now won just one of their 11 final day Premier League fixtures, a rate of 9% - among sides to have played in at least three seasons, only three others have a rate below 10% (West Bromwich Albion, Sunderland and Hull City).

Meanwhile, Matheus Cunha took eight shots against Brentford without scoring - his most ever in a Premier League match, and the t-most of any player in the competition this season without finding the net.

Matthew Howarth
BBC Sport journalist

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Wolves would have accepted a final-day 'dead rubber' when they were stuck in the relegation zone at the turn of the year, but successive defeats by Manchester City, Brighton and Crystal Palace had left their campaign in danger of petering out.

They looked set to slip to a fourth straight loss when Bryan Mbeumo put Brentford ahead at Molineux, sliding home Christian Norgaard's cutback after Rayan Ait-Nouri had lost possession on the edge of his own box.

Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken was kept busy as the hosts managed 18 attempts, but the Bees appeared to be holding on relatively comfortably until Jorgen Strand Larsen's header sent Marshall Munetsi racing clear of the Brenford defence.

Rather than collecting the Norwegian striker's flick-on in his stride and advancing into the penalty area, Munetsi opted to hit the ball first-time, leaving Flekken grasping at thin air as the ball sailed into the roof of the net.

Manager Vitor Pereira has become a popular figure since replacing Gary O'Neil in December, but the Portuguese faces a big summer with Cunha - who has been linked with Manchester United - and Nelson Semedo just two first-team players likely to leave the club.

So the curtain has come down on Wolves' season with a draw against Brentford.

It was a campaign that saw a change of manager and a revival in form that means they have finished comfortably clear of the relegation places and can look to the next season under Vitor Pereira.

So how are you feeling after the game and at the end of a long campaign?

Have your say on Wolves' performance and season

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

Vitor Pereira makes six changes to the Wolves team that lost at Crystal Palace last weekend.

Jose Sa, Matt Doherty, Nelson Semedo, Joao Gomes, Matheus Cunha and Marshall Munetsi come in.

Dan Bentley and Nasser Djiga miss out, but Jorgen Strand Larsen, Rodrigo Gomes, Pablo Sarabia and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde are named on the bench.

Wolves XI: Sa, Doherty, Agbadou, Toti Gomes, Nelson Semedo, Joao Gomes, Andre, Ait-Nouri, Cunha, Goncalo Guedes, Munetsi

Subs: King, Bueno, Strand Larsen, Hwang, Rodrigo Gomes, Sarabia, Bellegarde, Lima, Mane

Thomas Frank keeps faith with the Brentford side that has started the last five league games.

Michael Kayode is ed fit to start, Aaron Hickey is back on the bench after over 18 months on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.

Brentford XI: Flekken, Kayode, Collins, Van den Berg, Lewis-Potter, Norgaard, Yarmoliuk, Mbeumo, Damsgaard, Schade, Wissa

Subs: Valdimarsson, Hickey, Henry, Pinnock, Jensen, Thiago, Ajer, Konak, Nunes

All 20 teams are in action on the final day of the 2024-25 Premier League campaign, and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Bournemouth v Leicester City

• Fulham v Man City

• Ipswich v West Ham

• Liverpool v Crystal Palace - Listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Man Utd v Aston Villa

• Newcastle v Everton

• Nottingham Forest v Chelsea - Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Southampton v Arsenal

• Tottenham v Brighton

• Wolves v Brentford - Listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

All kick-off times 16:00 BST

Follow all of the action and reaction here

I am not sure which Wolves we will see here - after going on a six-match winning streak, they have now lost three games in a row - or if their star forward Matheus Cunha will be recalled after starting Tuesday's defeat by Crystal Palace on the bench.

Brentford still have an outside chance of finishing eighth despite losing at home to Fulham last week - I it I did not see that result coming, but I rarely do when Fulham are involved.

Brentford have been great on the road recently and have only lost one away game since Christmas, but I am going to go for a draw here for tactical reasons, because I think everyone else will too.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

With the 2024-25 Premier League season coming to a close, we would love to hear what you think of this club page.

A huge thank you to those who have already submitted their responses and have interacted with the page in any capacity throughout the campaign.

We are continuously working to improve your experience and bring you the best possible content and coverage of your team.

It is your club and your voice.

So what do you like?

And what could be improved?

Send thoughts here

We asked you to pick your player of the season after our Wolves fan contributor narrowed it down to Emmanuel Agbadou, Joao Gomes, Matheus Cunha and Nelson Semedo.

Here are some of your comments, as well as some new names thrown into the ring:

Jim: It was a toss-up between Agbadou and Gomes. I chose Agbadou as the defence has been transformed, becoming much meaner, providing the platform to turn draws into wins.

Simon: Jorgen Strand Larsen should be on the list. While he's had a couple of quiet stretches and the odd injury, he's been excellent. Plenty of goals and assists, wonderful hold-up play and, at times, sublime touches to create goals or chances. We've been crying out for a solid number nine since Raul Jimenez left. We now have one and he's scoring goals. He should at least had an honourable mention. Now pay the fee Wolves and make it permanent!

Mike: My player of the season is Andre. He has been consistent throughout the season, snuffing out danger and turning defence into attack with his incredible ing accuracy. An honourable mention should go to Strand Larsen in his first season - he will only get better.

Malone: Forget what happened off the pitch. The simple fact is before Vitor Pereira's arrival we would not have survived without Cunha. In fact, Vitor might not even have come, given the dire state we were in. Of course, we did well while Cunha was suspended, but so we should. It was high time others stepped up in his absence. He is a glorious player to watch - truly world class.

Brian: Every match throughout the season, Gomes has worn the shirt with pride and given 100%.

Rhys: Gomes has been outstanding this season. What a player along with new g Andre. He truly deserves Wolves' player of the season.

Don't forget to make your selection

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Following their 5-3 win in the reverse fixture, Brentford are looking to complete their first league double over Wolves since the 2015-16 Championship campaign.

Wolves have lost their final league match in each of the past seven seasons by an aggregate score of 19-2. They have also lost their final game in nine of their 10 Premier League campaigns, with the exception being a 2-1 win over Sunderland in 2009-10.

Brentford have scored 65 goals in the Premier League this season, their most in a top-flight campaign since 1937-38 (69 goals). Their conversion rate in 2024-25 is 15.2%, the best of any side.