It was last August there when Wolverhampton Wanderers had just been knocked out of the UEFA Europa League competition in the quarter-final stage to eventual winners Sevilla and things had never been better for the team in gold.
Fast forward to 2021 and the club is facing it's biggest problems since coach Nuno Espirito Santo took over in 2017, mainly down to the amount of injuries that the team has got.
Striker Raul Jimenez who has been essential to Santo's style of football in the Premier League, will be a long-term absentee after suffering that sickening clash of heads with Arsenal defender David Luiz back in November, which saw the 'Mexican Sensation' fracture his skull.
Add players such as the ever consistent Jonny, Daniel Podence and Marcal, and Wolves' small squad is being stretched to its limits.
Summer signing Fabio Silva who cost the club £35 million pounds has struggled trying to fill the boots of Jimenez which I'm sure isn't really a surprise taking into account he is only 18 and had no Premier League experience prior to his move.
The lack of goal scoring options for the side is a definite worry, and when you take into account their display against non-league opposition Chorley in the FA Cup on Friday night there, only having one shot on target proves this.
Willian Jose has just joined the club on loan with an option to buy from Real Sociedad and his presence could get the team back to playing how they did with Jimenez, using him as more as a target man, something Silva and Cutrone have both failed to do.
Another area for concern for Wolves has to be defensively and how poor they have been this season from set pieces and balls into the box.
Nothing highlighted this problem more than the game against Burnley, where every time the 'Clarets' sent a long ball forward the defence struggled to deal with it.
Connor Coady has been excellent since he started playing in the central role of the back three, but Nuno has evolved his formation this season and Coady is showing his vulnerabilities more in a back four and this has affected the captain with his performances.
Coady was taken off in the derby against West Brom but so could have most of the team that day and with little money available throughout this transfer window, it's up to Nuno to try and get his team back to performing at a better standard.
The manager does deserve a chance to turn things around at the club due to it being the first time since arriving that the team has had a serious dip in form.
However if the form continues then the owners may have to eventually take action but of course that would be worse case scenario.
Wolves play Chelsea away midweek and it's a chance to get back to winning ways, with their last win in the league coming against Frank Lampard's men back in December where Pedro Neto scored a brilliant solo goal in the last minute to get the three points.
They'll have to do it without their new signing though as he awaits his work permit to come through, which seems unlikely before the game on Wednesday night so it will be up to Fabio Silva to lead the line again and try and prove that he has got what it takes to lead the line for Wolves.
Comments