Winless
Rob Edwards’ decision to leave high-flying Middlesbrough in the Championship for struggling Wolves raises eyebrows. “My best years as a player were here. This opportunity and this job is something I’ve always wanted and dreamed of,” Edwards remarked. However, the Midlands club appears to be on the brink of a piece of Premier League history that no team desires. Thus far, there are no indications that the new manager can reverse the trend, with his team yet to secure a win in their first three matches under his leadership.
With only two points accrued from their first 14 games, Wolves are on track to join the ranks of the division’s most notorious underperformers. Their dismal start threatens to rewrite the record books in an unfavorable light. The statistics are troubling, and comparisons paint an even bleaker picture. Transfermarkt explores how Wolves’ situation measures up against the worst beginnings in Premier League history, assessing whether this season’s squad is merely experiencing a rough patch or if they are indeed on a path to becoming the league’s worst team ever.
The Worst Starts in Premier League History
No team has ever recorded a lower point total than Wolves at this point in the season. The Midlands outfit remains winless, holding just two points and a goal difference of -22. The only other team with two points at this stage was Sheffield United in the 2020/21 season, when they also had a meager -17 goal difference after the first 14 matches. A significant gap follows, with six teams that managed only five points during their opening 14 games, including Sheffield United this season (-28 GD), Swindon Town in 1993/94 (-22 GD), Southampton last season (-19 GD), QPR in 2012/13 (-16 GD), Sunderland in 2005/06 (-16 GD), and Aston Villa in 2015/16 (-15 GD).
Derby (2007/08) and Sheffield Wednesday (1999/00) both finished their first 14 matches with just six points. Notably, every team mentioned here was relegated from the Premier League that season, casting a bleak outlook for Edwards’ Wolves this year. Yet, even more concerning than relegation is the possibility that Wolves could become the Premier League’s worst-ever team.
Could Wolves Surpass Derby’s Record for Fewest Points?
Calculating Wolves’ current points-per-game average from their first 14 matches yields a mere 0.14 points per game. If this rate continues throughout the 38-game season, it would amount to just five total points. Such a total would not only surpass the record for the least points in a campaign but would annihilate it. Currently, Derby holds that record with just 11 points in the 2007/08 season. Southampton nearly broke that record last season, finishing with 12 points.
The next lowest seasons belong to Sunderland in 2005/06 with 15 points and Sheffield United this season with 16 points. While it is improbable that Wolves will maintain this poor performance throughout the entire season, there is currently little indication of where points will come from, and the situation is not expected to improve soon. Their next match is against Manchester United at Molineux this Monday, followed by challenging fixtures against Arsenal and Liverpool in their upcoming five matches. Troubling times lie ahead for Wolves.
