Winless
Rob Edwards’ choice to leave the high-flying Middlesbrough in the Championship for the 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 stated. However, the Midlands club finds itself on the brink of unwanted Premier League history. The new manager’s debut saw Wolves succumb to a 2-0 defeat against Crystal Palace at Molineux on Saturday, offering little indication of an imminent turnaround.
Having gathered only two points from their first 12 fixtures, Wolves are dangerously close to matching the records of the league’s most notorious failures. Their dismal start poses a significant risk to the record books, as current statistics reveal a bleak picture. Transfermarkt evaluates Wolves’ current position against the worst beginnings in Premier League history, questioning whether their struggles are simply temporary or if they are on track to become the league’s least successful team.
Worst Premier League Starts
Wolves are currently sitting second in the ranks of teams with the lowest points at this stage of the season. The only team to have a worse record was Sheffield United in the 2020/21 season, who managed just one point with a -16 goal difference after 12 games. With two points and a -20 goal difference, Wolves are competing to avoid becoming the team with the worst start in Premier League history. Following them are four teams that collected only four points from their first 12 matches: Burnley in the 2023/24 season (-21 GD), Everton in 1994/95 (-16 GD), Southampton last season (-15 GD), and QPR in 2012/13 (-14 GD).
Teams like Sheffield United (2023/24), Fulham (2018/19), Sheffield Wednesday (1999/00), and Swindon (1993/94) have also suffered with only five points at this juncture. Out of these ten teams, the only side to survive relegation that season was Everton in 1994/95, casting a shadow on Wolves’ hopes this term. More concerning might be the possibility of Wolves inheriting the dubious title of the Premier League’s worst-ever team.
Could Wolves Break Derby’s Record for Fewest Points?
Calculating Wolves’ current points-per-game rate from their first 12 matches yields a mere 0.17 points per game. Projecting that over a full 38-game Premier League season, they could end up with only six points. This would not only establish a new record for the most unsuccessful campaign, but it would decimate the current record held by Derby County, who accumulated just 11 points in the 2007/08 season. Southampton narrowly avoided the ignominy last season with a total of 12 points.
The two next worst seasons were Sunderland’s 15 points in the 2005/06 campaign and Sheffield United’s 16 points this season. While it’s unlikely Wolves will maintain such poor form throughout the entire season, the immediate future looks grim. Their upcoming matches against top teams, including Aston Villa, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United, only add to the concerns looming over Molineux.
