Wolves at risk of losing momentum

It's May 2, 2015. Wolves have just missed out on the play-offs by the smallest of margins – but despite the disappointment, the overriding emotion at Molineux is optimism.

Two successful seasons under Kenny Jackett have seen Wolves score 159 goals, win 53 games and amass 181 points – all with a young, honest and improving bunch of players,

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"Things didn't work out for us but we wanted to send the fans home optimistic for next year," Jackett said at the season drew to a close with a 4-2 win over his old club Millwall.

That they did.

Fast forward the best part of three months to July 27 and the Molineux outlook isn't quite as rosy.

A hitherto lack of first-team signings – the promising additions of Jed Wallace and Conor Coady aside – have dampened the feel-good factor and Wolves are at risk of the momentum gained over the past two years grinding to a halt.

Moxey, Thewell, Jackett and co are known to prefer to do their summer business early and the lack of a Bakary Sako replacement in particular has irked the Wolves faithful.

Chief executive Jez Moxey said at the season's end that they were going to spend money, that Steve Morgan understood the situation and that it 'comes at a price'.

It is unlikely that he was alluding to spending around £2.5m on Wallace and Coady.

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Targets like Sammy Ameobi, Chris Wood and Johann Gudmundsson have been flirted with, but Wolves have yet to nail any of their top targets for a left winger or a striker.

They of course possess two top-of-the-range Championship forwards in Benik Afobe and Nouha Dicko, but an injury to either and Wolves don't possess a genuine first-team striker to fill their boots.

Tomasz Kuszczak performed ably as Carl Ikeme's back-up last year, but he too left and hasn't yet been replaced.

The transfer window closes on September 1, so there is of course ample time for Wolves to get their new recruits signed up.

It is unusual, though, for them to leave it late. The departures of Sako and strikers Kevin Doyle and Leon Clarke were widely expected, while Kuszczak's exit didn't come as a huge surprise, so Wolves cannot say they were caught on the back foot.

The transfer activity – or lack or it – renders pre-season underwhelming on its own, but there are plenty of other factors at play which are testing the patience of supporters.

Michael Jacobs, a starlet in the League One title triumph who lost his way last year, was to be given the opportunity to take a claim to replace Sako, but just a few weeks later is on the verge of being cast aside to Wigan.

James Henry, an important squad member last season, is seemingly free to go to Charlton if the London club's price is right.

And then there's the ongoing – and very public – Kevin McDonald contract saga.

Wolves are renowned for keeping matters like these close to their chest but McDonald's public incandescence at the contract offered to him was alarming.

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With McDonald and Wolves at stalemate, talks are at an end for the time being, placing at risk the mindset – and therefore the effectiveness – of one of Jackett's key performers for the foreseeable future.

And talking of effective, Wolves have been anything but in their last two pre-season games, with Jackett criticising the 'hunger and desire' of his players after a lacklustre showing at Shrewsbury on Saturday.

The curious case of Chris Iwelumo abandoning his under-18 role just days into the job doesn't affect the first team, but it all adds to the growing notion that all is not going to plan.

Stuart Webber, their chief talent-spotter, left for Huddersfield in May and Iwelumo's sudden exit– which on the face of it seems a genuine change of heart rather than anything sinister – means Wolves are two key backroom staff shy.

There is no reason to hit the panic button yet, far from it.

And a couple of signings, a new contract for McDonald and a morale-boosting win at Blackburn on August 8 would in a stroke banish the sense of gloom doing the rounds.

But if they don't get their act together soon Jackett, Thelwell, Morgan and Moxey will test the tolerance levels of the supporters they have so impressively won over in the past two years.