Wolves season preview 2017/18: It’s high time for team to deliver

After an underwhelming first season under Fosun in which Wolves never threatened a promotion campaign and indeed seriously flirted with relegation, have lessons been learned by Jeff Shi and Co?

The jury is very much out for now, but the enthusiasm of their loyal fanbase certainly hasn’t waned.

Indeed the Molineux masses are gearing up for another ride on the rollercoaster, with season ticket sales soaring to 16,000 (the highest for five years).

The opening-day clash against Middlesbrough will be the first home sell-out for a league match since 2014. Optimism isn’t in short supply – but will

Wolves get it right this year? In terms of player recruitment, the captures of Porto trio Ruben Neves, Diogo Jota and Willy Boly do, on paper, look to be a class above the muddled and rushed signings of last summer, which would prove to be downfall of Walter Zenga and Paul Lambert who both failed to get the best out of a disjointed and unbalanced squad.

Nuno Espirito Santo is the man charged with bringing it all together in a short timeframe and he may need patience from Fosun and the fans.

Introducing a new 3-4-3 system, a revamped passing style and a host of new signings is no easy task and Wolves’ tough early fixtures (they face Middlesbrough, Derby and Hull in the first 10 days of the season) offer no gentle start.

What Wolves have done this year though is recruit early, with 10 players brought in already and a head coach appointed on June 1.

That means they’re ‘streets ahead’ of this time last year, in the words of David Edwards who is one of a decreasing number to survive a ruthless summer cull that’s seen Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, Dominic Iorfa, Mike Williamson and George Saville depart, to name just a few.

There is much to be positive about, not least the prolific Compton Park academy. Connor Ronan, Bright Enobakhare and Morgan Gibbs-White are firmly in Nuno’s thoughts and young striker Austin Samuels was the latest graduate to make his name last week.

The 3-4-3 formation and Wolves’ tactics need plenty of refinement but in terms of personnel they possess a top Championship goalkeeper in John Ruddy, a competitive list of central defenders with numerous qualities, a potential star in Neves, a sprinkling of Championship experience in Edwards, Jack Price, Conor Coady, Matt Doherty and Danny Batth and the explosive talents of Helder Costa, Ivan Cavaleiro, Diogo Jota and a potentially rejuvenated Nouha Dicko.

They should also be one of the fittest teams in the league.

Nuno has worked the players incredibly hard in the past few weeks with daily double sessions, but he hopes it will pay dividends over the nine-month slog.

What Wolves haven’t done though – yet – is sign that ever-elusive 20-goal striker.

Identifying and signing him in the next four weeks may dictate where Wolves end up.

It was their primary Achilles heel last season and they simply must get it right this time around.

On talent alone, even before a striker comes in, Wolves should push for the top six.

Given the £47m outlay in the past 12 months, anything less just won’t suffice for owners who are in a hurry to get to the Premier League.

But whatever happens this season – and it’s sure to be anything but dull – Carl Ikeme won’t be far from anyone’s thoughts.

The devastating news that he has contracted acute leukaemia knocked everyone at the club for six but that initial shock has turned to determination that he will receive every ounce of available support from the club and its supporters.