Liam Keen comment: Wolves need to change...what are Gary O’Neil’s options?

The 5-3 defeat to Brentford highlighted more of the club’s inadequacies that they must address.

Wolves are backing Gary O’Neil to turn it around and he now has the international break to ponder his choices. But what areas could the head coach address and make changes to?

Formation

We have now seen four managers try and fail to play a back four – a back five must now be part of Wolves’ DNA.

O’Neil tried it at the start of last season when he arrived just four days before the start of the campaign, before quickly switching to a back five again.

The head coach then went on a mission in pre-season to change Wolves’ identity and despite some promising signs, it has ultimately fallen flat.

O’Neil strongly hinted after the defeat to Brentford that he would return to a back five and regardless of Wolves’ lack of depth in that position, it is now a must.

Wolves were incredibly shaky defensively at Brentford and looked likely to concede with every chance and set piece.

Consistent and naive defensive errors have been too much for the offensive players to out-score and without some added security, Wolves will be dragged deep into a relegation fight.

Midfield three

Part of O’Neil’s struggle to impose the back four was the lack of a centre-back signing in a disrupted end to the transfer window.

Instead, Wolves changed tack and brought in midfielder Andre, as O’Neil dropped an attacking player to start a midfield three.