After losing a ton of quality in the summer, Wolves has outperformed expectations under Gary O’Neill this season. Analyst Mike Taylor believes the Old Gold are a stronger team without Ruben Neves.
After some unsettling periods during the previous season, Gary O’Neil has brought back the good days to Molineux.
Following 38 games played under both Bruno Lage and Julen Lopetegui, the Old Gold finished the 2022–2023 season with the fewest goals in the Premier League.
Wolves were able to stay in the top division under Lopetegui’s leadership, but the Spaniard resigned from his position a few days before the 2023–24 campaign began because he was worried about the depth of the team following the departure of several players with star qualities.
After spending six years at Molineux, one of the players to go was Ruben Neves, who left a lasting impact in the Midlands to pursue a new challenge with Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.
Journalist Tim Spiers once praised Neves as a “outstanding” player for Wolves and someone who could “run the show,” and Neves was a major factor in the Old Gold’s success under Nuno Espirito Santo.
Arriving while Wolves were in the Championship, the now 27-year-old quickly established himself as a key member of the midfield, serving as Molineux’s constant center of gravity.
Leaving a record of 253 appearances, 43 goal contributions, and one significant promotion behind him, the Portugal international bid farewell to the Midlands following years of rumors about his future at the team.
Considering all of that, Wolves had to say goodbye to their best player, which was difficult, but it’s surprising how much the team has missed the midfield player.
Commentator Mike Taylor offered his assessment on O’Neil’s team’s progress without Neves, making the topic of Wolves’ advancement without Neves an intriguing one.
Taylor stated, “In an interview with Wolves Weekly podcast:
Wolves are a stronger team now that Ruben Neves is gone from the team, despite what a brilliant player he was and still is.
“That is due to a variety of factors, some of which are somewhat more flexible. Not to belittle Ruben Neves in the slightest—he’s a fantastic player and among the greatest Wolves players of the previous generation.
It’s hard to argue that Neves would help the current team, who haven’t suffered badly from the Portuguese ace’s departure, given the season Wolves are enjoying under O’Neil.
The way O’Neil plays at Molineux doesn’t require the keys that Neves had, and Taylor’s observations about the freedom the midfield has these days—that it doesn’t need a single player to rely on—have a lot of validity.
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