Wolves managerial drama: Five games which might get Paul Lambert sacked
Paul Lambert's Wolves future is still up in the air, and with Fosun sounding out possible replacements for him, we pinpoint five games which might have sealed his fate.
Wolves 1-2 QPR, December 31
After a run of 10 points from five matches and momentum under Lambert gaining traction Wolves were 12 points from the play-offs and dreaming of an unlikely top-six finish.
But despite having 20 shots to QPR's five they slipped to a late 2-1 defeat.
Inconsistent results would continue for the rest of the campaign and the play-offs were never within their reach.
Burton 2-1 Wolves, February 4
In the previous seven days Wolves had beaten Liverpool and Barnsley, signed Helder Costa for a club record £13m and announced season ticket prices which included a possible refund option for fans.
The whole club was on a high but that was punctured by a miserable 2-1 defeat at lowly Burton.
Predictably Michael Kightly scored against his former club and then Cauley Woodrow struck a 94th minute winner.
It was the beginning of a dreadful six-game losing run in all competitions.
Wolves 1-2 Blues, February 24
The defeat to Wigan 10 days earlier was equally as disappointing but this was arguably more damaging for Lambert.
Blues had won only once under Gianfranco Zola but Wolves laid down for their near neighbours in a desperately poor first half display.
A late improvement wasn't enough and despite Nouha Dicko's first goal since his comeback Wolves slipped to a fourth consecutive league defeat and to within five points of the drop zone at an increasingly frustrated Molineux.
Wolves 0-0 Blackburn, April 22
One of the most mind-numbing matches witnessed at Molineux in years.
Wolves mustered two measly shots in the first half, both miles off target, and couldn't produce a single effort on goal until the 94th minute.
It was drab, dull and lifeless and epitomised Wolves' struggles at home in 2016/17, something Lambert failed to improve.
Theirs was the third worst home record in the Championship.
Derby 3-1 Wolves, April 29
Five successive victories in March and April had guided Wolves to safety and given many supporters belief that Lambert was the man to take them into next season.
However the end of the season was underwhelming, with Lambert unable to rouse his players during defeats to Bristol City, Brighton, Huddersfield and, most tellingly, this capitulation at Derby when Wolves could deservedly have been 5-0 down at half time.
Ivan Cavaleiro's early red card didn't help but as Derby coach Kevin Phillips later stated in his Express & Star column: "To me it was as if they were playing as individuals. It looked like they were just doing it for themselves."
