Wolves blog: Is Molineux becoming a fortress once again?

Not since Kenny Jackett’s first season in the Championship, when Wolves cantered through the second half of the season but just missed out on the play-offs, have the club done well at Molineux, writes Wolves blogger Tom Tracey.

That season, 2014/15, Wolves were the fifth best home team in the league, amassing 45 points from the 23 games, scoring an impressive 42 goals.

But that was as good as it got under Jackett – the next season saw Wolves draw ten of their 23 home games, scoring just 26 and ending with a goal difference of zero at Molineux.

And last season, Wolves finished in the relegation zone of home form, losing eleven - almost half of the 23 games – as well as scoring only 25 and conceding 30.

Their 28 points was only worsened by relegated Wigan and Rotherham.

This just highlights what a remarkable turnaround Wolves have achieved in just a summer.

Wolves have won six of their eight home games – eight of ten if you include the cup games – losing just once to Cardiff.

They are second best behind Sheffield United, who are just below Wolves in the league.

Only Hull, who have bizarrely only picked up ten points at home, have scored more than Wolves’ 15 home goals, with 21.

Home form is a key factor in the turnaround of Wolves’ fortunes – last season, despite finishing 15th and having a brief flirt with a relegation battle, Wolves had the seventh best away record in the division.

This season, they are the best away team.

Not once in the last three Championship seasons has the same team been the best in the division both at home and away – but it feels like a distinct possibility Wolves will be top of both piles come May.

There are a number of factors that have contributed to Wolves’ happy match days at Molineux this season.

A stellar squad and staff revamp over the summer captured the fans imagination, even more so than last summer’s takeover.

This, in turn with fantastic marketing and support-garnering campaigns from Laurie Dalrymple et al, brought a sell-out crowd to Molineux for the first match of the season.

Scintillating football and a large crowd has led to a fantastic atmosphere at Molineux – there is no frustration in the air, just pure support and adulation.

These larger crowds have continued so far, to the point that we were able to curtail the Aston Villa support to just the Steve Bull lower, instead of giving them the North Bank quadrant, which was full of Wolves fans.

Nuno has repeatedly spoken about the team being happy to play at Molineux and wanting to do well in front of the home fans – this is a sharp contrast to what we have heard in the past, about players not enjoying playing in front of the home crowd, and opposition using this to their advantage.

If you look at the club as a business, the product we are buying from them has gone from a dirty burger to a Michelin-starred meal.

No longer do we turn up at Molineux dreading a turgid 90 minutes – you simply don’t want it to end.

Wolves have four home games before Christmas – at the moment, it feels like it doesn’t matter who the opposition are at all, you will need something very special or you will come away empty handed.