Wolves could end up in relegation battle this season after 'shocking' defeat

Wolves have got off to a less than ideal start under new manager Bruno Lage, losing four of their five opening league games.

Only a win against newly-promoted Watford has kept them from the foot of the table, but they were taught a lesson by another Championship arrival, Brentford, on Saturday.

The Bees highly-rated striker Ivan Toney was on top form, winning a penalty which he scored, before brilliantly assisting Bryan Mbeumo, leaving Wolves without a shot on goal.

talkSPORT pundit and former Premier League striker Gabby Agbonlahor was one of many who were very worried by what they saw from Wolves on Saturday.

"Wolves were shocking, all five defenders could've been dragged at half time," said ex-Aston Villa captain Agbonlahor.

"They were shocking, the two wing-backs didn't know what they were doing defensively, even Conor Coady at the back had given the ball away sloppily, and got bullied by Ivan Toney.

"The two midfielders, [Joao] Moutinho and [Ruben] Neves - no legs in there - couldn't get near anyone, couldn't tackle anyone.

"So Wolves, for me, they're in a tough position."

Wanderers are in their fourth season back in the Premier League, but their first without former manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

Nuno guided the club to consecutive seventh placed finishes after winning the Championship, before departing at the end of last season with the team in 13th.

Nuno, now at Tottenham Hotspur, was replaced by fellow Portuguese coach Bruno Lage in Wolverhampton, who had been out of work since a brief spell at Benfica, his first major head coaching job.

And Agbonlahor fears for the 45-year-old manager, who was only able to coax a performance out of Adama Traore in yesterday's defeat.

"The manager looked lost with his substitutions," Agbonlahor said. "The only player that could hold his hand up today and and say he did well was Traore.

"He was like a one-man team today putting in crosses but no one getting in there, so it's really, really bad times for Wolves.

"I said it at the start of the season before any ball was kicked that Wolves could be in a relegation battle and for me they will be."

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