Fan column: Wolves' squad is dangerously thin with the new season upon us

The void left by the passing of Diogo Jota starkly induces a sense of perspective. The enormity of the tragedy left a spontaneity of grief and a sense of bewilderment around Molineux. 

Now, just the exhilarating memories remain. The control, the shimmy, the pace and the guile but above all, the devastating finishing which contributed so significantly to the wonderful first three years of the Nuno revolution. Jota’s brilliance sealed his elevation into the Liverpool ranks but he remains a Wolves’ icon now inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame. 

He is rubbing shoulders with some very special company but his presence there is wholly deserving. 

What a fine player he was; he graced the gold shirt and his memory will remain permanently in the hearts of a generation of admiring Wolves’ supporters. It was a privilege to see him play and when Manchester City arrive to begin the new campaign, Molineux will no doubt render him a special final tribute.

Take a peek at the leading gaming outlets. Wolves are seen as prime candidates for relegation if any of the three promoted teams manage to buck recent trends and survive this Premier League season. 

Certainly, the departures of the likes of Cunha, Ait-Nouri and Semedo and to a lesser degree Sarabia and Doyle, means that a core of genuine quality has been wrenched from our squad. Easy to dispense with, desperately hard to replace. 

Much will depend on the impact of the newcomers; Lopez, Arias and Wolfe. Any settling-in process must be brief. 

The three of them and any future arrivals all need to be likely first eleven starters. For too long our squad has been dangerously thin and consequently unbalanced with few influential options available from the bench.

We can’t afford a repeat of the catastrophic start of last season. 

Pereira performed a minor miracle to stabilise the team; all logical evidence suggests that he may be facing an even sterner challenge. 

Wolves appear to be vulnerable, significantly under-cooked. Eventually, any policy of annually cashing-in on your top talent becomes dangerously unsustainable.   

One guy rooting for the club is former keeper Phil Parkes despite his serious injury. 

Visited ‘Lofty’ in hospital in Oswestry recently and he was in top form. A special guy, hugely resilient and unfailingly positive, he loves Wolves with an unstinting passion. He will be following our fortunes as closely as ever.