A 1-1 draw at home to Portsmouth on Tuesday extended Wolves' run to two successive Tuesday evenings without a win at Molineux, and head coach Cesar Peixoto had a clear idea of why. "We have to have more mobility," he said afterwards. "Speed up the game, attack one side, go to the other side, attack the spaces. In the first half we didn't do this."

The spark that went out

Rewind to last month and the picture looked altogether different. Back-to-back Championship wins over Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion, delivered on successive Sundays, showcased exactly what Wolves can produce: grit, nerve, energy and the conviction to take a chance when it arrives. There were flashes of that at Burnley after a slow start, but the current that ran through the squad after the Black Country derby has since gone quiet.

Injuries explain much of the slump. Fer Lopez had looked the most compelling player in the division before the international break, only for a knock sustained while on Spain Under-21 duty to visibly blunt his stride. Raul Jimenez was already absent for the derby, but word that his return could be pushed back considerably further than initially expected settled like a grey cloud over the ground. Adam Armstrong had not been at his sharpest even before the problem that cost him two games, yet his absence made plain just how much pressing and running he contributes. Kieran Trippier has missed the last two matches as well.

"I think if you have Trippier, if you have Armstrong, if you have Raul or other experienced players, they help us in this kind of game," Peixoto acknowledged after the Portsmouth stalemate.

Leadership needed on the pitch

That is undeniably true. Yet many of those who did take the field against Portsmouth can count Premier League appearances from last season among their recent experience. For all of Peixoto's animated presence on the touchline, the quality and urgency required to break down a deep defensive block was conspicuously absent for long stretches.

Peixoto identified the same problem his supporters were seeing from the stands. In the first half, he said, his players did not "take the risk I want in our game. You have to take the risk to play with courage to win the games." Courage is harder to sustain when the figures who normally demand the ball in decisive moments are unavailable, but losing both Jimenez and Trippier simultaneously was not an unforeseeable scenario, even if every club hopes to avoid it.

Five points, not a chasm

The gap between Wolves and the top of the Championship table stands at five points, a deficit accumulated almost entirely in those two frustrating home evenings. That is retrievable. The division's promotion picture shifts sharply from week to week, and Wolves retain the squad depth to force their way back into the automatic-promotion conversation once key players return to fitness.

The concern is the atmosphere inside Molineux. A sullen mood settled over the ground during difficult recent years and supporters recognise its return. Peixoto needs somebody on the pitch to seize the moment and drag the crowd back into the game with them. Whether that comes from Lopez rediscovering his pre-break form, an Armstrong return, or the re-emergence of Trippier's delivery and leadership, Wolves need someone to light the fuse before the points deficit becomes something less manageable.

The Championship waits for no club, and Watford arrive at Molineux on Saturday. Three points would not solve every problem, but they would do a great deal to clear the air.

Frequently asked

How far are Wolves off the top of the Championship?
As of late October 2026, Wolves sit five points behind the Championship leaders, a gap that has grown largely from two home draws in successive midweek fixtures.
When is Raul Jimenez expected back for Wolves?
Cesar Peixoto has indicated that Jimenez's return could be significantly later than first hoped, though an exact date has not been confirmed.
Why have Wolves been struggling for form recently?
A cluster of injuries to key players, including Fer Lopez, Raul Jimenez, Adam Armstrong and Kieran Trippier, has disrupted Wolves' rhythm after a strong run of results in September.