Following five consecutive wins for Wolves, Ben Husband look so at how Paul Lambert has turned things round at Molineux.
A month is an excruciatingly long time in football.
Last month, David Evans spoke about how Paul Lambert and his Wolves side went from fearless to fearlful in 28 days.
As the ball rolled, agonisingly, into the path of Semi Ajayi, for a simple equaliser, few would have foreseen Paul Lambert even lasting the week as Wolves manager.
After no wins in seven, and a wholly underwhelming goalless draw awayd at Ipswich, the knives had not only been sharpened in the Southbank, but had been polished and unscathed, ready to dispense with yet another manager.
With Rotherham about to extend the Molineux misery it seemed the Scotsman’s position was becoming untenable.
Alas, the Rotherham defender blazed his injury time chance over the bar and the Wolves boss lived to fight another day.
28 days, 15 points and 5 wins later, Lambert is not only still in his job, but has now been recognised as the Championship Manager of the Month for March.
An accolade not acquired by a Wolves gaffer since Kenny Jackett furnished his mantelpiece in August 2014.
So from zero to hero in less than a month; what has Paul Lambert done to turn the tide and turn a February of discontent into a March to safety?
Paul Lambert, must of course take some credit for the progression Wolves have shown in the last month. They have undoubtedly improved.
Whilst, the timely return of Ivan Cavaleiro must not be overlooked; he has persisted with players who have been pilloried in recent months and their performances are improving.
Danny Batth is probably in his best run of form for two years and Dave Edwards, in a deeper lying position is performing consistently.
As well as established ‘Old Timers’, Lambert has entrusted two of the younger members of his squad to make up his spine.
Kortney Hause, following his alleged breach of discipline, is now adding calmness and reassurance to his displays.
As well as the England Under 21 international, his Welsh counterpart, Lee Evans is becoming the midfield metronome Wolves have been lacking since the departure of Kevin McDonald.
A player, who has the confidence and ability to control games with a range of passing and intelligence well beyond his years.
Following the apparent, scattergun approach to signings in summer, many questioned who was making the decisions.
Lambert’s first window, seems to have removed any of these doubts.
Both Marshall and Weimann are unequivocally, Lambert signings and fortunately for Wolves, both Marshall and Weimann have, unequivocally, improved Wolves.
In Ben Marshall, Wolves have a player who can consistently deliver quality that can change a game and in Andi Weimann, the team finally have a striker who can not only run along a defensive line, but behind one as well.
Of course some would argue Wolves last 11 games have, on reflection, simply been par for the course.
They are a middling team, who over any given period, will win about as many games as they lose.
Had Wolves form read WWLDLWWWLL, both the pessimism that engulfed Molineux during the Rotherham game, as well as the building optimism now surrounding the club would simply not have existed.
Lambert has both been a victim and a beneficiary of the short termism that not only engulfs, ‘The Fosun Era’ of Wolves but modern football in general.
Whether you bought into the ‘Lambert Out’ hype or are now a fully-fledged member of the ‘Messiah Lambert’ camp, few could argue that when both the club and Lambert needed it most, he delivered.
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