The real killer stat from Wolves 0 Newcastle 0

Wondering how best to sum up Wolves 0 Newcastle 0?

I think I might have found what you were looking for.

From the OptaJoe X/Twitter account following the Wolves 0 Newcastle 0 match: ‘Newcastle United’s pass completion rate in the first half against Wolves (94%) was the highest by any team in a half of football in the Premier League without recording a shot on target (on record since 2003-04). Sideways.’

Two things.

The sheer negativity of Wolves, despite playing at home and only a win of any use to them in what looks a hopeless cause of trying to escape relegation. The hosts defending so deep and with everybody behind the ball, minimal attacking intention and relying on the odd break.

The sheer inability of Newcastle United to break down this negative Wolves set-up. The ball endlessly played around the Wolves half, with little incisive play. Then when the odd killer cross/ball was delivered, the likes of Joelinton and Nick Woltemade totally fluffing their lines when presented with clear headed chances, where it looked easier to make the right contact that would surely have brought a goal. A goal that would have opened up the game for sure.

To give the hosts and Rob Edwards credit, Wolves aren’t the shambles they were not so long ago.

They had by a country mile the very worst goal difference that summed up how poor they had been.

After 15 Premier League matches, Wolves had only scored 8 goals but conceded 33, a stunning -25 goal difference. No wonder they had only picked up only two points from a possible 45.

The latest seven PL games have now seen a huge improvement in performances and the underlying stats, this even before the last four PL games unbeaten.

The last 7 Premier League matches, Wolves have scored 7 goals and conceded only 8, only a -1 goal difference across these most recent seven PL matches.

These are the last seven Wolves matches in the Premier League and how many shots on target (SOT) they have restricted the opposition to in each game:

Wolves 0 Newcastle 0 (Newcastle 2 SOT)
Everton 1 Wolves 1 (Everton 2 SOT)
Wolves 3 West Ham 0 (West Ham 0 SOT)
Man U 1 Wolves 1 (Man U 6 SOT)
Liverpool 2 Wolves 1 (Liverpool 4 SOT)
Wolves 0 Brentford 2 (Brentford 6 SOT)
Arsenal 2 Wolves 1 (Arsenal 2 SOT)

If you take out the Man U and Brentford matches, the other five show only 10 shots on target for the opposition, averaging just the two per game. When you factor in that these five matches include away games at Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton, plus Newcastle (and West Ham) at home, quite clearly Rob Edwards has worked relative wonders with their defending. A determination to not get opened up so easily and stop the rot.

Fair play to the Wolves boss for managing to do this but it can lead to matches like today. I also watched Wolves when they played Liverpool and Arsenal, really poor games to watch but Edwards will feel justified in restricting those pair to so few efforts on target, as was the case with Newcastle United on Sunday.

Wolves 0 Newcastle 0 – Sunday 18 January 2026 2pm

Match Stats

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Wolves:

Possession was Newcastle 66% Wolves 34%

Total shots were Newcastle 12 Wolves 6

Shots on target were Newcastle 2 Wolves 2

Corners were Newcastle 7 Wolves 4

Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 24 Wolves 14

Newcastle team v Wolves:

Pope, Tripper, Thiaw, Botman, Hall, Tonali (Miley 67), Joelinton, Bruno, Barnes, Gordon (Elanga 67), Woltemade (Wissa 67)

Unused subs:

Ramsdale, Willock, Alex Murphy, Neave, Ramsey, Shahar