'Wolves need fighters, not passengers'

Wolves cannot treat January like a routine transfer window.

The real question is whether they push hard to close the gap now, or accept where they are and start building for life in the Championship.

Right now, the biggest issue is not just quality, it is the mood of the squad and our league standings. This team looks tense, unsure and too familiar with losing.

That matters, because a couple of new signings can easily get dragged into the same mentality.

If Wolves are going to use January well, it has to feel like a reset, not a patch-up job.

The first step is honesty about commitment.

If certain players already have one foot out of the door, then maybe Wolves should let them go.

A relegation fight needs full buy-in. It also makes business sense.

Sell now and you can ask for a better fee than you will get in the summer if the club is forced into cut-price deals. The risk, of course, is optics.

If it looks like the club is giving up, it could inflame an already toxic atmosphere at Molineux.

That means recruitment has to be targeted and intentional.

Wolves will not be the easiest sell right now, so the club should focus on mentality as much as ability.

The club needs leaders, competitors and players with an edge. That could be an experienced Premier League pro, someone who feels overlooked and has a point to prove, or a Championship standout with real physicality and resilience.

If planning for the Championship becomes necessary, those profiles make even more sense.

On the pitch, Wolves must add something to the attack.

The defence might be good enough, but it is being asked to absorb too much pressure for too long.

Bringing in attackers who can carry the ball, hold it up and threaten on the break would change the feel of games and give the back line breathing room.

January is not only about adding bodies. It is about changing the environment and mentality.

Wolves need fighters, not passengers.

Find more from Emma Milton at Always Wolves