Liam Keen, Wolves writer for the Express and Star, has discussed how head coach Gary O'Neil has surprised fans and pundits alike with his entertaining football and tactical astuteness at Molineux.

The former Bournemouth boss was appointed three days before the start of the season and, after a slightly shaky start to the campaign, has started getting his side playing some good football and recording some positive results.

Wolves are 13th in the Premier League at the time of speaking, level on points with Brentford after 17 games. What have you made of their season to date?

It was a tumultuous summer, where Julen Lopetegui left and Gary O’Neil arrived only four days before the opening game. He had about three days to work with the team before that Monday night game against Manchester United at Old Trafford, but Wolves put in a performance that was way beyond expectations of anyone - they should have won it, despite losing 1-0 in the end.

The overall context of where Wolves have come from - losing a manager, bringing one in at short notice and then losing big-name players - means that they have probably exceeded expectations for quite a lot of people.

Without disrespecting some of the teams that are down there, had it not been for a couple of them that had come up last season, some would have had Wolves down as relegation favourites. I always felt they would be around 13th or 14th - that was my prediction at the start of the season - and people thought I was a little bit optimistic at the time.

But it was probably realistic, to be honest, because there is a good starting XI and a good set of players there and O’Neil has managed to drag the positives out of them.

They are going through a little iffy spell at the moment, particularly in terms of performances but, overall, it has been a pretty positive campaign so far.

Some felt O’Neil should have been named Manager of the Year for the job he did at Bournemouth last season and, since coming to Molineux, there has been lots of praise for him. How would you sum up the job he’s done so far and how he has settled?

He had a little bit of work to do to win over most of the supporters once he arrived. Wolves have gone from a manager who had previously managed Spain and Real Madrid in Lopetegui, to a manager who is only in his second role and still very young in O’Neil.

Understandably, supporters needed convincing - and he has gone a long way to doing that, with wins over Manchester City and Tottenham, as well as drawing with Aston Villa and Newcastle.

Wolves have put on a show as well as getting results, which was not the reality under Lopetegui last season, when they were a bit boring, but had to be to drag out results to stay in the league.

O’Neil has proven himself to be a very good tactician; someone who is very astute, very meticulous, very organised.

He has not got it right every single time tactically, and the defeat to West Ham on 17 December was an example of that as Wolves changed system and it did not quite work.

Overall, he has proven himself to be capable of getting results and performances out of this squad, with hopefully more to come with some additions.

On that topic, the opening of the January transfer window is a matter of days away now. In which areas will Wolves be looking to strengthen next month?

The number one priority is a no.9, which I am sure a lot of clubs will be after!

In terms of an out-and-out centre-forward, they have really only got Sasa Kalajdzic who has not really played a lot under O’Neill; he has scored a couple of late goals off the bench, but has been very much an impact player who has not been given a lot of minutes, though granted he is coming off the back of a big injury last season as well.

Wolves have got Fabio Silva, who is extremely likely to leave in January, and is more of a second striker.

Then there is Matheus Cunha, who they want to use alongside the front three, but he is having to sacrifice himself for the team and play as the central striker. He has done a very good job, but he is not that out-and-out no.9.

It is the same with Hee-chan Hwang; he can play off the left and as a second striker if needed, but he has had to play more centrally at times.

That is the number one priority for Wolves, to add a starter that is going to improve the starting XI.

Alongside that, they would like a winger as well. Pedro Neto is just coming back from injury and has been excellent this season, but he is the only out-and-out winger. Hwang is very good off the left or the right, but is more of an inside forward.

Which player should Brentford fans keep an eye on?

It is a good question - and the fact I can think of a few players is good news for Wolves!

I will say Rayan Aït-Nouri. He has just come back from an ankle injury, which did not keep him out for too long, but it was long enough to miss him. He came off the bench against West Ham and got 20-25 minutes.

The system and formation Wolves have been playing is essentially a back five with him as a left wing-back. But he is almost playing a hybrid role, where Hwang will come central, move inside and play alongside Cunha, and Aït-Nouri will play as a left winger, and Toti Gomes will move to left-back when Wolves have got possession and are attacking.

That hybrid role has really suited him. He has been a breath of fresh air going forward and defensively; particularly when he is carrying the ball from deep and taking players on.

He was out of favour under Lopetegui and ready to leave in the summer but, all of a sudden, an opportunity came out of nowhere with O’Neil and he has taken it with both hands.

You touched on it there, but how are Wolves likely to set up?

If Ait-Nouri is fit and available and playing as expected, then O’Neil will go back to what he had been doing and what had been such a successful system. It changes within a game, making it harder to explain, but it will be a back five.

My predicted team would be this: José Sá will be in goal if he is fit, Nélson Semedo right wing-back, Max Kilman playing on the right of the back three, Craig Dawson in the middle, Toti Gomes and Ait-Nouri left wing-back. Then it will be Mario Lemina and João Gomes in midfield, and then probably Pablo Sarabia, Cunha and Hwang. It is more of a 5-2-1-2 formation.

Wolves are unbeaten in the last three Premier League clashes with Brentford. What’s your score prediction for the first of two meetings within a matter of days?

It is a tough one going away to a Brentford side who I think are a very good team and will probably be in and around where Wolves are this season.

Wolves have not done too well on their travels in London in the last few seasons. It has got all the makings of quite a tight draw, so I will go for 1-1 and a welcome point.