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EPL For the past 11 days it has often been tough to reconcile Vitor Pereira’s contract position with events at Wolverhampton Wanderers. The head coach signed a new three-year deal on September 18 yet since then has looked and sounded like a man fighting to save his job. Pereira’s side lost their first five Premier League games of the season and many of his actions and words have been those traditionally associated with managers fearing the end of their tenure. There have been multiple changes to the team, the post-match comments after the defeat to Leeds in which he said he was struggling to identify his best XI, and his pre-match comments ahead of playing Tottenham Hotspur, telling his summer signings they needed to begin making an impact in the Premier League. Advertisement And at 6. 45pm on Saturday, when the teams were announced at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Pereira’s lineup felt like a Hail Mary. There were nine changes in personnel from the previous Premier League game, a move away from the three-man central defence Pereira had used for his entire reign so far, a change in goal, the sight of Yerson Mosquera going from the starting line-up to the stands and of Matt Doherty moving from the stands to the starting line-up — as captain. Pereira’s 24 changes to starting line-ups across the first six games this season is now the most by any club. At half-time came two further changes and another change in system, reverting to the back three that Pereira had favoured in every previous Premier League outing, but the initial decision to reward the team that claimed a midweek victory over Everton in the Carabao Cup — there was just one change from that lineup — was a bold and risky move. Were it not for the recent contract news, it would have felt like the last throw of the dice from a coach under huge pressure, and had it backfired it would have raised obvious questions about just what options were left available to Pereira to bring Wolves’ season to life. It did not backfire. Yes, there was the crushing disappointment that came from Joao Palhinha’s 94th-minute equaliser that denied Pereira’s side a first league victory of the campaign, but this was Wolves’ best performance of the season by a distance, which looked for much of the second half like delivering three points thanks to Santiago Bueno’s first goal for the club. Bueno was a fitting scorer, having delivered his best performance in Wolves colours at centre-back, suggesting he is beginning to get to grips with the physical and athletic demands of the Premier League. His reading of the game and composure in possession have never really been in doubt but at times he has struggled with the pace and power required in England. There were further, hugely encouraging signs. Key midfield pivot Andre seems to be returning to form after a tough start to the season, while there was another assured display at the back from summer signing Ladislav Krejci and the most effective display so far from another new arrival, Jhon Arias. Advertisement Wolves looked better organised, more spirited and less error-laden which, in itself, represented a significant improvement from the previous five league displays. In Pereira’s opinion, it was the result of finally getting to work in detail with a squad that came together later in the transfer window than he wanted. “I feel that we started to work with the team two weeks ago, before the Everton (Premier League) game, ” he said. “Before that it was not possible. Some of them came in at the end of the market, and after that they went to the national teams. “Now we are working tactically and mentally, building the team, the spirit between the players, and putting them in a tactical page to understand what we want. ” There are issues that remain and difficult decisions to be made before Sunday’s crucial Molineux meeting with Brighton, some of which have no obvious solutions. Having struggled to keep Tottenham’s wide players at bay with a back four before half time, Wolves looked structurally sounder after the break with their more familiar back three, but starting with that system next weekend would mean either moving Bueno to the central role in which he has sometimes struggled or recalling either Emmanuel Agbadou, who again looked shaky as a second-half substitute on Saturday, or Toti, who has been badly out of form. Jorgen Strand Larsen is still some way below his best in attack while Tolu Arokodare, the man brought in to provide competition and support, is still getting up to speed. And in the longer term, Pereira needs more from Arias and his fellow summer arrivals and to find a way of sticking with a system and lineup that can provide consistency and clear identity. But for the first time in this season, Wolves have some basic bricks which they can dare to hope might turn into foundations in the weeks ahead. Pereira took a bold gamble, and while it did not pay off fully, it at least did not blow up in his face. (Top photo: David Rogers/Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle Steve Madeley has been a journalist for almost 25 years, including nearly 20 years covering sport, mainly football. The majority of his career was spent with the Express & Star in the West Midlands. He has worked for most UK national newspapers and websites including The Times, The Mirror and BBC Sport Online and joined The Athletic in 2019. Follow Steve on Twitter @Steve Madeley78