Coaches at Wolves reportedly had to persuade Matheus Cunha that he is currently the best option to lead the line at Molineux.
The Brazilian signed for the club from Atletico Madrid at the start of the year, with Wolves paying around £44 million after an initial loan.
It was a huge money and a transfer that definitely raised eyebrows, because Wolves needed a goalscoring striker and Cunha had not prolific at his previous clubs.
Despite that, it was reported that Wolves signed Cunha with a view to him playing as a striker.
Cunha has only scored four goals in 33 games for Wanderers so far, highlighting his lack of a cutting edge.
Matheus Cunha had to be persuaded he is the best option to play up top for Wolves
Journalist Johnny Phillips has penned an interesting column in the Express & Star that touches on Cunha.
Phillips – a Wolves fan – reports that the club are going to be targeting a central striker in January, and also a wide forward.
Seemingly, there is a view from the club to get Cunha playing more of a supporting role in the final third. Previously, it was reported that Gary O’Neil wanted to hand him more of a free role.
According to Phillips, Cunha actually had to be persuaded that he is the best option in that position within the current squad. He does not necessarily ‘savour’ the role, and doesn’t see himself as a ‘conventional’ number nine.
O’Neil has Sasa Kalajdzic and Fabio Silva in reserve, but neither have really convinced the manager yet that they are worthy of leading the line.
Kalajdzic has popped up with a couple of big goals so far but there are still question marks over his fitness after his serious knee injury.
Silva has struggled for minutes, and there have been suggestions he could head out on loan in January.
Cunha has never been a number nine
It is interesting to read that Cunha had to be ‘persuaded’ that he was the best option to lead the line at Wolves, almost as if he himself didn’t feel it was the best idea.
The £60,000-a-week star has actually done a decent job so far this season with the Brazilian working really well with Hwang Hee-chan and Pedro Neto.
But it’s always just that final moment with Cunha, who appears to panic when he gets in front of goal. He’s had plenty of chances this season to score goals, including absolutely gilt-edged opportunities against Manchester United in the first game and Liverpool at Molineux.
He is brilliant at many things but finishing is not one of them and Wolves shouldn’t look to proceed playing him right up top, especially when his ball-carrying is so good.