A key change that Gary O’Neil has made in pre-season can make one Wolves star even better.
Wolves are preparing for the second friendly of their US pre-season tour as Crystal Palace await Gary O’Neil’s side in the early hours of Thursday morning.
O’Neil will be encouraged by what he’s seen so far from his squad with Wolves winning 100% of their opening three friendlies ahead of next term.
Pre-season has also been a time for the boss to make some tweaks to his side, most prominently through a spotted formational change.
Dave Edwards thinks Wolves’ formation change will benefit Matheus Cunha
Wolves started the 2023/24 campaign with a back four however, O’Neil quickly discovered that a back five was more productive in his squad.
Now that the Old Gold have hired a target man in Jorgen Strand Larsen, there is room for the Midlands side to revert back to their former structure, something that will benefit one player in particular.
Taking to his Shropshire Star column, former Wolves midfielder Dave Edwards explained why Matheus Cunha will be licking his lips at O’Neil’s decision to return to a back four.
“When you do play that sole striker, be it Jorgen Strand Larsen or Hwang Hee-chan, the formation will focus on that player in the attacking pocket just behind.
“It’s almost a formation that is built for him [Cunha] because of the way the Brazilian plays. It’s so natural for him to drift into space to pick up the ball, which he does so elegantly, before driving so directly.
“I believe he is Wolves’ star player from an attacking point of view and playing 4-2-3-1 with him just behind the striker is really going to stretch defenders to allow for more space.”
Last season, O’Neil realised that Cunha’s best position was playing just off the striker rather than acting as the main supply for goals, something that Strand Larsen’s arrival will nurture.
Jorgen Strand Larsen’s arrival could take Matheus Cunha to the next level
One of the best things about Cunha is his ability to fearlessly glide through the opposition with the ball at his feet.
The Brazilian is one of the most exciting players to watch at Wolves, and one of the best in the Premier League when it comes to ball carrying.
As per FBref, no player averaged more carries into the final third in the Premier League last term than Cunha, who recorded a monstrous 2.91 per 90.
By recognising what makes the 25-year-old tick, O’Neil took Cunha from being a player who contributed to two goals in 2022/23 at Wolves, to a crucial piece of the squad’s attack.
The arrival of Strand Larsen will open up how O’Neil conducts his attack, with the Brazilian now handed a target man to combine with to elevate his game to the next level.
For now, Wolves will hope that Cunha’s pre-season injury heals quickly as the Premier League season draws closer.