Craig Dawson’s status as one of Wolves’ most important players has been carried into the 2024/25 campaign.
The veteran centre-back was signed from West Ham in 2023 to bolster the depth and experience within the squad.
Not many would have expected Dawson to have had such an impact over his year and a half at Molineux, becoming one of Gary O’Neil’s most trusted assets.
Now 34 and in the last year of his contract at Wolves, the defender’s stance in the squad this term carried less certainty, although his absence at the start of the campaign spoke volumes.
Gary O’Neil shocked Craig Dawson with Wolves plan during pre-season
After starting the opening two fixtures of the season on the bench, Dawson was handed his first start last time out against Nottingham Forest.
The Old Gold conceded one goal in the draw at the City Ground, a vast improvement on the eight they conceded during the fixtures against Arsenal and Chelsea.
Having a player as experienced as Dawson in the ranks is a huge plus for O’Neil, who thinks incredibly highly of the 34-year-old, which he made known during pre-season.
As relayed by Express and Star, the Wolves boss admitted that the centre-back thought he was lying when he informed him of the role required in the 2024/25 campaign.
“I don’t know whether he believed me when I told him in pre-season that he would be hugely important and he’d have a shirt at some point,” O’Neil said.
“He’s going to be massive for us. He knows the league, he’s good with the ball and he’s an expert at defending the goal.”
As seen against Forest, Dawson added a level of experience and security to the defence, providing Yerson Mosquera with the perfect teacher in his debut Premier League season.
Wolves have to find a replacement for Dawson
This campaign, Wolves have the assurance of having Dawson in the ranks to call upon when needed.
As O’Neil continues to experiment with the defence, seeing Mosquera and Toti Gomes partnered frequently, it’s become even more apparent just how crucial a player with Dawson’s experience is.
The summer transfer window ended in a thrilling fashion for Wolves, who recruited late on deadline day however, a centre-back to match Dawson’s expertise was not identified.
O’Neil and Matt Hobbs must begin to imagine the squad without the 34-year-old, who will need a worthy successor to fill his boots in the near future.