Emmanuel Agbadou has made a sensational start to life as a Wolves player.
The Ivory Coast international joined the club in the January transfer window, answering the club’s SOS call after a truly awful start to the 2024/25 season defensively.
Wolves could not keep the ball out of their net under Gary O’Neil, and Vitor Pereira knew that he had to get someone in.
Wolves landed Agbadou for around £16 million from Reims – and it has turned out to be a masterstroke by the recruitment team.
After just weeks at the club, Agbadou won Wolves’ Player of the Month award for January, and plenty more brilliant performances have followed.
Against Brighton though, Agbadou perhaps had his worst game so far – and Matt Murray noticed something about the defender that does slightly concern him.
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Matt Murray believes Emmanuel Agbadou can suffer ‘lapses’ in concentration for Wolves
Agbadou was a gamechanger of a signing for Wolves.
He has brought steel and authority to the backline, and has arguably improved players around him.
The most impressive thing about him is his actual defending, with players finding him very difficult to get past due to his size and athleticism. He can also pick a pass, and breaks the lines well.
But former Wolves goalkeeper Matt Murray reckons Agbadou can actually be prone to lapses in concentration.
He said on Matchday Live Extra after Saturday’s 2-0 defeat: “Nayls (Lee Naylor) called it, they’ve gone man for man here.
“What you do, is there’s one player you go – and you say this to me all the time, Nayls watches you a lot – he goes, mate, I love this Agbadou, but at the moment I feel the reason he’s not at a top four or top six (club), no disrespect to Wolves, is that he’s got a little aberration or lack of concentration.
“He’s quick, he can play the passes, he’s all these things. But sometimes you decide the player (to target).
“Agbadou unfortunately, is the one they’ve gone ‘Right, if you leave him on the ball, he’s done loads of great stuff, but he will give you a chance.”
Agbadou can come across too calm
Agbadou has been a revelation since coming to Wolves, and has played a huge part in the team’s brilliant recovery in the second half of the season.
But arguably, Naylor and Murray are right with their assessment of him.
Agbadou is so supremely confident when he plays, that he can sometimes come across as slightly complacent.
He is brilliant and he knows it. But there are occasions where he could perhaps have sharper focus.
There have been a few occasions recently where Toti Gomes has had to mop up for him, but hopefully he will address this ahead of the 2025/26 season. It may simply just be a case of the Premier League being faster-paced than Ligue 1.