One Wolves player shone against West Ham in pre-season, hinting that Gary O’Neil might have uncovered his best position.
Wolves are on a high having extended their pre-season unbeaten run to three games, as the Old Gold beat West Ham on Sunday morning.
Gary O’Neil watched on as his squad won 3-1 against Julen Lopetegui’s side, with a Rodrigo Gomes brace and a Matheus Cunha opener settling the scoreline.
While a lot of attention after the game was paid to Wolves’ new arrivals, there was another player who stood out for his performance.
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Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s best position was made clear in Wolves pre-season win over West Ham
After securing wins against Como and Bristol City to start pre-season, the test against West Ham was the first high-calibre challenge for O’Neil’s side.
It was interesting to see how well Wolves’ new arrivals adapted against Premier League opposition, with the game also hinting at several changes that could be made ahead of the upcoming season.
One encouraging tweak was the position of Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, who arrived on deadline day last summer from Strasbourg.
Taking to his Express and Star column, journalist Liam Keen lauded the Frenchman’s performance against the Hammers in a deeper role.
“Coming on in the second half and playing slightly deeper in central midfield – a role he [Bellegarde] has never really played for Wolves – the 26-year-old was a stand-out performer on the night.
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“That position allowed him to pick the ball up deeper and run at the opposition, traits he has superb skill in but rarely utilised last season.”
Keen went on to express his desire to see Bellegarde come to life at Wolves, suggesting that he could offer O’Neil a fresh scope in midfield.
“Wolves have Boubacar Traore and Joao Gomes to return to the squad, but Bellegarde could provide a more attacking option in that area.
“His versatility may prove useful this season but the player also needs to find the right position for him to have the most impact.”
Big season ahead for Bellegarde
Last season, it’s fair to say that Bellegarde didn’t have the influence that many would have hoped for him to have after arriving from Strasbourg.
Prior to his Ligue 1 exit, the Frenchman contributed to four goals in his opening three league appearances in 2023/24 yet was unable to carry such form to Molineux.
From injury to an early suspension, Bellegarde ‘struggled’ to make a real impact at Wolves however, that’s not to say that he doesn’t have more to offer.
After reviewing the 2023 arrival’s performance against West Ham, O’Neil has been given more of an insight into where his signing is best deployed on the pitch.
It will be interesting to see if the manager decides to hand Bellegarde more game time in pre-season in a slightly deeper role, with there a clear indication that he could thrive in the position.