Wolves have been told that Toti Gomes is one of the key elements to the successes that Gary O’Neil’s squad have achieved this season.
Wolves are enjoying a strong season under Gary O’Neil as the Old Gold remain in contention to grasp European football next campaign.
While the feeling at Molineux will be one of sadness at present following the devastatingly late FA Cup exit, there is plenty for the Midlands club to still cheer about once the pain of Saturday’s game has shifted.
Not many would have believed that Wolves would be in such a position at the start of the season however, with European football still a reality with 10 games to go, O’Neil has firmly won the trust of Wolverhampton in his short time at the club.
Of course, the work of O’Neil wouldn’t have been possible without the current group of players at Molineux, with one figure being hailed as one of the important at Wolves.
Toti Gomes identified as one of Wolves’ key players
When you think of Wolves’ top performers this season, the mind would instantly pick out the likes of Pedro Neto, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Mario Lemina, who have been integral to the squad’s progression.
That being said, journalist Liam Keen raised who he believes is a “catalyst” for his teammates in O’Neil’s starting lineup when speaking on the Wolves Weekly Podcast.
“I think Wolves are a better side with Toti Gomes in there, I think his athleticism, his natural defensive ability, his awareness, his positioning, he’s quick, he’s strong.”
“I think he’s an all-round, very very good international defender that has the versatility to allow others around him to play.”
“With Gomes, I think you get the best out of Ait-Nouri and with that, you get the best out of Matheus Cunha on that side. Down that left side is where the catalyst for Wolves’ success in that formation has stemmed from.”
Toti Gomes’ performances this season have gone under the radar
While the likes of Matheus Cunha and Ait-Nouri steal the headlines for their dazzling ability in transition on the left side, it is Toti Gomes who has allowed Wolves to stem such intricate passages of play from that area.
The Portuguese defender’s versatility has seen him slot seamlessly into O’Neil’s back three, without compromising his strengths on the ball.
It’s not only Keen who has been quick to praise the rise of Toti in Wolves’ squad this season, with Sporting Director Matt Hobbs also lauding the 25-year-old’s strengths this year, focusing on the “balance” the defender brings.
With Craig Dawson acting as the anchor alongside Max Kilman and the formidable force of Toti, O’Neil seems to have found the perfect combination to see his squad progress.