Jhon Arias has not made the start at Wolves that fans were expecting.
The Colombia international joined the club in the summer in a deal worth around £19 million from Fluminense, and hopes were very high for supporters.
Jhon Arias had been a top player for years over in Brazil, and also has international pedigree.
After standing out at the Club World Cup, Wolves made their move.
But sadly, he has not lived up to the hype, with Arias still yet to score or assist. He has had the odd decent game, but by and large, Arias has not made anywhere near the impact that was expected.
Some fans made their feelings about Arias known on Monday when Rob Edwards took the player off against Manchester United.
There were some ironic cheers when he was substituted off, just as there were for Jorgen Strand Larsen.
The day after the game, an interview with Arias was published – and he’s sent a defiant message to fans amid his struggles.
Jhon Arias insists he has the ‘conviction’ to improve at Wolves
Arias was signed as a replacement for Matheus Cunha. The South American even took the Brazilian’s old number 10 shirt.
But Arias has been nowhere near the level of his predecessor, and there have even been reports about his immediate future.
Apparently Flamengo are keen to sign Arias, although Fluminense are said to have a first refusal.
While there is a lot of criticism right now for Arias, the player himself does not seem so concerned, as he told Flashscore: “With Wolves, I’m a very focused, calm and aware person. I know what has brought me here, how far I will go.
Kaka’s verdict on Jhon Arias at the Club World Club seems totally wide of the mark right now 😲
Can you see Arias ever coming good for Wolves?!
“[Arias is] an extremely dangerous player who can decide a match at any moment.”
– Kaka, speaking at the Club World Cup (via BBC Sport)
“What has made me achieve great things is to stay humble, working and focused. It’s the only way I know to get things.
“I am aware of the situation we are in, but also that I have everything I need to reverse that situation. I have that conviction. We have also had a bit of bad luck, but we have to keep working, trusting in God and that things improve.”
What Rob Edwards has told Arias
Arias was also asked about Rob Edwards and what the manager expects from him.
Arias added: “Well, the manager approached me the first day I arrived, because when he was appointed as coach, I was with the national team.
“From there, he has been a very transparent person with me. He has told me that he knows what a great player I am. He knows the qualities, everything I can bring to the club and what is expected of me.
“He knows that it is a process that we need as a club, not only personally, because in the end we are a team. He has been someone who in his own way has tried to transmit confidence and security to me, because maybe things are good, but they need to be better.”
Although it was released last night, it is unclear when exactly Arias conducted this interview.
Given he’s produced some really poor displays of late it seems an oddly calm tone from Arias, so it may well be that he was speaking not long after Edwards came in.
That said though, he has been playing poorly for a while.
If he is to remain the starting XI, then Arias is going to have to show much more than he has been, that’s for sure.
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