With how the season is playing out, Wolves could do with an in-form Jorgen Strand Larsen.
Goals have been hard to come by recently. No matter how much better a tune Vitor Pereira can get out of his defence, Wolves still need someone who can put the ball in the back of the net on a consistent basis.
That’s exactly what Jorgen Strand Larsen was able to do more often than not last season. 14 goals, no penalties, in his debut season.
The prevailing thought was that the Norwegian would kick on this season as the main man in attack. But persistent injury problems have prevented that from happening, with little improvement judging by comments from the Wolves boss.
No good news from Vitor Pereira about Jorgen Strand Larsen
Pereira’s pre-match press conference didn’t give us too much to analyse ahead of Saturday’s trip to the Stadium of Light.
Hwang Hee-chan and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde are doubts, but everyone else is available after international duty. That includes Strand Larsen, though Pereira warns he isn’t at full fitness.
When asked for an update on his number nine, Pereira reveals: “He’s trying his best. It’s not easy to be at his best level with pain (Achilles). He’s trying to help the team.”
The Achilles issue that has spoiled the first months of his campaign just doesn’t seem to be going away.
Strand Larsen is growing impatient, as are the Wolves fans who are desperate to see him back at his best.
Strand Larsen should still play against Sunderland
Despite the pain, Strand Larsen has been playing on. He played 15 minutes against Israel and just over an hour against New Zealand over the break.
Pereira likely won’t subject his legs to a full 90, but starting the game and being replaced by Tolu Arokodare later on feels like the best move.
Well aware of the pressure surrounding this tie, Pereira is ready, saying: “We need to be at our best level. We need to face these teams with our tools, our ideas, our identity. I believe it will be a good atmosphere and we need to prove we’re ready.”
If he can start, which it looks like he can, Strand Larsen should be leading the line against Sunderland.
The hope is that this lingering pain affects him less and less with each passing game. That’s a desperate hope for Wolves fans, who would feel far more confident heading into this crucial period if their talisman is up to the task.