Former Wolves captain Karl Henry decides between two favourites for best player at Wolves.
It’s not the first time Karl Henry has been in the news over the international break.
The ex-Wolves midfielder now manages women’s side Boldmere St Michaels, and was nominated for Manager of the Month in September for his unbeaten start in Division One Midlands.
This time, he makes headlines for an interview he did at Molineux, where he gave his opinion on who stands out as the best in Vitor Pereira’s side.
Karl Henry decides between Joao Gomes and Andre
As exciting as Jorgen Strand Larsen can be, and as impressed as fans have been with Ladislav Krejci’s first months at Wolves, no one has threatened to knock the Brazilian duo of Joao Gomes and Andre off their perch.
The quality they exhibit in the middle of the park wouldn’t look out of place in a side competing much further up the table. And Henry, who spent seven seasons in that very role at Wolves, has a hard time deciding between the two.
Pressed for his pick, he says: “It’s a difficult one, there’s a lot of good players. I’m a big Joao Gomes fan, but, Andre. I’m gonna go Andre. My position, yeah, similar playing styles. A little bit better than I was.
“They’re top players, both of them, but I think Andre, at the moment, I’m really enjoying his performances.”
This comes after Andre’s uncertain start to the season where he was dropped from the side, but Pereira thinks he’s back at his best, and evidently, so does Henry.
Andre and Joao Gomes will need to adapt
While the biggest change to the system is at the back, it will require an adjustment from the midfielders as well.
If Pereira sticks to his guns, it will be a midfield three from here on out, a different dynamic than what Gomes and Andre have grown accustomed to.
But really, it should take some of the burden off of them, especially if they are joined by Ladislav Krejci or Marshall Munetsi. If it’s the Czech, it should give them license to move further up the pitch, and if it’s Munetsi, it will take much of the running workload away from them.
The Brazilians are undroppable now, but there’s many different midfield variations that can be used with them as the constant.
This first game back against Sunderland, after a long period of preparation, should give us a better idea of what Pereira wants to do with the midfield going forward.