It is safe to say that Vitor Pereira doesn’t know his best Wolves team yet this season.
The Wolves manager even suggested as much after the club’s latest defeat in the Premier League against Leeds United.
Pereira has chopped and changed in the hope of finding a successful formula, but to no avail so far, and some believe the Portuguese has been too faithful to certain players.
Emmanuel Agbadou has played every game for Wolves and been one of the worst players, but Pereira has stuck by him.
We’ve also seen Vitor Pereira change up the system, using two players up top on occasion in a 3-5-2. Pereira has said he’s open to playing Tolu Arokodare and Jorgen Strand Larsen together, so it may well be that we see this system in use more often.
But 3-4-3 is the preferred formation, and one that is synonymous with Wolves.
For Dave Edwards though, amid the apparent uncertainty from the manager regarding who to pick, there is one player who simply must start in that system for Wolves – but not everyone will agree.
Dave Edwards insists Marshall Munetsi must start if Wolves play 3-4-3
Marshall Munetsi is a player who draws his fair share of criticism.
The Zimbabwe international arrived at Molineux at the start of the year, arriving in a £16 million deal from Reims.
He immediately became a starter, operating mainly as the right-sided number 10 for Wolves – which surprised a lot of people.
Munetsi has drawn criticism for lacking quality on the ball. He will run all day, but some don’t feel the quality is there, or isn’t there often enough.
This term, Munetsi hasn’t had the level of involvement most expected him to. But Dave Edwards reckons he has to start if Wolves are going to play in a 3-4-3 system.
He said (via E&S): “He (Pereira) needs to try to find that settled XI. If it is going to be 3-4-3, then Marshall Munetsi has to play because they need legs. They are not a good enough side to have lots of players to rely on creativity with.
“He made a big difference when he came on, just from being aggressive with his runs and anticipating where the ball is going to be.
“No one else can do the job that he does out of possession.”
Munetsi recently revealed Pereira liked his ability to press high, hence why he has played as one of the number 10s so often.
Munetsi must show more quality on the ball for Wolves
Munetsi probably has the best engine in the Wolves squad, but the majority of fans don’t believe he should be a regular starter.
And a large reason for that is that he does not seem to offer very much when he actually has the ball.
| Marshall Munetsi for Wolves in the Premier League |
| Appearances – 19 |
| Goals – 2 |
| Assists – 2 |
| Total shots – 27 |
| Shots on target – 8 |
| Offsides – 7 |
Barring his superb strike in the final game against Brentford last season, £16 million signing Munetsi (BBC Sport) struggles to threaten in front of goal and is not clinical. When playing as an attacking midfielder, it is important to carry a decent goal threat.
You will also rarely see him play through balls to the central striker, or dribble past people.
His work out of possession is good, but Munetsi really has to be offering more with the ball if he is to start regularly for Wolves, regardless of system.