Wolves didn’t have much to shout about under during the first-half of the season but their fortunes appear to be turning around.
Former manager Gary O’Neil was on a collision course with the bottom of the Premier League before Wolves’ owners stepped in and relieved the 41-year-old of his duties at Molineux.
The club named Vitor Pereira as O’Neil’s successor, and although the Wolves first-team have played just five matches under the Portuguese tactician, things seem to be on the up.
Boasting four wins, including an important 2-1 FA Cup Third Round victory against Bristol City, Wolves have been revitalised and that is especially true for one player, who, despite failing to feature much under O’Neil, is now thriving under his new boss.
What makes Rodrigo Gomes the ultimate professional explained
Despite being just 21 years old, Rodrigo Gomes is one of his side’s most professional players.
Gomes put on a superb display against Bristol City in a match which saw him net his second goal of the season.
| Rodrigo Gomes vs. Bristol City | Statistic |
| Minutes played | 89′ |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 1 |
| Shots on target | 1 |
| Touches | 36 |
| Key passes | 1 |
And reacting to Gomes’ emergence under Pereira, journalist Liam Keen, who spoke to Nathan Judah on ShotsTV, offered fans an insight into what the young winger is really like.
“As a footballer, he’s fantastic, but off the pitch, the sort of character he is, and the way that he carries that onto the pitch is infectious,” Keen said.
“His attitude is top-notch. He’s desperate to be there, he’s desperate to play and he loves playing and he celebrates like a fan on the pitch which is how you want your footballers to be.”
Fascinating to hear amid the growing excitement surrounding a player who many hope will be able to fill the void left by Pedro Neto.
Gomes deserves to keep place against Newcastle United
Wolves travel to take on Newcastle United in the Premier League on Wednesday.
Pereira will name his strongest 11 and Gomes should be part of that. The youngster is in fantastic form, and if Keen’s assessment is anything to go, clearly deserves more opportunities.
Despite his young age, the former Braga star seems to be the model teammate, and although relatively inexperienced, has aspirations of becoming the best possible version of himself — a trait many top-flight players lack.
Wednesday night’s match, which will take place at St. James’ Park, is likely to see Newcastle and Wolves score plenty of goals, and following his recent FA Cup winner, fans will be hoping for more of the same from Gomes.