Rayan Ait-Nouri is a bit of a stat monster, but a former Wolves teammate is even more proficient.
It’s a few months now since Rayan Ait-Nouri departed Wolves, and he’s certainly missed around Molineux.
His absence has been felt less with Hugo Bueno’s emergence as a starter, but certainly from a creativity standpoint, Wolves could do with their old wing-back.
It’s not just the creative aspect of Ait-Nouri’s game that’s sorely missed. It’s his work rate and willingness to get stuck in. Almost as much as Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes.
Joao Gomes top 5 in Europe for ground duels
Wolves have struggled this season, no doubt.
But those struggles are not down to Gomes, who has looked really solid in the middle of the park.
His in-possession play is silky and composed, but out of possession, he’s unrelenting. He puts in crunching tackles, makes key interceptions, and wins an elite amount of ground duels.
Gomes is fourth best in that category in the last two-and-a-bit seasons. Up until the summer, Wolves had two of the best in Europe, with Ait-Nouri at sixth.
The list is rounded out by mostly Premier League players, interestingly enough.
Gomes could be even more effective now for Wolves
In Vitor Pereira’s back three system, Gomes and fellow countryman Andre have operated in a midfield two, and have done a brilliant job.
They are two defensively solid, smart midfielders, who hold their own regardless of the opposition. But that could sometimes be a difficult task, especially when facing a strong midfield three.
Now that Pereira has switched to a back four, it allows for one more body in the middle. That’s sure to make the Brazilians’ lives that bit easier.
Wolves’ play has been questionable at times this season, to say the least, but you rarely look at Gomes, or Andre for that matter, and think they’re the crux of the issue.