Gary O’Neil will be eager to keep Wolves’ run of form going as the Old Gold welcome Bournemouth to Molineux.
Wolves thrashed Fulham 4-1 last time out, recording their first win on the road in the Premier League in nine months.
It was a memorable occasion for all associated with the club and mostly for Matheus Cunha, who terrorised Marco Silva’s side.
The Brazilian shone in a free-roaming role in attack with his place in the squad undeniable however, there is something O’Neil must consider before the Old Gold face the Cherries.
Rayan Ait-Nouri’s role must change against Bournemouth
Against Fulham, O’Neil was forced to play Rayan Ait-Nouri as a left-sided centre-back due to Wolves’ injury crisis in defence.
With Craig Dawson and Santi Bueno back in training ahead of Bournemouth, the manager will likely restore the Algerian to his favoured left-wing back role.
The change will be a given if the two centre-backs are fit to start however, there’s another headache for O’Neil to tend to regarding Ait-Nouri.
Playing as a wing-back suits the 23-year-old, who is a force to be reckoned with in possession although, there are still some questions to be asked regarding his suitability as an out-and-out defender.
| Rayan Ait-Nouri vs Fulham |
| 9 clearances |
| 6/10 ground duels won |
| 10x possession lost |
| 1 foul committed |
After the win over Fulham, Ait-Nouri was criticised for losing the ball consistently by journalist Liam Keen, who noticed a frustrating pattern in the defender’s approach.
“He gives the ball away so needlessly. He’s turning into danger consistently which I find bizarre. He’s almost trying to take on the same player two or three times.
“It’s frustrating because he is such a talented footballer but he’s struggling at the moment to get back to form, to be consistently making these errors is going to make it more difficult for those around him.”
Despite there being a lack of defensive depth, O’Neil could be tempted to move Ait-Nouri further forward if an alternative at left-back is identified, but whether the system permits such change is another question.
Ait-Nouri’s form is crucial amid transfer interest
Wolves will want to get their Algerian back to his best not only for the sake of the squad but for the sake of a possible future sale.
Jeff Shi and Fosun will surely be licking their lips as Ait-Nouri generates transfer attention, with a possible sale almost certain to land Wolves a healthy profit.
Ruben Amirom wants Ait-Nouri at Manchester United, which stands for Premier League interest, automatically boosting a potential sale fee.
Another thing that will boost value is form and given how superb the Algeria international was last season, the bar is already incredibly high, emphasising why he needs to rediscover his true quality.