Wolves striker Hwang Hee-chan has had an impressive season despite his playing time being restricted due to injury, with statistics showing just how integral the Korean is when he’s at his best.
Wolves are enjoying a season that not many would have expected to see play out at Molineux.
The summer posed a host of challenges for the Old Gold to overcome, not many as influential as the hiring of Gary O’Neil just five days prior to the 2023/24 Premier League opener.
Julen Loeptegui left his post due to the club’s financial restrictions and the repercussions he believed they would have on the squad, concerns that have since been proven wrong by the squad.
On matchday 28, Wolves equalled their points tally for the entire 2022/23 campaign, as well as eclipsing the dire scoring record of Lopetegui’s side as early as matchday 22.
Hwang Hee-chan has been key for Wolves this season
One reason for O’Neil’s success so far with the squad is his ability to get the side firing again, with Hwang Hee-chan and Matheus Cunha leading the way as the Old Gold’s top scorers in all competitions.
It is, however, the Korean that leads the way in the Premier League for his 10 goals so far, where he is just three goals away from recording his best-ever domestic league tally in his career.
At the start of the season, the 28-year-old was in searing form, scoring six goals in his opening 10 Premier League appearances to inspire Wolves to elevate their game in attack.
Statistics provided by The Other 14 highlight just how clinical the striker has been for the Old Gold this term, with him topping the charts outside of the top six for his non-penalty goal conversion rate.
With a conversion rate of 25.7%, Hwang has proved to be more precise in front of goal than the likes of Ollie Watkins and Dominic Solanke, suggesting just how well the Korean is working under O’Neil’s guidance.
Gary O’Neil will want to see Hwang Hee-chan back to his best
Hwang’s involvement at the 2023 Asia Cup was difficult for both player and club, as he was absent for a month and returned to the squad nursing a slight injury.
Since his return from the tournament, the £70k-a-week star has seen his performance levels questioned, with Andy Thompson saying that the forward was looking “lethargic” and is yet to score in 2024.
Earlier in the campaign, pundit Paul Merson sang the praises of the Molineux superstar, lauding him as “unreal” for his free-scoring form.
Now that Hwang is out injured, the 28-year-old will be handed the opportunity to rest and recover from the minutes he played on international duty, with O’Neil hoping that his top-scorer can return at a level that was seen earlier in the campaign.
With 10 games to go in the Premier League season, the Korean’s return could come at a vital time in Wolves’ mission to secure European next term, particularly if he can rediscover his clinical streak.