Gary O’Neil would have studied his players on international duty, as nine Wolves stars represented their nations.
It was an action-packed break for the Old Gold, as the Premier League schedule was paused to see international football take centre stage.
Nine Wolves players were in action for their nations, with the squad set to regroup shortly ahead of the blockbuster clash with Manchester City.
The break was memorable for some for the wrong reasons, as Hwang Hee-chan was injured on duty for South Korea, giving O’Neil an additional concern before facing the champions.
- READ MORE: The nine Wolves players on international duty and their fixtures as Andre earns Brazil call-up
Santi Bueno impressed on international duty for Uruguay
One Wolves star had a positive spell away from Molineux, as Santi Bueno impressed on duty with Uruguay.
The centre-back played 90 minutes in both of his nation’s games, putting in a solid shift against Peru and Ecuador.
Bueno was praised for his ‘excellent’ display against Ecuador, overseeing a clean sheet in the 0-0 draw.
Against Peru, Sofascore awarded the former Girona defender a 7.4 match rating, the second-highest score among his teammates in the World Cup qualifiers.
O’Neil should be alerted to the defender’s strong performances for his country, particularly as against Peru, Bueno was lauded for his strength playing as part of a back three.
Wolves must take advantage of Bueno’s international form
It’s not been the easiest of rides for Bueno at Wolves, who has only secured 10 Premier League starts under O’Neil since arriving at Molineux.
In fairness to the manager, Wolves haven’t seen the best of the Uruguayan however, the boss could be tempted to hand the 25-year-old a sufficient chance following his recent performances.
Considering the central defensive crisis that the Old Gold are in, handing Bueno a chance to show that he can replicate his international form in England comes with little risk but a high reward.
O’Neil has just three centre-backs available to him at present and, should he switch to a back three, all spots will be allocated, giving Bueno a chance to shine.
It’s puzzling for Wolves, who have seen during the October break that the 2023 signing is clearly capable of running the show at the back, something that’s rarely seen from him in the West Midlands.
Now is the time for O’Neil to show trust in the defender, who could be the key to solving Wolves’ defensive woes.