Vitor Pereira might want to consider giving Tolu Arokodare his Wolves debut this weekend, with question marks around Jorgen Strand Larsen’s fitness.
Tolu Arokodare was the only incoming on deadline day, and fans are excited to see what he can do at his new club.
Wolves needed a backup for Jorgen Strand Larsen, who looked like being the only regular goal threat in the side.
But Tolu is also prolific, as he showed for Nigeria this week, and the trip to St James’ Park is the perfect test of his readiness for the Premier League.
Newcastle’s physicality and size would tell us a lot about Tolu Arokodare
Newcastle are one of the league’s more imposing sides, with a dominant midfield three and two giants playing behind them in Fabian Schar and 6’7″ Dan Burn.
Tolu is huge for a centre-forward, just an inch shorter than Burn, with great pace and strength.
Some may be concerned about his lack of experience in top-tier competition, having spent his career in Ligue 2 and the Belgian Pro League, but the Nigerian could put those concerns to bed with a strong performance against Eddie Howe’s side.
Tolu’s physicality is a weapon for Vitor Pereira, and there is even scope for a striker partnership with Strand Larsen that would be an aerial nightmare for defences.
Wolves won’t have much of the ball in this one, so resorting to long-ball tactics with one or both of the big strikers could be the move.
Wolves have a chance to cause an upset vs Newcastle
Anthony Gordon will miss this one due to suspension. Joelinton and Jacob Ramsey have sustained injuries, but it’s unclear whether they will be back for Saturday or not.
The same is true for Strand Larsen, who returned early from international duty.
Newcastle have gone through considerable change as well this summer, specifically in the forward line.
They were in a much stronger position during last season’s September meeting with Wolves, and their winless start to this campaign suggests Wolves could get something from this one.
We think there’s a chance, and we think Tolu could help make it happen.