Wolves crashed out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night in a 3-2 defeat to Brighton.
Gary O’Neil watched his side suffer their fourth defeat of the season at the Amex, with the first-half display far from acceptable.
It’s becoming a theme for O’Neil’s side to play well in fixtures, but not for the entirety of the 90, reinforcing why the Old Gold have just one win in 2024/25.
Out of the Carabao Cup and sitting 18th in the Premier League with just one point, results need to come fast for Wolves, with the defeat to Brighton telling of a lot of things.
Luke Cundle’s Wolves future made clear after Brighton defeat
There were plenty of talking points that came on the pitch for Wolves, with the game very much being a contest of two halves.
While the football did the talking for the most part, one element of the Old Gold’s defeat told the story of one player’s future at the club.
It was a night to remember for 20-year-old Alfie Pond, but one to forget for 22-year-old Luke Cundle, who was given no minutes in the cup.
The midfielder was denied a move to Stoke City in the summer, the club in which he spent the second half of the 2023/24 campaign with.
Having remained at Molineux, there was some hope that the Englishman would get a chance in O’Neil’s side, something the manager himself admitted.
While the boss explained that game time would be hard for the 22-year-old to secure due to competition, O’Neil said that ‘cup games’ would ‘help’ Cundle to make an impression, via Express and Star.
The Carabao Cup duel with Brighton was poised to hand the academy jewel a chance to show his worth but instead, he remained an unused substitute at the Amex.
With an exit not possible for Cundle until January, it could be a long wait for the midfielder to express himself on the pitch, with O’Neil evidently not trusting of his presence just yet.
Cundle has an uncertain future
Academy manager James Collins called Cundle ‘magnificent’ back in 2021, with the 22-year-old since impressing on loan spells away from the top flight.
It’s a shame for Cundle that Wolves are so well-stocked in midfield, as there are players above him in the pecking order who are also desperate for game time.
While O’Neil is clearly aware of his talent, being able to utilise him at Molineux currently is a different story, with there little indication of a way in anytime soon.
Things could get better for the Englishman in January as Stoke remain interested in Cundle although, there is now some uncertainty surrounding the Potters’ stance.
Steven Schumacher, who is an avid admirer of Cundle, was dismissed from his role at The Bet365 Stadium, leaving Stoke’s view of the Wolves outsider now unknown.
Not being involved against Brighton was a blow for the midfielder, who is set to have a trialling end to 2024 on his quest to secure senior football.