Gary O’Neil may still be contemplating his starting XI for Saturday against Sheffield United – but he surely cannot look past Tommy Doyle.
Wanderers will go in search of three points against the Premier League’s bottom side at Bramall Lane. It is a golden opportunity for Wolves to win, with the Blades the only side in the division still yet to win this season.
It has been a real slog of a campaign so far for Paul Heckingbottom’s men.
Realistically, Wolves should be winning this game and one man this game potentially really suits is Doyle…
Gary O’Neil should start Tommy Doyle for Wolves against Sheffield United
Doyle has yet to start a game for Wolves in the Premier League, but it feels like his first should come against Sheffield United this Saturday.
Doyle has come off the bench in each of Wolves’ last two games, and made a solid impact.
Against Bournemouth, he came on at half-time and gave Wolves a lot more control in the middle of the park. Wanderers came from 1-0 down to win 2-1 at the Vitality.
And last weekend against Newcastle, Doyle replaced Boubacar Traore, who had been a bit sloppy and chaotic on the ball.
Again, Doyle was able to just get his foot on the ball and use it much better than the man he replaced. He was constantly looking to play forwards, rather than safe and sideways.
He’s a player who wants to break the lines, and this is something that is vital in terms of creating chances.
Sheffield United are a team Doyle – whom Dave Edwards predicts will become a key player at Molineux – knows plenty about. He spent last season on loan with them in the Championship. So it makes a great deal of sense for O’Neil to get him involved from the start on Saturday.
He’ll already have a bit of an understanding as to how the Blades play. It almost feels foolish not to start him with this in mind.
Then of course, Wolves will be missing Pedro Neto through injury. Neto is arguably Wolves’ most creative player, and has wicked delivery from set-pieces.
Former Molineux star Mark Kennedy said this week that Doyle is similar to James Ward-Prowse when it comes to set-pieces in terms of technique. So this is another reason it makes sense for him to play after Kennedy branded him as ‘outstanding’.
Wolves would expect to have most of the ball against Sheffield United. Doyle is a player who wants to get on the ball and dictate. Surely, he has to make his first Premier League start this weekend.