Gary O’Neil is expected to make a key tactical switch at Wolves in 2024/25 and it’s a change that could benefit the talents of one player in particular.
Wolves are currently training in the United States ahead of their pre-season friendly clash against West Ham on Saturday.
The Old Gold are being put through their paces as they prepare for a gruelling Premier League campaign, while Gary O’Neil is using the training and friendlies to test out a new formation.
Last season, O’Neil had success with a 3-4-3 system after first trying it out in the 1-0 victory over Manchester City. It’s a formation that rarely changed from that moment onwards but the Wolves boss is now expected to change to a four-at-the-back system.
In their pre-season training, the players have been getting used to a four-man defence setup and one player in particular has looked the part.
Tommy Doyle has looked ‘sublime’ in Wolves pre-season training in Miami
The first piece of business Wolves did before the transfer window opened was signing Tommy Doyle for £4.3 million from Manchester City after he impressed at Molineux last term.
Doyle played a vital role in the Wanderers engine room with his incredible passing range but was often left out of the side as Joao Gomes and Mario Lemina struck up a strong partnership.
Whilst the Englishman doesn’t possess the tenacity, physicality and athleticism of that duo, he is technically superior and this was highlighted on numerous occasions last season.
The 22-year-old has continued to show his “excellent” passing skills in pre-season training and E&S journalist Nathan Judah has even labelled it as “sublime”.
Reflecting on day two of Wolves’ training sessions in Miami, Judah said: “Tommy Doyle with his range of passing, which we know is exceptional but not just seeing it in an eleven-a-side game but a five-a-side game that they play. It is simply sublime to watch at times.”
With Wolves potentially looking to switch to a 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 system next term, Doyle could have an even bigger part to play as an advanced midfielder.
Why Doyle can benefit from formation change
In the usual 3-4-3 system with two central midfielders, two wingers and a striker, Doyle struggled to dislodge Lemina and Gomes.
The pair were needed as a duo to help stop opposition attacks and win the battle in the engine room, which is a side of Doyle’s game that isn’t his strongest.
However, if the switch to a 4-3-3 system is indeed made, the former Manchester City man could flourish in an advanced midfield role, perhaps playing as a number 10 behind the striker.
This would give Doyle less responsibility out of possession but place more of an emphasis on him to create in the final third.
In the Premier League last term, he ranked in the top 9% of midfielders for passes attempted and passes into the final third while placing in the top 21% for progressive passes per 90.
With Wolves lacking a creative spark from their other midfielders, including Boubacar Traore, Lemina and Gomes, deploying Doyle further up the pitch could be key in this system.
Not only that but he also has the intelligence to find pockets of space between the lines and thread balls through to his teammates.
It will be exciting for many to see a four-at-the-back system get used by O’Neil and Doyle will certainly feel he can make a big impact in 2024/25.