He’s had to be patient, but the door has now swung wide open for on-loan midfielder Tommy Doyle at Wolves.
The star was Wanderers’ penultimate addition last summer, coming in from Manchester City after Matheus Nunes had been sold.
He was a player Wolves had been keeping tabs on, and someone they decided to ask about amid the interest from City in Nunes. In the end, Wolves were able to get Doyle in on loan for the season, and there is an option to buy him next term for just under £5 million.
A lot of Wolves fans are already looking at that option to buy clause and sending the club a firm message.
Because in recent weeks, Doyle has made a great impact for Wolves – and he now has a glorious chance to finally make himself a regular starter…
Tommy Doyle showed his class in FA Cup draw with Brentford
On Friday night, Doyle started for Wolves with Mario Lemina still unavailable on compassionate leave.
He partnered Joao Gomes in midfield, as he did against Everton – which was perhaps the team’s best performance all season.
Wolves went down to 10 men early doors after Gomes was sent off – a decision that caused controversy.
It meant Doyle’s workload in the engine room would increase significantly – but the 21-year-old coped extremely well.
He had players vacating their positions to help him out at times but by and large, Doyle ran things by himself after Gomes’ dismissal and used the ball well. Sofascore data indicated he had the most touches (46) out of all the Wolves players on the night, and he had a respectable pass completion rate of 75% (24/32).
But of course, his highlight was his stunning strike into the top corner with his supposed weak foot, which was definitely something Wolves legend Ruben Neves would have been proud of.
Doyle worked his socks off for Wolves, and Gary O’Neil was pleased with the youngster’s display, saying after the game (via Shropshire Star): “He works so hard, Tommy, every day around the place,” O’Neil said.
“To add to that really, this week when we got the new balls from Mitre — normally we play with a Nike ball in the Premier League – Tommy wanted to do extra work with the ball to get used to it.
“He did extra shooting this week, extra long-range passing. That is how diligent and professional he is. He wants to get the best out of himself and cover everything he can.”
Why Tommy Doyle now has golden chance to become Wolves starter
So that’s two starts in a row now for Doyle, who has certainly found his feet at Molineux.
He has had to be patient, but it’s clear he is going to be an important player for Wolves – just as Dave Edwards predicted back in October.
Gomes will now be suspended for the next three games as a result of his straight red card.
With Boubacar Traore away at AFCON, this is Doyle’s moment. He is in the clear to establish himself as a regular starter in this team, potentially in place of Gomes or perhaps to come in alongside him and Mario Lemina.
We have now seen what Doyle – a player previously dubbed ‘outstanding’ by former Wolves winger Mark Kennedy – brings to the team. He isn’t quite as physical as Gomes and Lemina, although his ball-winning is definitely not bad by any means, but he definitely has better vision and is perhaps a better technician.
It is on him to prove himself to O’Neil as an undroppable player.