Wolves suffered a defeat to Chelsea on matchday 22 of the Premier League season however, one player managed to send a strong message.
It was another dreary evening of action for Wolves on Monday night as the Old Gold lost 3-1 to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Wolves’ 4-2 win against Chelsea last season has become a distant memory, with Vitor Pereira’s side in real trouble as pressure mounts in the race to avoid relegation.
A lot of controversy came from the defeat, with Pereira slamming Matheus Cunha’s behaviour, on an occasion that saw more misery fired at the struggling Wolves squad.
Rodrigo Gomes made an immediate impact for Wolves in Chelsea cameo
As a result of the drama that unfolded from the Chelsea defeat, Cunha’s immediate future at Wolves has been placed in doubt.
Naturally, the Brazilian’s transfer status has generated a lot of attention however, there remains a lot to dissect from the defeat at Stamford Bridge.
Pereira was unhappy with his players conceding from another set-piece, as he took aim at his defender’s failure to win duels after the match.
On a positive note, Joao Gomes was exemplary against Chelsea and surprisingly, he wasn’t the only one.
Pereira made three changes versus Chelsea, with one being Rodrigo Gomes, who dropped to the bench to allow Nelson Semedo to return to the XI.
| Rodrigo Gomes vs Chelsea |
| 16 minutes played |
| 19 touches |
| 2 key passes |
| 100% ground duels won |
| 2 clearances |
The summer signing was introduced after 74 minutes and ended the game as one of the brightest on the pitch for Wolves, as his numbers reflected.
Only J. Gomes made more key passes than his Portuguese teammate, who looked spirited and ready to contribute from the moment he entered play.
Many were surprised not to see the 21-year-old in the starting XI, with his brief cameo sending a strong message to Pereira ahead of the fierce upcoming schedule.
Vitor Pereira must consider Gomes a starter
Gomes replaced Rayan Ait-Nouri against Chelsea late into the game and did a lot more than most in his limited time on the pitch.
Ait-Nouri was slammed for his display against Chelsea, giving Pereira a possible motive to bring a player like Gomes back into the starting XI.
Replacing Ait-Nouri with Gomes is a real possibility going forward, with the Algerian performing far from his best this season.
In the 21-year-old, the Wolves manager has a player in form and high on confidence and most importantly, a figure desperate to give his all for the club.
Gomes is a talent that has earned the right to play, with a starting spot for the summer arrival surely on the horizon.