Wolves fans have been treated to a fantastic season from Hwang Hee-chan so far, who has really impressed in front of goal – which is what makes what BBC pundit Garth Crooks has said very odd.
Hwang has now left Wolves to join up with the South Korea national team in the Asian Cup, which kicks off on January 12.
It is a blow for Wolves to lose Hwang, considering the red-hot form he has been in this season.
Hwang has scored 10 Premier League goals so far, which makes this his best-scoring season since he came to Molineux, with half a campaign still left to play.
Hwang’s transformation has been remarkable, and Gary O’Neil – who adores the forward – must take a lot of credit for the work he has done with him.
He has always been someone who’s run his socks off for the team, but before this season scored nowhere near enough goals.
This term something has just clicked – but that hasn’t stopped Garth Crooks from making a strange claim about the star…
Garth Crooks claims Hwang Hee-chan’s finishing ‘could be better’
Crooks has included £14 million star Hwang in his latest Premier League Team of the Week on BBC Sport, taking into account the game against Brentford and then Everton.
The inclusion is nice, and the 27-year-old certainly deserves to be there.
On why he picked Hwang, Crooks said: “Two goals by Hwang formed a major part of Wolves’ 4-1 demolition of Brentford. Wolves then took Everton apart at Molineux in their second consecutive match of the festive period.
“Hwang’s ability to run in behind defences has become a feature of his game and Wolves make the most of it.”
He then said something that is bound to have many Wolves fans a little confused. He added: “His finishing could be better but there is absolutely nothing wrong with the South Korean’s work ethic.”
Crooks is wrong, Hwang has been clinical
Perhaps this comment would be valid last season, but it is way wide off the mark if he’s talking about the Hwang of this season.
According to BBC Sport, Hwang’s goal conversion rate this term is 36%. Of the 15 players listed on their top scorers’ page, only Chris Wood and Mohammed Kudus have higher values than that. (41% and 43% respectively).
It just seems a bit of a perplexing thing to say, when only Erling Haaland, Mo Salah, Heung-min Son, Dominic Solanke and Jarrod Bowen have scored more goals than him in the Premier League this term.
But Hwang’s conversion rate is higher than all those players, so he’s clearly got his eye in. Some of his finishes this season have been exceptional, like against Newcastle United and his second against Brentford recently.
Of course, Hwang’s finishing could be better, but that can also technically be said of any player without a 100% conversion rate.