Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Gary O’Neil is a man under pressure. The 2-2 draw against Brighton last week proved that the Old Gold have the fight in them to finally secure a Premier League win.
A clash against Crystal Palace awaits them this weekend. Oliver Glasner’s men aren’t exactly enjoying the best of seasons either, but they did beat Tottenham Hotspur last week to move up to 17th place in the top flight.
O’Neil will have to unleash his strongest team on Saturday evening at Molineux, with Matheus Cunha being the key figure in the side.
Matheus Cunha’s season in numbers
The Brazilian was arguably O’Neil’s most consistent performer last term, top-scoring with 14 goals across all competitions.
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Despite Wolves’ poor start to 2024/25, Cunha appears to be carrying the form he demonstrated last term into the current campaign, already notching four league goals.
Not content with scoring goals, the former Atlético Madrid star has also created five big chances in the Premier League, averaging 1.7 key passes per game and 1.7 successful dribbles per match.
If he maintains this form, Cunha could score more than 14 goals this season. Giving him that freedom in an attacking midfield slot will be crucial over the next few weeks as the club looks to move away from the relegation places.
Goals
4
Assists
0
Big chances created
5
Shots per game
3
Key passes per game
1.7
Goal conversion %
15%
Via Sofascore
Could this see O’Neil make a few tweaks to his system? Perhaps bringing in someone who could dominate the midfield and offer plenty of defensive support?
If so, bringing Andre into the starting XI for the clash against the Eagles, after he was a substitute against Brighton last time out, could work wonders for both Cunha and Wolves.
Andre must be unleashed for Wolves
The summer signing arrived to much hype and fanfare, having made nearly 200 appearances for Fluminense, winning the Copa Libertadores during his time with the Brazilian side.
The midfielder may have only started five Premier League games for Wolves, but during his appearances, the 23-year-old has averaged a pass success rate of 95% along with recovering 3.6 balls, making 1.4 tackles, and winning three total duels per game – a success rate of 66% – for the Old Gold.
These statistics demonstrate that the youngster can circulate the ball well while being able to contribute effectively from a defensive point of view.
Having a player like Andre playing behind him, moving the ball around the pitch, and stopping any potential attacks could give Cunha more freedom to push forward whenever possible.
Analyst Ben Mattinson hailed Andre in 2023, saying: “We can’t talk about André without talking about his physicality. At 5’9” you’d think he’s not the most physically imposing but that’s far from the truth. André is a typical South American midfield dog. He loves to get stuck in and is very strong & aggressive in duels.”
If he can bring this sort of tenacity to the table against Palace, then Wolves may just win the midfield battle. This will give Cunha more opportunities to create chances and score a goal or two.
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