Wolverhampton Wanderers succumbed to yet another defeat on Wednesday night, this time in the EFL Cup, as they lost 3-2 to Brighton and Hove Albion.
Gary O’Neil made a few changes to his starting XI for the cup clash, but the team failed to deliver on the pitch, as the loss means the Old Gold have now lost all but two of their six matches of the 2024/25 campaign.
One player who did impress was Goncalo Guedes, as the Portuguese forward took his opportunity to shine.
Goncalo Guedes’ game in numbers vs Brighton
The previously outcast forward spent last season out on loan, but it now looks like he could slot into O’Neil’s plans, especially after a decent start to the term.
Indeed, the 27-year-old has scored three goals in just four appearances, and it was his display against the Seagulls which could see him claim another start against Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.
Guedes played 82 minutes on Wednesday evening. Not only did he get on the scoresheet again, but the winger took four shots in total, made two key passes and created one big chance during his time on the field, showcasing his hunger to get involved as often as possible.
The former Benfica gem also won three of his five ground duels and led the line admirably, despite the end result.
This performance surely deserves another chance in the starting XI against Unai Emery’s men. O’Neil could also unleash one of Wolves’ finest players from last term who can form a solid partnership with Guedes – Mattheus Cunha.
Matheus Cunha’s season in numbers
The £60k-per-week star ranked in the top 4% for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90 when compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues over the previous 12 months, showcasing how effective he has been going forward for Wolves.
Add in the fact he scored 14 times while registering eight assists in all competitions last term, and it is clear that the Brazilian is key to the Old Gold.
Goals
1
Assists
0
Key passes per game
1.3
Big chances created
2
Successful dribbles per game
1.8
Total duels won per game
5
Once hailed as “one of the most exciting players in the Bundesliga” by journalist Ninad Barbadikar during his spell at RB Leipzig, he certainly deserves to be unleashed tomorrow afternoon.
While Guedes would operate as the lone centre-forward against Villa, Cunha could drop slightly deeper by playing as a number ten, a position in which he registered seven goal contributions last season.
This partnership could potentially see the Molineux outfit claim their first victory in the Premier League season, but the entire team will have to be at their very best in order to secure a positive result.
There is no doubt that O’Neil has a wonderful squad, but the onus is for him to get them firing sooner rather than later.
If not, they could get sucked into a relegation battle, which would be a travesty considering how well they shone in spells last season.
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