Wolverhampton Wanderers secured their first league double over Chelsea for the reason that 1974/75 season with their current 4-2 win at Stamford Bridge and the Previous Gold are eyeing a top-half Premier League end this time period.
The momentum is clearly with Gary O’Neil’s facet following their third win of 2024 and if they will preserve one of these type, they might even problem for the European spots.
Will his resolution to not signal one other centre-forward throughout the dying embers of the switch window come again to hang-out O’Neil, nevertheless? Particularly as they have been linked with a number of names.
The striker Wolves missed out on
With the Molineux outfit sending Sasa Kalajdzic and Fabio Silva out on mortgage, whereas dropping Hwang Hee-Chan to worldwide responsibility, it regarded as if they might be signing no less than one attacker.
Hugo Ekitiké was a participant closely linked with the membership all through the switch window, but no transfer materialised, and he ended up becoming a member of Eintracht Frankfurt on a mortgage take care of an choice to purchase – coincidentally, the identical membership Kalajdzic joined.
It might grow to be a nasty name not making a extra concrete transfer for the teen, particularly contemplating his skills in entrance of aim.
With Matheus Cunha shining of late – notably scoring a hat-trick versus Chelsea – Ekitike might have labored effectively alongside the Brazilian, and it might have been a partnership which spurred Wolves on to probably grabbing a European spot.
|
Cunha vs Ekitike Stats |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats (per 90) |
Cunha – 23/24 |
Ekitike – 22/23 |
|
Targets |
0.42 |
0.23 |
|
Assists |
0.28 |
0.31 |
|
Progressive carries |
4.21 |
1.80 |
|
Passes accomplished |
22.9 |
21.2 |
|
Tackles (Mid third) |
0.69 |
0.78 |
|
Interceptions |
0.60 |
0.70 |
|
Stats by way of FBref |
||
Hugo Ekitiké would have been ultimate for Matheus Cunha
The 6 foot 2 gem burst onto the scene with Stade Reims throughout the 2021/22 marketing campaign, scoring ten objectives in Ligue 1, and he was even touted for a transfer to Newcastle United within the January switch window halfway by way of that season.
“Excellent expertise – large signing for Newcastle in the event that they get it achieved, many in France consider he could possibly be the following Mbappe, stated journalist Graeme Bailey amid the curiosity, and the younger expertise quickly discovered himself in a workforce containing the French famous person.
Three objectives in 25 league video games wasn’t a mirrored image of his skills, however he needed to take care of enjoying as a backup to the acclaimed triumvirate of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar.
The striker did rank fifth among the many squad for objectives and assists (5), fourth for photographs on the right track per sport (0.5) and fifth for scoring frequency (a aim each 385 minutes), suggesting that he didn’t do too badly amongst some elegant skills.
If he made the transfer to Wolves, nevertheless, his skills would have allowed him to work in tandem with Cunha on the head of the membership’s assault.
The 21-year-old presently ranks within the prime 13% when in comparison with his positional friends for shot-creating actions per 90 (3.26) and the highest 6% for profitable take-ons per 90 (2.23), demonstrating that his sport goes to a a lot better depth than simply scoring objectives.
With Cunha netting 11 objectives and grabbing seven assists this time period, it’s evident that they’re each equally adept at discovering the again of the online together with creating possibilities for others.
This duo might have induced loads of chaos towards defences within the Premier League and O’Neil might go on to rue lacking out on the prodigious Frenchman.
