Wolverhampton Wanderers fans will still be seriously worried about their side falling through the relegation trapdoor come the end of the Premier League campaign, even as the Old Gold won their first game of the season last time out versus Southampton.
Gary O’Neil‘s men will have to beat relegation rivals to try and stay afloat, and they did just that when overcoming Russell Martin’s rock-bottom Saints 2-0 last match, but the worrying regularity with which they leak goals must make for grim reading in their continued fight to not sink down to the Championship.
The Wolves boss hasn’t had luck on his side in the defensive department this season either, with Yerson Mosquera’s long-term injury severely weakening his team at the back.
Wolves’ defensive numbers this season
Wolves do boast healthy goalscoring numbers to somewhat counteract their leaky displays at the back, with 16 goals registered across 11 league clashes, but the Old Gold have also conceded the most for the division at 27.
It wasn’t as if the clean sheets were piling up high when Mosquera was fit, but his displays were very promising at the back, with a stunning 4.8 ball recoveries averaged per league game as a lively performer defensively, on top of winning a hefty amount of duels on average at 5.8.
Therefore, it must have been a kick in the teeth for O’Neil when the encouraging season his standout number 14 was having was cut short away at Aston Villa in mid-September, with a lengthy time in the Molineux treatment room then greeting the Colombian.
The often under-fire Wolves manager has had to deal with just three centre-backs at this disposal, therefore, with Santiago Bueno stepping up to the mark in recent weeks as a first-choice option, as he helped his side keep their first clean sheet of the season against the Saints.
It could be argued that Bueno now deserves an extended run in the first-team mix, and that could well come his way, even if Wolves do snap up this experienced defender to add more depth at the back.
Wolves could now sign Craig Dawson 2.0
As per a report by journalist Graeme Bailey, Wolves are setting their sights on signing former Tottenham Hotspur star Eric Dier, who has fallen down the pecking order at Bayern Munich in recent times and could depart the Allianz Arena when his contract expires next summer.
A defender who knows the pressures of the Premier League inside out could be just what the Old Gold need to shore up defensively, but the relegation-threatened side aren’t alone in wanting to snap up the 30-year-old, with Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford also said to be keen.
He would exit North London earlier this year with a mammoth 365 appearances under his belt, with his final full campaign seeing him collect nine clean sheets from 31 Premier League starts.
Therefore, Wolves will hope the 6 foot 3 centre-back – who was referred to as “monstrous” when performing at his peak for Tottenham as per football journalist Dan Kilpatrick – still has more to give as an experienced presence if he soon relocates back to English shores, aware that their decision to sign another veteran in Craig Dawson last year ended up working wonders.
Dawson’s standout PL numbers for Wolves (23/24) | |
|---|---|
Stat – per 90 mins* | Dawson |
Games played | 25 |
Goals scored | 1 |
Assists | 1 |
Touches* | 62.4 |
Accurate passes* | 44.1 (87%) |
Ball recoveries* | 4.0 |
Clearances* | 4.8 |
Total duels won* | 4.4 |
Clean sheets | 5 |
Stats by Sofascore | |
On his day, the 34-year-old can be as imposing as Dier is known to be, with 4.4 duels won on average per game last campaign, alongside also showing off his assuredness with the ball at his feet with 44.1 accurate passes managed.
The “outstanding” defender – as he was once labelled by football journalist Matt Law during his West Ham United days – also more than played his part in Wolves’ shut-out of Southampton, with seven clearances registered and 100% of his ground duels won.
Therefore, if O’Neil wants more numbers to pick from defensively to make his squad feel less threadbare, the £79k-per-week Bayern man – as per Capology – could well be a smart buy, with the 30-year-old potentially going on to become his next Dawson.
Whether it be in January, or next summer, the acquisition of Dier could represent a perfect, bargain deal, while helping to ease the loss of Mosquera in the process.
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