Wolves star just showed why he's even more important than Cunha
da marjack bet： Wolverhampton Wanderers extended the gap between themselves and Ipswich Town in 18th place in the Premier League to 12 points with a 1-0 win against West Ham United on Tuesday night.
da 888casino： Jorgen Strand Larsen scored the only goal of the game for the Old Gold in the first half to seal all three points for Vitor Pereira’s side on the night.
The towering striker took the ball under his control brilliantly on the edge of the box to get a strike away with his left foot, going through two West Ham defenders and unsighting Alphonse Areola, who failed to keep it out.
It was an impressive win for Wolves in the absence of star forward Matheus Cunha, who missed out through suspension once again having been sent off against Bournemouth in the FA Cup last month.
Why Matheus Cunha has been so important to Wolves this season
The Brazil international has been an integral member of the squad throughout the 2024/25 campaign due to his brilliance in possession at the top end of the pitch.
Cunha currently leads the team in the Premier League for both goals (13) and ‘big chances’ created (12), which illustrates how important he has been to the side as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
He is a difference-maker in the final third with his lethal finishing, having scored 13 goals from just 6.72 xG, and his ability to create high-quality opportunities for his teammates.
In the 1-0 win over the Hammers, though, another Wolves star showed why he is even more important than Cunha, as Joao Gomes put in a sublime display and even outperformed Strand Larsen.
Wolves star just showed he's more important than Matheus Cunha
Brazilian central midfielder, Gomes, who put pen to paper on a new contract at the Molineux this week, was an integral part of the team’s success on Tuesday night with his exceptional work in and out of possession.
Larsen scored the winning goal and deserves the plaudits that will come his way for that, but the centre-foward also only completed 68% of his attempted passes and lost six of his nine ground duels and three of his five aerial battles.
Gomes, meanwhile, showcased his ability both in and out of possession with his performance against West Ham. He is a player who has the ability to impact matches at both ends of the pitch with his well-rounded midfield play, as he did on Tuesday.
Vs West Ham
Joao Gomes
Minutes
90
Pass accuracy
92% (46/50)
Touches
71
Tackles
3
Interceptions
3
Dribbled past
0x
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Brazil international was incredibly efficient with the ball at his feet to keep play ticking for his side, whilst also being exceptional defensively.
In fact, his tackling has been pivotal to Wolves throughout the season as he leads the team in tackles won per match (3.1) in the Premier League, which illustrates just how important he has been to the team from a defensive perspective.
Gomes outperformed midfield partner Andre (zero tackles, two interceptions) and outperformed Strand Larsen, by offering quality offensively and defensively, which is also how the midfielder showed that he is even more important than Cunha.
Whilst the former Atletico Madrid forward can make a big difference in the final third, his national and club teammate has an overall impact on the performance with his efficient passing, high usage of touches, and fantastic defensive work.
Wolves need him in their midfield to prevent opposition teams from cutting through their midfield at will, and they need him to dictate the tempo of games with his passing quality to build up play to create chances for the likes of Cunha and Larsen.
Related Contact made: Wolves in talks with attacking 4-3-3 boss to replace Pereira
Another change in the dugout could be on the cards.