Blog: The price is right

The young midfielder is becoming the glue that make Wolves stick, writes blogger Richard Hobbs.

At the start of the season, I was surprised that Jackett started Lee Evans ahead of Price in Wolves inaugural fixture against Norwich City. But after loan spells in League 1, Price has forced his way back into the first 11 and is making Wolves tick in the middle of the park.

When I saw Price in midfield last season, I thought the way he carried himself for a young man with little competitive experience with impressive. Despite his terrier-like attitude, hounding down the opposition, he rarely let the occasion get to him and lose his head.

Sir Bobby Charlton once said that you can always tell the quality of a player on how much they want to be on the ball. Even though Price was inexperienced to League football, he constantly showed a desire to get the ball from defenders to keep the ball moving.

Price's ability to screen the defence and simple passing game has made him the perfect foil Kevin McDonald.

The Scot's form has been up and down throughout this season as he struggled to live up to the heights of last season. I don't think it's a surprise that Kevin McDonald's form has raised since the turn of the year now that he is playing alongside Price.

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Price relieves McDonald of some of his defensive responsibility, arguably one of the weaker parts of McDonald's game. When the Scot has been partnered with Lee Evans, McDonald has been the more defensive of the two and Wolves have suffered because of it.

With Price and McDonald in midfield, Wolves have two players who are always looking for the ball off defenders and want to move it quickly.

One of the main difficulties Wolves have had when playing possession is that the ball moved too slowly, meaning that we have struggled to get the ball into the next third of the pitch.

Price has the ability to pass the ball quickly under pressure has made him far more suited to play in the midfield. Lee Evans often seems to want to take a touch when the ball comes to him which slows the play down.

Price and McDonald will need to be on form once again against Brighton this Saturday. The Seagulls have had a poor season off the back of two successive playoff finishes, currently lying 19th in the table.

Brighton still have some very good players despite their league position. Lewis Dunk is a solid centre half and is also a goal threat, scoring five goals and is Brighton's second top goal scorer. Inigo Calderon on the right wing offers great width; Hause or Goldbourne will need to be on their game to contain his runs from deep.

Wolves' away form has been strong in the second half of the season and will fancy their chances against lowly Brighton. I can see Wolves winning 1-0 at The Amex Stadium.