Liam Keen comment: Sasa Kalajdzic is a strong asset for Wolves
With two friendlies under their belt in Portugal, Wolves are getting closer to the start of the Premier League season.
A 1-0 win over Porto, followed by a 0-0 draw against a Manchester City academy XI, saw a mixture of first-team stars and academy prospects take to the field.
In both games we caught glimpses of the direction of travel under Julen Lopetegui, while some individuals caught the eye.
Midfield options
The most glaring thing when Wolves lined up against Porto, was spotting Matheus Nunes occupy the right wing again in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
The midfielder was sent out wide in the latter months of last season when Wolves faced a relegation battle, and he had the occasional good moment. Wolves currently lack numbers in the wide positions and Lopetegui may be planning to use Nunes on the flank in the short-term only, however, shifting attacking midfielders out wide is a popular decision in European football.
Regardless of Nunes’ long-term position and judging him on his Porto performance, he did well. The Portuguese international found plenty of space, made intelligent runs and caught the eye with some intricate one-touch play in difficult areas.
His assist for Pedro Neto’s winner was simple but effective, and if Nunes can find his feet – either out wide or centrally – Wolves will have a player on their hands.
Joe Hodge looks a solid player in the middle of the park, while Boubacar Traore and Joao Gomes add to good midfield options.
Super Sasa
After a devastating ACL injury, it is important not to put too much pressure on Sasa Kalajdzic to make an instant impact this season.
However, he looked very sharp against Manchester City and it is difficult not to get excited about what he could offer Wolves.
Fabio Silva and Matheus Cunha are the other striker options and there are question marks over them both for different reasons.
Kalajdzic cannot be expected to be the glorious answer to all of Wolves’ goalscoring issues straight away, but he looked confident, physically fit and sharp in his 60-minute performance.
The towering striker almost scored with a headed chance, but more impressively, he went into tackles on his previously injured knee with no trepidation.
If you can afford Kalajdzic the time to get ready for Premier League football, and then trust him to do the business, he could be a strong asset for Wolves.
Strength in depth
It is a fairly obvious assessment, but Wolves need signings.
What is important to mention, however, is that the starting XI is quite solid. Wolves still have some very talented players and a good mix of ages and leadership qualities.
However, once injuries and suspensions take hold, this squad is light in a few areas.
A centre-back to replace Nathan Collins is a must, while a more
forward-thinking midfielder would be ideal.
Wolves have the numbers up front, but potentially not the goals needed, while the wide forwards need some support too.
With the financial issues plaguing this side it is a difficult task, but Wolves must attempt to give Lopetegui the tools for the job.
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