Wolves are a very interesting “pack” to watch. The intended pun aside, they are truly something different under Gary O’Neil and it’s no surprise multiple Wolverhampton players are linked to the Giants across the European continent. But we focus on one name that jumped straight from Brazilian Serie A to the grueling level of the Premier League and took to it like a fish to water.
Joao Gomes was part of a Flamengo side that has seen coaches ranging from Paulo Sousa to Jorge Sampaoli, and before that, Dorival Junior coached it in sprints. But what made Joao special was that he was trusted by all of them to be part of their system’s midfield dynamics. So what makes him special?? Let’s find out!
Scouting Joao Gomes from a Data Standpoint
The first impression of Gomes you get as you make sense of the radar is the fact that he’s someone who specializes a lot off the ball and is classified as a typical destroyer in the midfield.
While that makes sense, Joao Gomes scores well on take-ons. Why is this significant? Because it means Gomes more often prefers to not just be a ball winner but do the next bit to escape pressure.
Yet, Gomes under O’Neil isn’t a Rodri, or he isn’t a Palhinha. He’s unique in the sense he’s close to what a Casemiro would look like given that he makes himself home in Zone 14 of his own half, yet he’s far less likely to be subject to losing possession in the 1st phase (the buildup phase) and doesn’t have to be kept far away in possession of his own half like the former Real Madrid and current United Man.
In simple terms, Gomes is the ideal double pivot midfielder or the ideal foil in a 3-man midfield where you prefer a driver and a passer of the ball. He needn’t be an all-weather 6 that fits the bill everywhere, but you know he has so much potential that it’s highly possible he can be mounded into one.
Joao Gomes eyetest
Vid 1: Gomes’s footage this season
What the data described was one side of the coin with Gomes. But once footage comes into play, the tactical combinations and roles he could play get more clear. He’s been instructed to run a lot to function as a de facto B2B (box-to-box midfielder) under O’Neil, who loves to put wingers running down their flanks. This sort of confirms the image that data establishes; he’s not the archetype single pivot by no means.
But he’s also not a cleanup to a more passing-oriented 6 besides in a double pivot, meaning he’s more likely to adventure into your box and score. This kind of rings the bell about what I said earlier: He’s identical to Casemiro in many ways, yet there’s a different sense to him that he’s got more potential in the first phase. In simpler terms, he’s a 6 and a half, or a 7 in a positional sense (not the ideal B2B or a 6/8, yet he has cherry-picked needed qualities from both roles).
Conclusion: What kind of club does he need?
Wolves are a good club to be in, given O Neil’s project there. So wherever Gomes is now makes sense for his career. But when he’s got the attention that he has now, you also wonder if he should be careful in choosing sides where you feel he can elevate his qualities or become a more specialized player than standing out as a jack of multiple trades but yet to master one.
Gomes has seen rumors from United and the obvious Casemiro replacement whispers. In my opinion, the tag is unnecessary, but I feel there has to be a calculated approach to his next move, or at least not be marked as a certain successor to any player. It’s what would probably make him thrive.