A bold addition to the Pack?

Rodrigo Gomes is no surprise addition to the Wolves squad. He’s been linked forever; some will say he was bound to end up at Molineux. But at the end of the day, he’s another on the long list of Portuguese players who went on to become bigger names. And with Gary O’Neil at the helm, Gomes will have a sure shot to hit the ground running. So why wait to find out what he actually is??

The Metrics Test: How does Rodrigo Gomes hold up??

Gomes played as a wide player, making a large impact and being a carrier of the ball on both sides, as we see on the top left pitch. This in itself is a very important starting point because it reinforces some thought that Gomes can be a very similar understudy to Pedro Neto or might as well be a replacement.

But arguably, what Gomes allows is flexibility on both flanks, as you see in his progressive carries. And Gomes is a complete flank kind of player. And most importantly, Gomes can play as an attacking wideback of sorts, a move that can see him fit a 3-back or 4-back system seamlessly and add more tactical depth. But what statistically stands out is his 3.42 progressive carries per 90 basis. That’s something Neil will appreciate. But again, he’s loved being in a sort of hybrid wingback type of role, which I can compare to how Perisic played under Conte at Inter. More on that in the next section.

The Eye Test: The Bigger story

Vid 1: Gomes snippet last season showing his range as a wide player

Gomes at Estoril turned up anywhere wide, showing range of passing from half-space positions and being able to intercept balls in as a fullback. Yet you also see him turn up as an inverted winger and show his ball-striking range. This is why I made the Perisic comparison earlier; in his best days in Conte’s Inter, you’d find him playing roles similar to this, and O Neil can tactically use a 3-4-3/3-4-2-1/4-3-3 that can all accommodate multiple roles for Gomes.

In the perspective of Wolf fans, it’s like what if you found a player who has characteristics inherited from Diogo Jota and Pedro Neto, which can be potentially realized if it all goes right?

The Verdict: It’s not all that easy too…

Embed from Getty Images

Despite the praise and huge comparisons to his compatriots, Rodrigo Gomes has a lot to grow in terms of being a technically more clean player in a league where it takes time to adjust your physical style to complement the technical abilities that potentially lie inside. There can be necessary pressure on Gomes to hit the ground running, and rightly so for a Wolves team that has shown promise to grow under O’Neil’s direction.

But for now, Wolves fans can enjoy a solid player whose potential under a very good coach brings a fruitful output.