When Wolves started their five-game unbeaten run in the Premier League at Brighton on December 15, Bruno Lage had his four wingers in tow. Hwang Hee-chan, Daniel Podence and Francisco Trincao started the game, before Adama Traore was needed to replace Hwang due to an injury which has kept the South Korean on the sidelines ever since. New signing Chiquinho – a 22-year-old winger with 15 appearances in Portugal’s top flight to his name – has taken Traore’s place in the squad. But he most certainly isn’t viewed as a direct replacement for the rapid Spaniard. Lage’s refusal to use Chiquinho from the start against Norwich led to Wolves playing a 3-5-2 formation on home soil, and midfielder Leander Dendoncker pushing forward to provide attacking support to Podence and Fabio Silva.
Bruno Lage said: “It’s important to understand that I cannot ask Chiquinho to do the same things Adama was doing, especially in the last month. Against Manchester United he was very good, against Southampton he scored, and also against Brentford he scored that (disallowed) goal in the last minute. I cannot ask for these kinds of things from Chiquinho.”
Lage eventually rolled the dice and handed a debut to Chiquinho, who was Wolves’ most experienced attacking option on the bench after Raul Jimenez. The winger showed promise in a 15-minute cameo and whipped in a couple of inviting deliveries, but Lage has repeatedly insisted he is
Bruno Lage said: “For the future more than the present. He is a player for now, but he is more for the future. We will give him the chance to train with top players in this environment, and then the chance to play in the Premier League.”
Lage accepts Wolves had little choice but to agree to Traore’s exit given his contract situation, but the lack of investment in the playing squad during January has left the head coach bereft of options. Going into a crucial double-header against Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur next week, Lage could have just one senior winger available to him.
