Picking a central midfield for Wolves: What the stats say

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Can Opta statistics help Wolves find some midfield stability?

Wolverhampton Wanderers supporters can be forgiven for finding a sense of frustration within their team’s current predicament – as the Molineux outfit sit one place, and one point, above the Championship relegation zone.

Of late, head coach Paul Lambert has experimented with a variety of midfield combinations within his preferred 4-2-3-1 system, especially regarding the personnel of the deep-lying duo.

Regular starter, and oft go-to-man, Dave Edwards has been fluctuated between the more advanced role – behind whichever mis-firing centre forward is selected – and a spot in the more defensive zone of central midfield.

Beyond Edwards, however, Wolves fans have seen a plethora of parings – featuring transient places for Jack Price, Romain Saiss, George Saville, Conor Coady (albeit recently deployed as a right back) and the returning Lee Evans.

Aside from the instability at management level (Wolves have placed Kenny Jackett, Walter Zenga, Rob Edwards and Lambert in the manager’s chair this season), the lack of any established central midfield partnership may well have contributed to Wolves poor campaign thus far.

If Edwards is indeed an automatic starter, presumably in an advanced midfield role, then who should take the other two central spots in the more combative areas of Lambert’s midfield?

Statistical data from Opta highlights the merits of Romain Saiss – a starter under Zenga but somewhat frozen out by Lambert. Upon consideration of minutes per tackle won and minutes per interception, Saiss presents favourably when compared to Saville and Coady, and ranks third on minutes per accurate pass.

If Edwards and Saiss are included, then which third component could be added in order to best supplement the dynamic of the Wolves midfield?

With the talismanic Helder Costa and recent signing Andreas Weimann on the flanks, consideration for the final central pick may focus on who can distribute the ball most effectively to the former Benfica and Derby County men – in order to ultimately provide increased service to either Jon Dadi Bodvarsson or Nouha Dicko in attack.

Consequently, Lee Evans, with an accurate pass every 1.7 minutes best facilitates such facet of a midfield.

Would a Wolves midfield trio of Saiss, Evans and Edwards provide consistency and the required skill set to see off relegation? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.