Vitor Pereira has explained how Emmanuel Agbadou can become a ‘top’ defender at Wolves ..
Wolves signed Emmanuel Agbadou in the January transfer window, and since then, it’s looked like a masterstroke from Vitor Pereira to capture him.
Agbadou arrived at a time when Wolves were in dire need of physical improvement in defence and the 27-year-old’s frame and stature have proven pivotal in his first two months at Molineux.
Remarkably, Agbadou won the Player of the Month award in January, instantly cementing his place as an important figure in the back line.
Dave Edwards thinks the Ivory Coast international has made a huge difference since joining the club from Stade Reims in Ligue 1, and Vitor Pereira agrees.
Pereira has praised Agbadou, lauding the powerful defender as a ‘big problem’ for the opposition, but he’s now also said where he can improve.
READ MORE: He nearly joined Wolves in 2009, then went on to make £85m transfer and win five Champions Leagues
Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Vitor Pereira explains where Emmanuel Agbadou needs to ‘improve’
Agbadou has been a revelation in a Wolves shirt, only missing the matches against Bournemouth and Fulham through injury.
He then returned for the draw against Everton and starred in the win over Southampton, which took the Old Gold nine points clear of the bottom three.
Position Team Played Won Drawn Lost For Against Diff Points
15
Everton
29 7 13 9 32 36 -4 34
16
West Ham
29 9 7 13 33 49 -16 34
17.
Wolves
29 7 5 17 40 58 -18 26
18
Ipswich
29 3 8 18 28 62 -34 17
19
Leicester
29 4 5 20 25 65 -40 17
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But whilst the powerhouse has mostly shown his class, Pereira thinks that Agbadou can become a ‘top’ defender by improving his decision-making on the ball, essentially knowing when to pass short or long.
“This is a player who sometimes makes a mistake because he has too much confidence, but I like this kind of player,” Pereira said via the E&S.
“He isn’t afraid to face anyone, he plays against the best striker in the world and isn’t afraid. We just need to tighten up some things, because sometimes he takes (unnecessary) risks.
“If the traffic is inside, he must pass outside. This is what he needs to improve. Sometimes go short, sometimes go long. Top central defenders know what to decide.
“He’s strong, he’s confident. Even when he walks, he walks with confidence. This is the kind of personality we need.”
READ MORE: Dave Edwards predicts three Wolves fringe players will now get more game time
Agbadou’s stats make for impressive reading
It’s never easy coming from a foreign league midway through the campaign and often players can take a while to adapt.
In the case of Agbadou the Wolves defender has made the seamless transition across to England by dominating the opposition in both boxes.
Emmanuel Agbadou’s stats at Wolves..
7 matches played
45.9 accurate passes per game (82%)
1 interception per game
2.1 tackles per game
5.9 balls recovered per game
6.1 clearances per game
5.1 duels won per game (67%)
Physically, the Ivorian is up there with the best, and if he can improve his quality in possession, there’s no reason why he can’t become one of the league’s most sought-after defenders…
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