Wolves star who received fewer touches than Sa must be dropped immediately.
The Old Gold conceded two goals in the first half-hour, but a score right before half-time gave Gary O’Neil’s team hope for the second half.
O’Neil’s starting XI has undergone significant changes, with numerous players failing to justify their inclusion in the squad.
One name who sticks out is Pablo Sarabia, who was making only his second start of the season against the Seagulls.
Pablo Sarabia’s game of numbers
In 2023/24, the Spaniard made 14 goal contributions (four goals and ten assists) in 36 matches, only 25 of which were in the starting lineup.
It appears that he will play a little role this season as well, but the former PSG star was given the opportunity to impress against Brighton.
Despite being tasked with supplying Goncalo Guedes with lots of service, he produced zero vital passes, generated zero major opportunities, and only succeeded in one of his three dribbling efforts.
Sarabia also squandered a golden opportunity and provided zero precise crosses in his 63-minute stint on the pitch. The 32-year-old had 47 touches, fewer than goalkeeper Jose Sa (52), and the offensive midfielder lost control 18 times throughout the match.
| Pablo-Sarabia’s statistics vs Brighton | |
|---|---|
| Goals | 0 |
| Assists | 0 |
| Key passes | 0 |
| Dribble attempts (successful) | 3 (1) |
| Big chances missed | 1 |
| Total duels (won) | 11 (5) |
| Via Sofascore | |
He wasn’t the only one dissatisfied in what may have been Wolves’ best opportunity of progressing in a domestic cup, and O’Neil will undoubtedly make changes ahead of the weekend.
Who might replace Sarabia?
On Saturday, the Molineux club faces Midland rivals Aston Villa away from home in another difficult Premier League fixture.
Matheus Cunha came off the bench to replace Hwang Hee-Chan last night, and he should return to the starting lineup for the match at Villa Park. The Brazilian scored against Chelsea in a 6-2 loss a few weeks ago, marking his first season goal.
While he did not make much of an impact during his brief appearance against Brighton, there is no question that when unleashed from the start, the former Atlético Madrid star is one of the club’s best players.
After a strong initial season in the Midlands, O’Neil will now face some criticism following a poor start to the current season.
Securing three points against Unai Emery’s side might be the impetus for them to resurrect their chances of finishing in the top half of the Premier League table at the season’s conclusion.
Leave a Reply