Andy Thompson explains why he would drop Tommy Doyle for Wolves against Burnley

Wolves suffered a 2-0 defeat against Aston Villa last Saturday, facing challenges due to the absence of key players like Matheus Cunha, Pedro Neto, Hwang Hee-chan, and Craig Dawson. Manager Gary O’Neil had to field young Leon Chiwome upfront, who struggled despite his efforts, lacking substantial support. Facing a tough opponent vying for Champions League qualification made it a difficult task for Wolves to secure a positive outcome.

However, Wolves have an opportunity to bounce back on Tuesday against Burnley in the Premier League. Andy Thompson suggests that Tommy Doyle should be replaced on the bench for this upcoming match.

Andy Thompson explains why Tommy Doyle should drop to the bench against Burnley, despite playing well v Aston Villa

Thompson shared his analysis of Wolves’ performance on the Matchday Live Extra show following the defeat to Villa. He highlighted Wolves’ strong start in the first 20 minutes, where they displayed confidence in their passing game. However, he expressed regret over Rayan Ait-Nouri’s missed opportunity to convert a crucial chance during this period.

Thompson emphasized the pivotal role played by Doyle, who effectively controlled the midfield from a deep position. Pundit Paul Robinson acknowledged Doyle’s importance, describing him as ‘integral’ to Wolves’ positive start.

While Thompson acknowledged Doyle’s commendable performance overall, he suggested that Doyle should not retain his place for the upcoming match against Burnley. Instead, Thompson advocated for Ait-Nouri to be positioned further forward, with Lemina joining Gomes in the central midfield pairing. Thompson believed that Lemina appeared uncomfortable in his current position and expressed his preference for Lemina and Gomes as the midfield duo in Gary O’Neil’s setup.

Furthermore, Thompson recommended Hugo Bueno for the left wing-back role, allowing Ait-Nouri to play as a winger and facilitating Lemina’s return to a central midfield position alongside Gomes.

In summary, Thompson asserted that, despite Doyle’s solid performance, Lemina and Gomes should form the preferred midfield partnership in O’Neil’s lineup, provided everyone is fit.

Lemina is wasted on the left

It will indeed be intriguing to observe Gary O’Neil’s decisions for the match against Burnley on Tuesday.

Placing Lemina on the left side doesn’t seem to be the optimal solution, considering his crucial tenacity and energy that make him particularly effective in the central midfield alongside Gomes.

While Doyle performed admirably against Villa, it might seem unfair to relegate him to the bench.

If O’Neil aims to maintain control of the game against Burnley, he might opt to retain Doyle in midfield. However, there’s a possibility that he observed Lemina’s performance on Saturday and perceives him as one of the team’s standout players, thus hesitating to exclude him from the starting lineup.