Saturday at Bristol City was supposed to be about new signing Emmanuel Agbadou. Instead, a summer arrival caught the eye, a once-forgotten man who is fast becoming a key figure under new boss Vitor Pereira.
“Fantastic,” is how Pereira described Rodrigo Gomes in his post-match press conference after the 2-1 FA Cup victory over Championship opposition.
Gomes signed for Wolves in the summer for £12.5million ($15.5m) from Braga, following an impressive season on loan with Estoril in his homeland of Portugal.
Parallels with departed star Pedro Neto were hard to ignore, with the diminutive wide men hailing from the same part of Portugal, emerging from the same club academy, arriving at Molineux at similar ages and earning caps for their country up to under-21s level.
Gomes can turn unpromising situations into goalscoring chances (Michael Steele/Getty Images)
After an encouraging pre-season, he started the first game of the Premier League season, a 2-0 defeat at Arsenal, then pretty much disappeared.
Former boss Gary O’Neil repeatedly praised Gome’s work ethic and talent but was equally keen to stress that he was a player for the future.
But under Pereira — partly due to an injury to Nelson Semedo and a one-match suspension to Rayan Ait-Nouri — he has become a regular starter in a wing-back role, often on the left but on Saturday on the opposite flank.
“He has energy — a lot of energy — and he is a fast player to play in this position,” said the Wolves boss.
“He has the capacity to go (forward) and to come back, go and to come back, even when (he’s ill) — because in the last week, he was sick for four or five days. But he came to the game. He is consistent in his performance.”
“He’s a player for now, of course,” added Pereira. “We don’t have a lot of players. Everybody is for now. He can give me two options, because when he goes to the left side and we cross the ball from the other side he can score with his right foot and he can go inside and cross with his right, and he has the quality to cross with his left.
“He opens up other possibilities on the right side. He can go inside with the ball or he can cross with his right. He has a very good cross.”
Gomes already has two goals in five appearances under Pereira, including a clinical finish on Saturday to give his side a 2-0 lead which, despite a spirited display and a fine Scott Twine free kick to reduce the arrears before half-time, Bristol City were unable to overturn.
But it is his work ethic and versatility that has already endeared him to Wolves supporters, with whom he celebrated joyously after scoring at Ashton Gate.
Gomes does not believe in the concept of lost causes and, as such, turns unpromising situations into goalscoring chances.
His final ball remains a little inconsistent but the quality of his crossing has already improved in his short run in the team and Pereira’s liking for an orthodox 3-4-3 system with high wing-backs has already helped him settle in the team.
While there are obvious similarities between him and Neto there are clear differences, too. Gomes is unable to yet match the Chelsea winger’s power and explosiveness in the final third but already eclipses him when it comes to defensive diligence.
At some stage in his career, Gomes might revert to the orthodox winger role where he spent much of his youth career but, for now, the wing-back berth suits him to a tee.
“I like that position because I have the pace and the lungs to do it,” he told reporters after Saturday’s game. ”Last year at Estoril, I played that position before and it’s a good position, I like it.
“Since last year, I have played on both sides. If the manager wants me to play on the left, I will play on the left, and if he wants me to play on the right, I will play on the right and give everything always.
“Now I’ve played again and scored, so it’s very good for me. I love to play, to help the team, to score and make assists. I haven’t got an assist yet, but I will for sure. I love playing and helping the team.”
Gomes’ presence has not just helped Pereira cope with Semedo’s injury and Ait-Nouri’s suspension, but it has also altered the dynamics of the transfer window a little. Adding wing-backs no longer looks like a consideration this month.
A few weeks ago, Wolves looked short of options in that position but the emergence of Gomes, combined with Matt Doherty potentially being freed up once the centre-backs return to fitness, changes priorities.
In Gomes, Wolves have a player who is ready to make a first-team impact.
(Top photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images)
