Express and Star journalist Nathan Judah thinks that keeping Wolves defender Willy Boly fit and healthy could play a major part in how the club plays next season.
The 30-year-old centre-back, valued at £12.6m on Transfermarkt, has been in and out of the team since the turn of the year through a number of injuries, but he came back for their game against Liverpool on Monday night to put in a very impressive performance at the back. He won five aerial duels, two tackles and made an interception for an overall WhoScored score of 7.0.
And speaking on the latest edition of the E&S Wolves podcast, Judah claims that he is one of the better centre-backs in the whole division and could be huge for them moving forward.
He said: “I think when he puts it together he’s still got a lot more to offer, Willy Boly, not only from a defensive point of view, from an attacking point of view as well. If you get Willy Boly back to the Willy Boly that we know and love and add goals to his game, he’s one of the most dominating centre-backs in the Premier League, don’t care what anyone says.
“He kind of floats under the radar a little bit at times which he shouldn’t do because of his size and his stature and his quality at the back, but I think a fit Willy Boly in a Wolves side makes a huge amount of difference.”
Is Willy Boly the best defender that Wolves have had in recent memory?
Yes, he is absolute quality
No, we have had better
TIF Thoughts on Nathan Judah’s comments on Willy Boly’s importance for Wolves…
Judah’s point about Boly’s importance can best be exemplified by his numbers this season (via WhoScored), where ranks in the top five in tackles, interceptions, clearances, blocks and even passes on a per-game basis.
But as the journalist points out, he is missing goals from his game, something that he used to have in his early days at the club, but has gone away in recent seasons, which given his height of 195cm, you’d think he’d be a presence at set-pieces, for instance. And with the absence of Raul Jimenez as their main goal threat, it should be up to players like him to pick up the slack.
Get a few more of those, and he might just get the recognition that Judah thinks he deserves.