Wolves journalist Nathan Judah has given his thoughts on defender Willy Boly and his future at the club.
Having signed for the Old Gold back in the summer of 2018, the Ivorian defender quickly established himself as a mainstay in the Wolves side, only missing 12 league games in his first two seasons at the club as he helped get Wolves promoted and then established as a Premier League side.
However, his playing time has diminished in recent seasons, partly due to his issues when it comes to injuries, and as a result, he’s been limited to just one appearance so far this season in their EFL Cup game against Tottenham Hotspur.
Speaking on the latest edition of the E&S Wolves podcast, Judah explained how he hasn’t been able to perform to the best of his abilities over the past few seasons, and claimed that given the quality of players that he’s up against, it might very well be that he’s coming to the end of his tenure at the club:
“It’s been a really difficult two seasons for Willy Boly, and [he’s] gone from Wolves’ best defender, for me, to really on the periphery and the outside looking in, and you’ve got to think that his immediate future is kind of up in the air a little bit, really.
“He’s got to get back fit, and he’s got to get back into this team and playing football for Wolverhampton Wanderers. And if Wolves do sign a centre-back, whether that be on loan or permanently in January, and then [Romain] Saiss comes back, you’re not going to dislodge [Max] Kilman, you’re probably not going to dislodge [Conor] Coady either – who by the way I thought was excellent against Liverpool – there’s question marks on his future, there has to be.”
TIF Thoughts on Nathan Judah’s comments about Willy Boly at Wolves…
Have Wolves impressed so far this season?
Yes
No
It is perhaps a bit harsh from Judah to say that Boly couldn’t get ahead of the likes of Conor Coady, Max Kilman and Romain Saiss when he returns from his latest injury, because as the stats show, the 30-year-old does still have some ability left in him.
Last season, he made more tackles per game than Kilman, Saiss and Coady and ranked in the top three for interceptions, clearances and blocks per game, whilst leading the team in aerial duels won (as per WhoScored), so it’s not as if he’s totally over the hill at this stage to the point where he would be letting the side down if he were to be brought back into the fold.
And whilst he is set to enter the final 18 months of his contract come January, we feel he should still be kept around the club as a backup option, just in case one of the other three defenders are injured or suspended rather than being cashed in on.
In other news: ‘Been too off the boil’ – Bruno Lage tipped to drop 25 y/o Wolves ace in big call