The England under-18 international’s Wolves career got off to a difficult start having picked up an injury during the summer while in pre-season training, but the 18-year-old is beginning to find his form in a new position of wing-back.
On his first goal in gold and black
“It felt great to finally get on the scoresheet. I’ve been here a few months now, obviously signed back in January but then went back out on loan to Rochdale, and I’ve been back a few months now, learned the system and what they want from me.
“They want me to get into the box, be that goal threat, as well as creating them, so it was good to get into the box and it was a great ball in by Hugo [Bueno].
“Some of the lads were saying I scuffed it, but I thought it was a perfectly placed finish.”
56' | #NEW 0-3 #WOL
— Wolves Academy (@WolvesAcademy) November 30, 2020
A beautiful team move finished off neatly by the England under-18 international.#NEWWOL #PL2
📺 https://t.co/fZWeBjhOmb pic.twitter.com/83R49cMiNv
On settling in at Wolves
“I’m loving it here. The system is very different to anything I’ve ever played in before, and although you’d think a wing-back and a full-back are similar places on the pitch, they’re very different roles regarding the things they want me to do out on the pitch.
“I’m still getting used to that, but I’m learning every day, learning every training session, learning something else that I can do in that role, but it’s been great to get down to Compton and learn how the Wolves play.”
On playing wing-back in Wolves’ system
“When you’re playing with three centre-backs, you have more security than you normally would if you play as a back four like I did at Rochdale.
“Here, I do have that licence to find ways to get forward and try to score, so if Hugo or whoever is playing left wing-back has the ball in a threatening position behind the defence, it encourages me or whoever is playing in that opposite wing-back position to get in the box and threaten the box and vice-versa. If I’m the one who is threatening in behind, then Hugo should be in there trying to score a goal as well.
“I can’t just think about myself when I’m playing out wide. If Theo’s [Corbeanu] going out wide, or if TP’s [Taylor Perry] pulling out wide, then I have to move over into that central midfield position, and it’s all working off that triangle out wide and working off the others.
“I’m not just playing for myself, I’ve got to use my brain and think about what others are doing, move with them, and play passes into them and create for other people.”
