Daniel Podence 2021/22: The underrated Wolves attacker integral to their pursuit of Europe – scout report

For Wolves their first season under new manager Bruno Lage has been a successful one, currently sat 8^th in the league and two points behind Manchester United and West Ham United. This Wolves team has a heavy Portuguese influence, as has been the case in recent years with the club’s links to Portuguese super-agent Jorge Mendes. The list of Portuguese players who have played for Wolves is an impressive one including; Diogo Jota, Rui Patricio, Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho. One of these Portuguese players, who so far this season has been an important part of their success, is Daniel Podence.

Podence’s season so far has been an underrated one and his creative qualities have shone through making him one of the most creative players in the league, without maybe receiving the plaudits he deserves.

This scout report and tactical analysis will take a look into why Podence is of the league’s best creators and the vital role he has played for Wolves this season.

Position

Podence operates as an inside forward or winger the majority of the time, with the ability to occupy different roles across the front line. He can play wide as a traditional winger but is also comfortable playing much narrower, depending on the formation Wolves are playing. This can be seen from the heatmap shown below, showing the majority of his play in the final third and covering both sides of the pitch.

Wolves often utilize a tactical back three playing either a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 this season under Bruno Lage, confirmed below. In these tactics, Podence often operates on either side of the striker.