For Wolverhampton Wanderers fans, the 2024/25 Premier League season has been one of mixed emotions.
When Gary O’Neil was sacked back in mid-December, the club sat second-bottom of the Premier League standings and were four points from safety, having incurred 11 defeats from their opening 16 games.
It appeared at that stage as though they were doomed to the drop, but the appointment of Vítor Pereira as O’Neil’s replacement has certainly provided everyone at the club with fresh impetus and a newfound belief.
As a result, they have taken 17 points from the Portuguese’s 13 matches in charge and now have a nine-point buffer between themselves and 18th-placed Ipswich Town.
There have been many players who have contributed to that turnaround in fortunes, with Matheus Cunha the one who is constantly mentioned in dispatches.
However, one who rarely receives the credit his efforts have merited is Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, yet there is so much that Wolves would struggle to do without him on the field.
This tactical analysis will seek to correct that, with the scout report highlighting what he offers to Wolves’ tactics under Pereira and why he has become a player they simply can’t be without.
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde Patrolling The Midfield
Whilst Jean-Ricner Bellegarde has been utilised in every area of the field during his two seasons at Wolves, there is no denying that the former Strasbourg player is at his best when in the midfield.
This has been demonstrated on multiple occasions, with his presence in the central third key in Wolves’ ability to be both efficient when they have the ball and solid without it.
When it comes to the latter, what really aids him is his awareness of what is happening around him.
It is constantly apparent that he has an innate ability to identify where passes will go and to react early to regain possession for his side.
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