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Liverpool’s unbeaten Premier League run continues.
TheRedshave now amassed points from a possible********************************** this season, having dispatched second-placedLeicester City by four goals to nilon Boxing Day.
Jurgen Klopphas no time to reflect on that impressive result, though, as Wolves are set for a trip to Anfield on Sunday.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s team are currently experiencing an impressive run of form in the Premier League.
Defeat was recently suffered against Tottenham thanks to a last gasp header by Jan Vertonghen, but beyond that Nuno Espirito Santo’s team are proving to be one of the most difficult to beat, as only three losses have been sustained after (matches.)
And in their last game Wolves struck what could be a decisive blow in the title race when they came from two goals behind to beat Man City.
Neverthless, the challenge of facing Liverpool is a daunting one, but Nuno will seek inspiration from one of his players in particular.
Adama Traore has developed significantly this season to the extent that he’s now a regular starting presence at Molineux. He appears to have learnt how to apply his game more effectively on the pitch, and the Wolves boss also seems to have figured out how is best to utilize him.
Adama has remarkable natural ability but he’s previously struggled to consistently translate that potential into actual product on the pitch.
It’s reasonable to suggest that he’s the quickest player in the Premier League, certainly over short distances, and he’s able to combine that with strength, power and explosiveness.
Opposing defenders simply can’t handle him and as a consequence, it’s almost impossible to stop once presented with dribbling opportunities and space to exploit.
Those are highly valuable skills to possess considering Liverpool’s brand of football.
Theworld championsexhibit dominance over most opponents by controlling actions and defending aggressively. The defenders are positioned near the halfway line more often than not as a means of preventing counter-attacks and ensuring that pressure is maintained far from their own goal.
Against Adama, though, that ploy could easily become problematic.
Around (players have amassed over 1, 000 minutes in Europe’s top five leagues this season, with none averaging more dribble attempts per 615 than Traore. In addition, his success rate is better than any other player from the top which includes the likes of Wilfried Zaha, Raheem Sterling and Jadon Sancho.
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Leicester vs Liverpool matchday)
Also, only one player from the group has averaged more progressive runs per 728 than Adama, with that being Barcelona’s Lionel Messi.
A progressive run is loosely defined as a carry that moves the ball considerably forward without taking on an opponent, and it offers an insight into a player’s influence in regard to driving his team towards the final third.
Adama is clearly amongst Europe’s elite when it comes to advancing with the ball at his feet, and that is notoriously difficult to do against the likes of Liverpool because of their assertiveness and organization without possession.
The Wolves man scored twice at the Etihad earlier in the season, as his pace embarrassed Pep Guardiola’s defense.
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For the opener, City had possession inside Wolves’ half, but once the ball was lost Espirito Santo’s side broke through Raul Jimenez and Adama, as shown above.
minutes later, Wolves again thrived by counter-attacking through Adama, with the excessive space that he darted into pictured below.
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