Could Wolves starlet Theo Corbeanu be the answer to attacking shortcomings of Nuno Espirito Santo’s side?
Last Updated: December 22, 2020 6:20 pm
Faltering Wolves
Wolves’ 2-1 loss to Burnley yesterday evening was their third defeat in four games. The absence of Raul Jimenez, due to a serious head injury, has led to an over-reliance on goals from their attacking midfield players such as Pedro Neto.
Young striker Fabio Silva, who joined the club from Portugal in the summer, is still very raw and to expect him to pick up the mantle of the absent Mexican by himself is unrealistic.
January is fast approaching and there is an opportunity for Nuno Espirito Santo to dip into the market for a possible temporary replacement or long-term competition for Jimenez when he returns.
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 04: Raul Jimenez of Wolverhampton Wanderers during the FA Cup Third Round match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester United at Molineux on January 4, 2020 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
However, Wolves could look within in order to find extra firepower. On the bench for the first time yesterday evening was Canadian forward Theo Corbeanu.
The 18-year-old has scored 4 goals for the under-23 squad this season and is very highly rated in the Wolves Academy. This expectation was shown by his appearance in the Wolves Premier League squad for the first time.
Theo Corbeanu
101 recently spoke to the young Canadian and he was clearly driven to earn his first call up to the senior side.
“There is a lot of talent in the Wolves squad, and I have played all over the whole front line. They have tried me out everywhere to see where my best position is. Personally, I see myself more as a winger, so more wide.
“But I’m definitely confident in my ability and I feel that if I keep my head down and continue to work hard anything is possible. My dream is to play for the first team and I am hoping to do so some time in the near future. As soon as possible.”
Corbeanu is one of a number of young Canadian talents which have made the move across the Atlantic into Europe. Alphonso Davies has burst onto the scene at Bayern Munich and Lille striker Jonathan David is transitioning to Ligue 1 after a big-money move from the Belgian league.
Alphonso Davies of FC Bayern Munich during the German DFB Pokal quarter final match between FC Schalke 04 and Bayern Munich at the Veltins Arena on March 03, 2020 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany(Photo by ANP Sport via Getty Images)
With Wolves struggling for goals at the moment, they could look towards the youngster as an option ahead of what is a busy Christmas schedule and with the rest of the season coming thick and fast, Santo will need all the help he can get.
Theodor Corbeanu: Profile, Expert Analysis, Tactical Overview & Video
“He should be ready to leave hospital by early next week” – Wolves doctor delivers positive news on Raul Jimenez
This article was edited by Josh Barker.
Football Live streaming: Featured matches on January 17, 2020
| Game | Time | Predicted Score | Live Score Prediction/Live Score | How to Watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Manchester City FC vs Crystal Palace FC | 30' | 2-0 | 1-0 |
Wolves betting odds, next game:
Wolves's latest videos
Wolves latest news
| # | Team | MP | D | P |
| 1 | Manchester United FC | 17 | 10 | 36 |
| 2 | Leicester City FC | 18 | 12 | 35 |
| 3 | Liverpool FC | 17 | 16 | 33 |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 18 | 16 | 33 |
| 5 | Manchester City FC | 16 | 12 | 32 |
| 6 | Everton FC | 17 | 7 | 32 |
| 7 | Chelsea FC | 18 | 12 | 29 |
| 8 | Southampton FC | 18 | 5 | 29 |
| 9 | West Ham United FC | 18 | 4 | 29 |
| 10 | Aston Villa FC | 15 | 13 | 26 |
| 11 | Arsenal FC | 18 | 1 | 24 |
| 12 | Leeds United | 18 | -4 | 23 |
| 13 | Crystal Palace FC | 18 | -7 | 23 |
| 14 | Wolverhampton Wanderers FC | 19 | -8 | 22 |
| 15 | Newcastle United FC | 17 | -9 | 19 |
| 16 | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 19 | -7 | 17 |
| 17 | Burnley FC | 17 | -13 | 16 |
| 18 | Fulham FC | 17 | -11 | 12 |
| 19 | West Bromwich Albion | 18 | -27 | 11 |
| 20 | Sheffield United FC | 19 | -22 | 5 |
| Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 13 |
| Kane, Harry | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 12 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 12 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 11 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City FC | 11 |
| Calvert-Lewin, Dominic | Everton FC | 11 |
| Bamford, Patrick | Leeds United | 10 |
| Zaha, Wilfried | Crystal Palace FC | 8 |
| Wilson, Callum | Newcastle United FC | 8 |
| Rashford, Marcus | Manchester United FC | 7 |
| Ings, Danny | Southampton FC | 7 |
| Maupay, Neal | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 7 |
| Lacazette, Alexandre | Arsenal FC | 7 |
| Mane, Sadio | Liverpool FC | 6 |
| Watkins, Ollie | Aston Villa FC | 6 |
| Abraham, Tammy | Chelsea FC | 6 |
| Barnes, Harvey | Leicester City FC | 6 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 5 |
| Firmino, Roberto | Liverpool FC | 5 |
| Maddison, James | Leicester City FC | 5 |
| Player | Team | Red Cards | Yellow Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellerin, Hector | Arsenal FC | 0 | 6 |
| Bissouma, Yves | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 1 | 5 |
| Egan, John | Sheffield United FC | 1 | 5 |
| Hayden, Isaac | Newcastle United FC | 0 | 6 |
| Reid, Bobby | Fulham FC | 0 | 5 |
| Doucoure, Abdoulaye | Everton FC | 0 | 5 |
| Romeu, Oriol | Southampton FC | 0 | 5 |
| Dunk, Lewis | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 1 | 4 |
| Phillips, Kalvin | Leeds United | 0 | 5 |
| Cash, Matty | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 5 |
| Gallagher, Conor | West Bromwich Albion | 0 | 5 |
| Evans, Jonny | Leicester City FC | 0 | 5 |
| Lundstram, John | Sheffield United FC | 1 | 4 |
| Kante, N`Golo | Chelsea FC | 0 | 5 |
| Milivojevic, Luka | Crystal Palace FC | 1 | 4 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 0 | 4 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 4 |
| Ward-Prowse, James | Southampton FC | 0 | 4 |
| Tielemans, Youri | Leicester City FC | 0 | 4 |
| Klich, Mateusz | Leeds United | 0 | 4 |
| Player | Team | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| Kane, Harry | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 11 |
| De Bruyne, Kevin | Manchester City FC | 8 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 7 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 7 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 6 |
| Rashford, Marcus | Manchester United FC | 5 |
| Robertson, Andrew | Liverpool FC | 5 |
| Digne, Lucas | Everton FC | 5 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City FC | 4 |
| Ward-Prowse, James | Southampton FC | 4 |
| Werner, Timo | Chelsea FC | 4 |
| Adams, Che | Southampton FC | 4 |
| Harrison, Jack | Leeds United | 4 |
| Chilwell, Benjamin | Chelsea FC | 4 |
| McGinn, John | Aston Villa FC | 4 |
| Cresswell, Aaron | West Ham United FC | 4 |
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 3 |
| Ings, Danny | Southampton FC | 3 |
| Firmino, Roberto | Liverpool FC | 3 |
| Sterling, Raheem | Manchester City FC | 3 |
