Adama Traore is special but needs to produce more regularly, says Wolves boss Bruno Lage
The 25-year-old’s form has been up and down this season.
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Your support makes all the difference.Wolves boss Bruno Lage has called for Adama Traore to be more consistent.
The 25-year-old winger made a promising start to the season but his form has dipped since, having to settle for a place on the bench in recent weeks.
Traore said this week we are yet to see the best of him, admitting he has not made the impact he would have liked so far this campaign.
Lage recognises the Spain internationals’ undoubted talent, as the pair work together to find the best way to harness it.
“I would like to see from Adama what he did in the first three games, and what I saw in the last two weeks,” said Lage
“That’s the Adama I want to see in the pitch. I want Adama to be more consistent, not just game by game, but also in the game.
“He’s the kind of player who, when you have the ball, can do something special. But I want more Adama during the game, not just when you have the ball. He needs to be there more time in the game.
“When he works from outside, he’s very dangerous. He’s working very hard to understand the inside game, he’s doing well, the last two weeks it was very good, and if you remember, the first three games, what he did was very good. I was very happy with the way he pressed, the way he created chances, the way he linked with the players.
“What I want is that and Adama knows he needs to fight with (Hee Chan) Hwang, Daniel (Podence) and (Francisco) Trincao, because the four guys are in a good way, and that’s good for me.”
Asked whether talks over a new improved contract might be a distraction for Traore, Lage said: “I don’t think so. He has people who work for him on that.
“Like he said, ‘the best is yet to come’ – I’m very happy with that, so we can see his focus is on the team.”
Traore will be pushing for a return to the starting line up when Wolves resume their Premier League campaign against West Ham at Molineux on Saturday.
Full-back Fernando Marcal is in contention to feature for the first time since October 16 after recovering from a calf injury, although Rayan Ait-Nouri is set to keep his place in the side.
Lage said that he will “take the best decision” on Raul Jimenez’s availability after the striker returned from international duty with Mexico on Thursday.