Wolves forward Daniel Podence told to 'be more potent'
Wolves boss Bruno Lage has challenged Daniel Podence to improve his numbers in front of goal if he wants to go to the ‘next level’.
After starting the season with a groin injury and then having to settle for a place on the bench, Podence grew into his role and had an influential season in old gold.
However he has only scored six goals and three assists in 30 games, with just two of those goals coming in the Premier League.
The 26-year-old also only notched three goals and two assists in 25 appearances last season, and Lage has urged the winger to increase his numbers and fulfil his ambition.
Lage said: “He has to improve a little bit. The game I have in my head is not just mine, it can become ours.
“It was a little bit hard for him to find the right place to start, but after that he became a really important player for us in the way he assists, and the way he scores goals.
“Now to go to the next level – and I think he wants to go to the next level because he has big ambition – he must put numbers. Numbers is more goals and more assists. That’s the pressure we all have, especially me, because we need to score more goals.
“We have a good defensive record but we need to improve our (attacking) record a lot.
“Just to understand a little bit about what I’m saying, when the club finished seventh position the striker scored 13 goals and the wingers scored nine goals. In 19/20, Raul scored 17 goals and Jota scored seven.
“This season, Raul has six, Hwang five, Ruben four, Daniel two, Trincao two, then it’s defenders, Saiss and Coady three, Leander two, Joao Moutinho two. The pressure will be for the guys up front, and also me, to find the spaces.
“In some games we create too many chances and don’t score. The pressure comes from that. They know we need to put numbers for our team and their careers.”
Meanwhile, Wolves are still working on their pre-season plans with Germany or Austria looking as likely destinations.
The club were set to play in the Ohio Cup before it was cancelled, and after persevering with their plans for a US tour, Wolves reluctantly pulled out this week.
They are now set for a European trip in July and it is understood that either Germany or Austria are the most likely destinations. Wolves visited Austria in 2017, during Nuno Espirito Santo’s first pre-season in charge.
