'Feel-good moment could throw switch on Agbadou's form for Wolves'
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Good for Emmanuel Agbadou, who played a game and a half for Ivory Coast over the past few days and was on the field as they confirmed a place at the 2026 World Cup.
Sometimes a feel-good moment like that is all it takes to throw a switch on a player's form. Wolves fans will hope that will be the case for Agbadou, who has been one of the most perplexing features of the season.
You could expect that Wolves would miss the quality of Matheus Cunha. It was harder to budget for the most influential signing of last season suddenly appearing so confused. A noisy night in Abidjan might be all it takes to fix it.
Good too for Santiago Bueno, one of the few Wolves players to take a step forward so far this season. He captained Uruguay in a friendly against Uzbekistan in Malaysia, which on first reading feels like the sort of delightfully random fixture until recently only seen in computer games.
Yet leading out your country, whenever and wherever, is a big deal and something to be rightfully proud of as he travels back to Wolverhampton.
Even with Matt Doherty injured and Jhon Arias not selected by Colombia, Wolves sent a record 17 players out on international duty in this break, and Vitor Pereira and his staff will be busy counting them all back.
Saying that, even in an expensive seat, it is a long way back from Abidjan, or Malaysia - or Seoul, where Hwang Hee-chan went for two friendlies without, alas, leaving the bench.
Modern Premier League travel arrangements may spare the globetrotters from a long Friday afternoon counting service stations on the M1 towards Sunderland.
But they still do not leave much time for Pereira to work in detail with his players to reinforce the good things from the past two draws, or put right the faults that cost points.
Yes, all the other managers have similar problems, but Wolves really do have to get the next few games right.
What happens against Sunderland and Burnley in the next two matches will not decide the season, but the results will have a major bearing on the atmosphere around the club.
Win, and the mood will lift as the path to safety becomes clearer. Lose to the two sides just promoted and the disquiet already heard from many supporters will become despair.
Listen to full commentary of Sunderland v Wolves on BBC Radio WM (95.6FM), Saturday at 15:00 BST
And tune into The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights
