December was always expected to be a challenging period for Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham. They faced crucial matches both domestically and in Europe against formidable opponents such as Chelsea, Liverpool, Rangers, and Bournemouth, failing to secure a victory in any of those encounters. Out of their eight games this month, Spurs have managed only two wins, against Southampton and Manchester United, and even the latter was a match they nearly let slip away.
Next on the agenda for Postecoglou's team is a home game against Wolves on Sunday. At first glance, a match against a team struggling with relegation shouldn't pose a significant threat to Spurs. However, Wolves enter this weekend's clash in London with renewed confidence following consecutive league victories over Leicester and Manchester United. New manager Vítor Pereira, who replaced Gary O’Neil earlier this month, has had an immediate impact, guiding his team to score five goals without conceding any in their last two outings.
This presents a real challenge for a Spurs side that lost their fourth central defender, Radu Dragusin, to injury during their 1-0 Boxing Day defeat to Nottingham Forest. With injuries mounting due to Postecoglou's demanding tactics and intense training regime, Spurs were forced to field a makeshift center-back pairing of Archie Gray and Yves Bissouma, both natural central midfielders, in their loss at the City Ground.
Even with a fully fit squad, Spurs would have their work cut out containing one of the Premier League's most in-form players. Matheus Cunha once again proved influential in Wolves' victory over United, scoring directly from a corner, the second such goal conceded by Wolves' opponents in just over a week, before setting up Hwang Hee-chan's late strike. With the January transfer window looming, it's no surprise that the Brazilian forward is attracting interest from several top Premier League clubs.
Wolves can ill afford to lose such a valuable attacking asset, especially as they strive to secure their top-flight status. Cunha has been directly involved in 14 of their 29 league goals this season, finding the net 10 times himself. Even before Pereira's arrival, Cunha's performances were practically single-handedly keeping Wolves' hopes of survival alive. He has consistently exceeded expectations, scoring goals that perhaps, based on the quality of chances, he shouldn't have. His goal against United is a prime example.
Cunha's goalscoring output has significantly surpassed his expected goals (xG) by 6.02, the highest overperformance in the league. Statistically, based on the chances he's had, he should have scored only four league goals this season. While this level of overperformance is unlikely to be sustainable, Cunha's contributions in the final third are a key reason why Wolves have scored a respectable 29 league goals in the 2024-25 season – just one fewer than the defending champions, Manchester City – and have climbed out of the relegation zone.
The 25-year-old is undoubtedly the driving force behind Wolves' attack. He ranks fifth in the league for successful dribbles (38) and 11th for key passes (33). His dribbling ability is particularly crucial for a Wolves team that averages the seventh-lowest possession (46.6%), allowing them to relieve pressure on their defense. This capacity to glide past defenders will undoubtedly be a major factor in Sunday's match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Adding to Tottenham's concerns, Wolves boast an impressive record at their ground, having won four of their last six visits. Furthermore, Postecoglou's side is still missing key defensive players. Even at full strength, Spurs have struggled to cope with Wolves' rapid counter-attacks. In fact, only their opponents this Sunday have scored more goals from counter-attacks (10) than Wolves (7) this season.
Tottenham are particularly vulnerable in transition. Without the pace of Micky van de Ven at the back, opposing teams find it easy to launch swift attacks, exploiting the gaps left by Postecoglou's forward-thinking approach. Against a Wolves team known for its speed on the break, spearheaded by Cunha's attacking prowess, things could get difficult for Spurs this weekend.
Wolves demonstrated their effectiveness in exploiting space early last season. Although they were unable to secure a result in a 1-0 loss at United last August, with their finishing ultimately letting them down, Cunha and his teammates have clearly improved their attacking output this season. Postecoglou may need to adapt his tactical approach – a difficult task for the Australian – if Spurs are to avoid a humiliating defeat at the hands of Cunha and Wolves.
