Roy Keane Names Brighton Player Who “Always Hurts Wolves” and Lays Out Plan to Stop Him Ahead of Today’s Clash
Roy Keane has singled out a Brighton & Hove Albion player he says “always does a job on Wolves,” and has outlined the exact tactical adjustments Gary O’Neil’s side should make to nullify him ahead of this afternoon’s Premier League clash at Molineux.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Super Sunday build-up show, the former Manchester United captain didn’t hold back when asked which Brighton player Wolves should fear most.
There’s one lad who turns up every single time against Wolves and makes them look second best,” Keane said. “He’s clever, he gets between the lines, and Wolves’ midfield never seem to pick him up. If they don’t sort it out today, he’ll do it again.”
The player in question is understood to be Kaoru Mitoma. The Japanese winger has scored 3 goals and provided 2 assists in his last 4 appearances against Wolves, including a match-winning brace at Molineux last season. His ability to drift infield from the left, link with the attacking midfielder, and exploit the space behind Wolves’ wing-backs has repeatedly caused problems.
Keane argued that Wolves’ defensive shape has been too passive against Brighton’s positional rotations, and that simply assigning a full-back to follow Mitoma isn’t enough.
You can’t just say ‘Nelson Semedo, go man-mark him for 90 minutes.’ Brighton will drag you out of position and create overloads elsewhere,” Keane explained. “Wolves need to do three things:
First, the near-side central midfielder has to tuck in the moment Brighton build on the left. Joao Gomes or Andre, one of them has to drop and block that half-space. If you leave it to the centre-back, you’re already late.
Second, stop the switch. Brighton love to bait Wolves into pressing the left side, then switch play to the right and isolate Mitoma 1v1 against a retreating defender. Wolves’ weak-side winger has to sprint back quicker. No jogging.
Third, make him play backwards. Mitoma hates playing with his back to goal. If Wolves’ press forces him to receive the ball facing his own goal, he’s less dangerous. But if you let him turn and run at you, he’ll cut you open.”
Keane also suggested Wolves use their right-sided centre-back to step out aggressively when Mitoma checks short, trusting the cover behind. “You have to be brave. Sit off him and he’ll pick passes all day.
The stats back up Keane’s point. In the last 6 meetings, Brighton have averaged 2.1 goals per game against Wolves, with 70% of their attacking actions coming down the left channel. Wolves have used 3 different left-sided defensive setups in those games but have not prevented Mitoma from creating chances.
Gary O’Neil acknowledged the threat in his pre-match press conference yesterday.
“They’ve got players who can hurt you in transition, and Mitoma is obviously one of them. We’ve looked at how we can manage that space better. It’s not just about one player, it’s about the connections around him,” O’Neil said.
Wolves come into the game 12th in the table, with Europa Conference League qualification still mathematically possible but unlikely. Brighton sit 8th and are chasing a late push for Europa League football.
O’Neil now faces a selection call. Semedo is the natural right-back, but using him in a more conservative role could blunt Wolves’ attacking width. An alternative is to shift Matt Doherty back for his defensive discipline, or even use a back five to give extra cover on that side.
Midfield selection will be key. Joao Gomes has the engine to do the “tuck-in” role Keane described, but Andre offers better ball progression. O’Neil may opt for both, sacrificing one of the attacking midfielders to add balance.
Former Wolves midfielder Karl Henry, on the same Sky panel, agreed with Keane: “It’s about compactness. When Brighton have the ball on the left, Wolves have to be a block of 4-5 players over there. If you’re stretched, Mitoma will find the gaps.”
Kick-off is at 3pm GMT, with both sides needing a win to keep their European hopes alive. Molineux is expected to be close to full, and the atmosphere could play a role in disrupting Brighton’s rhythm.
Keane finished his analysis with a warning: “If Wolves let him get on the ball facing forward 10 times today, he’ll make them pay 3 or 4 times. It’s not complicated. Stop him turning, stop him running, stop him playing. Simple in theory, hard in practice.”
Wolves’ coaching staff were seen re-watching Brighton’s 3-1 win over Wolves in February during Saturday’s training session, with particular focus on Mitoma’s positioning in the build-up to all three goals.
Whether O’Neil takes Keane’s advice remains to be seen. But if Mitoma gets space again today, Wolves fans know exactly who they’ll blame.
