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Thrown to the wolves: Hwang Hee-chan's fruitless hunt for success this year

Published: 26 Dec. 2024, 14:19 Updated: 26 Dec. 2024, 17:31

PAIK JI-HWAN
[email protected]

Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Hwang Hee-chan reacts during a Premier League match against Chelsea at Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England, on Aug. 25. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

After prowling to a career-best performance last season, Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Hwang Hee-chan has been on a contrastingly poor run this season with zero goal contributions across 13 appearances as of Thursday.

Hwang was an integral part of Wolves’ run last season, ending the 2023-24 Premier League campaign as the team’s top scorer with 12 goals in 29 fixtures.

He has not suffered a severe injury this season to keep him sidelined for long enough to lose his magic touch, although he missed a few matches for nearly three weeks due to an ankle injury from October to November.

But why has the Korean forward gone from hero to zero? And can he keep his place in the best XI under new manager Vitor Pereira?

Flightless on the wrong wing

Able to play as a winger or No. 9, Hwang has proved to be lethal for both Wolves and the Korean national team when playing on the left flank, where he can maximize his attacking prowess by cutting inside the penalty box to shoot with his preferred right foot.

Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Hwang Hee-chan runs with the ball during a Premier League match against Sheffield United at Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, England, on Feb. 25. [AFP/YONHAP]

With his agile movements on the edge of the area, he was able to dribble past defenders and finish the job himself last season. When playing as a No. 9, he capitalized his positioning skills effectively to convert crosses in the penalty box.

But these fortes have not been visible this season as he has been stuck on the right flank, where his contribution to the team’s attack has been reduced to mere crosses.

Hwang is still a threatening force on the left side, where he demonstrated his attacking power with a goal in a 2026 World Cup qualifier against Oman on Sept. 10, but he hasn’t been the No. 1 left winger pick at Wolves this season, with competition from his teammates.

Pressure from within the pack

Fellow Wolves players Matheus Cunha and Jorgen Stand Larsen have taken up the team’s offensive duties this season, diminishing the need for Hwang to fill in.

Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Matheus Cunha celebrates scoring a goal during a Premier League match against Southampton at Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England, on Nov. 9. [AP/YONHAP]

Cunha has shone both as an attacking midfielder and winger, with nine goals and three assists across 18 appearances, while Stand Larsen has racked up six goals and three assists in the same number of appearances.

Stand Larsen has also asserted his authority in the center forward position, making it challenging for Hwang to start as a No. 9.

New Wolves boss Pereira could reshuffle the starting XI and give Hwang more chances, but he already saw success with Cunha and Stand Larsen in the lineup during a perfect 3-0 win over Leicester City in the Premier League on Dec. 22.

Sticking to a lineup where Stand Larsen plays as a sole No. 9 with Cunha and Goncalgo Guedes behind him leaves Hwang only the option of playing as a substitute, which has not been so successful for him yet.

A wolf in a new club's clothing?

Hwang has not publicly made any reference to a transfer since he said in the summer that he rejected an offer from Ligue 1 club Marseille.

But recent reports have suggested that multiple European teams are eying him, raising the potential for him to leave Wolves in the winter transfer window in search of more playing time.

Hwang still has roughly a month to prove that he is a player worth keeping, as the winter transfer window runs from Jan. 1 to Feb. 3 next year.

Joining a different club where he could be guaranteed more playing time will be important ahead of the Korean national team’s run in the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers that resume in March.

Hwang Hee-chan, left, celebrates scoring during a 2026 World Cup qualifier against Oman at Oman at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Oman on Sept. 10. [YONHAP]

The Wolves forward has been a core part of the national team with 69 caps, but a significant decrease in playing time opens the possibility of new players starting over him.

The national team also has many left winger options, including Stoke City’s Bae Jun-ho and Swansea City’s Eom Ji-sung, who both executed Hwang’s role during the October international break.

In the meantime, Wolves will continue their run in a fixture-congested schedule this season, seeking to escape the relegation zone they have been stuck in since the early days of the campaign. The club sit in 18th place on the 20-team table as of press time Thursday.

Pereira’s squad next faces Manchester United on Thursday and takes on Son Heung-min’s Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday for a possible Korean derby.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]