Wolverhampton Wanderers have been inconsistent this season under head coach Gary O'Neil, proven by a massive 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur before the international break, followed by two consecutive defeats to Fulham and Arsenal.
Scoring goals is not necessarily an issue for the Midlands club. Hwang Hee-chan is the joint-fifth top scorer in the Premier League this term and Wolves as a team have found the net more than any other side in the bottom nine.
The issue comes primarily at the back for O'Neil's men. Only five teams in the top-flight have conceded more goals than Wolves but the manager has one glaringly obvious solution to their defensive woes.
Craig Dawson's stats this season
Craig Dawson joined Wolves back in January for a mere £3.3m, having been an integral part of West Ham United's defence for several seasons under David Moyes.
The centre-back brought experience and Premier League know-how, something that was lacking in the team last term as Wolves sat rock bottom of the division heading into the winter World Cup.
Nevertheless, nearing his mid-30s, the veteran was always going to be a stop-gap signing amidst plenty of turnover, including the departures of Conor Coady and Nathan Collins.
Having played primarily in a back three this season, the 33-year-old has struggled to keep up statistically with his defensive partners Toti and Max Kilman.
Progressive Passes
2.42
2.71
3.21
Progressive Carries
0.08
0.82
0.86
Passes To Final 1/3
2.42
2.47
3.36
Passes To Penalty Area
0.16
0.24
0.50
Pass Completion %
86.8
81
82.1
Tackles
1.56
1.88
1.29
Tackles Won
0.94
1.41
0.64
Blocks
1.88
0.71
1.79
Interceptions
0.55
0.94
1.14
Errors
0.08
0
0.07
Aerial Duels Won %
75.6
73.3
74.5
Dawson is still performing better than the pair next to him in metrics such as aerial duels and blocks which are his bread and butter.
However, the centre-back offers very little in possession and could be replaced by the end of the campaign by one man currently in the squad.
Craig Dawson's potential replacement at Wolves
Santiago Bueno moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers during the summer transfer window for £10m with high hopes after an excellent spell in Spain with Girona.
Sporting Director Matt Hobbs called the centre-back a "perfect fit" for the team and labelled him as a "front-footed" player.
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However, the Uruguayan has made merely one Premier League start for the Old Gold since his arrival which came in a 3-2 defeat away at Fulham last Monday.
Nevertheless, the 25-year-old put a decent shift in, although he certainly wasn't helped by his right wingback Nelson Semedo who dropped a 5.9 Sofascore rating, which was the lowest of any player on the pitch, and gave possession away 19 times while also conceding a penalty.
Minutes
90
Passing Accuracy %
84
Touches
72
Passes To Final 1/3
2
Dispossessed
0
Tackles Won %
50
Clearances
7
Defensive Actions
12
Ball Recoveries
5
Ground Duels Won %
60
Kilman primarily plays on the right of Wolves' back three when Dawson is in the starting lineup as the latter isn't quick enough to cover the wide spaces. However, Bueno started on the right in his absence, with skipper Kilman pushing into the centre.
While Bueno has played just 276 minutes of football since arriving in England, the £30k-per-week defender's stats last season compared to Dawson this time around show that he can be a more valuable member of the backline under O'Neil.
Progressive Passes
4.43
2.42
Progressive Carries
0.90
0.08
Passes To Final 1/3
4.43
2.42
Passes To Penalty Area
0.15
0.16
Pass Completion %
86.5
86.6
Tackles
1.89
1.56
Tackles Won
1.14
0.94
Blocks
1.02
1.88
Interceptions
0.93
0.55
Aerial Duels Won %
64.3
75.6
Dawson comes out on top in aerial duels and blocks but this would be less of an issue with the latter featuring on the right side of the defence. Bueno is a superb defender, as shown by his stats last season and should be given a run of games in the team to shine.
