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This article is part of Football FanCast's The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...
For Nuno Santo and Wolves, the international break was probably the last thing they needed after their start to the new season.
The club have faced more matches than any other Premier League side after having to endure a gruelling Europa League qualification stage.
After a total of six matches, they qualified for the group stages of the competition having played just four games in the league – on top of a pre-season tour of China too.
Striker Raul Jimenez has played over 40 matches for club and country this calendar year alone which merely epitomises how busy they’ve been in the west Midlands.
It’s clearly had an effect on their Premier League exploits this season as they are yet to pick up a victory, but there's one man who could be an instrumental factor in getting a result against Chelsea on Saturday.
On the Chalkboard
Diogo Jota was one of many Wolves players summoned to international duty this past week but he arrives back at Molineux still waiting for his first taste of senior football for Portugal.
It also means he’s coming back fresher than most after not playing in the last two weeks.
He’s yet to get going in the Premier League, just like his team, but in the Europa League, he’s netted three goals whilst also laying on five assists, per Transfermarkt.
Last season the 5 foot 10 forward proved to be an influential strike partner to Jimenez, scoring nine goals and providing five assists.
A Wolves fan shares his most gutting moment of the last 10 years supporting the club in the video below...
The 22-year-old should be relishing this weekend’s fixture as Frank Lampard’s men have conceded nine goals in just four matches, which is the second-worst in the league.
As the left-sided forward he’ll be coming up against Cesar Azpilicueta, who is conceding the most fouls in the Stamford Bridge squad at 1.3 per game on top of averaging 1.3 unsuccessful touches per game.
Whilst at centre-back, Lampard has chopped and changed in Antonio Rudiger’s absence, with their other three options all featuring at some stage, meaning the backline is far from settled which gives Wolves every chance of penetrating them in order to pick up their first win of the season.
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