"Not quite been the same player" - Journalist drops claim on Wolves star barely seen this season

Willy Boly is ‘not quite the same player’ after injuries and coronavirus have taken their toll on the Wolverhampton Wanderers central defender, according to Daily Mail journalist Tom Collomosse.

Wolves have enjoyed an impressive season so far, with a 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur last time out guiding them to within four points of the Champions League qualification places, but Boly has not been able to make a telling impact.

Boly has been on the treatment table with a calf injury but it appears he is on the verge of returning to contention for a place in the side as head coach Bruno Lage revealed the centre-half returned to training towards the end of last month.

A succession of injuries have halted Boly’s progress in recent times, with repeated problems ruling him out for large parts of last season and him failing to make a lasting impression on Lage after suffering a hamstring lay-off in the Portuguese’s second pre-season friendly at the helm.

In fact, the 11-cap Ivory Coast international has had little chance to catch the eye of Lage since his summer appointment as Nuno Espirito Santo’s successor.

Boly has yet to taste a single minute of Premier League action this term, while his solitary appearance under Lage came in the Carabao Cup third round exit at the hands of Tottenham in September.

Prior to his injury problems, the 31-year-old had been a regular member of Wolves’ backline and has featured 137 times for the club.

Chelsea WIN Club World Cup! Full reaction on The Football Terrace…

Collomosse feels the injuries – along with a bout of coronavirus – have caught up with Boly as he looks to reignite his Wolves career.

As a result, the journalist believes the 6 ft 5 man’s best days at Molineux are behind him.

Coll