Pereira's midfield Gomes dilemma

If somebody writes the TV miniseries version of this Wolves season, one of the episodes will begin in the home dressing room at Molineux just before 16:00 GMT on Saturday.

The second half against Arsenal is about to begin. The young actor playing Joao Gomes will look up at the Vitor Pereira character and say something like: "Don't worry gaffer. I'm in control - I've got this."

Fade to a slow-motion shot of Gomes being tempted into just one more tackle, then burying his head in his hands, then to Pereira in the technical area, tearing at the air as if trying to burn off his frustration by ripping an invisible phone directory in half.

Pereira described the half-time scene wistfully afterwards, but took care to speak up for his young midfielder.

"Joao Gomes is a fantastic player - a team player," he said. "Every time we learn lessons in life, football is the same. He wants to help the team every time, but it's football in the moment - it's difficult to control.

"I asked him, even during the second half: 'Joao, keep calm, don't take risks.' But in the end, it's football."

There was some criticism of Pereira afterwards, but this seemed a little unkind. Yes, just like in a cliched TV show, the elements that put the main character in jeopardy seemed in hindsight too obvious to ignore: the contentious red card for Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly setting the whole game on edge, the earlier caution for Gomes, his naturally aggressive style, the urgency to grab the chance to beat 10 men... So replace him before it happens.

But would Wolves' hope of seizing that chance not have been weakened by withdrawing Gomes, who is clearly now their leading midfielder in the system Pereira wants to use?

"We need as soon as possible another midfielder, with the skills and qualities to play with two midfielders," said Pereira. "Tommy Doyle is a very good midfielder, but usually plays with three. [Jean-Ricner] Bellegarde can play as a midfielder - with three. To cover the pitch and play in the way I want to play with two is difficult. We need another solution."

Unless a signing is made quickly, Pereira may have no choice but to find another way on Saturday, with Gomes suspended.

This is the drama of life near the bottom of the league. Every decision is more pressured, every choice is a dilemma and the margin for error slimmer by the week.

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