Wolves' Rising Star Rayan Ait-Nouri Shares Inspiring Journey: Resilience and Redemption under Gary O'Neil

Walking into a room at Wolves' training ground, Rayan Ait-Nouri appears with a newfound appearance - a freshly shaved head. Perhaps symbolizing a fresh beginning at the club, he signifies a clean slate.

Once touted as a potential target for the 'Big Six' clubs, the left-back now finds himself entirely disregarded by Julen Lopetegui in the previous season. From March to May, he was excluded from nine out of ten matchday squads, and astonishingly, he never set foot on the field in any competition. A once-promising career now found itself in a state of stagnation.

"Yeah, it was challenging initially," he informs We regarding his time off the field. "It was quite complex.

"I expressed the same to my loved ones, emphasizing that it was the manager's decision, and my control over it was limited."

"He made the selections and I had no choice but to accept them. I exerted maximum effort during training, hoping to increase my chances of getting some game time."

Ait-Nouri discloses that Lopetegui never provided an explanation for his exclusion. However, there was a subtle indication at that time, suggesting a possible reason behind it.

Wolves were holding on to a 1-1 draw against Newcastle in the match right before his brief absence. However, the left-back made an unnecessary decision to move away from the defensive position and press the centre-backs of the Magpies. Within moments, Miguel Almiron took advantage of the empty space and secured a 2-1 victory for the hosts. "Why did Ait-Nouri make that move?" wondered Jamie Carragher, providing commentary at the time.

Lopetegui attributed Ait-Nouri's extended absence to his lack of understanding regarding defensive plays, as well as the importance of trigger moments and making sound decisions. While not explicitly confirmed, it appeared evident that the Newcastle incident had initially affected Ait-Nouri, but it did not ultimately hinder his prospects at the club.

When asked if he had considered leaving Molineux this summer while Lopetegui was still in charge until six weeks ago, the defender simply replied, "No, honestly."

"For any player, the true delight lies in playing alongside teammates on the field, contributing to the group effort, and doing my part. Although I wasn't included in the coach's strategies, my objective remains to play and showcase my abilities."

Yes, indeed. Ait-Nouri has been a regular starter in all but one of Wolves' Premier League matches under the guidance of their new coach, Gary O'Neil. The defender's self-assurance seems to have returned, as he confidently comments, "Yeah, as you can see!"

The Wolves team, with the addition of the Algeria international, are known for their excellent ball control and running abilities. They have successfully executed more dribbles than any other team in the Premier League this season.

Among top-flight defenders, Ait-Nouri is ranked second in terms of successful dribbles. The only player who surpasses him in this aspect is his team-mate Nelson Semedo, who plays on the opposite side of the field.

"We have got that freedom to go forward," the left-back says. "When Nelson goes, I know to stay with the centre-halves.

"It perfectly suits his attacking style preference and enables him to execute his desired strategies effectively. We have put a significant amount of effort into perfecting it, and the results speak for themselves.

"O'Neil is a coach who thrives when our team possesses the ball. He possesses brilliant ideas that are visible in our on-field performance, making it truly enjoyable to play under his guidance."

Before Saturday's visit to Luton, O'Neil's team is facing some frustrations. Despite their appealing attacking style, the lack of end product has been a recurring issue in recent seasons.

Wolves have consistently recorded a high number of shots on goal, placing them in the top half of the league. In their league opener against Manchester United, they had 23 shots - the highest number by an opposing team at Old Trafford since 2005. Additionally, they had 11 chances against Liverpool but failed to capitalize on them.

However, Wolves failed to secure victory in both matches due to a lack of finishing ability. Their total number of goals scored after five games reflects their current standing in the league: fifth from the bottom.

"It is quite frustrating because when you analyze the matches, we were the dominant side in the games against Liverpool and United," expresses Ait-Nouri.

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Ait-Nouri's Wolves came close to achieving a positive outcome against Man Utd.

"They performed exceptionally well, with each player displaying great focus. However, it is disappointing as we deserved to secure at least one point from those two matches.

"We simply require these slim margins to align in our favor - as you have noticed, we have unquestionably earned them through our exceptional performance in the initial matches of the season.

"We have been in control for the majority of our games, but we are lacking the decisive pass. Our objective is to enhance our effectiveness in the final delivery, ultimately securing that crucial goal. I am confident that it will occur, and once it does, our confidence will soar."

We are confident that we will begin winning again, starting this weekend. Tune in to the live blog on the website app to follow the Luton vs Wolves match this Saturday, starting at 1.30pm with kick-off at 3pm. You can also watch the match highlights for free starting from 5.15pm.