Again in the same place. Hwang Hee-chan has gone down, and Wolverhampton plunged into deeper darkness.
Wolverhampton will play the 26th round of the 2025-2026 Premier League at Nottingham City Ground on the 12th (Korea time). They currently have 8 points, 1 win, 5 draws and 19 losses. They are last in the league in 20th place. The opponent is 17th-place Nottingham Forest. It is a match that could be a turning point in the battle to stay up. But at the most desperate moment, Hwang Hee-chan is not there.
The club announced officially that Hwang Hee-chan has a calf injury. He was hurt in the Chelsea match and is expected to miss several weeks. A reexamination is scheduled in two weeks, but the timing of his return is unclear. Manager Rob Edwards said briefly, "It will take a few weeks." It was a dry expression to hold out hope.
The Chelsea match was symbolic. He was substituted before the first half finished. The team suffered a 0-3 defeat. The record is cold. This season he has 2 goals and 3 assists in 24 official matches. In the league he has 2 goals and 1 assist in 20 matches. Wolverhampton's attacking productivity is among the lowest in the league. Results and performance have fallen together.
The criticism exceeded expectations. Some fans reacted to the injury news with responses close to cheers. "Why start him every week," "He is not qualified," and even "It's better that he's injured" were said. It was a moment when emotion swallowed reason.
Manager Edwards drew a line. "Hwang Hee-chan is an intelligent and good player. It is not right to swarm on one mistake and make the problem bigger," he defended. While acknowledging that the team's focus was concentrating on a specific player, he stressed, "He is mentally strong."
British outlet Football Insider also criticized the fans. "Rejoicing at a player's injury is shameful," it said, adding, "the root of the current problem lies in club management."
The problem does not end here. The calf is a recurring area of injury for Hwang Hee-chan. He was sidelined with the same injury during the October international fixtures last year. With the June CONCACAF World Cup approaching, it is also bad news for the national team. Hong Myung-bo's calculations are shaken again.
Wolverhampton hopes to find a breakthrough with newly signed Adam Armstrong. But reality is harsh. The rebound of the bottom team and the recovery of one player remain two tasks at the same time. Hwang Hee-chan spends time in the rehabilitation room again. And Wolverhampton's survival clock is running fast.
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