TT Battle: Conor Coady vs Sol Bamba

Wolverhampton Wanderers and Cardiff City will meet each other at Molineux on Saturday as both sides have different Premier League aims in their debut years.

Both clubs were promoted from the Championship last season as winners and runners-up respectively, however, things have been different for the two sides.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s team are currently battling for seventh (with a possibility of European football on the cards), whilst Neil Warnock’s side are fighting to remain in the top-flight after a tough campaign.

Conor Coady and Sol Bamba are two individuals that will have a say in what happens to their clubs futures, however, who is the better player?

Let’s take a look…

Conor Coady

A former Liverpool academy graduate, Coady joined Wolves in the summer of 2015 from Huddersfield Town for a fee of £2.52million, per Transfermarkt.

And, it would be safe to say that the swoop by Kenny Jackett appears to have become a bargain as the now-26-year-old is an influential player for the club.

The defender, who has recently been rewarded with a new long-term contract, has been a stalwart for Wolves this season and has been an ever-present member of the team, having played the full 90 minutes in every game so far.

The skipper has helped his side keep six clean sheets so far and has played a key role in helping Nuno’s side achieve some excellent results, including wins against Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, whilst taking points off Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal.

TT Grade: B-

Sol Bamba

Bamba is a favourite with Warnock and it is not hard to see why as the 34-year-old consistently puts in good performances at the back for Cardiff.

Having arrived from Leeds United on a free transfer, the former Ivory Coast international played a key role in helping the Welsh outfit get to the Premier League and has been a driving force for the Bluebirds in trying to ensure they remain in the top-flight.

Although many had expected them to struggle, Bamba has come up with four goals and an assist this season, including last-gasp winners against Brighton and Hove Albion and Southampton.

If Cardiff are to have any chance of remaining in the Premier League, the enforcer is going to be the man to ensure they continue fighting until the very end.

TT Grade: C+

The Verdict:

Coady and Bamba are excellent players for their respective clubs, however, one of them appears to have kicked on a little further.

The Wolves centre-back has been a hugely influential figure at the back, as has Bamba, however, his performances have saved his club a number of points over the course of the season as they challenge for seventh.

There is no doubt that Bamba is important to Cardiff, however, Coady wins this battle.

Wolves and Cardiff fans – thoughts?