Tyrhys Dolan made an explosive start to the season in LaLiga with a goal in Espanyol’s 3-0 win over Levante. The English forward looked particularly sharp. Something has changed. “I am not the person or player I was a year ago,” Dolan tells Sky Sports.His first year in Spanish football after leaving Championship club Blackburn Rovers had its moments. He played against Real Madrid and Barcelona. But there is more to come, he insists. “I know the league now. I know myself a lot more. I know what I can do.”
There is a reason for his optimism. Dolan spent much of last season operating on the right wing. “Pretty much on the touchline. Hanging wide.” His job was to cross the ball and his numbers reflected that. “My assist output was much better than my goal output.”
It was a learning experience that added to his repertoire. But now Dolan is back on the left. That role change brings new opportunities. “For me, it is better because I can cut in and get more shots off. I can be more dangerous as a left winger,” he explains.”Which way is he going to go?” he asks, imagining the dilemma facing the defender. “Is he going to take it and put across? Is he going to have a shot?” The change has already brought a goal. And it can bring more. “There are more avenues to my game.”
Speaking to Dolan, 24, his enthusiasm for the challenge ahead is infectious. Last season turned into a slog for Espanyol after a strong start. They went from chasing Europe in the winter to the very real prospect of relegation in the spring. The slide was alarming.
“You’d be lying if you sit there and say you don’t feel the energy around the stadium. We just don’t want to have a repeat of that.” That big win over Levante suggests something has changed. The buzz is back. “It was just like, yeah, now we’re off and running again.”
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Dolan celebrates his goals with a somersault
The summer has refreshed him. It was a chance to spend time with family and friends, important for a young man living alone in Barcelona. “Mentally, you need that switch off. Within the season, you are constantly preparing, dealing with emotions, good or bad.”He adds, poetically: “Absence, like they say, does make the heart grow fonder.” It is why Espanyol spending much of pre-season in England was a boost. “My mum and dad were at every single game.” But, encouragingly, part of him also missed his life in…
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2026-08-21 11:00:00
