Improving The Goal Threat

Interim Head Coach on Edwards and Bodvarsson

Rob Edwards has hailed the contributions of Dave Edwards and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson – as he looks for ways to improve Wolves’ goalscoring output ahead of Saturday’s visit of Derby County (12.30pm).

Wolves have found goals hard to come by in recent games and Edwards, in his first game as interim Head Coach against Blackburn on Saturday, opted for a more attacking approach with full backs pushing on and more crosses into the opposition area.

As a result Wolves had 17 shots in the game, but only scored once – midfielder Edwards’ late equaliser – which secured a point from the game at Ewood Park.

“Dave was outstanding,” said the interim Head Coach.

“He topped the running, he topped the high-intensity running, his energy is second-to-none.

“And he’s the man who pops up on big occasions with important goals. I remember Ken (Jackett) saying it once on the coach on the way back from a game, saying he’s helped him out a few times.

“And he loves Ewood Park doesn’t he?!

“Another reason behind trying to get further bodies forward is that the goals need to come from a range of people.

“He’s obviously someone who’s very good at arriving into the box, so we’ve got to try and use that.

“The further forward we can get Dave Edwards, the better. He really deserved that goal, I was more than pleased with that performance.”

Bodvarsson remains the lone frontman of the formation and has been putting in some tireless displays up front, perhaps leaving him unable to get in as many scoring positions as he would have liked.

Edwards believes the Icelander contributes far more than just a goal threat, but is keen to give him more support so that he too can find the net on a consistent basis.

“Jon did a hell of a lot of work (on Saturday) - and he gives us so much in other ways as well,” he said.

“He’s there for the first ball, he holds things up, he runs, he works hard, he works the opposition defenders.

“He will be frustrated because all strikers want to score and judge themselves on scoring goals.

“But I’ll never knock him because he’s honest as the day is long and gives us so much work.

“I love the lad, I think he’s brilliant.

“The more people we get people closer to him...we might not score from the first cross but then we have people there for the second phase.”