Rob Edwards believes Wolves’ defeat to Leeds United sums up their whole season, with individual mistakes in big moments being the reason why the team are in the situation they find themselves in.
The Old Gold conceded twice in two first half minutes to give the hosts a huge advantage at Elland Road, and despite battling to get back into the game, a third from the penalty spot in added time put the result beyond doubt.
With Premier League relegation all but mathematically confirmed for Wolves, Edwards understands the disappointment and anger which will be directed at his players, but believes their drop into the second tier is not through a lack of effort – rather a multitude of mistakes.
On conceding twice in two minutes
“It’s not the first time it’s happened. It happened to us last week. We didn’t want to go 1-0 down, and we can break that goal down, because there’s lots of things we’re not happy with, but to concede in the way we did immediately after, after it happened last week, is so frustrating.
We won the ball back, we gave it away straight away, we don’t go and close down quick enough on the opposite side, and we don’t defend well enough, then the who place goes through the roof.
“But to be fair to the players, we carried on going, we pushed, we reorganised, and with the overall performance, there wasn’t much in the game, but in those big moments, they were better than us."
On fighting to get back into the game
“I thought we were applying real pressure. We were pressing well, Darlow has made a massive and brilliant save, Rodrigo has had a great opportunity when he was through one-on-one, we had the offside goal, and we were pushing. But we couldn’t find it.
“The third one was the final nail in the coffin. It wasn’t a penalty. I’ve looked at it back, probably from every angle, and Hugo’s got across and won the ball. I don’t understand why it wasn’t overturned, and at 3-0, it looked a lot worse.
“At 2-0, you still don’t know, but I’m standing here moaning about a third goal we conceded, so it’s frustrating."
On being on the brink of relegation
“We know the situation and how difficult it is. We’ve known for a long, long time, but it doesn’t change what we’re doing.
“First of all, we have to stick together. There’s five more Premier League matches to go and it’s up to us to try and find some results, because ultimately that’s what we want. And if we can do that, it’s going to reflect better on us as a club and as individuals
“Our mentality can’t change. The lads are fighting and they’ve been punished in the last two games with some errors, and within one minute in both matches has completely changed the game.”
On injuries before and during the game
“Angel [Gomes] felt pain under his foot and at the bottom of his toe, which was causing him a lot of pain. Jose Sa felt some pain yesterday when he dived.
“It was his shoulder and his back area, and it looked like a spasm, so we gave him as much time as possible today and we didn’t make the call until we arrived at the stadium, where he still didn’t feel comfortable, so that was that.
“Krejci came off with a bit of a whiplash injury. He was feeling his neck already and he’s in some pain.”
On a season of disappointment
“The big moments are what have gone against us. I get the frustration and the anger today, because it has been a really hard season for everybody.
“I complete understand that, but there’s not an attitude problem from the group, there’s not a lack of will or desire or running, but we are making and have made too many errors. At this level, but it doesn’t matter at any level, you can’t do that.”
