Dave Edwards has suggested that under the management of Gary O’Neil, Wolverhampton Wanderers have shown a greater ability to recover from losing positions in matches compared to their performance under Julen Lopetegui.
On Saturday, Wanderers played to a 2-2 draw with Newcastle United, which may seem like a satisfactory outcome on paper. However, some fans expressed frustration due to a contentious penalty awarded to Newcastle. Nevertheless, Wolves deserve commendation for not only equalizing once but twice after falling behind.
The scoring was initiated by Callum Wilson, who took advantage of a goalkeeping error by Jose Sa, and Wilson impressively converted the chance after an initial block by Toti Gomes. Mario Lemina equalized for Wolves with a
well-executed header from a Pedro Neto corner. Subsequently, Wolves conceded a penalty, allowing Wilson to put Newcastle ahead 2-1. However, Wanderers displayed their resilience as Hwang Hee-chan scored his sixth goal of the season.
A prevailing sentiment among the fanbase is that the current Wolves side is significantly more competitive. Dave Edwards also shares this perspective.
There is minimal contemplation of former manager Julen Lopetegui among Wolves fans at this point. While Lopetegui did contribute positively during his brief tenure at Molineux, many now fully endorse Gary O’Neil’s approach. Despite some setbacks, O’Neil has had a solid start as manager and arguably could be positioned higher in the league table.
Wolves now exhibit a greater readiness to fight in matches, according to Edwards. He noted the team’s ability to bounce back and appear poised to secure victory after conceding goals, a quality they seemed to lack in the previous season under Lopetegui. Edwards credited O’Neil for nurturing team spirit and togetherness, which has contributed to their improved performance.
O’Neil’s most notable achievement as Wolves manager has been reinstating the team’s competitiveness. While Lopetegui did bring some positivity to the dressing room during his tenure, the team appeared more resigned to defeat once they fell behind in games under his leadership. In contrast, there is now a different atmosphere, with Wolves showing a more determined attitude when they concede a goal and find themselves in a losing position. In the past two games, they have demonstrated the ability to come from behind and secure points, a rare feat before O’Neil’s arrival.
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