Rob Edwards insists Wolves mustn’t be too robotic vs Aston Villa as he calls for passion

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Rob Edwards has called on his Wolves players to show passion against Aston Villa, insisting his side’s performance “needs to look like it matters.

Wolves remain firmly rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table, needing just two more points to surpass Derby County’s infamous record-low total of 11 points from the 2007/08 campaign.

The urgency in Rob Edwards’ message at his press conference today was clear, as he pushes for a performance that shows the team’s desire to fight and survive. “We’re here to fight and show how good we are,” Edwards said (via Birmingham Mail).

The upcoming derby against Aston Villa is not just about points; it’s about pride and passion.

Edwards highlighted the importance of showing that the game matters, stating: “But we’ll also respect that it’s a midlands derby as well, and there needs to be a lot of passion on show. To not be too robotic, it needs to look like it matters to us, and tomorrow, we need to try and make it feel like the second half in the last game at home against Arsenal.”

• READ MORE: The starting Wolves XI Rob Edwards should field vs Aston Villa as Ladislav Krejci replaced

The Aston Villa challenge

Aston Villa undoubtedly present a tough challenge for Wolves.

Although they’ve only one of their last five matches, they remain a team with a “real clear way of playing,” as Edwards acknowledged.

Wolves, however, can take confidence from their strong home record against Villa, having remained unbeaten in their last four encounters since December 2020.

Edwards is well aware of the quality Villa possess though, particularly under the guidance of Unai Emery.

“Villa are obviously a brilliant team, with an amazing manager, and they’ve got a real clear way of playing, (via Wolves official). We know big elements of what the game is going to look like and what we’re going to need to do to make sure that we’re competitive in the game.

“Unai Emery, his staff, his team, are extremely good, and they’ll look to try and get the best out of their players, but they’ve still got a very clear way of playing.

“Every individual is different, so they’re always going to bring different qualities, whether that’s physicality or technical levels. Douglas Luiz is back at the club again now, and he’s a wonderful footballer, but again, he’s going to be different from Kamara or McGinn or Tielemans.”

Player focus: Matt Doherty

One player who shows the spirit Edwards is calling for is Matt Doherty. Despite ongoing pain from an old knee injury, Doherty has been pushing through for the team.

“Doherty’s an interesting one, he’s still been feeling a bit of pain, so he’s been going through it for us as well and making sure that he’s been available,” Edwards revealed.

The Irishman has made just one 45-minute appearance across Wolves’ last nine Premier League matches.

While he’s lacked minutes on the pitch, Doherty has likely been trying to keep spirits and standards high behind the scenes.

It will be interesting to see if Krejci’s suspension will prompt a reshuffle that sees him start against Villa, with Mosquera and Santiago Bueno each moving over one spot in the backline.