Adam Armstrong has earned praise from Rob Edwards for his selfless contributions to Wolverhampton Wanderers following his arrival at Molineux.
The striker, who joined from Southampton on deadline day, has featured in every Premier League match since. Although he is yet to score for his new club, Armstrong has provided two assists, showcasing his value to the team.
Armstrong’s Impact on Wolves’ Improved Form
Armstrong’s performances have coincided with an improved run of form for Wolves, including victories over Aston Villa and Liverpool in recent weeks. Edwards is pleased with Armstrong’s contribution, as well as the efforts of the entire team.
Edwards said, “He’s had a huge contribution. He’s selfless, even though strikers have got that selfish trait, which he’s got, he’s a killer, he wants to score goals, but I think he’s really understood his role and the opposition he’s been up against in recent weeks.”
Edwards added, “He knows it’s going to be be really challenging to create chances against these teams, so he’s been incredibly selfless in his work rate and his out of possession stuff, but then he’s been really clean with the ball as well. He’s brought people into play and his linkup play’s been excellent. The bit now that we’ve got to try and do is get him into more goal scoring positions, but that’s down to the team, not him.”
Confidence and Belief Growing at Molineux
Edwards believes the recent wins have boosted confidence and belief within the squad.
He stated, “It certainly helps confidence and belief. We’ve been performing relatively well anyway but wins against those types of teams obviously improve the mood and maybe inject a bit more belief into the group as well. What it took to win those games was a lot of hard work and effort. We knew we were going to have to play a certain way, because they make you play a certain way. They’re going to force you low, you’re going to have to be really diligent, be aggressive without the ball. Then when we have our moments to go and attack, we’ve got to be ruthless. Not every game is going to be exactly like that, but wins against Villa and Liverpool in quick succession, at home, under the lights, they were nice occasions.”
Continued Improvement is Key
Edwards highlighted the team’s consistent improvement. He noted their competitiveness in games, even those that didn’t result in wins.
“That’s clear. For quite a while we’ve been really competitive in games. I thought the first half away at Palace was actually really, really good, but we went down to ten men and lost the game, so it probably won’t be recognised as much. What’s pleasing is there is improvement week on week, we are competing with everyone and that is important. It’s really important that we do that all the way to end of the season, because whatever happens, we’ve got to try and take good momentum going forward.
Edwards added, “We knew we were better than what the first half of the season had shown in terms of results. Confidence, momentum and belief are all these things we know exist, but it’s hard to just put your finger on it. We’ve got to earn it, and we’ve got to work for that, and we’re seeing the benefits now of a consistent message, consistent hard work, and the players are now definitely playing with more belief and confidence.”