Former Middlesbrough and Watford head coach Rob Edwards has cleared the air concerning Tolu Arokodare‘s penalty miss in Wolves' loss to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park yesterday, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 25-year-old had just one goal from seven games prior to the clash against Oliver Glasner's side, but had a chance to change that in the game after Adam Wharton fouled Mateus Mane.
However, Tolu scuffed the chance, playing a tame penalty down the right, and Dean Henderson got down well to keep the score level.
Wolves coach reacts to Arokodare's penalty miss
After the game, Rob Edwards revealed he wouldn't criticise the Nigerian striker for missing a penalty, because he's the clubs designated taker.
“He felt confident. He was brave and stepped up, and it can happen. I’m never going to come out and criticise him for missing a penalty,” the Wolves coach said in quotes revealed by Wolves official website.
“Tolu’s our number nine and felt positive over the ball. In that moment, you mustn’t change. There can be a number of people who want to take it, but Tolu was designated one and wanted to take it at that time.”
“The lads were brilliant and took everything on board. They carried out the gameplan really well.
“I think we were the better team up until the sending off. Two big moments – the penalty and the sending off, and those two big things have gone against us.
“Even with ten men, they were pushing, and we had to defend long throws and defend the box, but I don’t think Sa had too much to do,” Rob Edwards concluded.
Wolves have won just one game in the English Premier League this season, and could match Derby County's 2007/2008 record of just one win through the season, where they accrued only 11 points from 38 matches.
