Blog: 'Dangerous' Dave Edwards fires Wolves
Even up to a few weeks ago, midfielder Dave Edwards split opinion among Wolves fans, writes blogger Richard Hobbs.
With Jackett trying to implement a more possession based football, many saw Edwards as a weak link when we had the ball.
In an archetypal attacking midfield role, a player in this role tends to be technical and creative footballer who can influence the game in the final third.
Edwards is not a player with a deft touch or prone to threading the ball through an opposition defence, but one who relies on his endurance and running to get on the end of moves rather than initiate them.
This led to fans questioning his selection ahead of someone like Michael Jacobs, who arguably has more flair to his game. However, I think how Jackett the system is set up to maximise everyone's strengths.
The Wolves team works like a machine, all components have to complement each other and do a job for it to work effectively.
Kevin McDonald has much more influence on the team when he has someone like Jack Price next to him to do more of the defensive work.
When McDonald played with Evans and had to do more defending, his form dipped because the system didn't maximise his best assets.
Similarly, Edwards in my eyes doesn't need to be the one to be playing the killer ball, as he has Kevin McDonald and Bakary Sako to play the more adventurous pass.
Edwards has players around him to open up the play and allow him to influence the game through what he is good at. And, boy, has he showed it recently.
'Dangerous Dave' has always shown an eye for a goal. From midfield, he has shown a healthy habit of arriving in the box from midfield and getting on the score sheet.
In the more advanced role, he's playing in currently, the onus is on Edwards to do this every chance he gets and it's something that he and the team are thriving off.
Along with his purple patch of form, Edward's intelligent movement seems to really benefiting the other midfielders.
He way the runs in between the opposition lines stretches them, giving players like Van La Parra and Dicko space to run in.
If you watch Wolves versus Charlton on Saturday, watch Edwards for a portion of the game while Wolves has the ball. The amount of selfless, off the ball running is second to none.
When we don't have the ball, his hungry and desire to close down the ball sets the tempo for the whole team. His phenomenal stamina and constant running must make him a nightmare for an opposing player.
On Saturday, Edwards and his team mates come up against Chalton. The Addicks are in a poor run of form; they currently lie 16th in the table and haven't won in nine league games.
However, as Wolves know all too well, anyone can beat anyone in this division and Charlton are not without some decent players.
Tal Ben Haim and Andre Bikey both have Premier League experience, while Igor Vetokele has 8 goals in 21 games this season.
After our form in recent weeks, I think Wolves should win convincingly on the weekend. Our goal difference is incredibly poor compare to the above us and it needs improving in the second half of the season.
Hopefully, Edwards can keep up his form and add another goal to his tally and the fans might soon come up with a chant for him.
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