Liam Keen comment: Penalty statistics, midfield impact and Wolves' crucial few weeks
Rob Edwards was extremely frustrated after Wolves' defeat to Crystal Palace and it is easy to understand why.
His team's performance should have earned them at least a point, but a penalty miss and red card saw them throw away that opportunity.
Missed opportunity
Against a Palace side in crisis amid plenty of noise off the pitch, Wolves started well at Selhurst Park and should have taken a lead into half-time.
After some missed chances, the perfect moment came when Mateus Mane was brought down by Adam Wharton for a penalty shortly before the break.
Tolu Arokodare stepped up but missed his chance at a third Premier League goal this season with a weak spot kick.
Edwards defended the decision to let Arokodare take it, insisted he was the designated penalty taker and that the player was confident he would score. The head coach also refused to criticise his striker.
But analysing the career statistics of some Wolves team-mates, there were two much better options.
Looking at senior matches in his career, including cup games and play-off matches, Arokodare has scored five and missed five penalties during his time on the pitch.
The Nigerian last scored a penalty in September 2022 and he has missed all five spot-kicks since then, including the one on the weekend, giving him a 50 per cent conversion rate.
