23 April 2023 , 08:00
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After a typically frantic 90 minutes in his technical area, Julen Lopetegui sat down in his post-match press conference at the King Power Stadium and insisted complacency would not be allowed among his Wolves players.
“This is the worst message we can send to the players,” he said, when asked about his side's six-point buffer to the relegation places. “It’s a very dangerous message because I know how football is and how the Premier League is.
“We have been very clear with this message to the players. And they know.”
The former Real Madrid and Sevilla manager is a whirling dervish on the touchline, constantly gesticulating and sending messages to his players. Watching the Spaniard is an exhausting event in itself. Pity the fourth officials who repeatedly have to tell him to stay within his designated area, his desire to coach such that he repeatedly strays beyond his borders.
Certainly, however long he is in the old gold hot seat, he won’t allow complacency to become a feature among his squad. But Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Leicester showed that his work has only just begun and there is still much to do.
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Lopetegui, who finally agreed to join Wolves as the permanent successor to Bruno Lage some six years after initially being on the verge of taking over - only for Spain to come calling - has dragged Wanderers from the bottom of the table to some six points clear of the relegation zone with six matches remaining.
He was backed heavily in the January transfer window by owners Fosun, the likes of Matheus Cunha and Pablo Sarabia gravitating to the Black Country primarily to work for him, and has taken 24 points from 17 Premier League games since.
The side have become fitter, there’s more physicality about their play and he has got the fans on side in a way in which his predecessor never truly managed; Lage’s seeming coldness was a stick to beat him with when results went south, particularly after the success that came with Nuno’s cult of personality. Lopetegui has reinvigorated both the fans and the training ground.
The need for clean sheets has been a major focus of Lopetegui’s in recent months; as an extra incentive, he has treated the squad and those who work around the first-team, to a slap up meal after matches where they’ve not conceded - “It is a good investment” - while extending that treat to journalists with pizza at press conferences too, something which has certainly sat well with the local press pack.
But Wolves’ schizophrenic nature has been difficult to tame. They’ve beaten Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs, but have given maximum points to both Leicester and Leeds, as well as handing four to Bournemouth. For every couple of steps forward there has always been a backward step waiting around the corner.
On the back of home wins over Chelsea and Brentford - not conceding in either - Saturday’s defeat was one such move.
Julen Lopetegui is full of energy and action on the touchline (Getty Images)New Foxes boss Dean Smith made his home debut with his side having taken only one point from nine games, a run that had dragged them to 19th in the table. Wolves had never scored at the King Power Stadium in five previous Premier League trips but took just 13 minutes to put that right, Cunha firing home the opener after Mario Lemina picked Youri Tielemans’ pocket.
For the next 20 minutes, Wolves completely dominated. Sharp passing through midfield saw chances and good opportunities arrive, but they were passed up, the final finish or final pass lacking.
“We had the possibility to damage them more and score the second goal, but we did not,” lamented Lopetegui. “And when you can, you have to do it. If not, be aware you are going to suffer. This is elite football, rule No.1.”
And suffer they did, a suffering all of their own making.
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Caught out after over-committing in midfield, they were caught two-vs-two at the back, and as Jamie Vardy sprung into life and onto a through ball, Jose Sa charged from his goal to meet him. The Portuguese has a habit of being reckless on such occasions but on this he appeared ready to err on the side of caution and try to push the ex-England striker wide rather than diving at his feet and make a play for the ball. However, he slipped, caught Vardy high on the ankle and the stonewall penalty was coolly slotted home by Kelechi Iheanacho.
Jose Sa cleans out Jamie Vardy for a Leicester City penalty (Getty Images)
Jose Sa apologises to the travelling Wolves supporters for his error at full-time (Getty Images)“It can happen and after you have work to do,” said the Wolves boss. “You have to continue working, you have to put the focus on the things you are doing well and continue.
“If you want to win matches in the Premier League, you have to overcome these kind of difficulties and situations.”
The home supporters became increasingly raucous and in the face of adversity, not for the first time this term, Wolves lost their composure.
Ruben Neves, introduced at half-time for the injured Lemina, and Joao Moutinho - 10 minutes into the second half - were brought on to try and wrestle back control. Lopetegui patrolled the touchline cajoling his players, remonstrating with a couple to slow things down, to play the extra pass, to take the sting out of the game. It was to no avail.
Leicester’s winner, scored by Timothy Castagne, was just reward for their endeavour in the second period, for their desire to throw men forwards and the chances they created, particularly when shorn of Vardy - off injured at the break - and with James Maddison absent through illness.
As Wolves kicked off after Castagne’s winner, Lopetegui, for once, stood relatively still. Hands in pockets, he shook his head, his frustration with how his side - despite the changes - had continued to allow the game to be played from end to end and at such a frantic pace more than apparent.
“It was a pity. I think we have done good things, but not enough to get anything positive here,” he remarked. “And this is all. I think that if you want to win or to draw away, you can’t only play 25 good minutes, you have to do more and more and to keep your focus and attention with the little details.”
Lopetegui knows that those little details, when combined, add up to a much bigger picture. There will be more changes at Wolves this summer with club captain Neves and out-of-favour striker Raul Jimenez among those expected to depart and Lopetegui given greater scope to further stamp his mark on the club ahead of his first full season in charge.
But before then there is still survival to be secured and six more challenges await, starting with Crystal Palace on Tuesday.