Wolves head to the north east in buyout mood after victory over Champions League hopefuls Tottenham Hotspur last weekend and are looking for a similar result when they take on another club with the same targets in Newcastle. Lopetegui, who once played under legendary Magpies manager Bobby Robson, was quizzed on the form of his strikers during his pre-match press conference and knows goals will come from them, but the responsibility belongs to the whole team, he insists.
On heading to Newcastle
“I think we’re going to play against one of the strongest teams in the Premier League. They have a fantastic squad, very good players and a very good coach. They play with one very clear style, rhythm with and without the ball. They are ready to fight for the Champions League, but in the same way we are going to go there with ambition and thinking we are able to compete with them and beat them. This is our aim, for sure. I think we are going to play a very hard match, but in the same way a very exciting match for us.”
On his Bobby Robson affiliation
“I was very, very lucky because he was manager in ’96 at Barcelona with Mourinho, helping him. He was one of the best coaches in the history of England, in the world, a fantastic person and I have a very good memory of him. Now we go to play against Newcastle, I know the history that Bobby was very close with Newcastle, of course.
“In the same way, we are preparing to fight against one of the best teams in the Premier League. Our aim is to be able to compete with them, to make a good match in all facets, and try to beat them.”
On strikers hunting for goals
“I worry about the team, not only the forwards. I have talked about it a lot of times, we are happy with the commitment of the forwards, they are working very hard. Sometimes they offer a different help, a different solution for the team. Of course, it’s a good thing for the forwards to score and I assure you they are going to score, I don’t know when, but as soon as possible is good for them and for us. They have to do a lot of things for the team, and they are working very hard in this way to play.”
On Jimenez’s form improving
“I think he’s feeling better. He showed he’s better. He has to continue improving, fighting with the rest of the forwards in the team. It’s a good thing for them, a good thing for the team, inside competition is good for all of them. I think he’s in a good way, of course it’s a good thing if he scores. With forwards you talk about the goals, but they offer us different solutions and we are happy with him.”
On Costa’s injury
“Diego Costa is out. He had an injury in the last match. Fortunately, it’s not very, very severe, but he has to be out, I don’t know for how many weeks, but two, three, four weeks maybe.”
Battling away before Newcastle 👊 pic.twitter.com/HIaKwplaHL
— Wolves (@Wolves) March 9, 2023
On changing the game with substitutes
“You can have any problem in the last 10, 15 minutes, we were close with Max [Kilman], but I think we have to take risks. It’s a big risk to stay without one change in the last 20 minutes, but each match is different. I try to help the team, sometimes you’re right, sometimes no. After I think the changes depend on the players, with their attitude, with their commitment on the pitch. Football is about the players.
“It’s not about the system, the style and system are two different things. You can play with the same style in different systems, and the other way around too, so in the moment you think it’s going to be better for the team to change little things.”
On celebrating another clean sheet
“On Wednesday we ate with the workers of the club. We are very grateful for all of the support of the workers in the club, the whole club, not only the players and coaches, all the workers. Every week we work, it’s not easy, they work very hard for us, and this is about all of the club. It’s good the whole of the club are involved in our same aim.”
