Gary O’Neil: “I’m frustrated we didn’t show more quality”
Gary O’Neil expressed his frustration with the lack of quality exhibited by his Wolves side as they faced difficulties breaking down Nottingham Forest’s defensive strategy in their recent draw at Molineux. Despite Matheus Cunha’s goal showcasing the team’s capabilities, O’Neil, the head coach, found himself with mixed emotions as the draw extended Wolves’ unbeaten home streak to six matches.
Reflecting on the match, O’Neil acknowledged the team’s resilience in the first half against Forest’s deep defensive setup. However, he lamented the early goal conceded, recognizing that it played into Forest’s game plan and posed a significant challenge. O’Neil voiced disappointment over the team’s inability to break down the staunch defensive setup, emphasizing the lack of creativity and ways to penetrate the opponent’s defense. He expressed discontent with the quality displayed in ball possession but commended the players for their commitment throughout the challenging game.
O’Neil pointed out the absence of key one-v-one players, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Pedro Neto, who could have provided the team with additional attacking options against Forest’s back five. Despite the disappointment in the quality of play, he acknowledged the overall decent return of four points from their recent fixtures, including a draw at the Emirates and the home game against Forest.
Regarding Matheus Cunha’s equalizer, O’Neil praised it as a well-executed team goal that showcased the players’ ability to break down Forest’s defensive formation. However, he expressed disappointment that such moments were rare in the match and emphasized the need for improvement despite the decent point tally of 19 so far in the season.
O’Neil analyzed the build-up to Wolves’ goal, acknowledging a disputed throw-in decision but noting that several factors contributed to the goal. He refrained from blaming officials and instead focused on the team’s defensive lapses during the throw-in, emphasizing the need for better execution in critical moments.
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Addressing the issue of lacking quality in their performance, O’Neil admitted that there were too many technical turnovers and loose touches that hindered the team’s progress. Despite understanding the impact of fatigue on technical quality, he stressed the importance of improvement to continue progressing.
While extending their unbeaten home run to six matches, O’Neil acknowledged that the team performed better against opponents who attacked them, but he highlighted the importance of reviewing both individual games and the overall progress of the group. Despite the disappointment in the recent draw, O’Neil expressed satisfaction with the group’s commitment and the unexpected points return that exceeded external expectations.
Gary O’Neil’s post-match analysis centered on the frustration with the team’s perceived lack of quality, emphasizing the need for improvement despite maintaining an unbeaten home record and accumulating a decent number of points in the current season.
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