Comedy half time team talk

[Norwegian Wolf]

I’m not a Premier League coach, but it takes about 10 minutes watching Brighton to realise that they press high up the pitch and constantly get 2 on 1 overloads down both flanks before switching the play to unmarked players at the far post. Hence all four goals were scored by wide players.

It ain’t rocket science, in fact we did the same under Nuno in the Championship with Doc/Costa on one side and Douglas/Jota on the other, with wide players often scoring at the far post. I can forgive O’Neil for not following us in the Championship, but am less forgiving about trying to play a high defensive line, with no pace at centre back and no cover for the full backs, against a team that plays like Brighton.

Whatever he said at half time, I suspect it was more about ‘stick together’ and ‘let’s go for it’, rather than anything about the obvious threat they had down the flanks. No wonder the players looked bewildered.

 

[Bill McCai]

 

[EastDorsetWolf]

I apologise if I'm mistaken but didn't Roy bring him back whilst avoiding relegation.

He took him back but not sure when.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

I'd really love to have a whole game video to watch the 15 minutes after half time again, or even the first 5. The thing I noticed at the time (as you can see in the still above) was Neto on the left for the restart 'routine', and then gesturing between them, all went wrong from there.

 

[Mardenboroughs Shoulder]

Guo went into the dressing room at half time and said you’re all being transferred to Grasshoppers.

Did make me wonder if Guo did a Morgan?

 

[WickedWolfie]

Well, whatever did or didn’t happen at HT on Saturday, the change in the team’s performance as soon as they kicked off was clear even to the most optimistic of Wolves fans who watched the game. But what’s key is that it must also have been evident to GON and his assistants. So unless they are secretly working to undermine Wolves, or get a quick pay off, and assuming they have a modicum of good sense, then they will also realise they resolve this urgently. Everton is going to be an interesting game for even more reasons now.

I agree in theory. The issue may be if GON et al were part of the problem.

 

[sedgwolf1980]

GON is a joke appointment, however at the same time, we have somehow managed to assemble the most lily livered set of overhyped primadonnas in modern memory.

Either way, doesn’t bode well does it.

 

[Planty]

2 very tough first games including getting screwed by PGMOL again but it looks like Gaz has lost the dressing room already, **** me what a shambles

 

[old wittonian]

I was mistaken. Hodgson appointed or was going to appoint Derry for this season.
However,
"Palace failed to win a single match following Vieira's decision to marginalise Derry, who is a hugely popular and respected figure at the club".

Indeed

He took him back but not sure when.

 

[Fenrir_]

I was mistaken. Hodgson appointed or was going to appoint Derry for this season.
However,
"Palace failed to win a single match following Vieira's decision to marginalise Derry, who is a hugely popular and respected figure at the club".

Indeed

Palace did have a ridiculously tough run of games that coincided with that though. May well have been a culture clash, while Vieira is remembered as a tough tackling midfielder he probably has some of Arsene Wenger's managerial ideals instilled in him and Wenger was never one to shout and bawl

Ironically Vieira might be a decent fit for this squad we have currently

 

[wolf of sedgley]

We’re going down unless 3 other teams are unbelievably ****

 

[Rubberball]

We’re going down unless 3 other teams are unbelievably ****

My hope is Fosun sack GoN sharpish, get a proper manager and coaching staff in and we achieve safety comfortably.

Exactly the same as last year.

Of course it doesn't have to be like this and Fosun must go for this to change.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

I was mistaken. Hodgson appointed or was going to appoint Derry for this season.
However,
"Palace failed to win a single match following Vieira's decision to marginalise Derry, who is a hugely popular and respected figure at the club".

Indeed

I'm nervous of reading too much into all this, they might not have been ripped apart at half time, Derry may not have been responsible if they were. But my worry is that Derry may have behaved in a way that wasn't accepted by Viera at a club where he is 'hugely popular and respected' to a bunch of players who basically don't know him from Adam.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

I was mistaken. Hodgson appointed or was going to appoint Derry for this season.
However,
"Palace failed to win a single match following Vieira's decision to marginalise Derry, who is a hugely popular and respected figure at the club".

Indeed

This is true. But what’s key I think, is that he was already popular and respected before becoming an assistant coach. In a sense he’d earned the players respect and so when he demands passion, then they know it’s genuine and not personal. Neither he or GON have had time to build that level of trust with the team, so if they have ripped into them, it can be very counterproductive.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

I agree in theory. The issue may be if GON et al were part of the problem.

Yeah I know and that’s why I’m more worried after Saturday than after the United game.

 

[old wittonian]

I'm nervous of reading too much into all this, they might not have been ripped apart at half time, Derry may not have been responsible if they were. But my worry is that Derry may have behaved in a way that wasn't accepted by Viera at a club where he is 'hugely popular and respected' to a bunch of players who basically don't know him from Adam.

Maybe the next manager should be appointed by a round robin vote by the players.
Maybe Hobbs got it wrong. I think he did but we don't know the full list of those interviewed apart, allegedly, Lampard and Dean Smith. Maybe the bar was deliberately set too low.
Many on here allege that Neto had been/was crying. If that were true he should have ****ing well subbed.

 

[WickedWolfie]

I'm nervous of reading too much into all this, they might not have been ripped apart at half time, Derry may not have been responsible if they were. But my worry is that Derry may have behaved in a way that wasn't accepted by Viera at a club where he is 'hugely popular and respected' to a bunch of players who basically don't know him from Adam.

Given the number of players who have gone from West Ham to Palace over the years l would suggest that Dawson will know of Derry even if he doesn't actually know him.

 

[fleck1]

Many on here know that but his fans reckon being a "shouty"captain is so "last year"

Obviously we don't know his personality behind the scenes and in the dressing room, we can only go off what we see on the pitch. The captain doesn't need to be running around waiving his arms shouting at everyone, but you at least want to see him carrying himself in a positive manner, leading from the front with his performance. He seems to let his head drop too easily and go in to himself, rather than puff his chest out and drag the team with him.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

Maybe the next manager should be appointed by a round robin vote by the players.
Maybe Hobbs got it wrong. I think he did but we don't know the full list of those interviewed apart, allegedly, Lampard and Dean Smith. Maybe the bar was deliberately set too low.

Well, I feel like we've gone out and bought the ingredients from Harrod's and then got a cook from the local chippy to try to make the meal. Still we have to back him because there actually isn't a way to get an upgrade now. Anyway a good fish and chips is better than haute cuisine anyway (shout at the dover sole enough it might turn into cod).

 

[Sussex Wolf]

Well, I feel like we've gone out and bought the ingredients from Harrod's and then got a cook from the local chippy to try to make the meal. Still we have to back him because there actually isn't a way to get an upgrade now. Anyway a good fish and chips is better than haute cuisine anyway (shout at the dover sole enough it might turn into cod).

Nice analogy! How about we’ve a learner driver learning to drive in a nearly new Range Rover? A pilot learning to fly a plane in a Boeing 777 with 300 passengers on board?

 

[Black Country Wanderer]

Must admit those pictures of the walk out after HT tell a damning story
No wonder we got torn a new one in the opening 10 minutes their heads were down before we started
I really dont see the reason for it
First half we should have been ahead and were playing ok,not brilliant but decent enough and creating chances
So i see no reason for GON to have a melt down at them,if thats what happened
Even if he did the reaction was awful
You kind of expect it from the Neto types ,but even Gomes was in a sulk and hes always smiling

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

People need to redirect their anger towards fosun and get behind GON

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

Nice analogy! How about we’ve a learner driver learning to drive in a nearly new Range Rover? A pilot learning to fly a plane in a Boeing 777 with 300 passengers on board?

Second half Saturday did feel quite like the pilot had just taken the only parachute on board and the plane (clearly needing a couple of new engines) was being flown by someone who volunteered from the passengers.

 

[Westbakejazz]

People need to redirect their anger towards fosun and get behind GON

Yes you’re correct in pointing anger towards Fosun. But a in all honesty I just can’t see Gon lasting beyond Christmas. I hope he succeeds. But im honest with myself and i cant see it.

 

[Peszkywolf]

Seems such a strange performance, 1st half we go a goal down but creating more chances than one of the top 7 teams in the league.
For it to then go so badly after the break after a team talk by a rookie manager does show probably show that we're seriously in danger Bruno Lage style this season.

If it seems the players down tools like Leicester last season then God help us.

 

[Wolfenstein]

Some seem to think they may have had a tongue lashing from
GON at half time


Why would GON roast the players at 1 down after we had created at least two opportunities to score.

He is trying to build a relationship with the players and get to know them.it is too early for him to be so familiar as to have done this. I don’t believe this happened.

Two other scenarios are more likely.

One: Arguing between the players themselves. Bad blood in the dressing room.

or

Two: Guo or Shi committed the cardinal sin of going into the dressing room and giving the players a roasting Morgan style

 

[sillytuna]

Some seem to think they may have had a tongue lashing from
GON at half time


Why would GON roast the players at 1 down after we had created at least two opportunities to score.

He is trying to build a relationship with the players and get to know them.it is too early for him to be so familiar as to have done this. I don’t believe this happened.

Two other scenarios are more likely.

One: Arguing between the players themselves. Bad blood in the dressing room.

or

Two: Guo or Shi committed the cardinal sin of going into the dressing room and giving the players a roasting Morgan style

Problem is none of us can know. Didn't see anything before half time to indicate a problem. We'd had a good 15 minutes and just needed some tactical tweaks to protect the back 4.

We went from playing ok but being over exposed to... I don't even have the words.

It all revolved around what we did at half time and in the end that's about the coaching team even if one is true (assume two isn't true, which surely it can't be?).

I think people are over reacting about the players - which is normal given the bipolar nature on here, I don't think they are about our management. Remember that much of what we've just seen is what Bournemouth fans told us to expect. At Bournemouth he was part of a team he knew and who knew him, he's come to wolves and we're putting a team around him. I'd hoped this would be the making of him but it's got off to a terrible start.

The lack of his own team combined with his lack of experience shows this appointment up for what it is - utterly stupid. He may turn out to be a decent manager but he needs to build up his team and experience, not be airdropped into a very difficult situation (for any manager). It's possibly worse than promoting Davies or Connor because at least they were known and respected within the club and had their support network.

I'm usually a happy clapper on here and went into the game expecting us to surprise brighton, but anyone not seeing what happened as an absolute failure of management has got their hands over their eyes. It isn't unfixable obviously as it's very early days but unless we sort the backroom team out asap and GON massively steps up, this is going to go down as one of the worst appointments in premier league history IMHO.

Hell, I'm even agreeing with wolfslair almost every post. I feel sick to my stomach (just kidding!). He's called it absolutely correctly.

 

[Bawtry Wolf]

Second half Saturday did feel quite like the pilot had just taken the only parachute on board and the plane (clearly needing a couple of new engines) was being flown by someone who volunteered from the passengers.

So a combination of Father Ted and Airplane! So JL was father Jack whilst GON is Mr Striker (it’s an entirely different kind of flying).

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

Yes you’re correct in pointing anger towards Fosun. But a in all honesty I just can’t see Gon lasting beyond Christmas. I hope he succeeds. But im honest with myself and i cant see it.

Who would come in though? The replacement would be just as bad

 

[Bill McCai]

If we take the drop in quality from Lopetegui to O'Neill I imagine our next target would be those two blokes who used to manage Salford when the Class of 92 first took over.

 

[sillytuna]

If we take the drop in quality from Lopetegui to O'Neill I imagine our next target would be those two blokes who used to manage Salford when the Class of 92 first took over.

I'm sat here thinking... is Lampard's Wolves so bad?

Yes, it's come to that.

 

[Adrian_Monk]

I actually disagree with this view.

The Mix is typically an absolute hyperbole haven but I actually think the images of them trudging out, the Sa comfort Pat on Neto’s shoulder, combined with the one I posted above (again 10-15 secs into the 2nd half) and the 3 goals in 10 minutes are all far too much of a coincidence.

There is more merit in these concerns. It’s there. It’s obvious and the cause/effect plain to see.

I agree. Whilst it's definitely a stretch to accuse O'Neil and Derry of laying into the players and them not standing for it, or other such specifics, there are too many coincidences here for all of it to be ignored, not least the huge drop in effort from the players in the subsequent fifteen minutes prior to coming back out.

O'Neil has simply not managed for long enough. He doesn't have the muscle memory of what to do in certain situations, how to handle players of different backgrounds and personalities. I'm no Gary Klein disciple, but in his many books on naturalistic decision making he correctly identifies that people tend to learn better from their mistakes when they receive fast, unequivocal feedback and in the case of O'Neil, this stands to reason- he simply hasn't made enough mistakes.

There is a reason inexperienced coaches usually get their chance in the championship and below first - because it's just too much of a gamble at this level.

 

[Bankswolf The Third]

Who would come in though? The replacement would be just as bad

Graham Potter says hello by the way.

Trust me watch someone like West Ham snap him up when they get rid of Moyles

 

[WickedWolfie]

I'm sat here thinking... is Lampard's Wolves so bad?

Yes, it's come to that.

The sad and scary thing is that when l stop to think about it l actually agree....

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

What is all this absolute nonsense of O'Neil being hopelessly out of his depth??

**** me, I have read some **** in my time but this guy that managed an inferior team last season and comfortably got them to safety with games to spare is now suddenly 'hopelessly' out of his depth ffs.

He wasn't my first choice at all but folks really need to stop being so dramatic, it is truly pathetic.

He IS completely out of his depth. He has 37 Prem games to his name. He has no background/experience/proven record to be managing a club as big as Wolves. Players respected Nuno and JL; I'll bet our players have little or no respect for GON. It will only end one way.

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

Graham Potter says hello by the way.

Trust me watch someone like West Ham snap him up when they get rid of Moyles

He won’t come

We don’t make signings , and have a ridiculous project the last couple of years

 

[Westbakejazz]

Who would come in though? The replacement would be just as bad

I’ve always been a Potter fan, but would he want to come. It’s a predicament shi has put us in. From having a brilliant manager 4 years ago, to now looking at pub league managers

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

I’ve always been a Potter fan, but would he want to come. It’s a predicament shi has put us in. From having a brilliant manager 4 years ago, to now looking at pub league managers

Absolutely no chance potter comes

People are living in dream land imagining we had owners that cared

 

[wwbug]

With the arrival of GON my main concern was a mismatch of manager quality and player quality.
How the players apply themselves at Everton will be interesting, surely you don't lose a dressing room in two weeks.

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

Palace did have a ridiculously tough run of games that coincided with that though. May well have been a culture clash, while Vieira is remembered as a tough tackling midfielder he probably has some of Arsene Wenger's managerial ideals instilled in him and Wenger was never one to shout and bawl

Ironically Vieira might be a decent fit for this squad we have currently

Viera would be an interesting choice for manager. He would be respected by this lot and he always comes over as calm and measured. Can't believe Hobbs would not have talked to him.