Gary O’Neil

[GuzzWolf]

I haven't seen hairy pie for a long time, never mind humble pie...

Especially while watching strictly in the background and the phrase..."We must CRACK on!!!!

Well it wasnt extremely lucky for a start
They hardly threatened our goal despite what the stats say
We played well against a very good side that had a slightly off day thats all
I agree its just one game and we have to do it consistently but dont knock the lads for a good win that virtually no one expected

An off day!??? Man City were away, it's not supposed to be comfortable...We contained them and sent them home with no points.....Zero....Narda....Nothing. Enjoy it, get a grip and move on.

 

[Barnet Wolves]

Was impressed with his post match presser, gave a ton of positive feedback to the players and no blaming JL for anything

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

We didn't 'get lucky' today, we had a good plan, a well organised and commited team and took our chance when it came. I'm very happy for us all, including O'Neil. It's not massively changed my opinion, because it was the simplest and only sensible plan IMO. What I guess does give me more hope than the tactics was the togetherness, I felt that all the players were totally behind the plan, so there was nothing at all to support my fear that he might be losing the dressing room.

Anyway, surely we can all be happy tonight.

 

[SuperGran]

We didn't 'get lucky' today, we had a good plan, a well organised and commited team and took our chance when it came. I'm very happy for us all, including O'Neil. It's not massively changed my opinion, because it was the simplest and only sensible plan IMO. What I guess does give me more hope than the tactics was the togetherness, I felt that all the players were totally behind the plan, so there was nothing at all to support my fear that he might be losing the dressing room.

Anyway, surely we can all be happy tonight.

They played as a team today and it showed

 

[Steampunk Rules OK]

What a daft statement, of course it does. Swallows don't fly on their ****ing own you know.

I take it you’ve never come across that saying then with a ridiculous response like that. What it means is just because you’ve seen one swallow doesn’t automatically mean it’s summer in other words just because GON has won one match doesn’t automatically mean he’s turned into a top six manager overnight which reading some of the responses on here tonight you’d think he had done. I remain unconvinced and will remain so until he has managed to repeat this seemingly miraculous feat consistently.

 

[Big Saft Kid]

Just seen the analysis on MOTD. Spot on in every respect. Two of the main factors were the brilliant performance of Dawson in totally stifling Haaland, and the absence of Rodri, who would not have allowed Neto to make that break. Semedo busting a gut also and the running and pressing of Hwang. I was totally wrong about him, I admit it. Need to keep the obvious togetherness of the team v Villa. I think we will!

 

[Lou Pine]

We were excellent today, we really were. I heard the WM post match interview and as chuffed as I was my thoughts were that “He likes to talk about himself , doesn’t he?!” His praise of players was grudgingly given. He seems a strange fella.

 

[Cookyssweetleftfoot]

I think its only fair to give Gary credit for today.

We obviously won’t be able to set up like that every week and arguably his bigger tests are away at Luton, Bournemouth etc, but I don’t think many predicted us getting a point today let alone all three.

Not convinced though that it’s ok to go round all 4 stands and take the applause when you win and refuse to applaud the fans who travelled to Ipswich on a Tuesday night when you lose.

 

[Mugwump]

We didn't 'get lucky' today, we had a good plan, a well organised and commited team and took our chance when it came. I'm very happy for us all, including O'Neil. It's not massively changed my opinion, because it was the simplest and only sensible plan IMO. What I guess does give me more hope than the tactics was the togetherness, I felt that all the players were totally behind the plan, so there was nothing at all to support my fear that he might be losing the dressing room.

Anyway, surely we can all be happy tonight.

To a point we were a little lucky, but we earned a bit of luck with how hard we worked and battled to win that game. It wasnt an undeserved win at all.

 

[Mugwump]

It's one result - a very good result mind, but no, it isn't going to change my opinion, it's going to take a little more than that. Dave Jones' side also beat Fergie's United - let's see what he does over the next few games and if I start to see a coherent pattern to our play I'm sure he will win the 95% that didn't want him and I around.

Exactly. To change my mind that level of performance needs to happen against lesser teams.

 

[Bawtry Wolf]

We played much better in the first half bs Liverpool and the entire match vs Man Utd but lost. I much prefer a win to a great performance (or half a performance).

What was apparent today unlike the performances vs Brighton and Liverpool was that the heads didn’t go down when we conceded.

we still dont have an identity as such. Under Nuno we knew our formation and even what subs would be used, for who and when when stopped playing 5 at the back that consistency went. Under JL, in the last couple of months, we knew what the team, formation and subs were going to be and when. Under Lage, you didn’t have a clue, because neither did he. With O’Neil we’re more like Lage. We’ve played 5 today and it was effective. Hwang, Neto and Cunha were not as effective as vs Liverpool first half but still caused problems. Do we stick with 5 at the back or bring Bellegarde back. There are still lots of problems for O’Neil to demonstrate he has the answer.

 

[Stafford]

We played much better in the first half bs Liverpool and the entire match vs Man Utd but lost. I much prefer a win to a great performance (or half a performance).

What was apparent today unlike the performances vs Brighton and Liverpool was that the heads didn’t go down when we conceded.

we still dont have an identity as such. Under Nuno we knew our formation and even what subs would be used, for who and when when stopped playing 5 at the back that consistency went. Under JL, in the last couple of months, we knew what the team, formation and subs were going to be and when. Under Lage, you didn’t have a clue, because neither did he. With O’Neil we’re more like Lage. We’ve played 5 today and it was effective. Hwang, Neto and Cunha were not as effective as vs Liverpool first half but still caused problems. Do we stick with 5 at the back or bring Bellegarde back. There are still lots of problems for O’Neil to demonstrate he has the answer.

Our identity was playing high pressing football and that is when we have been at our best under O'Neil. But we just don't have the squad to sustain it throughout the game. Today I wasn't expecting a drop off at halftime because we weren't playing anywhere near the same tempo as the Liverpool and Brighton games and far less exposed.

How many games under Nuno did we do absolutely nothing in the first half, yet suckerpunched teams in the last quarter. Yet we couldn't understand why we couldn't do that from the start.

Will we get those halves we saw v Manu and Liverpool with 5 at the back? I doubt it. We just have to do what we can to pick up points depending on who we play. I doubt we will see consistency or an identifiable style until we strengthen our attacking positions.

 

[GoldenHorseshoe]

I take it you’ve never come across that saying then with a ridiculous response like that. What it means is just because you’ve seen one swallow doesn’t automatically mean it’s summer in other words just because GON has won one match doesn’t automatically mean he’s turned into a top six manager overnight which reading some of the responses on here tonight you’d think he had done. I remain unconvinced and will remain so until he has managed to repeat this seemingly miraculous feat consistently.

It was my basic response when encountering hackneyed cliches, which of course I've heard many times before, usually from those without an original thought in their heads.

 

[Beijing Wolf]

I’m not knocking the team at all I just said GON got lucky with his tactics today so it’s not changed my opinion of him one iota.

How can you be “lucky” with tactics?? You either get them right or wrong. Today Gary’s tactics were spot on.

Im still not sold on GON as our manager but he deserves praise for today as his tactics were key to our victory. Let’s hope that continues.

 

[JayStringer]

He got it right today. Much credit to him for that. Now we need him to get it right in other games, too.

 

[SuperGran]

What was apparent today unlike the performances vs Brighton and Liverpool was that the heads didn’t go down when we conceded.

GoN mentioned that in his press conference obviously something that they are warning on

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

I’m not knocking the team at all I just said GON got lucky with his tactics today so it’s not changed my opinion of him one iota.

Why did he get lucky?

 

[wolvesaywe]

I take it you’ve never come across that saying then with a ridiculous response like that. What it means is just because you’ve seen one swallow doesn’t automatically mean it’s summer in other words just because GON has won one match doesn’t automatically mean he’s turned into a top six manager overnight which reading some of the responses on here tonight you’d think he had done. I remain unconvinced and will remain so until he has managed to repeat this seemingly miraculous feat consistently.

Thanks for explaining that. You're only the
~50th person to use the same tiresome phrase since 5pm yesterday

GON has been here less than two months with zero pre-season yet it's fine to castigate him after a defeat but hey, let's not be hasty in giving him any credit for beating the European champions

Klopp, Pep and Arteta all took at least 12 months to build the system and squad they wanted and had disappointing first seasons. Arteta would have been out on his ear if Arsenal's board had listened to their own baying mob

Now I'm not saying for one second GON is a manager of their level. What I am saying is the majority of football fans know infinitely less than they think they do and an almost equal amount lack the humility to admit this

 

[JadeWolf]

Why did he get lucky?

I can see a pattern developing:

We win- O’Neil was lucky/it was Lopetegui’s team.
We lose- O’Neil is to blame, it’s his team.

 

[Zico]

We played much better in the first half bs Liverpool and the entire match vs Man Utd but lost. I much prefer a win to a great performance (or half a performance).

What was apparent today unlike the performances vs Brighton and Liverpool was that the heads didn’t go down when we conceded.

we still dont have an identity as such. Under Nuno we knew our formation and even what subs would be used, for who and when when stopped playing 5 at the back that consistency went. Under JL, in the last couple of months, we knew what the team, formation and subs were going to be and when. Under Lage, you didn’t have a clue, because neither did he. With O’Neil we’re more like Lage. We’ve played 5 today and it was effective. Hwang, Neto and Cunha were not as effective as vs Liverpool first half but still caused problems. Do we stick with 5 at the back or bring Bellegarde back. There are still lots of problems for O’Neil to demonstrate he has the answer.

Almost as if he came in at the last minute and is still working out his squad?

I didn't want him but I thought we had to give him a chance. He's tried to make us more expansive, well nobody, nobody has managed that over the last few years without leaking goals. Today was a throw back, a solid defence with an attacking threat. At 1-1 against City, we still got players into the box to take advantage of a break. I don't think we do that under JL. Just maybe, if he's a quick learner, we might get somewhere. And he can be as arrogant as he likes if we actually start winning games.

 

[Ginger Chimp]

It was my basic response when encountering hackneyed cliches, which of course I've heard many times before, usually from those without an original thought in their heads.

Ouch

 

[lets all have a disco]

I can see a pattern developing:

We win- O’Neil was lucky/it was Lopetegui’s team.
We lose- O’Neil is to blame, it’s his team.

That's not true ....the city game was the first time Gary O'Neil had done something different in a game to what lopetugui did.....as in change cthe system...so he deserves credit as such....had we lost I wouldn't have been critical as, he tried something different...I said in the week you don't set up the same against Liverpool at home and Luton away especially if you wasn't getting results..

He needs to be his own man which any coach should be.....we need to remember that when Hobbs employed Gary O'Neil he said one of the reasons he got the job was he was prepared to continue the same style as lopetugui....which would suggest being weak from the start.....surely you should want to play your own way if you trusted your own ability...

I've given Gary O'Neil stick myself.... none of it really was about any of the results as such , more the constant blaming of others ....when you was just cloning what the previous manager had done.....had he done his own thing or implemented his own style and not made constant excuses I wouldn't have been so damming ..

Just do your job and get on with it....which he did excellently yesterday.....I will be stop mentioning lopetugui as he is doing his OWN thing.....we need to all forget lopetugui and judge Gary O'Neil on his own merits but he needs to show he has his own style as such...

Let's hope this is the start ...

I wish the lopetugui thread would disappear....

 

[Wolf316]

What a daft statement, of course it does. Swallows don't fly on their ****ing own you know.

Are the European or British swallows?

 

[Munich_Wolf]

Why did he get lucky?

If you watch his post match presser, he himself alludes to the fact that city lined up and played exactly how he'd planned and set us up for, whereas Liverpool changed it and he/the team struggled with that.

You could say he got lucky that Pep didn't make any large tactical changes that he/the team would have struggled to deal with.

You've got to do your homework and set the team up perfectly to begin with though, and yesterday he got that absolutely spot on.

 

[TheConcourse]

If you watch his post match presser, he himself alludes to the fact that city lined up and played exactly how he'd planned and set us up for, whereas Liverpool changed it and he/the team struggled with that.

You could say he got lucky that Pep didn't make any large tactical changes that he/the team would have struggled to deal with.

You've got to do your homework and set the team up perfectly to begin with though, and yesterday he got that absolutely spot on.

This is about it for me.

All of those people suggesting that humble pie should be eaten are pretty naive. This isn’t about a lack of pre-season.

Gaz has been outthought several times this season in-game. If he doesn’t fix that, we struggle.

I wouldn’t call that some sort of crazy witch hunt, it’s just a fact.

Yesterday was one of the easier games to figure out, but the execution was very strong. It felt like the good old days under Nuno.

Villa thrive against teams who leave a lot of space for their runners, so I’d do exactly the same next week - let’s see what he chooses. Will be an interesting indicator.

 

[AndyY]

Our identity was playing high pressing football and that is when we have been at our best. But we just don't have the squad to sustain it throughout the game. Today I wasn't expecting a drop off at halftime because we weren't playing anywhere near the same tempo as the Liverpool and Brighton games and far less exposed.

How many games under Nuno did we do absolutely nothing in the first half, yet suckerpunched teams in the last quarter. Yet we couldn't understand why we couldn't do that from the start.

Will we get those halves we saw v Manu and Liverpool with 5 at the back? I doubt it. We just have to do what we can to pick up points depending on who we play. I doubt we will see consistency or an identifiable style until we strengthen our attacking positions.

I could have sworn that our identity was based on playing 3/5 at the back, denying the opposition space and playing on the counter under Nuno. An identity that was successful.

 

[Jd132]

It doesn't take a genius to look at this squad and its deficiencies then watch matches from our recent history over the last 6 years, and conclude that 5 at the back suits every player, and the club itself, better. But it does take some balls to admit you were wrong and implement it though- so well done to GON.

My personal view is that he has been hired to keep us up in difficult circumstances, so, as long as we are on a point a game, you won't hear me calling for his head. 4 points from 6 games and we were right to be calling him out, 7 from 7 and he is all good. Lose next week and we will be on his back again- draw or win and everything is okay.

 

[lets all have a disco]

It doesn't take a genius to look at this squad and its deficiencies then watch matches from our recent history over the last 6 years, and conclude that 5 at the back suits every player, and the club itself, better. But it does take some balls to admit you were wrong and implement it though- so well done to GON.

My personal view is that he has been hired to keep us up in difficult circumstances, so, as long as we are on a point a game, you won't hear me calling for his head. 4 points from 6 games and we were right to be calling him out, 7 from 7 and he is all good. Lose next week and we will be on his back again- draw or win and everything is okay.

Agree with this....that's all I hope for until January in a way ....still praying we get a striker in January and can push on a bit.....(even if it means one out , one in)....

 

[sc91]

I dont think anything has changed, GON to his credit seems to thoroughly research and try to plan for his opponents, it worked 100% today and the players dug in and worked with it. It didn't work against Luton.

The criticism of him is that he can't adapt in game, the same one the is laid at the feet of Lage.

 

[Hot Fuss]

Well done Gaz. **** the haters.

Up the ****ing Wolves.

 

[nomadwolf]

Dawson | 'A lot of credit goes to the manager'

Craig Dawson praised both Gary O’Neil and the players for preparing and carrying out the perfect gameplan which saw Wolves beat Manchester City at Molin...

www.wolves.co.uk

Ballon D'awson on winning for O’Neil

“It was a massive win and it was great to see this place bouncing. A lot of credit has to go to the manager for getting us so organised, with the game plan, and getting us fully prepared for the match, which he has done for every single game. That win goes down to the manager.

 

[Stafford]

I dont think anything has changed, GON to his credit seems to thoroughly research and try to plan for his opponents, it worked 100% today and the players dug in and worked with it. It didn't work against Luton.

The criticism of him is that he can't adapt in game, the same one the is laid at the feet of Lage.

Both managers have also had by far the weakest benches we've had in the premier League. We went some way to fixing it last January. But have lost so much depth in the summer.

I wasn't expecting Fabio and Sasa to look so far off it.

 

[Bawtry Wolf]

Agree with this....that's all I hope for until January in a way ....still praying we get a striker in January and can push on a bit.....(even if it means one out , one in)....

The more au reflect on the season and yesterday the key thing we need is central defenders with pace. Dawson can’t play a high line but in a role like yesterday he’s great. We won’t be able to play like that against lesser teams as it’ll either be a dull stalemate or we will get picked off as we over commit. We have played some great football at times this season but have run out of steam or been picked off on the break.

Toti is quick but seems to be behind Dawson and Kilman. By all accounts Bueno didn’t cover himself in glory. Mosquera was quick but raw.

 

[Hot Fuss]

Dawson | 'A lot of credit goes to the manager'

Craig Dawson praised both Gary O’Neil and the players for preparing and carrying out the perfect gameplan which saw Wolves beat Manchester City at Molin...

www.wolves.co.uk

Ballon D'awson on winning for O’Neil

“It was a massive win and it was great to see this place bouncing. A lot of credit has to go to the manager for getting us so organised, with the game plan, and getting us fully prepared for the match, which he has done for every single game. That win goes down to the manager.

Not bad for an out of his depth, clueless, fraud of a PE teacher.

 

[Streathamwolf]

I’m not knocking the team at all I just said GON got lucky with his tactics today so it’s not changed my opinion of him one iota.

Nothing lucky about it. He planned it and executed it. The team stuck to his tactical plan and did a great job.

 

[lets all have a disco]

The more au reflect on the season and yesterday the key thing we need is central defenders with pace. Dawson can’t play a high line but in a role like yesterday he’s great. We won’t be able to play like that against lesser teams as it’ll either be a dull stalemate or we will get picked off as we over commit. We have played some great football at times this season but have run out of steam or been picked off on the break.

Toti is quick but seems to be behind Dawson and Kilman. By all accounts Bueno didn’t cover himself in glory. Mosquera was quick but raw.

I said in the summer, two of my concerns were expecting Dawson and Lemina to continue their form from January and take it into a new full season, in the system we was playing..

Although I rated both highly I didn't see them both being able to do it consistently for 90 mins over 40 odd games....as both were essentially what we paid 3m and 8m players ...it was a risk to expect the same outcome as such ...but could be disastrous..

Particularly lemina as he plays on the edge and last 70 mins at full pelt while picking up cards and niggles in the process.....

It wasn't questioning each individual, just questioning the stamina for both players to preform their role at top capacity in this league at full pelt.....I kept saying I wanted another holding midfielder.....

Obviously a 5 at the back , helps both players ....as you could probably cope better if both or one was missing, and both players don't have to do too much..

 

[Fenrir_]

There are a few things to be taken, and to be fair, none of them are negative (nor should they be after yesterday)

Can Gary O'Neil set up a side? Yes

Can he adjust mid-game? Didn't really have to

Do the players have fight in them? Absolutely

Was this a performance a la Nuno's win at the Etihad where we could have scored three or four with better finishing and thoroughly deserved the win? No

While it's obviously positive, we were a little fortunate to win yesterday but we did keep them quiet, and that has to be praised. Need to build on it. We saw under Lage that when the opposition played how he expected them to, we often looked good, when they didn't or they changed it, we couldn't adapt. There's only really one way for a side like ours to take on Man City, and full credit for executing it so well, but the real acid tests for us and O'Neil are against the lesser lights where they might be asking the question of us to do something different

 

[Sussex Wolf]

If you watch his post match presser, he himself alludes to the fact that city lined up and played exactly how he'd planned and set us up for, whereas Liverpool changed it and he/the team struggled with that.

You could say he got lucky that Pep didn't make any large tactical changes that he/the team would have struggled to deal with.

You've got to do your homework and set the team up perfectly to begin with though, and yesterday he got that absolutely spot on.

This is about it for me.

All of those people suggesting that humble pie should be eaten are pretty naive. This isn’t about a lack of pre-season.

Gaz has been outthought several times this season in-game. If he doesn’t fix that, we struggle.

I wouldn’t call that some sort of crazy witch hunt, it’s just a fact.

Yesterday was one of the easier games to figure out, but the execution was very strong. It felt like the good old days under Nuno.

Villa thrive against teams who leave a lot of space for their runners, so I’d do exactly the same next week - let’s see what he chooses. Will be an interesting indicator.

Spot on.

Gary and the team should rightly get credit for an incredible and by all accounts deserved result. Nobody else has managed that in the league until we did, and only Newcastle did in the cup, and they’re on another level from us. But a greater test will be against another top team who adapts better, and see if we cope better than we have so far this season. Meanwhile, it’s a happy day for us fans.

While I don’t want to get into a deep comparison of recent managers, it’s interesting how this potentially illustrates them. Nuno made us a very solid side playing 3/5 at the back and attacking on the break. But he struggled to make the move to 4 at the back, shipping too many goals. Lage started with four at the back, we looked great, but couldn’t win. Switched back to 3/5, and the results if not the performances returned until injuries disrupted the team. Now Gary seems to have rediscovered that we can play 3/5 and get results, but with 4, we struggle at the back. The one in between I haven’t mentioned, is the only one who seemed to find a way of reliably getting results with 4 at the back. I’m personally not too bothered what formation we play, as long as we get good results and can score goals, but it’s perhaps telling.

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

This is about it for me.

All of those people suggesting that humble pie should be eaten are pretty naive. This isn’t about a lack of pre-season.

Gaz has been outthought several times this season in-game. If he doesn’t fix that, we struggle.

I wouldn’t call that some sort of crazy witch hunt, it’s just a fact.

Yesterday was one of the easier games to figure out, but the execution was very strong. It felt like the good old days under Nuno.

Villa thrive against teams who leave a lot of space for their runners, so I’d do exactly the same next week - let’s see what he chooses. Will be an interesting indicator.

I would call it a crazy witch hunt.
We will likely lose more than we will win in this league under most managers. Include draws in it we're talking 60% of games are gonna be his fault some how. The criticism he got for the first half against Luton was fair; the criticism he got for the Liverpool performance was OTT.

And let's face it, it isn't because of anything he has done as a manager so far; he is too much of a novice for his record to really come into account. No, it's because you are all still in love with lopetegui; who couldn't beat most of the relegated teams, whose best performances were all men behind the ball stuff and had a numerous amount of tankings himself.
The double standards are nigh on disgraceful.

1.5ppg would have us about European qualifying
The set of teams we've played so far is probably more difficult than average for the league.
Our last manager left because he didn't think the squad was good enough. The damning with faint praise is pathetic, from people who wrote off our worst ever performance in the premier league as players being on the beach.
Combined with the utterly pathetic ****ney PE teacher jibes it's doing my head in.

 

[John Wolves Fan]

Amazing to think that Guardiola didn't have an answer to GON's tactics.

It was perfect really and we looked so threatening on the break. Think it must have been one of lowest XG scores will have had this season which showed it worked a treat.