Gary O'Neil - tactics

[Ned]

What I’d offer up as a (somewhat tenuous) positive is that we have probably got a similar amount of points that we would have expected from these opening games:

Utd away - you never expect much
Brighton home - always batter us now
Everton away - we rarely lose to Everton
Palace away - we always play awfully at Selhurst

I think the Utd performance gave us cause for optimism but in reality the running through the middle game seemed to be a tactic designed for that game by Lopetegui and was never really going to be sustainable or effective against many other teams.

Huge job for GON now because this squad will be low on confidence and realistically will only be on 6 points by the next international break.

I understand that he’s been thrown to the Wolves (sorry) in terms of the late appointment and faces a huge uphill battle after the awful summer we’ve had but he really needs to prove his apparent coaching credentials asap or we are in deep trouble - and there won’t be a winter World Cup or a Lopetegui to come and save us this time around.

 

[Wolf in the sun]

I'd be interested to read what you think he's trying to achieve, tactics he's trying to implement and style of play he's aiming for.

I can't see any but maybe I'm being blind.

Soton waited for 14 games under Jones and it got them relegated.

Villa binned Gerard after 12 games of a new season and they got a competent manager in quickly.

Personally I think he's binned after Villa beat us in October but then I would bin him now in the International break so we can get a proper manager in.

He seems to want pressing possession based football, as demonstrated in the opening 15 mins plus other times during the game also in other games

We just dont seem to have a clue in the final third, same old story, wrong pass etc

I dont think he should play Sarabia as all we did was pass to Neto and ignored the right side

We missed Nunes so i am exciting to see the same style with Bellegarde playing, i think we need Sasa starting and not Fabio

If it comes to end of October and its the same then i might jump on board with all the negativity, just give him a chance to show us what he wants to do

Also we need to start the new defender as we need some pace back there

 

[Beastier]

A tough gig for Gary - but as others have pointed it out he's taken it on knowing the circumstances.

We certainly need to improve, however there are still other teams without wins who are struggling at least just as much as us.

He desperately needs the additional options that came in last week as for me there are few too many players who are in their comfort zone & safe in the knowledge they'll get a game due to there being no real competition for their places.

We've got him for the immediate future at least and he needs a fair crack of the whip so my view is to support him.

In terms of the task at hand, we already knew we have a big problem scoring goals but it now also seems - in trying to be more expansive - we are leaving ourselves wide open for opposition teams to carve open and at times our central defence is beaten with scaring ease (although of course that's not to overlook they need more protection than is currently being offered). Let's see what the next few weeks bring in terms of him of improving this situation.

 

[Rhyl Wolf]

Kieran McKenna is the man if we’re looking for up and coming managers. Completely turned Ipswich around and currently second in Champ. They were struggling in League One when he took over. Yes would have to pay a bit of compo etc but wouldn’t cost a lot wages wise and has a 57% win rate…plus he’s been assistant manager at United so has experience with bigger name/calibre players. If after 10 games GON is gone then should go all out for him.

Would he swap Ipswich for Wolves? Doubtful. He's destined for an elite job, by all accounts.

 

[TheConcourse]

He's been here 3 weeks and I think we've already seen a clear change from preseason - and it isn't a particularly good one. Granted, we've lost one of our key preseason players in Nunes - but another key player Cunha, who appeared to be unplayable at times during preseason and the Utd game, appears to have gone backwards in the last few weeks.

Cunha has regressed the most out of every player we have under GON.

Which is a real shame, because he was starting to look the business.

Get him GON.

 

[StaffordWolf]

Watching Luton at the weekend against WHU I do worry that we won't be able to break them down when we play them at their place. It took West Ham a moment of absolute brilliance from Paqueta and Bowen to open them up for the first goal.

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

We did actually play the best we have played at palace up until the wrong subs

Even at 1-1 , Cunha has the chance to play Neto in to go 2-1 up but ****s up the pass.

Minutes later we are 2-1 down.

If he improves his subs, both earlier and not defensive - there is room for optimism

We just need to have better final balls and take shots / crosses early instead of hesitating

 

[Munich_Wolf]

I'd be interested to read what you think he's trying to achieve, tactics he's trying to implement and style of play he's aiming for.

I can't see any but maybe I'm being blind.

Soton waited for 14 games under Jones and it got them relegated.

Villa binned Gerard after 12 games of a new season and they got a competent manager in quickly.

Personally I think he's binned after Villa beat us in October but then I would bin him now in the International break so we can get a proper manager in.

We did everything right last season after finally realising Lage wasn't up to it and dodging the Beale bullet. It finally looked like we knew what we were doing, had a plan in place.....then we chucked it all in the bin and and appointed a manager with less experience than Steve Davis.

Can't really see where we go from here if GO can't turn it around.

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

As said above GON wants a pressing and possession based team playing a high line. It worked for the first 15 minutes yesterday but gradually fell apart. We looked really good at the start at SP but as usual had no goal threat. We can keep the ball as long as we want but until we get someone who can stick the ball in the net we will inevitably lose games. I can't believe I'm/we're still saying this nearly 3 years after RJ's injury. There are forwards out there as shown on the w/e - Beto, Edouard and Ferguson to name just 3, we either can't find them or we are prioritising other areas? The bottom line is we can discuss GON and his style, his tactics, his formation but until we get a 'proper' striker in we are wasting our time imo.

 

[Beastier]

It's also worth reminding ourselves that we were handed a few whallopings in our last few away games under JL last season - which of course was the post-investment/pre-selling purges that have taken place recently.

 

[Kcb92]

As said above GON wants a pressing and possession based team playing a high line. It worked for the first 15 minutes yesterday but gradually fell apart. We looked really good at the start at SP but as usual had no goal threat. We can keep the ball as long as we want but until we get someone who can stick the ball in the net we will inevitably lose games. I can't believe I'm/we're still saying this nearly 3 years after RJ's injury. There are forwards out there as shown on the w/e - Beto, Edouard and Ferguson to name just 3, we either can't find them or we are prioritising other areas? The bottom line is we can discuss GON and his style, his tactics, his formation but until we get a 'proper' striker in we are wasting our time imo.

I think Silva will come good but clearly still need time. I have a real hope though that Kalajdzic can be talismanic for us this season once he's up to speed. He's a focal point and knows where the goal is. With the likes of Cunha, Neto, Sarabia, Bellegarde and Hwang around him, there's the potential for some good combination play. I just hope he's ready sooner, rather than later.

 

[Skrilla]

When Sasa is on the pitch, the players have a clearer understanding of how to attack. Get the ball wide, primarily down the left, whip it in, and get bodies into the box around Sasa. He didn't score last night, but he came close, and he would have headed in that wonderful Neto delivery if Cunha wasn't also in position attacking it in the box.

The problem is, and this is not exclusive to GON at all, since Raul's injury there doesn't seem to be a gameplan of how to create chances in the final third when Sasa isn't on the pitch. Some of that is definitely down to a lack of quality from our forwards, but a lot of it, for me, is down to lacking a focal point. I just don't see Cunha or Silva standing out in that sense.

The Man United game feels like a bit of an anomaly now. Countering at pace created plenty of chances in that game, but when teams aren't pressing us high up the pitch (i.e. not top 6/7 sides), we struggle to break them down when the spaces become smaller in the final third and the onus is on us to break them down.

We might actually look half-decent against Liverpool if we sit back and try to hit them on the counter with a back five, but when we face sides around us, like Palace yesterday, the game is territorially, far more even without a high press to deal with, and we have no idea how to break them down when those spaces to operate in become far more compact.

 

[Wolvessince63]

I utterly dislike this man already

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

I think Silva will come good but clearly still need time. I have a real hope though that Kalajdzic can be talismanic for us this season once he's up to speed. He's a focal point and knows where the goal is. With the likes of Cunha, Neto, Sarabia, Bellegarde and Hwang around him, there's the potential for some good combination play. I just hope he's ready sooner, rather than later.

I admire your optimism. Your obviously a glass half full kind of person?!

 

[Very Proud (AKA Still Proud)]

I just can't get my head around Palace's second goal yesterday. They'd put us under a bit of pressure which we cleared our lines on, then if you watch we ambled out and gave Joel Ward (immediately in front of the dugout) all day to line up his pass, then as it sailed over their heads three or four of our players were in no mans land doing nothing.

GON had the opportunity there to directly influence that passage of play, which I have no doubt Roy would have been doing, and he didn't.

 

[sillytuna]

The team have not got less fit because of anything O'Neil has done in 26 days. They are professional athletes.

Recovery is a key part of fitness.

Also, whenever anyone points out other teams, they neglect to mention every one has a management team with experience and success behind them.

So yes, I can give GON more time but he kept a poor team up with poor football and still got fired. He knew the players and management team. He has no management team behind him and doesn't know our players. From the outside we felt he'd done a miracle with bournemouth but feelings were very different there.

So, yes more time but there's absolutely nothing in his playing or management background, and this situation, which indicates anything other than what we're seeing.

 

[bod101]

maybe GON needs a mentor, an experienced voice to work with to help guide through tougher times, i think the guy who wasnt released from west ham might have been a useful voice in that he was strong on tactics.

 

[old wittonian]

I think Silva will come good but clearly still need time. I have a real hope though that Kalajdzic can be talismanic for us this season once he's up to speed. He's a focal point and knows where the goal is. With the likes of Cunha, Neto, Sarabia, Bellegarde and Hwang around him, there's the potential for some good combination play. I just hope he's ready sooner, rather than later.

My view on Silva is that we give him until the January transfer window and if he's not firing get rid.

 

[Kcb92]

Recovery is a key part of fitness.

Also, whenever anyone points out other teams, they neglect to mention every one has a management team with experience and success behind them.

So yes, I can give GON more time but he kept a poor team up with poor football and still got fired. He knew the players and management team. He has no management team behind him and doesn't know our players. From the outside we felt he'd done a miracle with bournemouth but feelings were very different there.

So, yes more time but there's absolutely nothing in his playing or management background, and this situation, which indicates anything other than what we're seeing.

I get that and you could be right but I just don't think those sorts of conclusions can be drawn about his time at Wolves after 26 days and 4 games. For 2 of those games, we lost a key player in Nunes to suspension and then ultimately Man City.

We've lost Lopetegui on the eve of the season, lost some big names from the dressing room, O'Neil hasn't had preseason, and we've got 4 new players (that have not yet featured, 1 isn't even in the country yet) signed in the dying embers of the window that need to be bedded in.

It's been a tumultuous start to the season and I feel the dust needs to settle before we can have any idea how this is truly going to go and even then the target surely is 17th at minimum given all that's happened.

 

[JayStringer]

We did actually play the best we have played at palace up until the wrong subs

Even at 1-1 , Cunha has the chance to play Neto in to go 2-1 up but ****s up the pass.

Minutes later we are 2-1 down.

The subs are my main concern from that game. I do not see the sense in the changes at all. 1-1, even game, either team could win. Take off a striker and put on a defensive mid, concede two goals in quick succession. Baffling choice.

The leeway I'll give GON on this game is that none of the new signings were on the pitch. Options were identified and signed. Doyle will help with our midfield control. Bellgarde would hopefully have helped with our attack. If we still play like this when the new signings are in the team, then GON loses me.

 

[Irish_Wolf]

Yeah, exactly what we need. Another stroppy player who downs tools when things dont go his way and who has only ever scored goals at a low level.

What the actual **** do you want for 5m pmsl

Maybe it's better to spunk 35m on another unproven kid like Silva. Compare Silvas record in Holland to GG.

You need to drop your arrogance.

 

[Stafford]

The subs are my main concern from that game. I do not see the sense in the changes at all. 1-1, even game, either team could win. Take off a striker and put on a defensive mid, concede two goals in quick succession. Baffling choice.

The leeway I'll give GON on this game is that none of the new signings were on the pitch. Options were identified and signed. Doyle will help with our midfield control. Bellgarde would hopefully have helped with our attack. If we still play like this when the new signings are in the team, then GON loses me.

I keep seeing this.

What is Traore's position? In my head he's an attacking midfielder and played here under Lop. Who is great at pressing and ball carrying, but hasn't got the discipline for DM.

 

[WickedWolfie]

Cunha has regressed the most out of every player we have under GON.

Which is a real shame, because he was starting to look the business.

Get him GON.

I would imagine that if things continue as they are now Cunha will be one of a number of players who want out in January.

 

[WickedWolfie]

We did everything right last season after finally realising Lage wasn't up to it and dodging the Beale bullet. It finally looked like we knew what we were doing, had a plan in place.....then we chucked it all in the bin and and appointed a manager with less experience than Steve Davis.

Can't really see where we go from here if GO can't turn it around.

 

[wolfslair]

maybe GON needs a mentor, an experienced voice to work with to help guide through tougher times, i think the guy who wasnt released from west ham might have been a useful voice in that he was strong on tactics.

I think the West Ham guy was the key person for the set up based on what he is known to be strong at.

But there will be other good tactical coaches who would jump on a premier league job. So I am surprised they haven’t gone to get one.

 

[KBWWFC]

I think the West Ham guy was the key person for the set up based on what he is known to be strong at.

But there will be other good tactical coaches who would jump on a premier league job. So I am surprised they haven’t gone to get one.

Maybe they just need to become golfing buddies with Hobbs.

 

[wolfslair]

Maybe they just need to become golfing buddies with Hobbs.

I said a few days ago we need to set up a fund for Hobbs to have access to money to cover green fees to play at all the major golf clubs around the world……

He is like an old school business man, that deals are won and lost on the back 9 lol

 

[Timberwolf]

I believe substance and style is being sacrificed at the altar of control and structure. Like with any team, there’s a lot of work to find that fine balance to be successful. However, with Wolves and the game we had at Old Trafford, I thought at times we had it. Unfortunately, rather than focus on the entertaining, brave and exciting periods of our game against Utd, it does look like GON focused on the periods of the game where we were out of shape, failed to keep possession and were vulnerable. I think it’s totally lost on him that football isn’t just a tactics board, formations and shape. I’m hoping he’s a sharper guy than I’m giving him credit for. Maybe he’s just trying things out to find what works and what doesn’t. However, since the game at Old Trafford, GON has referred numerous times to ‘control’, ‘out of control’, ‘unit shape’ etc etc. With that, Cunha looks to have lost his appetite for free running, goal attempts have reduced significantly and we’re not getting as many blokes in the box.
I do think we’ll be alright this season but it’s worrying the team have already taken on some serious Bruno Lage game suffocating attributes.

 

[bod101]

I believe substance and style is being sacrificed at the altar of control and structure. Like with any team, there’s a lot of work to find that fine balance to be successful. However, with Wolves and the game we had at Old Trafford, I thought at times we had it. Unfortunately, rather than focus on the entertaining, brave and exciting periods of our game against Utd, it does look like GON focused on the periods of the game where we were out of shape, failed to keep possession and were vulnerable. I think it’s totally lost on him that football isn’t just a tactics board, formations and shape. I’m hoping he’s a sharper guy than I’m giving him credit for. Maybe he’s just trying things out to find what works and what doesn’t. However, since the game at Old Trafford, GON has referred numerous times to ‘control’, ‘out of control’, ‘unit shape’ etc etc. With that, Cunha looks to have lost his appetite for free running, goal attempts have reduced significantly and we’re not getting as many blokes in the box.
I do think we’ll be alright this season but it’s worrying the team have already taken on some serious Bruno Lage game suffocating attributes.

i fear its strict adherence the the FA coaching manual.

 

[VancouverWolf]

The issue there is if GON was his first choice who the hell are the others.... Bill at the Dog and Duck FC is probably number three....

I haven’t read all the posts but was Gary the first choice?
Any chance that others turned us down before Gary was asked?

 

[Kcb92]

I admire your optimism. Your obviously a glass half full kind of person?!

When it merits it

 

[KBWWFC]

I haven’t read all the posts but was Gary the first choice?
Any chance that others turned us down before Gary was asked?

First choice.
No formal interview process followed, just a mates chat with Hobbs.

 

[so-called fan]

Did he not guarantee PL football for another season after being bottom of the league at Christmas.
Not many clubs get out of that hole.

Bournemouth were bottom on March 5th but stayed up.

'Fascinating fight to wire' - who will win battle to beat drop?

The bottom nine are now separated by just six points as the Premier League relegation fight looks set for a tight finish.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Timberwolf]

The issue there is if GON was his first choice who the hell are the others.... Bill at the Dog and Duck FC is probably number three....

I heard Bill wanted to sign Seamus Thickneck and Bazza ‘the badger’ Sixpints from the White Hart. Shi and Hobbs were having none of it.

 

[WickedWolfie]

I heard Bill wanted to sign Seamus Thickneck and Bazza ‘the badger’ Sixpints from the White Hart. Shi and Hobbs were having none of it.

The cost of the fee, namely three rounds of Banks Mild, made that a no-no to Shi....

 

[Andi130]

I haven’t read all the posts but was Gary the first choice?
Any chance that others turned us down before Gary was asked?

In did hear a bit of noise that they tried to sound out Carsley, but he told them he was sticking with the U21's gig. No idea if it actually had any substance though.

 

[WickedWolfie]

In did hear a bit of noise that they tried to sound out Carsley, but he told them he was sticking with the U21's gig. No idea if it actually had any substance though.

I saw something about that too....

 

[TheConcourse]

I haven’t read all the posts but was Gary the first choice?
Any chance that others turned us down before Gary was asked?

I doubt it. The interview process was a sum total of 10 days. The average interview process in the U.K. is 27.5 days.

Executives on a fraction of GON’s wage go through 4-7 interview stages.

Not Wolves. No way. We were so desperate to hire this enigmatic figure that we got the job done immediately.

 

[Bawtry Wolf]

Well we’ve now appointed Potter’s successor in Norway and the bloke who couldn’t get Notts County promoted from the Conference (twice) left Forest Green and was at Anderlecht. At least he’s got more managerial experience than O’Neil. They could have saved themselves so much money sticking with Davies.

 

[Perton Wolf]

Well we’ve now appointed Potter’s successor in Norway and the bloke who couldn’t get Notts County promoted from the Conference (twice) left Forest Green and was at Anderlecht. At least he’s got more managerial experience than O’Neil. They could have saved themselves so much money sticking with Davies.

Things really are desperate.