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The Gary O’Neil humble pie safe space thread

Wolf in Kenilworth

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He’s got the players in the palm of his hand. I love him.
A former Premier League player saying he wasn’t good enough, as good as he wanted to be or as good as them. It’s fantastic man management to listen to him.

We may have just got this bang on and could be on to something really, really good.
 

el gringo

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I think GON addressed that in his post match presser. Spurs were going to be a possession based team, and we set up to disrupt that and worked on it in training. Was interesting to hear him talk about using the kids to simulate how the opposition were likely to play And that it’s fine in practice, but credit to the players for implementing in the match situation.
This was in relation to a question about Spurs missing players. GON acknowledged that they were a miss for them, but he still expected them to play in the same manner.
Also said they need to work on games where we will have more possession and be expected to be the team in the ascendency.

He also clearly identified the space they leave on the flanks with a high line and full backs pushing forward. Lost count of the number of times a long diagonal ball was played by Kilman or Dawson (almost Neves-esque) into space to Semedo or RAN. Ok outcomes and final balls could have been better - but still clear to see how his homework was being implemented.
That was also clear on the MNF piece when he showed the plan to beat the midfield diamond.
I think someone else spotted on the training vid, there was a lot of focus in quick interchange, particularly down the right flank.

For me doing a great job, clearly a talented PE teacher who knows what he’s doing and also what he needs to work in and improve. There is going to be bumps in the road, but he has to be given massive credit.
To pick up on your point of wing backs pushing forward, Ait-Nouri had more touches on the ball than any other player (78). He was quite a busy fellow! His other stats were good also - except for the crossing. On Fotmob Lemina was MOTM, but I think Ait-Nouri was second.
 
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Howler

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Baffling people defending a manager who left us in the **** over one who is clearly overjoyed to be here. Could maybe understand if the results were better under the former but they aren't

JL saved us from relegation and did not leave us in the **** - we looked excellent during pre-season, that falling out is on FOSUN.

O'Neil is doing a top job and Hobbs is starting to look like a top top level football director seeing as this is pretty much his squad from manager, coaches to players. We are much better with Jeff staying far away from the footballing side of things.
 

loppers86

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Where's that ruddy Loppers?

I spoke weeks ago that under O'Neil I felt we were more likely to come from behind.

We hadn't at the time he pointed out, barely a few weeks in.

Well three weeks on the trot now VAR aside we come from behind.

Get in.


i agree you were both perceptive and right, in your observation but including Sheffield where we were utter rubbish and lost is pushing it a bit far don’t you think?
 
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QB Wolf

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JL saved us from relegation and did not leave us in the **** - we looked excellent during pre-season, that falling out is on FOSUN.

O'Neil is doing a top job and Hobbs is starting to look like a top top level football director seeing as this is pretty much his squad from manager, coaches to players. We are much better with Jeff staying far away from the footballing side of things.

JL could have stayed and worked with what he had, just like GON came in and worked with what he had. He chose to go, I understand why he did and have no problem with it really, although those interviews were a bit naughty.

Anyway as a whole the club feels happier and more harmonious, so whilst I was gutted when JL went, and didn’t think GON would last long, it really has turned round massively.
 

waveney wolf

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Not disagreeing but to imply that Ipswich was down to is being much changed is only half the story, we were ****, and that game wasn’t a free hit. It’s what still worries me slightly, I’m hoping Saturday helps alleviate my fears slightly
I think he learned a lot from the Ipswich game ( I certainly did watching it ) ,,Jonny , Doherty, s Bueno , sasa , Silva , and Def the keeper ...not good enough to start in the premier League
 

waveney wolf

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JL saved us from relegation and did not leave us in the **** - we looked excellent during pre-season, that falling out is on FOSUN.

O'Neil is doing a top job and Hobbs is starting to look like a top top level football director seeing as this is pretty much his squad from manager, coaches to players. We are much better with Jeff staying far away from the footballing side of things.
Of course lopetegui left us in the **** ,,he walked out on wolves 4 days before the season started...quitter
 

Fenrir_

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Twelve games in and to be honest there's no "brilliant coach" or "PE teacher" that people can definitively claim either way. But the single biggest issue O'Neil had when he came in (and I said it when he was appointed), was getting the players on side. Fans are easy to please, attack, look decent, say the right things etc etc, but getting the players on side is a different kettle of fish and it has to be said, it looks like he's done that. They're certainly giving him a chance, which, er, gives him a chance!
 

Oh When the Wolves

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Twelve games in and to be honest there's no "brilliant coach" or "PE teacher" that people can definitively claim either way. But the single biggest issue O'Neil had when he came in (and I said it when he was appointed), was getting the players on side. Fans are easy to please, attack, look decent, say the right things etc etc, but getting the players on side is a different kettle of fish and it has to be said, it looks like he's done that. They're certainly giving him a chance, which, er, gives him a chance!
I’d say the biggest issue was getting 90 minutes out of the team, not just 45.

Seems to be resolved now
 

Fenrir_

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I’d say the biggest issue was getting 90 minutes out of the team, not just 45.

Seems to be resolved now
Wasn't resolved last week at Sheff Utd!

Let it all settle down and we'll really see where he is, but no doubt that while he was definitely an underwhelming appointment that he's not going to be the unmitigated disaster feared by many (including myself), so there's a certain amount of pressure released
 

Fenrir_

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Subsequent games have shown the Luton & Sheff Utd games were not the unmitigated disaster they appeared at the time. Sheff Utd got a really good point away at Brighton and Luton held Liverpool last week and the only reason we didn't get 4 points from those games was VAR.
That's getting into Bruno Lage territory in papering over the cracks. Four points against Sheff Utd and Luton would have been great - but we wouldn't have deserved them - performances were awful. It was picking up results whilst performing like a stinky turd that kept Lage in the job for too long. The odd result when you don't deserve it, brilliant, good teams do that (so they say), but good teams also tend to be better than their opponents most of the time. Constantly getting results when you don't deserve them, your luck is going to change and when it does it'll all come crashing down

VAR doesn't come into it. We played very well against Spurs and had we lost I'd still be upbeat about the performance, but let's not ignore that we've been toilet on more than one occasion against poor sides. O'Neil now has the time and opportunity to show we can be more like Saturday and less like toilet
 

QB Wolf

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That's getting into Bruno Lage territory in papering over the cracks. Four points against Sheff Utd and Luton would have been great - but we wouldn't have deserved them - performances were awful. It was picking up results whilst performing like a stinky turd that kept Lage in the job for too long. The odd result when you don't deserve it, brilliant, good teams do that (so they say), but good teams also tend to be better than their opponents most of the time. Constantly getting results when you don't deserve them, your luck is going to change and when it does it'll all come crashing down

VAR doesn't come into it. We played very well against Spurs and had we lost I'd still be upbeat about the performance, but let's not ignore that we've been toilet on more than one occasion against poor sides. O'Neil now has the time and opportunity to show we can be more like Saturday and less like toilet
We were the better team against the blades in the first half and should have been out of sight, then couldn’t match them in the second half in the ****ing down rain. I think he got the team wrong, I wanted him to play the side that played against Spurs against the Blades, but at least he rectified it the week after.
 

Werewolf of Wombourne

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That's getting into Bruno Lage territory in papering over the cracks. Four points against Sheff Utd and Luton would have been great - but we wouldn't have deserved them - performances were awful. It was picking up results whilst performing like a stinky turd that kept Lage in the job for too long. The odd result when you don't deserve it, brilliant, good teams do that (so they say), but good teams also tend to be better than their opponents most of the time. Constantly getting results when you don't deserve them, your luck is going to change and when it does it'll all come crashing down

VAR doesn't come into it. We played very well against Spurs and had we lost I'd still be upbeat about the performance, but let's not ignore that we've been toilet on more than one occasion against poor sides. O'Neil now has the time and opportunity to show we can be more like Saturday and less like toilet
The point being that although we were bad in those games we may need to accept that perhaps Luton & Sheff Utd aren't quite as bad as we thought. We complain enough when reports on our successes against the sky 7 tend to concentrate on their failings rather than our quality so why do we do the same when we don't beat the bottom teams?
 

Jefe

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I make that six days? Out of interest, when did you start supporting Wolves Jefe? Was it bonfire night last year by any chance?
I recommend you read beyond the date of the article, to the sixth paragraph. I started supporting Wolves in 1996.
 

Jefe

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It may be my perception but it seems like slowly we are being seen by pundits and other fans as being a serious Premier league side again for the first time really since 2019/20
I think Gary has media smarts, which is important in modern Football. Get the media on your side and you have a powerful ally who can shape perceptions of those in and out of game. I think he has mates in media like Joe Cole, which could be valuable.
 

Fifty Niner

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It may be my perception but it seems like slowly we are being seen by pundits and other fans as being a serious Premier league side again for the first time really since 2019/20

Most had us marked for a relegation battle this season with our close season manager turmoil, no signings of note and our very poor scoring record over the last three seasons. The fact that we didn't sign an additional striker merely reinforced their views.

Fortunately for us, and a few others, the three newly promoted teams already look like relegation fodder and GON has managed to get a tune out of the team, despite most of us have severe reservations that he would be up to the job.

We still look light weight up front so I think we are sitting in as a 'making up the numbers' type of team but at least we look capable of winning games, as long as VAR stay out of it!
 
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To pick up on your point of wing backs pushing forward, Ait-Nouri had more touches on the ball that any other player (78). He was quite a busy fellow! His other stats were good also - except for the crossing. On Fotmob Lemina was MOTM, but I think Ait-Nouri was second.
Watching here in Germany,when Ait - Nouri was substituted the commentator said he was the Wolves player that had impressed him the most!
 

Bawtry Wolf

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Don’t know whether anyone has listened to the football gods podcast with Tim Spiers which is on the Wolves App (and I presume website). It’s with Shaun Derry. He’s very eloquent and comes across very well. Never heard him speak before so wasn’t sure what to expect but he’s definitely a good communicator. Like GON he talks about how he likes working for an old fashioned club where Saturday and the result is important to the town and community. He talks about values as well. I enjoyed it.
 

welshy

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The point being that although we were bad in those games we may need to accept that perhaps Luton & Sheff Utd aren't quite as bad as we thought. We complain enough when reports on our successes against the sky 7 tend to concentrate on their failings rather than our quality so why do we do the same when we don't beat the bottom teams?

We have only played 4 ''relegation 6 pointers'' this season, Luton, Everton (relegation at the time), Sheff Utd and Bournemouth, we have won 2 drawn 1 (with 10 men) and lost 1.

That's not too shabby, especially since they were all away games.
 

welshy

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Watching here in Germany,when Ait - Nouri was substituted the commentator said he was the Wolves player that had impressed him the most!
When he first burst onto the scenes the mix did say he's the next Gareth Bale.
 

SuperGran

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Don’t know whether anyone has listened to the football gods podcast with Tim Spiers which is on the Wolves App (and I presume website). It’s with Shaun Derry. He’s very eloquent and comes across very well. Never heard him speak before so wasn’t sure what to expect but he’s definitely a good communicator. Like GON he talks about how he likes working for an old fashioned club where Saturday and the result is important to the town and community. He talks about values as well. I enjoyed it.
Just listened to that really enjoyed it .
 

Werewolf of Wombourne

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We have only played 4 ''relegation 6 pointers'' this season, Luton, Everton (relegation at the time), Sheff Utd and Bournemouth, we have won 2 drawn 1 (with 10 men) and lost 1.

That's not too shabby, especially since they were all away games.
Agreed, but there are some on here using the performances in these games as the barometer of how good we are but ignoring the excellent performances against the top 6.
 

EastDorsetWolf

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I've noticed a few West Ham fans are starting to pay attention. I have to admit I was wrong about him. Has definitely impressed.
 

Krispy Kreme

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i agree you were both perceptive and right, in your observation but including Sheffield where we were utter rubbish and lost is pushing it a bit far don’t you think?

We came from behind though. In fact we have had numerous late winners this season I believe.

We are scoring more freely than we have in years.
 

Darvo

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Twelve games in and to be honest there's no "brilliant coach" or "PE teacher" that people can definitively claim either way. But the single biggest issue O'Neil had when he came in (and I said it when he was appointed), was getting the players on side. Fans are easy to please, attack, look decent, say the right things etc etc, but getting the players on side is a different kettle of fish and it has to be said, it looks like he's done that. They're certainly giving him a chance, which, er, gives him a chance!
“Fans are easy to please”. Are you having a loff?
 

VancouverWolf

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“Fans are easy to please”. Are you having a loff?
I think he means fans are easier to please relative to players. The players would have a better idea of what’s going on than the fans and thus, harder to get them onside if the coach is no good.

Previously, many fans wanted to drive Hwang to Leeds but he’s popped in some goals and now fans think he’s great.
 
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