O'Neil under pressure after Wolves are hammered at Everton
04/12/2024
Goodison Park, Liverpool, UK
04/12/2024
Goodison Park, Liverpool, UK
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Who wants to start, Adam?
00:16Hi Gary.
00:17Hi Adam.
00:18Details, I imagine?
00:20Nah, yeah, basic stuff. Can't even get the wall in the right place.
00:25So yeah, real basic stuff.
00:27Weren't able to cope with Everton's physicality.
00:30Long balls, balls in the box.
00:33Just unable to cope.
00:35So yeah, an awful lot of work to be done to give the group a better chance in games coming forward.
00:42Coming next, try and find a way to give them more of a platform to have a chance.
00:50Because at the moment, as I've said a million times, the other stuff is irrelevant.
00:56Because just giving away so many goals from situations that are fairly basic, really.
01:03So yeah, really disappointed in Bournemouth for a pressing team.
01:09And we can't cope with that.
01:13Everton are a physical team and we didn't cope with that.
01:16So there's an awful lot that we need to get into to try and find a way to give this team more of a chance on a consistent basis.
01:23Of course, we've found ways in recent weeks to be competitive in the four games that we managed not to lose.
01:29But as we are right now, sat here this evening, a real tough blow for myself and the group.
01:37And the supporters who deserve a big mention for the travel that they do,
01:42the support that they've given me since I've been here and I understand all of their criticism of myself.
01:48I'm happy to take full responsibility for my part in where the team is at this moment.
01:53How do you explain the failure to deal with set-pieces when it's not a surprise, I guess, when you come to Everton?
01:59Yeah, we couldn't cope with their physicality.
02:03We couldn't cope with their physicality.
02:05We had people in the right spots and weren't able to compete in the duels.
02:11The corner straight after half-time, I think, is only two yards out.
02:15They get the contact front.
02:19To give Everton the first goal when they're obviously struggling for confidence and goal-scoring
02:24and to be able to just kick it straight in the goal around the wall is...
02:28I mean, yeah, you don't see that too often.
02:30Similar to the goals against Bournemouth, you don't see that very often either.
02:33So, yeah, real tough, real tough.
02:37But focus has to turn quickly to trying to give the team the best chance again on Monday.
02:43You mentioned the wall twice now.
02:45You've been very supportive of Jose Sar and you have goalkeeper options.
02:49So, is that something you need to look at?
02:51I'll continue to support all of my players.
02:53Of course, I'll try and pick the right team to give us a chance.
02:55But in this season, I've used every centre-back pairing.
03:00I've used two, I've used three.
03:02Sometimes Totti and Santi, sometimes Santi and Dors, sometimes Totti and Dors,
03:05sometimes all three of them.
03:07We've used Guedes, we've used Forbes, we've used Rodrigo, we've used Chani.
03:12So, I think we've used pretty much every option so far available to us.
03:18None of those options have consistently given us a platform to win football matches.
03:24We get back to work straight away, instantly, as soon as I'm finished this press conference,
03:29on being ready to fight again on Monday.
03:32Because that's where I need to get to with the group.
03:35But for whatever reason, at this moment, we cannot get this group to a point consistently
03:41that it can compete against that sort of test.
03:46So, we have to find a way.
03:48We have to find a way to give the group a better chance on Monday night at West Ham.
03:52Just last one for me, just the crowd tonight.
03:55You've had some difficult chants at away games in the past.
03:58Did that feel like an escalation tonight?
04:02As I said, I'm happy to go over there to see them,
04:06because I appreciate every single one of the Wolves fan base,
04:09because they've given me unbelievable support since I arrived at the football club.
04:16In a tough moment, we managed to produce some unbelievable stuff last season,
04:23away at Stamford Bridge, away at Tottenham, away at our rivals West Brom.
04:28With a team that was obviously heavily tipped by most of the nation for relegation,
04:33we were nowhere near it ever, and we managed to enjoy all of that together.
04:36So, now that it's tough, I'm happy to go over there and look them right in the face
04:41and take any criticism that they want to throw at me,
04:43because I accept responsibility for all of my part in that.
04:46There's a lot of parts that have led to where we are at this moment,
04:51but for my part in that, I'm happy to accept full responsibility.
04:54Whatever criticism they want to throw at me will not change the way I feel about them
04:58and what they've given me over the last 15 months.
05:04There was a moment in the first half when Ashley Young whipped a cross in,
05:09a low ball that was already 2-0 down, quite a dangerous ball that eventually went out.
05:13I noticed a couple of the players, very senior players, not communicating,
05:17looking away, heads down.
05:19These are senior players like Lamina Dawson, players who have been very good for this club.
05:22Do they need to do more, these kind of players,
05:24in a moment when you need someone to galvanise players on the pitch
05:28and there isn't a voice in that team?
05:30Everyone at this football club at this moment needs to do more, all of us,
05:34because that doesn't give you a chance.
05:38So, all of us need to do more, and the players accept that,
05:43but we can't just sit here and keep saying that.
05:47So, as we got a real shocker at Brentford a few months ago,
05:52this one feels on a similar level to that to me,
05:56because I know the work that goes into prepping a team for every little bit
06:03that was going to be thrown at them this evening, the same as against Bournemouth.
06:09We still weren't able to cope with...
06:11I mean, Everton didn't do anything complicated, as you all saw.
06:15It was real direct stuff, real low risk,
06:20a group of players winning duels, winning second balls,
06:24and we have to find a way to be able to compete with stuff like that.
06:28So, that is my responsibility, and as I've said to you, accept it.
06:35And now we're going to work with everything I have
06:38to give ourselves a better chance in the next one.
06:41Obviously understandable that you would support the players in this instance,
06:45but when you're talking about the basics,
06:47you mentioned Bournemouth with the long ball from Sanessi tonight,
06:50set pieces is an obvious one that Everton would utilise.
06:53You're clearly telling the players to do that.
06:55I'm not trying to bait you into an answer here,
06:57but do you not feel let down by players when they don't follow through
07:00what is quite obviously in front of them?
07:02No, I think I understand how difficult this role is,
07:06because I know every single detail of everything at the football club
07:09and in the dressing room, so I know how difficult this role is.
07:13But that's my job, that's what I signed up for,
07:17and that's what I need to do.
07:18So, I'll continue to take responsibility for all of my part
07:24in where we are at this moment, and they're definitely,
07:27whatever the fans may think of me and my team at this moment,
07:31there definitely isn't anyone working harder to help them
07:34with their football club than me.
07:36And I will continue to do so until someone tells me not to.
07:40Those things that you mentioned that make it a difficult job,
07:43is there anything that we're unaware of that needs to be...
07:45No, I think most people know the accurate situation
07:52of where we're at at this moment.
07:55We've faced some difficulties since the window when I arrived,
07:59really we've faced some difficulties.
08:02We've found a way in the main to be really competitive,
08:07but at this moment we're not finding a way to be competitive
08:12on a consistent basis.
08:14Obviously, the Fulham result and the Southampton result,
08:19but consistently we've not been able to get to the level,
08:22so the manager is responsible for that.
08:27Just finally for me, as you rightly say,
08:28there has been plenty of good times last season
08:31when you arrived at this club.
08:33Do you still feel confident and see yourself as the right man
08:36to take it forward?
08:37Do you know that the fans are going to have their own opinions
08:39and have their own voices?
08:40Do you still back yourself to push forward?
08:42I will back myself in any role given to get the most out of the group
08:46that we have in any role.
08:50And I understand the drive for change from the supporters,
08:54you never know how many of them it is,
08:56and what percentage it is.
08:58The negative noise is normally the loudest,
09:01but I understand, I understand fully.
09:04But, yeah, the playing group is still together,
09:07and I still have a lot of things that we can try and do with this group
09:11to try and give it a better chance than it had this evening.
09:19Cheers, guys.
09:20Done?
09:21Thanks, guys.
09:22See you later.
09:26Cheers.
09:27Cheers.