O'Neil under pressure after Wolves are hammered at Everton

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O'Neil under pressure after Wolves are hammered at Everton  04/12/2024  Goodison Park, Liverpool, UK

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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.

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