00:00It seemed like you tried to be brave in possession, what did you think of, what was the plan?
00:05Exactly that, we made the change because obviously they can suffocate you and starve you of possession.
00:09So we felt we needed to, that's the reason for the change in the line-up, we wanted to try and take the ball more.
00:16We weren't quite able then to break lines and find real opportunities in the first half and then get behind them.
00:21I thought the pressing was excellent and they played really well and stopped us doing that,
00:24but that was the intention because if we'd have just kicked it back or gone directly or tried to just get behind them with one pass today,
00:29I just think then they'd take the ball back off us and begin to build again.
00:32So that was the intention, so that was the rationale behind the change and that's what we tried to do.
00:38How do you think it went, second half?
00:40Well second half, yeah, we obviously then, the changes, we didn't change the shape initially at first,
00:45we wanted to try and just be more aggressive then in certain moments with our pressing,
00:48I thought we'd upset the rhythm a little bit more and then we grew into the game,
00:50the game started to get a little bit more open and at the right moment then it was introduced Tolu as well
00:57to try and go, you know, we went with the diamond, 4-4-2 diamond and try to be more and more aggressive again
01:01and we were pushing, you know, we had some moments, we've hit the bar, we've had some set pieces,
01:05some almost moments of getting in that final field without making it count.
01:09But if we'd have opened up from the very beginning against this team, obviously you know you're asking for trouble,
01:14the frustration is they score from a position where they shouldn't in that first three or four minutes from across,
01:18we've got 3v1 in the box in the middle of the goal and we've got to be able to deal with that better.
01:22And then the timing of the second goal, it was well worked from their point of view,
01:25but the timing of the second goal obviously was very tough for us to take.
01:29I know they've scored those two goals and then a couple of moments obviously hit the woodwork,
01:34maybe from a little bit of distance, individual quality, but we've limited them to very little again,
01:38like we have been doing very consistently for a long time against everyone now.
01:41And then pushed and we kept pushing to the end to try and get back in, if, I know we didn't,
01:47but if we'd have got one, you never know, the atmosphere and the vibe might have changed around the place,
01:51but we weren't quite able to do that.
01:54Yeah, I know it's difficult after a defeat, but with the fans applauding you, did you feel like you kept some momentum?
01:59Yeah, I just said to the lads now, I mean a number of us have been here now,
02:02we've been here twice now as a head coach, Rui's obviously been here quite a few times on the side,
02:06and, you know, he said that we didn't feel, it's the least, almost concerned I felt.
02:12You know, I felt we kept the game where we wanted it to be, even when they've got the ball in the main,
02:16we kept it away from our box and limited a lot of chances and felt in control even when we were without the ball.
02:23And then we were able to start turning up the heat and being a bit more aggressive
02:27and open up as the second half went on as well.
02:30So I definitely think we can take a lot from it, even in defeat.
02:33You know, people I suppose will look at it and go, routine victory for City,
02:37and I understand that, 2-0 sort of looks that way, but I don't really feel it was routine.
02:42I feel like we were good, but they're better.
02:48Finally, just can I ask about City, because without Haaland, how did that change the challenge?
02:52Yeah, it was interesting. A few rumours came out that he might be making a few changes.
02:57And even when the team came out, you're not exactly sure where everyone's going to play
03:01and where he's going to position them all. So it was quite interesting for us to deal with.
03:04And they were clever with it, as you'd expect from them, and they've got such good players.
03:07The positions they took up made it very hard for us to open out and press as well.
03:12Full-backs ended up giving them the width, but then obviously with that box and Cherky,
03:16being able to run and be a bit more loose with it, it was hard for us to be able to cope with that.
03:22And as the first half went on, Santi was just coming out, Andre was getting a bit aggressive,
03:27and Santi was just coming out, and we were worried about that gap that it could be creating in the middle of the pitch.
03:31And then we'd said to him, Santi, don't step out. And then for that second goal, they just still drew him out.
03:38It's not his fault at all, it's just their position and their really good play.
03:41And then Semenyo's touch and finish was brilliant.
03:44So they've shown they've got so many different ways of playing, and Pep, you know, they have that much control.
03:48Pep can say, right, you play there, you play there, you play there, you just move five yards this way,
03:52and they can pull you around. But we didn't really let them do that too much to us.
03:58The second goal was an example of it.
04:01Rob, just personal-wise, were you pleased with the impact that the two half-time subs made?
04:06Yeah, yeah. We got it out to Jackson a few times in the first half, couldn't quite make it happen.
04:11Just felt that Rodrigo might give us something different, you know,
04:13when we do get that switch of play and maybe we could be a bit more aggressive
04:17and get something going down that right-hand side.
04:19And I thought Jogi was good. Yeah, I thought Jogi was good as well.
04:22You know, we still felt with Chani, we're still playing a striker,
04:26but we felt we just needed almost the connection of those other four midfielders
04:29with Arias, Mane, Joao and Andre to give us a little bit of link and a bit of football.
04:34So I hope it's not going to be perceived as a negative change bringing Tolu out of the team.
04:38The rationale was we want to take the ball more and be able to get behind them
04:41in a different type of way. But then I thought Jogi made a good impact
04:45and I thought Tolu did as well when we introduced him.
04:48I appreciate you asking this a lot. A week to go of transfers.
04:52Do you expect a busy week?
04:54Yeah, it probably will be. There will probably be a bit going on.
04:56But we're across it all and let's see what happens.
05:01But yeah, I expect it to be a bit of action.
05:06Hi Rob. City thought they should have had a penalty. I was wondering what your thoughts were on that process.
05:11I thought his arm was in a natural position and then it was really close as well.
05:14I think my frustration is the fact that I thought fair play to Farah in his first game
05:18in the Premier League to be able to make that call. I think it was the right call.
05:22All right, it's hit there, but it's in a natural position and so, so close.
05:26My concern is that the VAR have made him go, you know, say you need to check this and go to the screen, the monitor.
05:33And I just wasted four or five minutes of the half and slowed everything down.
05:37So I think in that moment should have just stopped with the on-field decision that was made.
05:42Hi Rob. You make the changes to half-time and the team really did look like they improved.
05:46It looked like they had the ascendancy for that early point in the second half.
05:50Then 20 minutes to go, you look over and you see Jeremy Doku and Haaland coming on for City.
05:56It must have made it difficult for your side.
05:58But I felt like even in that last period, you looked like the more likely to score.
06:02How pleased were you that this didn't turn into a 3 or 4 or 5-0 as Wolves teams have come here and suffered in the past?
06:09Yeah, I think Wolves teams have done well as well in the past.
06:11I think anyone can suffer here. I have before conceded five and anyone can.
06:18Yeah, we had a little bit of chuckle to ourselves when we were bringing Tolly one
06:21and they were getting Jeremy Doku and Erling Haaland ready to come on and have a little smile to be honest.
06:25That's what you want. But I don't think it changed the rhythm of the game.
06:28I still think we were pushing. I think we've had double the amount of shots in the second half of them
06:32and we've had our moments, so we were certainly trying.
06:35We were trying. It's difficult because they're so good.
06:38There's a difference in quality at the moment.
06:43But we tried with our organisation and what we were doing from a tactical point of view,
06:49but the players as well were the ones that go and do it and I thought they showed a lot of personality and character
06:56to keep going and keep pushing and not going under, which we can never do.
07:00Which we can never do. So, yeah, that was a positive for us.
07:03Thank you very much, everybody. Cheers, guys.
07:07Thank you very much.
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