Wolves Manager Gary O'Neil Maintains Player Support After Loss To West Ham

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Wolves manager Gary O'Neil remains confident in his players' support despite understanding some fans desire change following a disappointing 2-1 defeat to West Ham. This loss marks their third consecutive defeat, having previously lost 4-2 to Bournemouth and 4-0 at Everton. Wolves are now four points away from safety, sitting in 19th place, as they prepare for a crucial match against Ipswich Town at Molineux on Saturday.

O'Neil acknowledges the pressure from fans but highlights Wolves' shift towards a self-sustainable recruitment strategy as a factor in their current challenges. He stated, "The people above me are supportive, but of course the supporters want their football club to be successful. I understand them pointing the finger at me," he told Sky Sports.

Since O'Neil's arrival, Wolves have generated £200 million through player sales. The club is now focused on acquiring young talent that can contribute immediately and develop for the future. O'Neil explained, "When I arrived at this football club, they'd just collected 39 points in the Premier League. Now we're trying to find young players who can maybe give us a bit now then help us in the future."

The Premier League's competitive nature is evident as Wolves sit with nine points. Despite this, O'Neil expresses pride in his players' efforts and hopes for favourable outcomes in upcoming matches. "A big game against Ipswich is coming and hopefully a few bits—and a few bits from the officials—will go our way," he added.

In their recent match against West Ham, Wolves had a higher expected goals (xG) figure than their opponents, with 1.63 xG compared to West Ham's 1.01 xG from an equal number of attempts. However, controversy surrounded both West Ham goals. Tomas Soucek's opener came from a corner that replays showed should not have been awarded.

Fans also believed Konstantinos Mavropanos fouled Santiago Bueno before Jarrod Bowen's winning goal. O'Neil commented on these incidents: "We probably edged the game... It’s crazy because Santi Bueno was about to head the ball away and there’s no way it was a different phase."

Defensive Concerns

This season, Wolves have conceded 38 goals in just 15 Premier League games, with 15 of those resulting from set-pieces. Only during their relegation seasons of 2003-04 and 2011-12 did they concede more such goals in one season. O’Neil admitted challenges in defending set-pieces: "We lose our man around the back post... we’d worked on Soucek being a big threat."

Acknowledging these defensive issues, O’Neil emphasised the need for further discussions within the team: "A big discussion needs to be had... We’ve had those discussions, and we need to have them again." He noted that competing effectively in set-piece situations has been difficult for this group.

The upcoming match against Ipswich Town presents an opportunity for Wolves to turn things around and secure vital points as they aim to climb out of the relegation zone.