Gary O’Neil was proud with how Wolves handled a different Molineux test and overcame Burnley’s challenge to chalk up another home win.
The Old Gold had to show their battling qualities against the Clarets, and when they won the ball high up the pitch, Hee Chan Hwang was deadly with his crucial finish. The head coach understands the win looked different to recent Molineux successes but was pleased with how his players adapted to tactics and battled for every ball to get over the line with three points.
On overcoming Burnley
“I thought it was a game that looked pretty much how I expected it to look. I thought we were in control and got some chances from pressing and regaining the ball high up the pitch. I thought the first phase and the build would be difficult because Burnley are very well organised there, we’ve watched an awful lot of them and it’s hard to progress up the pitch with the ball.
“I tried to convince the lads that sometimes we need to go a little bit more direct, we need runners in behind, and even if you lose the ball in behind, you can press. The goal comes from something similar. It’s a big win.”
On the battling qualities
“Some of the boys looked tired today. I think if you compare the two games at the weekend, where Burnley win comfortably and play the second half again ten men, and we’re forced to go to the 98th minute flat out to try and get an equaliser, you could see it. Channy maybe wasn’t as sharp as he has been, fantastic goal, but he looked a bit tired, Hugo got cramp, so for the boys to run through that and keep going was a big effort. Pleased with the togetherness, pleased with the clean sheet and looking forward to the weekend.
“The performance may be questioned because not everyone does the work and see how good Burnley are. If you watch all of their games this year, hardly any teams progress through the pitch with the ball. They’re very well organised. The way you score against Burnley is to press and regain the ball. The game could be frustrating, I understand, I could hear noises around the place, and I could feel it, but the level of patience from the boys was enough to get us the win.”
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On a different occasion
“We had a few opportunities that we didn’t manage to take. Overall, really pleased with the boys, pleased with a clean sheet, pleased with the way they stuck together. Different feeling around the place, which I knew it would be. The fans have had edge of their seats stuff against City, Spurs, Newcastle and Aston Villa, and Burnley force you to do it differently. Could we have been better? Definitely. But we could have been better in every game we’ve played. Big win, 1-0 at home.”
On Bentley impressing in goal
“A big mention to Dan Bentley. Number two goalkeeper is such a tough job because you sit on the side and watch. Obviously, you train hard every day, and he works his socks off, and you’re thrown in and expected to perform at the highest level.
“To get a clean sheet at the Emirates, which he did, and then come here and back it up with another one, of course with the whole team helping him, was pleasing. It was never going to be free scoring, I didn’t see it being high scoring, so to get ourselves in front with a good press and bit of quality, then to be solid and limit Burnley to not very much, was pleasing.”
On Sa’s fitness
“Jose Sa was close to playing. He came in this morning to do some work with Neil Cutler and just didn’t feel 100 per cent comfortable. We could probably have pushed him through, like we could have at the Emirates, but my faith and belief in Dan Bentley is a big part of that. Bents is ready to go, I have big belief in him and he repaid me.”
