Gary O’Neil believes Wolves’ point at Nottingham Forest was a ‘solid away performance’ as his side fought from behind to get off the mark in the new Premier League campaign.
The head coach handed debuts to a pair of internationals, in the form of England goalkeeper Sam Johnstone and Brazil midfielder Andre, and although the former conceded in the 10th minute of his inaugural outing for the Old Gold, O’Neil was pleased with the way Johnstone and the team bounced back to earn their opening point of the season.
On drawing at the City Ground
“It's a good point. It was one that you feel like you could win, but also there were the moments you feel like you could lose. But it was good and an improvement. It’s a tough place to come, but it was a good game, probably a fairly even game, probably a fair result.
“There were lots of good bits and some crazy bits in there, but I like the fact that we felt a threat throughout. I liked the way we stood up when it was tough. You have to manage those moments, you have to defend your goals and make big blocks.
“It was a good, solid away performance where we looked a threat, where we weathered some pressure, where we looked like we could go and score a winner. So, it was a good performance. I’m pleased.”
On having to come from behind
“It was a disaster to go 1-0 down with how we started the game. We were the better side by far, in complete control, creating good chances and moments, and then we concede a real soft one from the corner.
“But it was an incredible reaction. It was a great goal from JJ, a fantastic finish, and some other real dangerous moments that we weren't quite able to make the most of. But it was important because as tough as our first two Premier League games were, we lost them both, so to go 1-0 down is a test at that moment.
“One-nil down away from home, there's not too many times that you come back and get something from the game, so it shows where the group are, shows the belief they have, the quality that they have, and this Premier League season is going to be tough, and we're going to need a lot of that bravery and togetherness.”
On coming through a busy week
“We probably should have gone 1-0 up with Rayan, going through one on one with the goalkeeper early and it was a big chance. But we were able to bounce back, which is good. Then we found some real good momentum in the game, I felt we had a really good spell.
“It was a good game and we obviously want to improve, and off the back of a busy week, tough week – a 6-2 defeat, cup game, the transfer window – it was an unsettling week for everybody around the group with a lot going on, so it was a good together performance and a point on the road in the Premier League is always good.”
On the penalty decisions which weren’t given
“I hate having to talk about this. Firstly, I said to Simon when he booked me that I apologise for the overreaction. It was not directed at anybody. It was just disappointment in a massive, massive moment for us, where we were away from home, 20/15 minutes to go. It's a huge, huge moment.
“I feel like the human in me is allowed to show disappointment at that moment. It wasn't directed at anyone, there was no abuse. But that's the booking.
“The decisions, I think, could have both been penalties. If you look at where it hits Jorgen on the arm compared to where it hits Chris Wood on the arm, there is a difference.
“But maybe I’m splitting hairs, and maybe because I've got a Wolves top on, and Nuno has got a Nottingham Forest top on we will have different opinions on it.”
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On Sam Johnstone’s debut
“I thought he did well. He looked assured, his use of the ball was good, so it was a good a good day, but he’s obviously not played much recently and only had a couple of days with us, so it was a good start his Wolves career.
“I was disappointed that the goal went in so early for him. It's a really bad goal for us to concede. A couple of lads lose focus, which we speak about a lot. It can happen, of course, but a disappointing goal. But then, from that moment, he made a couple of good saves, looked assured with the ball, when we were needed to play, he played, when we needed to go longer, he put it in really good areas. Considering how much info we had to get into him in a short amount of time, I thought it was a decent debut for him.
“There's no situation [with Sa] really. It's an unsettling week, there's a lot going on, Jose had a bit going on, I obviously had a big decision to make around goalkeeping, and we decided it was Sam today. But Jose will be back training with a group once he returns from Portugal and the idea is that him and Sam will fight it out.
“I felt that Sam should have the shirt today, but it doesn't mean it's always going to be that way. Jose is a fantastic goalkeeper. He's done an awful lot while I've been here, before I was here, so Jose will react in the right way, and he'll know he needs to come back after the Portugal trip and fight for his place like everyone else does in the in the squad.”
On Semedo and Gomes’ substitutions
“Nelson's obviously been suspended for a while, so he hasn't had enough minutes and was cramping. Joao was absolutely fine, but he’d just been booked, the game was a bit chaotic, and I was just trying to protect him in that moment.
“The depth in the group helps us now. We spoke a lot about the transfers, and of course, we lost two big starting 11 players in the transfer window, but if you look at the depth we had to finish last season compared to the depth we had today, and the quality that we're able to put on, it makes decisions a lot easier.
“When you get to that 55/60-minute mark, knowing that you have real quality and the depth behind you. Joao, in that moment, maybe was at risk, so you can change him. When Nelson is feeling cramp, we’ve got Doc, so all the subs went on and gave us something.”
