Gary O'Neil: Wolves' lack of clinical edge our downfall

Despite many feeling Wolves were poor on the day, O’Neil insists the performance was pleasing and that Wolves’ struggles to score were their downfall.

Fabio Silva and Rayan Ait-Nouri had huge chances when the team were 1-0 down, before a second half capitulation saw them lose 4-1.

O’Neil said: “I didn’t think it (the performance) was worlds apart (from Monday). The scoreline will obviously make most people believe it was, but it wasn’t miles apart.

“Look at the numbers, the shots, the chances created. But, you can’t miss that many chances.

“It was an aggressive game plan and we tried to go after Brighton when we could. We pressed high and managed to regain the ball a few times and there’s risk attached with that.

“When we win the ball back and have our chances, we need to score ours, because when you don’t win the ball back and it goes to the other end, Brighton were extremely clinical with theirs.

“It wasn’t worlds apart, but I’m equally as disappointed as everybody else in the stadium that we lost 4-1. But there’s an understanding we’re very early in our process against a team that are a long way into theirs.

“It’s a tough first two games but 38 shots gives us something to build on.”

Wolves managed 31 goals in 38 Premier League games last season, the lowest scorers in the division, but O’Neil hopes in time that his players will adapt to his methods.

He said: “We have to keep working and trying to change the habits of the lads around how we work every day. We’ve been working really hard on that already.

“I don’t want the lads to need time to adapt, but they’re going to get better the more we do things.

“There’s lots of things they did well today and some things that have to improve, but I knew that. If everything was going perfectly here there wouldn’t have been a change made. I understand the situation and I’m disappointed for the supporters as they were desperate to get with us. They could see we were front foot and creating chances and the emotion inside the stadium when the scoreline turns into what it does is tough.

“I appreciate their backing. They saw the lads trying to be front foot and having a go, but even the most avid supporter, at that moment when you’re 4-0 down at home, it’s tough to watch your team at that moment.”

Matheus Nunes was needlessly sent off for a second yellow card offence in the 95th minute, meaning he now misses the trip to Everton.

The head coach was keen to protect his player publicly, but hinted he has had a stern word with him in private.

O’Neil added: “I’ve spoken to Matheus very clearly on my thoughts on the situation.

“He’s a great kid. He works his socks off and I thought he was excellent again with the ball for us.

“But we need him on the pitch, so he knows how I feel about it.”

Daniel Podence was not involved at Molineux, after tweeting on Friday that he was training with the under-21s, before swiftly deleting it.

The player is free to leave this summer and has been pushing for a move, but O’Neil was coy in his response.

He said: “We’re just managing Daniel’s situation as it moves.

“There’s no real comment on Daniel, it’s about the group that are here and want to push every day to put the club in a better place than it is, they’re the lads I want to talk about.”

When asked if he expects Podence to leave this summer, O’Neil added: “I don’t have any expectations around transfers. There’s so many other factors at play whether people leave, whether people want them and whether the deal is right.

“I don’t expect anything. I’ll manage the situation as it progresses.”