Wolves manager Gary O’Neill has issued warnings to two of his players over their lack of fitness.
It was a terrible start for Wolves, who are yet to win in eight games in the Premier League.
With O’Neill’s position in doubt, Old Gold, who have just one point, must find a solution to their predicament quickly.
While the focus remains on turning around results on match day, the manager has identified one issue within the team that needs to be addressed on the training ground.
Photo by Jack Thomas – WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images
Gary O’Neill gives his verdict on Wolves’ fitness
The Midlands club came very close to getting a result against Manchester City, but Wolves came agonizingly close to scoring their second goal of the season on Sunday.
For perhaps the first time this season, the Old Gold looked convincing throughout the entire 90 minutes, but O’Neill drew attention to one concern he had regarding the one player who really made an impression against the champions.
The manager spoke to the media via Express and Star after the match and expressed concerns over goalscorer Jorgen Strand Larsen’s fitness.
“Jorgen gave his all, but I talked to him a lot. We have to get through more than an hour before he looks tired,” the coach explained.
“You’re definitely going to be criticized for taking a centre-forward out, but Jorgen has given his all after 60 or 65 minutes of every game. He’s either having cramps or he doesn’t look the same. Either you are there or you are.”
This criticism may be seen as harsh on O’Neill, as Strand Larsen himself admitted he left everything on the pitch against City.
Still, the manager sent a warning to the striker to be “in better shape” for the challenges ahead.
“Whether it’s a league change from Spain or whatever it is, it’s the small details. Because if Jorgen was on, would we be conceding a goal from a corner kick?” Jorgen told us from a corner Can you help me? Those little things are really, really important.
“We need to make sure we extend that small gap and take advantage, and Jorgen knows how important it is to keep himself fit.”
O’Neill forms Hwang Hee-chan with Jorgen Strand Larsen
Strand Larsen’s fitness was a topic of concern for the manager in Sunday afternoon’s defeat, but the Norwegian was not the only Wolves star to cause concern for O’Neill.
“Similar to Channy (Hwang Hee-chan), he has struggled to reach the heights he did last season,” O’Neal said.
“He needs to make himself sharper. All these little things that we can influence, we have to do that.”
While the manager has every right to question the fitness level of his players, it is rather surprising to see him criticize Strand Larsen and Hwang Hee-chan in the same way.
Unfortunately for the fans, the Norwegian international was sent off early in the game against City after crashing into the field while trying to keep his team in the game.
O’Neill’s comments are bound to divide opinion, and the manager’s public calls for improved fitness are worrying on every level.
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