An angry Walter Zenga tonight said he will not accept a repeat of the collapse that saw Wolves concede four goals in the last 20 minutes and lose 4-0 to Barnsley.
With 73 minutes on the clock the game was still finely poised and goalless, but the in-form visitors ran riot to notch four without reply and inflict a first home defeat on Wolves in 13 games.
And Zenga, who has cancelled tomorrow’s day off and will instead have the players in to go through tonight’s game, is keen to ensure it never happens again.
“We prepared the game with the players as we normally do,” he said.
“The first half was not good and we didn’t have enough of them inside the game and that affected our performance.
“The second half was better and then after the moment we made the changes to be more offensive and we started to create something we conceded a goal.
“And it is what happened then that we need to talk about.
“To lose a goal after 73 minutes is not the end of the game and not the end of the world.
“I never want to see my players again give up like they did in this moment.
“It brings us shame to lose four goals at home, for all of us and for the club.
“Tomorrow was supposed to be a day off but that is cancelled and instead we will be in from 9 o’clock to re-watch the game and analyse it.
“In football sometimes the other team can play better but what we must not do again is give up in this moment.
“I am so sorry for everyone because this is not my style and not the style of my team.
“And I will not accept any more this kind of situation.
“It is shame for me, for the fans, for the club and for everybody.
“This has to be a big lesson for me and for us and we have to come back from it and learn from it for the future.
“I don’t even need to tell the players this – they will know.
“It is clear, and I always speak to the players on the day after the game.”
Zenga made five changes for tonight’s game, after making seven on Saturday, in keeping with his need to look at all his players, including new signings, to formulate the best starting eleven.
“I said from the start that we have a squad of players and we will use them,” he confirmed.
“We have a lot of new players as well and it is about looking for the best eleven.
“I know that is a risk for me and for everyone.
“I have said that with these new players this has been like a preparation period but now we are in the season and we need to find the right eleven to start.
“You cannot just find that in the training, you need it in the match.
“After this evening that is very difficult and I have learned a lot tonight.”
The full time was greeted with understandable boos by a lot of Wolves supporters, and Zenga appeared to apologise to the South Bank at full time.
“The fans are right to be unhappy,” he said.
“Like they celebrate when we play well and win they must be critical as well.
“For one night we are disappointed but from tomorrow when we wake up we work hard to prepare for the next game.”
