Mario Lemina believes Wolves still need time to build chemistry on the pitch after a large turnover of players during the last 12 months, but the midfielder insists the squad are on the right track.
The Gabon international is back at Compton Park after representing his country last weekend as preparation has turned to the Premier League meeting with Liverpool at Molineux on Saturday lunchtime, and Lemina has reflected on the Old Gold’s opening month under Gary O’Neil and how he feels that a greater bond between the attacking players at the club will soon see the chances that are being created turned to goals.
On Wolves’ start to the season
“To be honest, we’ve not been bad. We’re going in a good way and we’ve been fighting against really good opponents; Brighton, Manchester United, Crystal Palace, and Everton was a game that we knew we could challenge, but it was going to take a lot of effort.
“But teams like Manchester and Brighton, they are already settled teams, they’re composed, they know what to do and we’re still building at the moment. We want to be at the same level as them, but we need to work and we need time together to be at this position.
“But we all know we’re going in a good way to be there.”
On deserving more from opening games
“I totally agree that we’ve not got the results that we have deserved from our first four games. If you watched the game against Manchester, I think we deserved more.
“I’m not going to talk about robbery, but we worked that game really hard and we felt we deserved more from that game. But at the same time, to compete against these kinds of teams you have to score and we had chances to score, but we didn’t and that’s why we need to work on it.
“Against Crystal Palace it was a bit tricky, but I think we should have done much better, but Brighton was a difficult game against a good side and if you don’t score against them early and take your chances, then they’re going to score because they know what they have to do.
“But it’s still positive because we are creating a lot of chances and when we finally get our goals, I think we’re going to score a lot of goals and it will be really positive.”
On turning chances into goals
“It’s difficult for the whole team when you change a lot of players in a short space of time, they need to get this chemistry together and find a good way to score goals.
“I think we’ve got the quality, we’ve got really good, quality players in the attack and when they get this chemistry together, we’re going to score a lot of goals.
“I believe in them 100 per cent because I really think they are amazing players.”
On facing Liverpool at home
“It’s a really big game and I’m looking forwards to getting back on the pitch with the other players, and be in the right place to fight for the team. We know we can do it because we’ve got a good team, we’ve got great players, and we know what we’ve got to do.
“We are the big boys at Molineux, and we have to play our game. Liverpool are a good team but we are also a good team and we showed that last year at Molineux and we need to do it again.
“We need to be confident about our strengths and that's what we’re going to try to do. Of course, it’s going to be a hard game because there are a lot of good players on their team, but we need to believe in our team - and I do believe in my team.”
Relive the last time we hosted Liverpool 🙌#WOLLIV | @MNEGlobal pic.twitter.com/rKjK2jDwV5
— Wolves (@Wolves) September 14, 2023
On the Reds’ midfield changes
“They’ve brought a lot of good players in the middle, and we all know we have to compete against them and to be the best version of ourselves all of the time.
“It’s a good challenge for us to see where we are and who we are, and for myself, if I’m still the player who can beat these kinds of players. I’m in good shape, I feel good and I know myself, if the team is going well, I’m still going to go well, and we’re going to fight the fight in the middle.”
On returning after the international break
“After the international break, it’s important to ensure the players are healthy. I think we’re all alright as a group, and the full team is going to be back maybe tomorrow [Friday], the rest of the team is going to be back and we are going to have a full team.
“We all know what we want to do within the season, we are all competing in training in the same way, and for me, we’re just positive and we will work during the next few days for the game and it will be interesting to see what the game plan is.”
