Vitor Pereira admits his Wolves players need to improve not only tactically, but also technically and mentally after a third successive Premier League defeat to start the campaign.
The head coach was disappointed with the performance of his players in the loss against the Toffees at Molineux, and revealed he expected more from his side as he wanted to build on the Carabao Cup victory over West Ham United in midweek which saw his side show fighting spirit.
But Pereira was left ruing defensive errors on Saturday and believes the team are in for a difficult season if they don’t start to learn from their mistakes.
On defeat to Everton
“To be honest, I was expecting more from my team. I didn’t like the way we started the game because we tried to speak a lot about the start of the game, to start strong, to give a signal to put energy, to try to play in the offensive midfield, even though we know they will come to press. But in the end, we played the first minutes in our midfield and they finished this moment with a goal. We cannot start like this again.
“After, we cannot commit mistakes, we cannot offer goals like we are doing in this moment of the season, not only in this game but in the previous games. We are there and in one second, we commit a mistake and they score. We managed to equalise the game and after, another situation, another bad decision, and they score a second goal.
“Second half, another bad decision, playing in the middle under pressure, they score one goal and it was cancelled. After this, another mistake, playing again with a bad pass, with a risky pass and we concede a third goal. After with the subs, I think we reacted and I see a reaction from my team and we scored the second goal, but it was not possible to score the third.
“We must be better, not only tactically, but technically and mentally stronger.”
On taking positives from Wolves’ goals
“The first goal is the way that we must play in this moment. Winning the space, a good cross into the box and scoring. Against this team, if we try to play with the plan that we had for the match, then we’d have had more chances to score.
“But in the end, the goals we conceded, mentally we suffered, and I saw my team suffering during the game, facing a strong team, and stronger than last season, this is a different Everton team, but talking about us, we need to improve.
“We need to stabilise our mental approach in the games and we need good results to be more confident. After the last game, I expected more. Honestly, I expected more from my team. But now we need to work, finish the market and try to improve.”
On working with his players during the international break
“For our team, I think it’s time to reflect, it’s time to improve. Improve individually and to improve tactically and mentally.
“It is the moment for everybody to reflect about the way we are conceding goals, we are we are conceding a lot of goals, and this is not normal in my teams.”
On adding players before the window shuts
“The only thing that I can say in this moment is we are not in the moment that we can sell the best players.
“We are in the moment that we need more solutions to help the team, to increase the level and to compete in the Premier League, because I’m looking at the teams, and it will be very, very tough.”
On Strand Larsen’s absence
“Jorgen got a kick in the game against Bournemouth, and after Bournemouth, he tried to train and he still had the pain.
“After we played with him around 25 minutes in the last game, and at the end of the game, the pain increased the level and the inflammation in the Achilles tendon was a danger, and I could not risk a player like this.
“It was not about Newcastle it was not about this. I know the player very well and he has a good character, strong character, and he did an exam in the Achilles and he has the injury. It’s not serious, but it’s a situation that he cannot play when like this.”
