There was no way back after conceding those three early goals, was there?
No, I don’t think so. They’re a quality team, they’ve had a good season up to now. I know they’ve lost a couple of games recently, but they’re still right up there at the top of the table, and they’ve got some very good, quality players. Top class international players and, very good with the ball technically so there’s no great weakness in their team for us to exploit. They were obviously going to play with great confidence, with their tails up. We had to make certain we dug in and tried to show some sort of pride and at least salvage something from the game – which might just have been in the second half we didn’t concede many further goals and were able to hold them at bay. We got close. The last goal, which was obviously a wonder chip from Neves aggravated the score, but until then we’d done our best to keep them out. But unfortunately at three goals to none, whoever you’re playing against in this league, you’re in big trouble. And when you are 3-0 down against Wolverhampton up here, then you’re in even bigger trouble.
How do you explain that terrible eight minutes where you concede three goals?
Yeah, they were very clear errors, weren’t they. I mean, the first one, I didn’t think we defended him [Raul Jimenez] well enough. That was really the first time I thought we looked as if we might concede a goal, because up to that time, the game had been pretty calm, firstly in terms of allowing that penalty area. But the next two goals of course, it’s pretty obvious to everybody that there are two goals that one doesn’t want to concede. All goals are mistakes, but some mistakes are clearer for everyone to see than others. But it happened and it was 3-0. And as I say, that gives you an awful long time to play. Three goals to nil down against a team that you know, are then going to play with even more confidence, feeling: ‘we’re not going to lose this game’.
Given the performance against Arsenal and positivity, how frustrating is it for your team to then have an eight-minute disaster?
Yeah, it is very frustrating. And very disappointing, of course, in every respect. We’ve got a very sad dressing room there, because people came up here believing that if we could play as well in patches as I thought we did against Arsenal, we could cause Wolverhampton some problems. But we’re not going to be able to cause Wolverhampton problems when they are three goals up. That’s the problem. Unfortunately, the goals we conceded really gave them enormous confidence, because they saw that the game was virtually in their hands after than eight-minute spell.
Explain the substitutions of Kiko Femenia and Josh King?
He [Femenia] took himself off with an injury. And Josh King took himself off as well. He was suffering from his neck. So he had to see the physio. So the two substitutions we made there, were substitutions the players themselves made virtually. And the last one we gave Peter Etebo, who’s not played for a long time, we gave him 15 minutes in place of Cleverley, who once again, worked his socks off for us, and was one of the players that I thought was doing one of the best jobs. So it wasn’t because I was disappointed with him. It was a, ‘take him off, give him a rest, we’re not going to win it.’ So let’s keep him [fit] for Sunday.
Is it tough to try and explain a game like that when the players have made individual mistakes?
Well, that’s the job, that’s what we signed up for. So no, it’s not hard. Not hard at all. It gets hard when you feel that your players don’t care enough. And I don’t think we’re in that situation yet. I think we could be accused in a lot of ways of not being good enough at the moment. I think we have to fully hold our hands up to that accusation. I don’t think at the moment we have to hold our heads up to the accusation that we aren’t trying hard, or not giving it our all. And I’ve got to say that I don’t normally single out a player from outside, as I’m going to do now. And I think I would even single him out as one of the better actors on the field today. I thought Moussa Sissoko and everything he did today was fantastic. And if we can get some of that spirit, some of that determination, some of that desire, some of that anxiety that we need to feel. The thing is, these players need to feel anxiety, because we’re running out of time.
Will the experience of Cleverely and Sissoko be crucial?
It’s not just the experiences, you know. It’s the fact that they know the Premier League, and they’ve been good players, still are good players. But most importantly of all, they’re doing the work. They really are doing the work, they are covering the ground, they are making the tackles. They are getting back in after we’ve lost the ball. That’s what they’re doing. And unfortunately, if we’re going to survive that’s what we need.
How do you explain Ben Foster’s display?
Well, I don’t explain it. Because you know, any player who makes [a mistake]. If you speak to Ben and you said, ‘What you think, tonight was that one of your better games, or did you make mistakes?’ He’d be the first to put his hand up. But I will say Ben Foster, in the short time Ray and I have been at the club, has been vitally important to us in every respect. Both in his goalkeeping and with the way he is and the way he takes responsibility. Tonight, you know, when you’re a goalkeeper, you’re unfortunately either a hero or zero to some extent, you know, there’s not often an awful lot in between. He’s been a hero for us once or twice in games. And today you’re going to have to accept that this was the other side of the coin. But I certainly haven’t lost faith in Ben Foster. I’m sorry for him really, in the same way that if I had been a Paris Saint-Germain fan – which I don’t happen to be as such – I’d have felt very sorry for Donnarumma. That’s part and parcel of being a goalkeeper, I’m afraid. If you want to be anonymous, get yourself in midfield, you might get away with it.
