Tommy Doyle on his Wolves 'gamble' at Brighton
Tommy Doyle was delighted to see his ‘gamble’ pay off as he played a huge part in Wolves rescuing a point at Brighton.
At 2-1 down in added time the Seagulls charged forward in a four-v-one in front of Wolves’ goal, but Doyle’s tremendous interception saw him release Matheus Cunha.
The Brazilian arrived in the box and swept home a 93rd minute equaliser and Doyle admitted he needed to take a risk for a big reward.
“I know it sounds a little bit silly, but I kind of knew what he was going to do,” O’Neil said.
“It can be just as difficult for the guy with four players than it is for one, because you’re expected to make a pass.
“There’s an element of guessing, it was what I felt he was going to do, I gambled and it paid off.
“I’ve come out the other end with an assist and I’m really happy.”
Wolves fought back from 2-0 down to earn their second point of the season and Doyle was full of praise for the team’s grit.
“Football is all about moments, I had a moment in the first half where I should score,” he added.
“That would have changed the game if I put us 1-0 up.
“It’s a perfect example of a team that kept battling on.
“We tweaked a little bit at half-time and we played really well in the second half.
“The goal was a bit of a blow, but when you look around and see lads with their heads up and chests out, it was about going again and we did that.
“That’s what it’s all about, you have to chip in.
“It was the other way around in the first half with Cunha giving it to me.
“We’re a team and we’re here to help each other out.
“That game was all about grit and determination.
“We played some good stuff in between that, but forget about that and let’s talk about the heart and desire we had.
“If we want to get out of the situation we’re in, we have to do that every week.”
Wolves started the game with a back five before switching to a back four in the second half.
The visitors had a much better second 45 and offered plenty of attacking threat, in comparison to a defensive first half.
Doyle, who made his first Premier League start of the season in the 2-2 draw, says the point is a ‘step in the right direction’ and the players have faith in the plan.
“We made a massive point today of not being outworked in any department,” Doyle said.
“At 2-0 down it’s difficult but we were still in the game and still had faith.
“We stuck to what we were doing and what we worked on in the week.
“To come out with a point, with what’s happened this season, is a step in the right direction.
“Now we have to turn that into three points.”
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.