Let's talk about Nuno....

[prawnking]

We had the same points being made on here about Nuno's mental health and how it's really the player's fault during our bad run in January. I sympathise, but he has an elite, dog-eat-dog job and bottom line is he still needs to deliver. He's supposed to be holding it together for the players, that's part of his job.

It's harsh, but a great leader doesn't just shine when everything is rosy, you need them to step up when you hit adversity. OK, we haven't done a Sheff Utd, but Nuno doesn't look like any more like he's got his shit together than he did at the start of the year.

I'm happy to write this season off to an extent, but it doesn't just 'not count' when you're assessing Nuno as Wolves manager. We all know football management at this level is about where you're at now and the immediate future prospects, what happened one, two, three years ago less so.

As t3ch said, it's very possible he's hit a wall, and trying to undo our odd transfer business and dysfunctional playing style to even get back to how we've previously performed, let alone begin to take the next step, is a huge ask. I hope that a cuddle from his wife and kids and a bit of sunshine clears his mind, but I'm not completely convinced

 

[From Distant Shores]

That all sounds reasonable enough PrawnKing though I'm not sure that we're in a position to write this season off. We didn't qualify for Europe last season but by the finest of margins. It would have put off a few players from joining the club but I feel most players would accept that Wolves were progressing and still worth joining.

I fear the outcome will be very different if we finish in the lower half of the league. If we do, what sort of CB or CM, for which people on here seem so desperate, will we be able to attract?

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I doubt it will make that much difference to be honest.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

No-one is going to care whether we finish 9th, 11th or 14th. It makes zero difference.

 

[sycophantia]

Its not about who is to blame individually imo, its a combination of things. The tactics Nuno employs served us very well for most of our first 2 Premier league seasons, very well indeed. Since the Arsenal home game last season, its become apparent we either, haven't played those tactics as well or other teams have 'worked us out' and negated those tactics. Nuno has struggled to find a way to change that, possibly due to the players he has available, possibly his natural pragmatism, plus of course the effect of covid on everyone. Imv its a mixture of all those.
Last night I don't think we set up to be so deep or passive first half but we were just so poor on the ball, possibly the worst I've seen us, at both ends of the pitch. Second half we passed it better and took the game to Villa.
Its uncomfortable atm the way we play but I'm not in the Nuno out camp by a long way, he still has credit in the bank for me. I really believe we should give him till till October/November and see where we are. I know some will say thats another season wasted if it doesn't work out but there's no guarantees if we changed the manager in May that it would be any better.

 

[YoungWolf]

Last night I don't think we set up to be so deep or passive first half but we were just so poor on the ball, possibly the worst I've seen us, at both ends of the pitch. Second half we passed it better and took the game to Villa.

This is what it sounded like, was even Nuno’s analysis from the quotes I saw

 

[Johnny75]

This is what it sounded like, was even Nuno’s analysis from the quotes I saw

We were deep and passive first half and we didn’t pass the ball well when we had it. We were lucky we did not concede in the usual manner.

It showed in the second half when we played further up with a higher tempo. I have no idea why we don’t do this at all in the first half.

We used to be a threat on the counter, we are now no longer that threat so teams can press us at will without consequence, added to that we are humping the ball clear and just giving the ball back to the opposition when we try the first half contain tactics.

Nuno needs to move on from that to stay longer I feel.

 

[prawnking]

Its uncomfortable atm the way we play but I'm not in the Nuno out camp by a long way, he still has credit in the bank for me. I really believe we should give him till till October/November and see where we are. I know some will say thats another season wasted if it doesn't work out but there's no guarantees if we changed the manager in May that it would be any better.

I don't think there is a Nuno Out camp on here?

I'm with you in terms of giving him the summer and the first few months of next season minimum, but I would push back a little against the positions that give him so much leeway it becomes more about the players not listening and all other factors rather than him having the bulk of responsibility.

I'm not comfortable with that level of smoke and mirrors, it's important to try and see clearly what's best for the club rather than spin like crazy to protect one man.

For me, it's really important that our summer recruitment is more about the here and now than last, and then a recharged Nuno needs to pick up and shape the talent at his disposal. I hope with all my heart that's the outcome

 

[Tredman]

so tired of seeing blame put on the players

we have seen these players do better. we were in europe last season. we were sniffing the relegation zone a few weeks ago.

there is a trend of performance that has persisted before, and during, this season.

I don't understand the hand waving excusing nuno from all of this. he is the coach. if players can't string two passes together, players which have demonstrated themselves as being good, it perhaps shows that he is incapable of leading the team or has lost the directive for the season. either way is a coaching failure. that people can consistently dismiss poor performance as individual errors, versus viewing it in a more systemic manner, is mind boggling to me.

I don't want to see nuno go any more than anyone else. but it's not some incomprehensible suggestion to say he might have hit a wall.

Weird I know, imagine blaming the actual players for misplacing a simple pass. Clearly Nuno’s fault ffs.

 

[prawnking]

Weird I know, imagine blaming the actual players for misplacing a simple pass. Clearly Nuno’s fault ffs.

Do you think the players at City decide themselves to play the way they do? Why is Tuchel getting more out of Chelsea than Lampard did? Managers matter.

 

[Tony Towner]

The notion that our first half performances are on the players and I quote "coincidence" is completely laughable. I appreciate people want to find reasons and make excuses - I do, but that's comical. If we start from the premise that it's Nuno's plan for us to try and be compact, play within ourselves, conserve energy and stay in the game, then at least it's a starting point for debate

 

[prawnking]

Managers instil structure, belief and direction. If the players aren't doing what the manager wants and he can see it, then he needs to work on changing that, surely?

We know Nuno has a pragmatic/conservative streak, why put it on the players when they exhibit that kind of behaviour in the pitch? It's obvious where it comes from

 

[Tredman]

Do you think the players at City decide themselves to play the way they do? Why is Tuchel getting more out of Chelsea than Lampard did? Managers matter.

Of course they do, and it’s clear Nuno sets the team up to finish strongly. The guy is not an idiot and has acesss to an immense data set on the players’ condition - I’d imagine, shock, he knows more than us and does it for a reason.

 

[prawnking]

Traore and Donk are better footballers than most of us but it doesn't mean they're beyond criticism, mate.

Nuno may be doing a lot of things for a reason, but a hell of a lot of it isn't coming off

 

[jd1981]

Keeping Nuno and letting have a pre season and chance to build for next season isn’t sentimental crap it makes good sense. If come 10 games in next season it’s looking as drab as it is now and we’re floundering in the bottom half then maybe think about it. Seems a bit knee jerky and some a keen to rewriting history when it comes to Nuno.

 

[Tony Towner]

Of course they do, and it’s clear Nuno sets the team up to finish strongly. The guy is not an idiot and has acesss to an immense data set on the players’ condition - I’d imagine, shock, he knows more than us and does it for a reason.

If it's the case that players need managing because they are close to burnout which with none stop football since July is perfectly feasible then why isn't he rotating the squad more? Vitinha, RAN, OO (if he's fit) and Kilman could all have played yesterday without affecting the shape

 

[prawnking]

Keeping Nuno and letting have a pre season and chance to build for next season isn’t sentimental crap it makes good sense. If come 10 games in next season it’s looking as drab as it is now and we’re floundering in the bottom half then maybe think about it. Seems a bit knee jerky and some a keen to rewriting history when it comes to Nuno.

I agree with all of that, bar the last sentence.

I don't think there's any rewriting of the past, we all know what Nuno has contributed and appreciate it? I think some are rewriting the present a little bit though

 

[Tredman]

If it's the case that players need managing because they are close to burnout which with none stop football since July is perfectly feasible then why isn't he rotating the squad more? Vitinha, RAN, OO (if he's fit) and Kilman could all have played yesterday without affecting the shape

Probably as when they have played we have lost.

 

[Tony Towner]

That's not true, but not worth continuing

 

[sycophantia]

Traore and Donk are better footballers than most of us but it doesn't mean they're beyond criticism, mate.

Nuno may be doing a lot of things for a reason, but a hell of a lot of it isn't coming off

doubt any of us think Nuno has been faultless, but the discussion has to have some balance