Is Bruno Lage A Good Manager Or Should He Go?

[Wilf Wolf]

Well you hinted at it with your snarky response to me suggesting that Nuno should have made sure we had a bigger squad, more signings = bigger squad.

Yes Covid impacted us, we couldn't have foreseen Covid, but we all knew at the start of the Europa season that we'd be playing a lot of games! We started the season in July for god's sake, that lack of foresight/arrogance has gradually become more and more of an issue since, and Covid and the Raul injury compounded it.

If the season had ended in May we’d have been fine. Prior to the Covid break we were doing fine.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

If the season had ended in May we’d have been fine. Prior to the Covid break we were doing fine.

Disagree, Moutinho would still have played 60 games over 9 months rather than 12, and he was jaded after 12.

 

[YoungWolf]

The squad wasn't struggling physically by March of that season. Maybe the last few games might have brought some sluggishness depending on how Europe would have gone but I doubt it. It was tough physically for the last 9 games because again, the group had such little time to prepare for project restart (and bizarrely they made everyone start with three games in a week).

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

I don't understand how anyone can argue that we wouldn't have been just as tired and jaded if we'd played 60+ games in 9 months, rather than 60+ games in 12/13 months which transpired.

Of course this had a massive impact on the following season, but we didn't do enough in the window prior to that season to mitigate that, and as said Nuno suddenly trying to implement a new system was clearly a bad idea too, trying to do that mid season is always going to be difficult/impossible.

In summary - covid fucked us, but we were hedging our bets with the way we were conducting ourselves already, having so few central midfielders/CFs was always going to bite us on the arse eventually

 

[Tony Towner]

I think the fans would have given them that extra 10% that an empty stadium didn't.

 

[prawnking]

The thing that blows my mind still about covid is that we signed Fabio in September 2020 (rather than any players that would have actually helped Nuno evolve our play), everyone at the club was well aware about covid and what it was by then.

Proper Sliding Doors moment that signing

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

I think the fans would have given them that extra 10% that an empty stadium didn't.

Maybe.

It's just so sad that we didn't get that night at Molineux against Sevilla.

 

[AndyWolves]

Not exactly convincing that he'll be here next season

https://twitter.com/x/status/1525088255137431552

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Did he mean grow, or "grow up" there.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

What does that even mean?

He talks some incredible shite, he really does.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

What does that even mean?

He talks some incredible shite, he really does.

If he meant "grow" then it's typical bullshit manager soundbite nonsense, like "solutions" from Nuno

If he meant "grow up" then it's a bit worrying that he's slagging his players off again.

 

[Mel Evo]

Did he mean grow, or "grow up" there.

‘Glow up’. He wants them to eat Ready Brek.

 

[AndyWolves]

What does that even mean?

He talks some incredible shite, he really does.

To me, it looks like he's giving a non-answer a out his future and he's also having a dig about players' motivation and willingness to develop.

 

[Tony Towner]

I'd be pretty confident he didn't mean grow up in the derogatory sense

 

[Sniffer]

On summer plans: "We are working so hard with Scott (Sellars) and Matt Hobbs. We need to have solutions. We have more than one plan for every position. If we buy a player for £10m/£15m it's hard to turn down an offer for three or four times that."

So basically we are looking to sell high value players and replace them with cheaper ones.

Edit: Or I may have read that wrong and he's saying if we can get 3 to 4 times the purchase price of a player we'll let him go. I can only think of Neves as we'll get nowhere near that for anyone else.

 

[YoungWolf]

I don't understand how anyone can argue that we wouldn't have been just as tired and jaded if we'd played 60+ games in 9 months, rather than 60+ games in 12/13 months which transpired.

Because the 9 month season would have been planned for in terms of scheduling right back to pre-season (as I said, this is so important for the foundation of their fitness and conditioning) whereas they basically did nothing other than isolated physical activity for 2/3 months then had 3 weeks to get football fit again.

 

[1986]

I'd be pretty confident he didn't mean grow up in the derogatory sense

I'd agree , but he's not helping himself with his use of language . His English is pretty decent . You would think that some one would tell him afterwards about the choice of words and be more careful .

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

On summer plans: "We are working so hard with Scott (Sellars) and Matt Hobbs. We need to have solutions. We have more than one plan for every position. If we buy a player for £10m/£15m it's hard to turn down an offer for three or four times that."

So basically we are looking to sell high value players and replace them with cheaper ones.

Edit: Or I may have read that wrong and he's saying if we can get 3 to 4 times the purchase price of a player we'll let him go. I can only think of Neves as we'll get nowhere near that for anyone else.

Sa and Kilman too, probably even Chiquinho but we won't sell him.

 

[gibsonwaggy]

Disagree, Moutinho would still have played 60 games over 9 months rather than 12, and he was jaded after 12.

hmm, interesting reading the views on this manager...from what I can see, he is now Nuno in disguise.
the passing is shocking, we are trying to pass out from the back with the likes of Boly trying to show his non existent skills, we cannot keep the ball, and as for goals, the most important thing of all.....enough said...
Its easy to say Jimenez should get more goals, how can he with no proper supporting attacker i.e a Jota, and with little or no service?
This Manager had a winning formula a few months ago, and chucked it away, working on the basis "I don't want to lose" rather than lets go and win.
Some pundit on the Radio called Wolves the most boring team in the Premier League and its hard to disagree, we have sub-standard players in a lot of areas, who simply cannot do the basics, we have is some cases bought and sold badly, no disrespect to the age of Fabio Silva, but you have either got it or you haven't.....as for Traore love him or hate him, you always felt he was gonna frighten the living daylights out of the opposition....he destroyed Man City 3 years ago (or was it 2 )
Neves, it appears is on his way and who can blame him.
I seriously think that the players are not now playing for the Manager, and I am concerned that if we don't buy at least 5 new players in the Summer, along with the chance that the defence will not be able to perform the way they have for most of this season, add to that the lack of goals.....and its a relegation fight next year, for sure, do we have a fight in us for that??
So my honest view is that this Manager is not going to get the team on an upward curve because like Nuno he is a defensive minded Manager and the last 12 games have seen his tactical ideas exposed badly.
Forget the game against City, we looked what we are, years behind, the Brighton and Leeds game summed the season up...
He should be replaced, his record at Benfica is clear to see.

Cheers guys,

 

[Sniffer]

Sa and Kilman too, probably even Chiquinho but we won't sell him.

Yes on Sa. I didn't include Kilman and MGW as they were home grown.