Is Bruno Lage A Good Manager Or Should He Go?

[Deutsch Wolf]

Are we defensively sound? 1 clean sheet in 4. Would be 0 if Mitrovic had scored a penalty.

 

[Wolvensam]

Are we defensively sound? 1 clean sheet in 4. Would be 0 if Mitrovic had scored a penalty.

Yes. Two goals we conceded were through stupid mistakes by our own players.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Averaging a goal a game against is reasonably solid without being knock the lights out granite.

 

[Wolvensam]

I know Bruno Lage isn’t the most popular man in Wolverhampton at the minute, but teams aren’t slicing us open or free scoring against us (currently). I know a lot of people took an insta-disliking to him when he was first appointed due to his lack of experience but he has made this team defensively solid to a degree despite a formation change.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Yeah, I can't have that narrative.

I for one (and a fair few others) thought it was a stupid appointment but he's been given a hell of a lot of rope. No-one has been hoping we're rubbish so we can be proven right. You know, I really don't care about Internet Points that much.

We are authentically awful to watch and have genuine, nailed on relegation form over what amounts to an entire half-season now.

 

[jd1981]

But we’re not winning games that’s the be all and end all of all this.
It was like last week when people were happy with the performance because they thought giving it a good v Spurs translated into beating weaker sides.
How many years have people been watching football to realise that’s not how things work.

 

[Wolvensam]

Yeah, I can't have that narrative.

I for one (and a fair few others) thought it was a stupid appointment but he's been given a hell of a lot of rope. No-one has been hoping we're rubbish so we can be proven right. You know, I really don't care about Internet Points that much.

We are authentically awful to watch and have genuine, nailed on relegation form over what amounts to an entire half-season now.

No internet points here mate and you know me better to know I don’t particularly care about that sort of stuff. I also didn’t suggest that people were hoping we were naff to be proven right - I just said that a lot of people took a disliking to him and suggested that may cloud judgement to some things he deserves a bit of credit/a thumbs up for.

I know he has some serious drawbacks but I can acknowledge when he has done something positive too. And that isn’t me saying you can’t, that’s just me saying I do.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

What puzzles me is Man Utd away (I know they were shit on the night) should be our blueprint. Technically accomplished players controlling the game and plenty of threat going forward.

We're generally happy to throw away possession without any thought, to focus attacks down the wings but never attack the box, we don't respond to the opposition coming at us...it's so bad. So needless as well.

 

[Wolvensam]

There were plenty of good performances last season, and the question mark now is whether he can pull us out of the rut we’re currently in. Nuno also had plenty of drawbacks but he was quite good at pulling us out of 10-12 winless streak ruts.

Our biggest problem for a very long time, even under Nuno, is that we just aren’t a very consistent team. It can easily not lose in 10 as it can not win in 10.

I’m not sure what the answer is, but having genuine competition for places will help. Raul walks into that team currently.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

We had an 8 game winless run under Nuno in 2020/21. Beat Chelsea in December and didn't win again until Arsenal in February. A couple of 6ers in the previous two seasons. Never in double figures.

 

[jd1981]

I know Bruno Lage isn’t the most popular man in Wolverhampton at the minute, but teams aren’t slicing us open or free scoring against us (currently). I know a lot of people took an insta-disliking to him when he was first appointed due to his lack of experience but he has made this team defensively solid to a degree despite a formation change.

I was actively sceptical because (a) he only had 2 seasons of first team management and one was a disaster.
I dont want us to lose so it gives me some sort of vanity against other forum members.
If he wins the next 5 games I’ll be delighted.

 

[Wolvensam]

I was actively sceptical because (a) he only had 2 seasons of first team management and one was a disaster.
I dont want us to lose so it gives me some sort of vanity against other forum members.
If he wins the next 5 games I’ll be delighted.

As I said, I didn’t suggest anyone was scoring internet points/willing him to lose and it wasn’t a comment against you or Dan particularly. But some folk just cannot see any positives at the minute - they are very few, but there are some.

 

[The Bear]

Yeah, I can't have that narrative.

Because it doesn't fit yours?

He has to have some credit for keeping us relatively solid at the back. We've always had individual errors costing us points even under Nuno. His decision to match Semedo against ASM was one that was spot on.

Going forwards is more of a grey area. At times we look good, commit men forward in attack and get bodies in the box. But at times we also look clueless, lump it forward under pressure, and struggle to create clear cut chances in the penalty area.

Like most things I don't think it's necessarily black and white.

The clock IS ticking on his time here though. We can't keep losing and dropping points from winning positions. Eventually the fans at Molineux will turn against him and then Jeff will have no choice but to act. How long that takes is another matter.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Because it doesn't fit yours?

What?

I mean the narrative of "you're happy he's shit because you never wanted him", which isn't what Sam meant but plenty float that idea, which is horseshit.

Playing right back Nelson Semedo against left winger Allan Saint-Maximin is not a tactical masterstroke.

Dropping points from winning positions Guess how many times that has happened in 2022. Clue: Charlie George would be able to count them up pretty well. That isn't the issue.

 

[Wolvensam]

Surely the way Semedo played against ASM was coached to him throughout that week, though? I think it was probably one of Semedo’s better games in a Wolves shirt.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

He was excellent.

We're finally seeing what he is, which is a very good RB in a back four. We should never have signed him at the cost we did to play as a wingback. That of course is on Nuno.

 

[jd1981]

Surely the way Semedo played against ASM was coached to him throughout that week, though? I think it was probably one of Semedo’s better games in a Wolves shirt.

It pretty much says he’d be a good defensive coach in the backroom staff as opposed to running the whole show.

 

[Wolvensam]

It pretty much says he’d be a good defensive coach in the backroom staff as opposed to running the whole show.

Of course, potentially. I suppose for me he’s just not been a failure from the outset: Solbakken didn’t take off, nor Zenga and the less said about Saunders the better. But whether it was luck or whatever, Lage got a tune out of these players for a period of time and got them to 6th/7th prior to the monumental drop off.

 

[The Bear]

What?

I mean the narrative of "you're happy he's shit because you never wanted him", which isn't what Sam meant but plenty float that idea, which is horseshit.

Playing right back Nelson Semedo against left winger Allan Saint-Maximin is not a tactical masterstroke.

Dropping points from winning positions Guess how many times that has happened in 2022. Clue: Charlie George would be able to count them up pretty well. That isn't the issue.

Well he could have just left Jonny there, which I thought he would do, and I would have done, as he's a more defensive full-back. The idea of having someone match up with his pace was a better one.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Or Semedo is now fully fit and he's our best full back.