Summer 2021 transfer window

[prawnking]

I think it's clear there are some Nuno supporters who want to claim responsibility for him for everything that went well over the past four years, yet everything that didn't work is down to Fosun, covid or the players. I'm not sure I can accept that.

Having said that, I'm still sad to see him go and not fully sold on the Lage move. But you can't really fully assess a manager until he's actually done something

 

[Tony Towner]

I understand why it's happening, but for me we shouldn't be comparing Nuno and Lage directly.

It's 2 distinct coversations for me.
Nuno was sacked - discuss the merits of that
Lage is going to be appointed, likewise.

I don't agree with either, but can see in purely football grounds the merits for the former, but not the latter.

I don't see the point in comparing their respective records in Portugal when one took over a mid table Championship side and the other is taking over a mid table PL one.

Continually suggesting those that don't want Lage do so because he isn't Nuno is wide of the mark in most instances

 

[GLASGOWOLF]

I think it's clear there are some Nuno supporters who want to claim responsibility for him for everything that went well over the past four years, yet everything that didn't work is down to Fosun, covid or the players. I'm not sure I can accept that.

Having said that, I'm still sad to see him go and not fully sold on the Lage move. But you can't really fully assess a manager until he's actually done something

Pretty much where i am

 

[PuntsWolf]

The goalposts need to be put in the right position here though surely to assess Lage? I can see the “Nuno would have been better posts” come October/December/May already.

What does he need to achieve to have a good season? Mid table finish with better football? 7th? Top half?

Plenty on here say the squad needs a massive rebuild, a lot of the players aren’t good enough, Jonny out most the season, Neto until October, question marks over Podence, selling our best players, alleged minimal budget. So surely more than 40 points whilst not being dull as ditchwater is a good season?

 

[AndyWolves]

Everton have let Josh King go for nowt, I didn't see much of him last season but would bring a bit of depth maybe

 

[The Bear]

His low watermark is top 10 IMO. He's inheriting the same squad as this season but hopefully with Jimenez back to something like his previous self. Anything like this season again will be a failure.

Depends on the type of football too. If it looks good and we can see potential there then he might get a bit more leeway.

 

[Tony Towner]

The goalposts need to be put in the right position here though surely to assess Lage? I can see the “Nuno would have been better posts” come October/December/May already.

What does he need to achieve to have a good season? Mid table finish with better football? 7th? Top half?

Plenty on here say the squad needs a massive rebuild, a lot of the players aren’t good enough, Jonny out most the season, Neto until October, question marks over Podence, selling our best players, alleged minimal budget. So surely more than 40 points whilst not being dull as ditchwater is a good season?

If we don't finish Top 10 he'll be binned imo. There's nothing I'd argue about in your final paragraph, but there's nothing in the Board interviews from last week to suggest they'd see it that way - Deluded or otherwise

 

[YoungWolf]

The thing that reassures me is that this is still a good squad (currently), a top half one in my opinion, especially with signings in key positions as discussed.

If we finish 13th again on same points unless we've gone really young in rebuilding the squad I will be truly baffled as to what we are doing or trying to achieve.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Well we will be trying to “transition” I guess.

People on here have said we can’t transition with this group of players (which is total bullshit), so a midtable finish with minimal squad change and better football is progression right...

I’m just trying to clear up whether Lage will get the “plaster for every sore” mentality that Nuno got and would have still got next season.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Probably not as he has no connection with the club, fans or city like the previous incumbent did.

Of course if you're an android who supports no-one then you won't understand that.

 

[prawnking]

Nuno wasn't ever, and will never be, some all conquering irreplaceable perfection of a football manager, people need to get over him.

I agree, but the thing about Nuno is that he forged a huge emotional connection with us. Apart from playing a major part in restoring the club's pride, he also was undoubtedly a gentleman and really bought into the club and the city.

At least he still left with a lot of dignity and almost unanimous goodwill, that's more than a lot of managers get

 

[GLASGOWOLF]

Probably not as he has no connection with the club, fans or city like the previous incumbent did.

The previous incumbent did not when he joined, whos to say Large wont

It qould be unusual for me if he did as managers dont usuall have the connection Nuno had

 

[AndyWolves]

Decent set piece play at both ends of the pitch
More than one mode of attacking
Quick breaks
Sensible pressing
No horseshoe of doom
Play through the middle
A bit of excitement / intensity
A goal in the first half
Anywhere above 13th

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Yeah, but I don't think "appoint someone who shouldn't even be near the job, and then sack him after a few months" is a very good strategy.

Just don't appoint him in the first place.

 

[Tony Towner]

Well we will be trying to “transition” I guess.

People on here have said we can’t transition with this group of players (which is total bullshit), so a midtable finish with minimal squad change and better football is progression right...

I’m just trying to clear up whether Lage will get the “plaster for every sore” mentality that Nuno got and would have still got next season.

I don't think they have that mentality. As you say it's not difficult to find excuses for this season, if they didn't this, I don't see why they would next:
Zenga binned on Oct 25th
Lambert stabilised but binned at the end of the season
Nuno gone after one relatively poor season after 3 fantastic ones
The expectation on Lage will be to do it from day 1

 

[Kenny]

I Hope Lage's POA is like this

1) Sign a current version of Ryan Bennett
2) Sign a current version of German Phil
3) Refuse to speak to Timmy 2 for most of the preseason, telling him that they can definately chat after the next game

Does that, we are on to a winner.

 

[Throbber3]

I don't think they have that mentality. As you say it's not difficult to find excuses for this season, if they didn't this, I don't see why they would next:
Zenga binned on Oct 25th
Lambert stabilised but binned at the end of the season
Nuno gone after one relatively poor season after 3 fantastic ones
The expectation on Lage will be to do it from day 1

Welcome to big money football 2021. We are by no means the only club to change managers for poor performance / results on the pitch even though we comfortably avoided the drop. Lage knows exactly what is expected and knows what he will have to work with in regard of players and budget. Best we let him get on with it and resume this debate in October. We will have an idea by then.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I Hope Lage's POA is like this

1) Sign a current version of Ryan Bennett
2) Sign a current version of German Phil
3) Refuse to speak to Timmy 2 for most of the preseason, telling him that they can definately chat after the next game

Does that, we are on to a winner.

More likely to be:

1) Sign 2021's Ola John
2) Get barred from a pub
3) Wear ripped jeans (unacceptable)

 

[The Bion]

The goalposts need to be put in the right position here though surely to assess Lage? I can see the “Nuno would have been better posts” come October/December/May already.

Think this is going to happen regardless. Hypothetically we go and beat, I dunno, West Ham away 3-0 or something. There will be voices saying "well Nuno could have done that if he'd had a fit Raul, summer signing X, etc"

There may be some merit to that but it's going to be there unless and until Lage eclipses what Nuno managed, which while it will be subjective equally won't be easy.

(This isn't aimed at anyone on here specifically, btw. I like to think most on here can be pretty rational and hold their hands up if/when they're wrong)

As Tony said there's 2 separate things to judge the merits of, letting Nuno go and the process involved in obtaining his replacement. At this point one is a lot easier to justify from the outside than the other.

 

[Kenny]

More likely to be:

1) Sign 2021's Ola John
2) Get barred from a pub
3) Wear ripped jeans (unacceptable)

If he going to be Walter 2 then at least we will see him want to beat up a goalkeeper. Hope Pepe Reina returns the PL next season...

I doubt he will be a Walter though. Right now he is landing somewhere in between Walter and Nuno, which isn't what we wanted but until shit starts to happen have no clue where he is. We could easily go and get a Conte type and watch him fail. One of the names banded around on this forum, Gerrard has similar experience to Lage and that is in a Division where you beat 1 team twice, you are winning the league