The Bruno Lage Appreciation Thread

[PuntsWolf]

I think most of this is fair enough. I doubt anyone thinks we'll stay 6th for too long, but it's where we're at and it's good to see.

I'm not sure we can downplay the manager too much by saying the squad 'isn't that bad'. We all know how much extra a good manager can squeeze out of players, that's why teams sack so many, to get that advantage. It's why Ole has gone, even with the brilliant squad he has.

Any old manager can't just turn up and get a team like us performing at the top of our ceiling (which is what 6th is). He's obviously decent, let's hope he hasn't peaked haha

I didn’t downplay him?

 

[prawnking]

I didn’t downplay him?

My... everyone's a bit tense and touchy atm...

Just my opinion mate, I just think making out the squad was already there or thereabouts (and a couple of people have suggested this) is doing Bruno a slight disservice. If anything, it was on the decline.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

We miss Jota. Moutinho is getting older. Neto still injured. Johnny has been broken. Boly has fallen from the first team starters. There’s some decline.

But positives are RAN, Semedo (your mileage may vary but I like him), Podence getting better. The arrival of Hwang and Trincao. These things balance a bit.

Im hoping that with Raul looking much nearer to what we remember so dearly that could be key.

 

[prawnking]

We miss Jota. Moutinho is getting older. Neto still injured. Johnny has been broken. Boly has fallen from the first team starters. There’s some decline.

But positives are RAN, Semedo (your mileage may vary but I like him), Podence getting better. The arrival of Hwang and Trincao. These things balance a bit.

Im hoping that with Raul looking much nearer to what we remember so dearly that could be key.

I actually think Neves is getting better too

 

[PuntsWolf]

My... everyone's a bit tense and touchy atm...

Not at all

Just my opinion mate, I just think making out the squad was already there or thereabouts (and a couple of people have suggested this) is doing Bruno a slight disservice. If anything, it was on the decline.

It’s not what I said though is it. But carry on

 

[Tony Towner]

 

[AndyWolves]

How much of players improving is down to the manager and coaching we do?

 

[Templeton Peck]

He hasn’t been backed but the Squad still isn’t that bad as Paul says. A real down season last year and we came 13th, we should definitely be finishing ahead of that even with the same set of players (particular when a lot of them have improved - Kilman, Semedo, RAN, Neves, even Saiss).

They've improved because of Lage though.

 

[The Bear]

We rode our luck with Villa yes, but we actually scored the goals that won the game. They weren't awarded to us.

Leeds could have easily been no penalty at the end.

And the first three games of the season our opposition ride their luck. Could have had 2 or 3 points extra out of those.

Swings and roundabouts.

 

[Sniffer]

We rode our luck with Villa yes, but we actually scored the goals that won the game. They weren't awarded to us.

A goal from a clearance hitting Coady and a huge deflection for the winner but I’ll take any bit of luck going to beat them.

 

[PuntsWolf]

They've improved because of Lage though.

In some instances yes. He’s certainly getting more out the team from an aesthetic point of view. But most of these players have been used well in the past (just not last year), but in a different way.

Kilman has never let us down when he played previously and is now actually getting a run of games. If Boly never got injured he may never have got it. Semedo has been pretty consistent in levels for a calendar year now. RAN is a year older and adapting to the league, Neves is an elite performer but is actually able to show it now because of the change in style and Saiss was a mainstay in a team that finished 7th twice and is still pretty consistent with how he’s always been - generally solid, good on the ball, got a mistake in him.

My point was originally supporting Paul after Redvictor and others have/had insinuated that the squad is a bunch of relegation fodder/on a par with Burnley, southampton and other shite that will be in the bottom third.

I’ve been pretty consistent that the squad during Nuno’s last year was a good one that underperformed and I was consistent on that pre summer transfer window and I’m still consistent on it now.

 

[redvictor]

In some instances yes. He’s certainly getting more out the team from an aesthetic point of view. But most of these players have been used well in the past (just not last year), but in a different way.

Kilman has never let us down when he played previously and is now actually getting a run of games. If Boly never got injured he may never have got it. Semedo has been pretty consistent in levels for a calendar year now. RAN is a year older and adapting to the league, Neves is an elite performer but is actually able to show it now because of the change in style and Saiss was a mainstay in a team that finished 7th twice and is still pretty consistent with how he’s always been - generally solid, good on the ball, got a mistake in him.

My point was originally supporting Paul after Redvictor and others have/had insinuated that the squad is a bunch of relegation fodder/on a par with Burnley, southampton and other shite that will be in the bottom third.

I’ve been pretty consistent that the squad during Nuno’s last year was a good one that underperformed and I was consistent on that pre summer transfer window and I’m still consistent on it now.

Say what now? I never said anything like that! I said Bruno has got a better tune out of the squad he inherited, but there was extenuating circumstances as to why the squad didn't do so well under Nuno in his last season....

 

[prawnking]

My point was originally supporting Paul after Redvictor and others have/had insinuated that the squad is a bunch of relegation fodder/on a par with Burnley, southampton and other shite that will be in the bottom third.

You can't moan about being misquoted (you weren't) then pull this out an hour later

 

[PuntsWolf]

In fairness he hasn't done that bad with the squad he inherited.

I’m not really sure how there’s any other way of interpreting this. You make out (IMO) the squad is worse than a midtable one. I don’t think it is/was

You can't moan about being misquoted (you weren't) then pull this out an hour later

If you say so

 

[redvictor]

I’m not really sure how there’s any other way of interpreting this. You make out (IMO) the squad is worse than a midtable one. I don’t think it is/was

If you say so

What? You reading it in Egyptian or something? It's the only way you can interpret what i said into what you want to believe i said...

 

[PuntsWolf]

What? You reading it in Egyptian or something? It's the only way you can interpret what i said into what you want to believe i said...

How good do you think the squad is?

 

[sycophantia]

This thread has been getting progressively more weird all day

 

[redvictor]

This thread has been getting progressively more weird all day

Word!

 

[redvictor]

How good do you think the squad is?

I think it's decent. It needs additions to bolster the squad as most of us have discussed on numerous occasions. They are not relegation fodder at all, and i've never said they were. Others may have said it, but i certainly haven't.

 

[PuntsWolf]

I think it's decent. It needs additions to bolster the squad as most of us have discussed on numerous occasions. They are not relegation fodder at all, and i've never said they were. Others may have said it, but i certainly haven't.

I think it’s a midtable to top half Squad performing at midtable to top half levels.

Apologies if I have misinterpreted your post. But still to me “ In fairness he hasn't done that bad with the squad he inherited” makes out he inherited a bad squad, or certainly not a mid table one.

It’s a good squad he is doing well with. But needs reinforcements to go up a level.