Welcome to Wolves Nuno Espirito Santo

[Penk Wolf]

I am no expert on the coaching side of the game, but I do wonder what Nuno and his coaching staff have done to make such improvements in Batth, Coady and Doherty. Given the fact that they survived the cull, I can only presume he felt there was something there that made them worth keeping.

Out of the three I think there is only Batth that can be looked at as an improvement. Coady had never played there before, so he was an unknown entity in that position and Doherty is improved by the system rather than him improving as a player.

 

[Tony Towner]

Although Coady not playing in that position is fair, it doesn't completely explain his transformation. Some of the balls he is now spraying from one side to the other he simply wasn't capable of or at least didn't feel comfortable to do previously. He still does worry me in that position though against sides with positive intent. Preston will press us high up the pitch like Sheff Utd did, he needs to learn the defensive side of that position as much as the sweeping up element.

 

[darlowolf64]

The other thing with Coady is that last season he just couldn't control the football...at all! I remember plenty of comments along the line of "at least at right back the ball just goes out of play for a throw in" etc
This season, for me, he is a revelation and thriving under the coaching and in the new (old) position. Maybe Liverpool academy had it right and whoever moved him to midfield was wrong

 

[Derby Wolf]

I did think there must've been *something* that made Liverpool keep him throughout his schoolboy groups. Unlike say Bright where we've been frustrated but seen plenty of glimpses of his ability I for one saw nothing at all that Coady had the ability to fo the things he has this season.

Alot of credit must go to Nuno but also to Coady who has been receptive to change.

 

[Kenny]

The other thing with Coady is that last season he just couldn't control the football...at all! I remember plenty of comments along the line of "at least at right back the ball just goes out of play for a throw in" etc

Mainly from you though (and after the Shrewsbury pre-season game this year....)

Coady when he first joined was fine. Seemed to have the backing of the fans but (and my memory is the opposite to Doosch, so I may be wrong) he got sent off in a a game and then he just seemed to struggle with the basics when he got back in and we seemed to play him higher up the pitch. As you say his first touch was appalling. Under Walter, I think he suffered like a lot of our players from not knowing where he was playing week to week. His best game under Walter came against Burton, where he played as the sitting midfieler and then the next week he was pushed further up the pitch and he looked shit again. As a right back, he was fine defensively, his touch was ok and it wasn't very often he was "done" in that position - his weakness at RB was his aatacking play. Often the move would break down or he was too slow in possession.

 

[Tredman]

Coady has been an absolute revelation for me this season, does the job he needs to do very well. He really should be captain too.

 

[Kenny]

Coady has been an absolute revelation for me this season, does the job he needs to do very well. He really should be captain too.

I think Nuno has been clever with the Captains armband and that has helped keep a good team spirit. Coady doesn't need the armband....I reckon he barks out instructions in his sleep the guy never shuts up

 

[Donegal Wolf]

I did think there must've been *something* that made Liverpool keep him throughout his schoolboy groups. Unlike say Bright where we've been frustrated but seen plenty of glimpses of his ability I for one saw nothing at all that Coady had the ability to fo the things he has this season.

Alot of credit must go to Nuno but also to Coady who has been receptive to change.

I am sure I read somewhere, that when he was coming through the ranks at Liverpool, that they thought that he would be Gerard's successor.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

They thought that about John Welsh and Jay Spearing too.

 

[Lord Knows]

Although Coady not playing in that position is fair, it doesn't completely explain his transformation. Some of the balls he is now spraying from one side to the other he simply wasn't capable of or at least didn't feel comfortable to do previously. He still does worry me in that position though against sides with positive intent. Preston will press us high up the pitch like Sheff Utd did, he needs to learn the defensive side of that position as much as the sweeping up element.

Whats surprising is the quality of passing and decision making which is of a far higher standard than he showed when operating up and down the right flank.

 

[Johnny75]

Whats surprising his the quality of passing and decision making which is of a far higher standard than he showed when operating up and down the right flank.

Amazing what good coaching will do for you.

 

[Lord Knows]

Amazing what good coaching will do for you.

Defined his role, then knows what needs to be worked on and practiced.

 

[Johnny75]

I am sure I read somewhere, that when he was coming through the ranks at Liverpool, that they thought that he would be Gerard's successor.

I thought that was Rossiter, the lad who went to Rangers in the end. As far as Coady goes he played both centre mid and centre back at Liverpool but only centre mid at Huddersfield.

I'm really glad he's proved me wrong and has turned out to be a top class sweeper at this level and I hope he continues in this vein as he's clearly very good at reading the game and organising a defence.

 

[Lycan]

Still has to learn not to panic under pressure though. Hauling down Leon like he did was inexcusable. Long way to go yet.

 

[YoungWolf]

They thought that about John Welsh and Jay Spearing too.

John Welsh was better than Gerrard in CM0102

 

[Del Woppio]

You can't underestimate how much easier his job is through having the extra time on the ball you get at sweeper compared to CM. A touch that's a tiny bit heavy doesn't matter because there's nobody near him, and he's got time to look up and spray, which he was never getting in CM. I'm still fairly convinced that if you put him in CM tomorrow, his limitations would flare up again as the pace and pressure increased. He's doing a really decent job, absolutely - but like Doc, I think it's more down to the system hiding deficiencies rather than massive technical improvement

 

[PuntsWolf]

You can't underestimate how much easier his job is through having the extra time on the ball you get at sweeper compared to CM. A touch that's a tiny bit heavy doesn't matter because there's nobody near him, and he's got time to look up and spray, which he was never getting in CM. I'm still fairly convinced that if you put him in CM tomorrow, his limitations would flare up again as the pace and pressure increased. He's doing a really decent job, absolutely - but like Doc, I think it's more down to the system hiding deficiencies rather than massive technical improvement

Was about to say this.

He’s always facing the right direction so the first touch is easier for a start as there’s no one behind you and you don’t need to turn. He then had the time to hit a long ball and the way we are playing the guy he is hitting it to is often wide open (the wing back).

He also doesn’t need to run with the ball or shoot. He doesn’t have the ability to play CM in a 2. He can probably do a job as a CDM where his role is not too different to this one.

He’s probably somewhere in the middle, maybe lacking physicality for CB but not technically good enough for CDM.

 

[Johnny75]

Was about to say this.

He’s always facing the right direction so the first touch is easier for a start as there’s no one behind you and you don’t need to turn. He then had the time to hit a long ball and the way we are playing the guy he is hitting it to is often wide open (the wing back).

He also doesn’t need to run with the ball or shoot. He doesn’t have the ability to play CM in a 2. He can probably do a job as a CDM where his role is not too different to this one.

He’s probably somewhere in the middle, maybe lacking physicality for CB but not technically good enough for CDM.

It's what they used to call a sweeper.

Maybe we should credit Nuno for wanting a certain type of player in a system he wants to play and finding that the answer was staring him in the face. Round peg, round hole. Same for the sulking RWB we have on the books too.

You could level the argument at the previous managers that the utter fucktards couldn't get the right players for the systems they wanted to play (although I think the ferret faced cumpuddle we have as a Sporting Director is responsible for that shit).

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

He doesn’t have the ability to play CM in a 2. He can probably do a job as a CDM where his role is not too different to this one.

He’s probably somewhere in the middle, maybe lacking physicality for CB but not technically good enough for CDM.

Other than Burton at home last season he rarely showed the discipline to hold position to play in front of the back four, his tackling wasn't good enough either, just fouled people and there were far too many times when he dived in and left us immediately over-exposed.

I have no idea why Ken bought him because he wasn't remotely close to the kind of midfielder we needed to complement McDonald. Still, it's worked out ok eventually...

 

[Derby Wolf]

They thought that about John Welsh and Jay Spearing too.

Its why we contracted EEL until he's 27 for when he finally becomes Lescotts replacement