Bruno Lage

[Supadavewolf]

Coady, Saiss, Boly, Kilman, Neves, Moutinho, Cundle, Donk. 8 players who are on the slow side

I wouldn't disagree with most, although check out some of Max's defensive runs to recover the ball/protect the goal. He has a lot of pace for a central defender, whether in a 2 or 3 CB formation.

Toti - starting to show he could be PL quality - is also not too shabby in pace terms.

Agree we need to sort out the right-footed/right-sidef CB situation (I don't think Mosquera is ready yet for a PL campaign), assuming Toti starts as backup.

 

[North West Wanderer]

It’s such a risky Summer this year.

Not only are we going to lose our best player and talisman, but also a number of senior professionals who have been big personalities and leaders within that dressing room for the best part of 5 years.

Moving away from three at the back, our identity for so many years, may give us the impetus to get 7th next season (the absolute best we can ever hope for) but could very, very easily result in a relegation battle. Remember the likes of Stoke and Albion moving away from their identity in search of ‘more attractive football’ and how that ended up for both.

There isn’t anything in Bruno’s CV to suggest that he is the man capable of leading a huge rebuild but it will be a massive challenge for whoever the Manager is.

Stick or twist?

Do you trust Bruno to build a new squad?

Nope not under any circumstances.

 

[wolf of sedgley]

Relegation beckons next season if he stays on.

 

[DDPPwolf313]

I think he's gone.

He's saying the same things as he said in the January transfer window and his body language yesterday had defeated all over it.

I feel for him, the board didn't back him and it's clear the players have let him down in this second half of the season.

But the buck stops with him.

 

[Bill McCai]

We've lost 8 of the last 13, winning 3 and drawing 2. 11 points in 13 games.

In the 13 games before that we got 24 points (P13 W7 D3, L3).

We've completely fell off a cliff in terms of points returned.

The question is - can Lage get us back to that type of return from the beginning of next season? Watching us recently - it doesn't feel like there are many green shoots/or that we have been unlucky.

You have to wonder what Jeff Shi is thinking - do they see this recent run in the same manner or are they happy with mid table finish?

 

[Superted]

Nope not under any circumstances.

Genuine question.

Who, realistically, would you trust to rebuild the squad?

 

[North West Wanderer]

Genuine question.

Who, realistically, would you trust to rebuild the squad?

And therein lies the issue!

I don’t claim to be the expert some appear to be on here!

I do like Potter at Brighton.
Cooper at Forest has been great.
Lopetegiu is leaving sevillia isn’t he

 

[Sussex Wolf]

We've lost 8 of the last 13, winning 3 and drawing 2. 11 points in 13 games.

In the 13 games before that we got 24 points (P13 W7 D3, L3).

We've completely fell off a cliff in terms of points returned.

The question is - can Lage get us back to that type of return from the beginning of next season? Watching us recently - it doesn't feel like there are many green shoots/or that we have been unlucky.

You have to wonder what Jeff Shi is thinking - do they see this recent run in the same manner or are they happy with mid table finish?

This is my big concern too.

As to what Jeff may think. Let’s assume Jeff intends to continue the cautious growth of Wolves as a club, essentially run on breakeven finances and relying on continued and stable PL status to allow the club to grow in value and spending power. This relies on having a coach who can develop youngsters, and who can make the most of the squad when challenged by injuries, suspension and international duty. I think Lage can develop youngsters, and I think he can fashion a competitive team who play attractive football. However I have serious doubts he can adapt to losing key players or the inevitable poor runs that every team suffers from. He may need a larger and deeper squad to do that, and that may conflict with Jeff’s strategy.

 

[Corporate Wolf]

And therein lies the issue!

I don’t claim to be the expert some appear to be on here!

I do like Potter at Brighton.
Cooper at Forest has been great.
Lopetegiu is leaving sevillia isn’t he

Excellent shout. Used to working within a budget. Clearly a great man-manager who's stock is rising.
And a Midlands lad to boot!

 

[Elvis Wolf]

Saiss and Boly -two of our most experienced players- have made howlers in the last poor run of games that have contributed to us losing points. What options does Lage have there, and are they good ones? He could have played Totti. Chose not to. So okay, we can judge him based on that choice. Our best defender of the season - Kilman- is out injured. That's not a Lage choice, though we do have to credit him with giving Kilman the game time in the first place. And Boly wasn't getting game time during our best run of form. We don't know why -fitness or tactics- so we can't judge whether to credit Lage for that or not. We can't ignore that Saiss and Boly are players whom our head coach should be able to expect better from.

The season seems to have turned on that Leeds game. We can't blame Lage for the red card. Take that out of the game and we would have strolled to a win. Can we blame Lage for the collapse after the red card? It's probably fair to lay a portion of that blame on him, since it's his job to organize the players and have contingency plans. But, again, we can't overlook that there were players on the pitch making stupid decisions that Lage should be able to expect them not to make.

Can we blame Lage for Burnely and Brighton? I think it's fair to question him over those games. The team didn't seem motivated or organized. The latter is 100% Lage's job. The former...I would say the same as with the individual errors, I think we should ALL have the expectation that high-earning premier league players with a shot at Europe have a responsibility to motivate themselves.

And while we're handing out credit or blame, we can't overlook the tactical idea that got us points against Chelsea and Norwich. This hybrid 3/4 at the back approach with Jonny providing cover while the team gets forward. Lage deserved credit for those decisions, and also equally blame for taking the same approach against City. But if we're handing out blame for dropping points to City lets also remember Bruno's plan almost got us a draw against them earlier in the season and, as with the Leeds red card, he can't be blamed for a ref AND VAR inventing a handball to give a penalty.

If we're taking the season as a whole, then a team who finished 13th last season, and didn't invest in the summer, and lost key players to injury, are (currently) 8th. There are at least 10 clubs who would happily trade seasons with us. The couple immediately behind us...remains to be seen. But we are finishing higher than last season with arguably fewer squad options. I don't see how that is anything other than a credit to Lage.

We saw in pre-season he tried his preferred tactics and realised they weren't going to work with the current squad. We then saw in the first three games that he tried to turn the 343 into an all-out attack and realised we weren't scoring goals, so then he switched to PLAN C and tightened us up at the back to compensate. Working on his THIRD option, we were maintaining champions league form until players who had been defending well all season stopped doing so, and we lost our most creative midfielder to injury, and our most creative attacker to injury, and then Saiss and Boly started making those howlers.

OF COURSE ultimately we can say the responsibility for the poor run of form must lie with the head coach. But then, the same responsibility must be given to him for the GOOD runs of form and that, as it stands, the season as a whole has us in a very creditable and promising 8th place. If that drops down to 9th..still a good season. If we drop out of the top ten, then okay, it's much less impressive.

On balance though, he came into a club who had just finished 13th, he wasn't backed in the market, and he got a tune for most of the season out of a team that is two years overdue a refresh. He's done a good job -provisionally, because I'm willing to lower that if we drop out of the top ten (i.e., if the evidence changes.) He's earned the chance to carry out the refresh and see what the club can do with his preferred system and with players he's chosen.

(EDITED TO CORRECT LAST SEASON'S LEAGUE FINISH, BECAUSE APPARENTLY, THAT IS VITAL FOR MY CREDIBILITY RATING ON EQUIFAX.)

EXCELLENT post, J.S.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

And therein lies the issue!

I don’t claim to be the expert some appear to be on here!

I do like Potter at Brighton.
Cooper at Forest has been great.
Lopetegiu is leaving sevillia isn’t he

Feel bad trying to replace a guy who is still in post and in some ways hasn't done too badly (though in other ways has achieved nothing).


I couldn't see why Potter would come to us.
Cooper has worked miracles at Forest, but has he really shown anything that suggests he could do the job we need?
Lopetegui, think if we were pushing on he'd come, weirdly the Champ project Nuno did such a great job with seems less attractive now it's a 'reach the top 6 without spending any money' project.

 

[Irish_Wolf]

I'd still give him the summer and see if he's supported in the window. Let's see what team he builds and see how a team he has assembled responds to him.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

I don't think Fosun want attacking football, they don't give a stuff how we play so long as we stay in the prem. We are an investment, a hook to get construction contracts in the Midlands, nothing more. That's why we have a cheap coach and buy 'bargains' or 'players for the future'.

Bruno has no ideas and no authority. My hope is we get a new coach, a new spine, and bring some of the kids through. I will get behind that. Rather play proper football and finish bottom half than put up with this rubbish.

How does owning wolves help them get construction contracts in the midlands? That seems a massive stretch of the imagination.

The whole “id rather play attractive football and finish in the bottom half” is a fools folly. The natives would be severely restless if that happened. I’d guarantee after a few 4-3 losses on the bounce everyone would be shouting for a return to 5 at the back immediately.

 

[Bawtry Wolf]

I think he's gone.

He's saying the same things as he said in the January transfer window and his body language yesterday had defeated all over it.

I feel for him, the board didn't back him and it's clear the players have let him down in this second half of the season.

But the buck stops with him.

He may or may not have been let down by the Board although @Fenrir_ makes a good point that as a youth team coach you get what you’re given and have to chop and change throughout the season. Look at our u23 and u18 teams to see an example.

What is unforgivable, particularly for someone supposed to have a massive eye for detail is that we are making the same ‘mistakes’ time and again and we’re not learning. We’ve played Norwich 3 times and looked abysmal 3 times. Watching Pukki yesterday in the first half was like rewatching the Wellbeck run for the Brighton penalty or Toney earlier in the season, same run time and again and we fall for it every time. That’s not someone who is paying attention to detail. Similarly going forward, bring on Chiquinho, you know he likes to cross early and puts in a good cross, train your players to attack the cross. Instead we appear to have decided that if the ball goes out wide then the central forward/midfielder must drop deep for the ball back, that or we’re playing some weird rules that means that you cannot go into the oppositions box before the ball. Finally, we cannot move the ball quickly, I lost count of the number of times where a first time ball was on yet the player would take 2/3 touches and the chance was gone.

This is all basic training stuff, all things a decent coach should iron out and doesn’t necessitate the coach requiring his ‘own’ players to do it. Has anyone thought that maybe the players are a little bit demotivated hearing that they’re too slow or too similar to play the way the manager wants and he’s having to make do and mend. He might be thinking that, he might be saying that to Jeff and Scott but you don’t broadcast that to all and sundry, it doesn’t motivate existing players and makes potential new players question the culture. Imagine your boss at work or even yourself doing it to staff in your company every week in the trade press would you expect them to pull up trees for you? Would expect a queue of high quality new recruits lined up to join? I wouldn’t.

For all these reasons I’m afraid he has to go, he is displaying the traits that got him the sack at Benfica, it’s obvious that he just doesn’t learn which is ironic for a coach.

I do wonder whether he was on a short leash anyway. We knew we were’t going to spend much this season and that we had more money available this coming season post UEFA sanctions. So we weren’t that attractive and possibly people weren’t as available. Bruno was brought in to see what he could do with the existing squad and if he succeeded by playing more attractive football he could lead the rebuild, if not we change and the new manager has more money available. Fosun are ruthless and not sentimental they got shot of Jackett, Zenga and Lambert quickly enough and Nuno was on his way when he failed to deliver.

 

[Superted]

And therein lies the issue!

I don’t claim to be the expert some appear to be on here!

I do like Potter at Brighton.
Cooper at Forest has been great.
Lopetegiu is leaving sevillia isn’t he

This is the thing. Do you take another gamble on a change of manager?

You've got the incumbent, who knows the squad well and has, one way or another, got an imbalanced squad to an 8th/9th placed finish and has presumably been planning for the summer transfer business (whatever that turns out to be).

Or you've got some potential, currently unidentfied, replacement candidate who hasn't done any of the above, doesn't know the squad and will still want millions to get his own players in and system installed throughout a summer of upheaval.

Yes the final third of the season was alarming but I think Bruno has probably earned the benefit of the doubt for now and deserves to try and implement his preferred philosophy. I'm convinced that the current one is not what he wants to be doing judging by his constant frustration on the touchline and regular pleas for new players. I understand he was subdued yesterday but what do you do if you think you've tried everything? Nobody has an unlimited bank of ideas and knowledge, there surely comes a point where you have to accept that you're not going to get what you want out of a certain individual(s)?

I've had to dismiss several staff over the years who, despite all of my best efforts of encouragement, training, mentoring, discipline, just were not performing in the role they were brought in to do and weren't interested in improving their performance. The advantage for me is that I'm not limited by a transfer window that prevents me from changing staff when I need to.

I'm prepared to accept that this season was something of a trial to see what he could do with what he'd got, hopefully with the promise of more significant backing if he did well enough. That would make some sense rather than wasting millions backing a manager straight away who then turns out to be useless. Yes that would be risky but at least if it had failed, we wouldn't have been totally ruined financially.

 

[WickedWolfie]

I don't think Fosun want attacking football, they don't give a stuff how we play so long as we stay in the prem. We are an investment, a hook to get construction contracts in the Midlands, nothing more. That's why we have a cheap coach and buy 'bargains' or 'players for the future'.

Bruno has no ideas and no authority. My hope is we get a new coach, a new spine, and bring some of the kids through. I will get behind that. Rather play proper football and finish bottom half than put up with this rubbish.

Re your last sentence, like hell. Easy to say but never holds water. Look at the negative reaction when Lage tried to go toe to toe with Citeh. Look at how both Shamberk and Jackett ensured that we avoided relegation troubles - grinding out results. Hell, look at what Eddie Howe did at Newcastle....

 

[marrs-guitar]

Lage isn't going to be opportunity to build his own team purely on his own terms.

He is head coach, not manager, and will not be dictating the transfers. This will be done by Shi/Sellars. At best, our head coach will get to have strong input into transfer decisions, maybe even able to overrule Shi/Sellars on a target, maybe at most able to make suggestions.

But he certainly won't be able to say "get me player X and player Y" and have them delivered to him. That model went at Wolves with McCarthy's departure and isn't coming back under Fosun.

This was already the case under Nuno, who plainly didn't want Cutrone or Afobe coming in, but had to lump it as Thelwell was so keen. I'd suggest that Lage won't even get as much say as Nuno did anyway (younger, cheaper coach, with a rocky standing within the club), and that Shi's frustration with Nuno's resistance to certain transfer ideas ultimately paved the way for his sacking.

So, when the plea goes out for Lage to "build his own team", it's a total non-starter. That's not his remit, and never would have been presented as his remit from day 1. His remit is to coach the players the club signs and create a good team from those materials.

Where he has been let down is that the club have been totally complacent in addressing the weak areas of the squad and then bizarrely frivolous with the supposedly frugal budget in throwing down money on a poor player like Hwang. The hope is that the club is far smarter in the summer with its transfer dealings, but that won't be due to Lage getting on the phone and having a kitty to spend as he wishes.

 

[Mugwump]

I think he's gone.

He's saying the same things as he said in the January transfer window and his body language yesterday had defeated all over it.

I feel for him, the board didn't back him and it's clear the players have let him down in this second half of the season.

But the buck stops with him.

I think tactically, he isnt cutting it, but if we keep him, and he isnt backed properly again, he's on a hiding to nothing. I've been saying it for a while, 2 windows he has asked for players and he hasnt got them. He should have walked away after being let down twice.

And the other problem is he has a bloke above him who has said in an interview " I don’t ever want to sign players that he wants and I don’t want " Like he is some sort of transfer market genius. He isnt, as anyone with any sense knows, we rely on Mendes. I still think Nuno went because of this sort of nonsense from Sellars and Shi. He wasnt going to tolerate it and there was no choice but for him to leave.

 

[sillytuna]

Easiest spot the contradiction competition in history.

Lol! The fact we could defend in the same way we've defended for years was the only thing that was consistent. If you could spot any plan or shape to the team outside of having everyone sat back...

 

[WickedWolfie]

Excellent shout. Used to working within a budget. Clearly a great man-manager who's stock is rising.
And a Midlands lad to boot!

.... and Brighton, like us, struggle to score regularly....

 

[SuperGran]

But how can he not have learned from the two previous Norwich games? Is the squad worse than Norwich’s?

Was our squad worse than West Brom last season? Or worse than Huddersfield

 

[Burford T Justice]

So because he isnt in relegation form in your original last last third of the season time frame you originally said, you change your amount of games to suit your argument. Seems sensible.

Lol, you used 12 games I used 10 as that was the table i looked at. Neither are a 3rd ofnthe season, that was an approximation of the timescale.

So if you'd like to try again without the pedantry go ahead.

 

[SakosRightFoot]

If we’re being honest with ourselves has he actually done anything to warrant support?

The reality is he took over a squad that had finished 7th in consecutive seasons and then had a blip when it was knackered from the previous mega season and lost its 3 main goal scorers.

He came with a reputation for attacking football, we saw it for 3 games and didn’t actually score in those.

We keep hearing he wants to play 4 at the back, but abandoned it in pre season when they should have been drilling it into the players and at no point has tried it during the season.

We picked up points from having a very good defence, then he started tinkering with it as the season went on and it’s got worse. He doesn’t seem to know how to get the best out of Raul, he didn’t know how to use Traore properly, he’s publicly criticised young players.

Yes he’s had injuries to key players to contend with, but the question will always be is our top ten finish because of him or in spite of him? If he was brought in to refresh our playing style and make us more attractive to watch he has failed spectacularly, you only need to look at the masses of empty seats at the end of games.

 

[Mugwump]

Lol, you used 12 games I used 10 as that was the table i looked at. Neither are a 3rd ofnthe season, that was an approximation of the timescale.

So if you'd like to try again without the pedantry go ahead.

Your statement about the last 3rd of the season.

That the Sevilla manager who has Sevilla in "relegation form' over the last 3rd of the season?

At the time of your statement, Sevilla had played 36 games. Now a third of that is 12 games. See what i did there, i used simple mathematics to work that out. Havent got a clue where 10 games came from or what you were looking at. Maybe you shouldnt have used "the last 3rd of the season "as your yardstick.

 

[fleck1]

The thing for me is we saw the exciting fast paced football of the first three games but it has not been seen since. We have been sat comfortably sat in 8th and the last few weeks have been a chance to throw caution to the wind and have a go, but the football has got more and more turgid and harder to watch. I have made plenty of excuses for Bruno about backing and needing his own players but yesterday tipped me towards him having to go. The crowd were desperate for a spark to get up and celebrate some great players that we may not see in gold shirts again, but we offered nothing against an all ready relegated Norwich side that have shipped 79 goals this season. I had high hopes in the beginning but sorry its a no from me Bruno.

 

[Northampton_wolf]

Lage has to be backed if we finish 8th or 9th it a fantastic season with just a drop off, its awful, but you can see players werent at the best and things just seem to have gone wrong since Feb 2022.

I didnt expect to be in this position in the beginning of the year.

If we truly want top 6 we spend the cash and we back bruno.

If he doesnt work out next year, then yes change can be called for. But we must give him this next seasons with players to have a chance

 

[Northampton_wolf]

The thing for me is we saw the exciting fast paced football of the first three games but it has not been seen since. We have been sat comfortably sat in 8th and the last few weeks have been a chance to throw caution to the wind and have a go, but the football has got more and more turgid and harder to watch. I have made plenty of excuses for Bruno about backing and needing his own players but yesterday tipped me towards him having to go. The crowd were desperate for a spark to get up and celebrate some great players that we may not see in gold shirts again, but we offered nothing against an all ready relegated Norwich side that have shipped 79 goals this season. I had high hopes in the beginning but sorry its a no from me Bruno.

Bruno cant play the game for them, from everything i have heard from tony roberts and the players he is conistently training attacking dynamic football on the training pitch.

To many flicks, low confidence and slow players in passing or defence, have caused issues.

I do think sometimes managers get to much slack

 

[Superted]

If we’re being honest with ourselves has he actually done anything to warrant support?

The reality is he took over a squad that had finished 7th in consecutive seasons and then had a blip when it was knackered from the previous mega season and lost its 3 main goal scorers.

He came with a reputation for attacking football, we saw it for 3 games and didn’t actually score in those.

We keep hearing he wants to play 4 at the back, but abandoned it in pre season when they should have been drilling it into the players and at no point has tried it during the season.

We picked up points from having a very good defence, then he started tinkering with it as the season went on and it’s got worse. He doesn’t seem to know how to get the best out of Raul, he didn’t know how to use Traore properly, he’s publicly criticised young players.

Yes he’s had injuries to key players to contend with, but the question will always be is our top ten finish because of him or in spite of him? If he was brought in to refresh our playing style and make us more attractive to watch he has failed spectacularly, you only need to look at the masses of empty seats at the end of games.

I don't quite understand the suggestion that we've got a top ten finish "in spite of him", therefore he should be sacked.

If he is not responsible for the positive results and points won then that would imply that he bears no responsibility for the poor performances over the final third of the season either, which is being used as justification for sacking him.

It can't be had both ways.

 

[Northampton_wolf]

I don't quite understand the suggestion that we've got a top ten finish "in spite of him", therefore he should be sacked.

If he is not responsible for the positive results and points won then that would imply that he bears no responsibility for the poor performances over the final third of the season either, which is being used as justification for sacking him.

It can't be had both ways.

Exactly!

 

[Deleted member drgr12429]

Bruno cant paly the game for them, from everything i have heard from tony roberts and the players he is conistently training attacking dynamic football on the training pitch.

To many flicks, low confidence and slow players in passing or defence, have caused issues.

I do think sometimes managers get to much slack

Just look at how we mostly have conceded goals since Feb. Balls in behind through the space behind Boly or Coady. Unless they play deep, which means the whole team do we are too slow to react. Teams have worked out this is our weakness. It's ever since Kilman got injured. Neither Jonny or Boly (and Coady) are fast enough for our higher line defence. They are good in a deep lying 3.
Not sure what you can do when you have only 3 CB for 3 positions.

 

[wolfgar]

Nope not under any circumstances.

Lage appears to rate Hwang highly which rings some alarm bells for me tbh. This past few months have been so poor that if I were Fosun I'd be seriously tempted to make a change

I have to admit I'm really anxious at the thought of Lage and Sellars overseeing the 7/8 signing we're perhaps going to need to make this summer.

 

[fev123]

I've lost a bit of faith in him now tbh. His team selections are very random, he seems to stick to formations and tactics that dont seem to work and his substitutions are often poor. The real problem I have is that I dont think there is a single player in this squad who feels they have his trust, several he's openly criticised and everybody else he either doesnt start often, have been dropped or subbed off unceremonialy. Confidence is key for players and I dont think Bruno gives players the sense they have his backing. A great coach but perhaps not a great manager.

 

[Deleted member drgr12429]

Lage appears to rate Hwang highly which rings some alarm bells for me tbh. This past few months have been so poor that if I were Fosun I'd be seriously tempted to make a change rather than hand him and the recruitment team the funds they are going to make available. In reality we might need to bring in as many as 7/8 players this summer, backing him on this seems a big, big call to me.

Everything is a big call and a huge gamble on not only the recruitment team, but the manager. So many questions that will be answered as the summer window pans out. Ruddy saying it's a big summer and team transition in his interview on Wolves website.
I'm sure the club will be soul searching over the next two weeks. They can see what the fans see, but unlike us they know the reasons why there's been a fall off. Only they will know whether it's Bruno for the forseeable future or not.

 

[fleck1]

Bruno cant paly the game for them, from everything i have heard from tony roberts and the players he is conistently training attacking dynamic football on the training pitch.

To many flicks, low confidence and slow players in passing or defence, have caused issues.

I do think sometimes managers get to much slack

Yes I agree managers often get the bullet and deserve some slack. But we saw these players play that style of football and create chances to Leicester, Utd and Spurs in them first three games so we know it can be done. Its totally baffling that this would be totally abandoned after there 1-0 defeats to three good sides. Yesterday was the perfect opportunity to excite the fans and just have a go, couple of people around me left at half time. What we have seen last 10 games or so just doesn't convince me we should let him build his own side.

 

[Burford T Justice]

Your statement about the last 3rd of the season.



At the time of your statement, Sevilla had played 36 games. Now a third of that is 12 games. See what i did there, i used simple mathematics to work that out. Havent got a clue where 10 games came from or what you were looking at. Maybe you shouldnt have used "the last 3rd of the season "as your yardstick.

Without the arrogance your points are fair and my "3rd of the season" was a flippant generalisation based on a number games close to a 3rd.

 

[Zico]

And therein lies the issue!

I don’t claim to be the expert some appear to be on here!

I do like Potter at Brighton.
Cooper at Forest has been great.
Lopetegiu is leaving sevillia isn’t he

But what has Potter achieved this season that Bruno hasn't? Struggled for much of the season to score goals, about to finish in pretty much the same position.

 

[Mugwump]

Without the arrogance your points are fair and my "3rd of the season" was a flippant generalisation based on a number games close to a 3rd.

I'm like Eric Cantona. I'm just not the same without a bit of arrogance. Thats why i'm so good!

 

[Superted]

But what has Potter achieved this season that Bruno hasn't? Struggled for much of the season to score goals, about to finish in pretty much the same position.

Haven't Brighton have the mirror image of our season?

Started off dreadfully but have finished strongly.

 

[SakosRightFoot]

I don't quite understand the suggestion that we've got a top ten finish "in spite of him", therefore he should be sacked.

If he is not responsible for the positive results and points won then that would imply that he bears no responsibility for the poor performances over the final third of the season either, which is being used as justification for sacking him.

It can't be had both ways.

With respect I think you missed my point slightly. I was saying he has had very little impact across the board. Whether we won or lost did he make a difference? I’m not sure he did and that for me is worrying. I don’t see a clear identity or style and we can’t throw all the blame on the squad and say they’re not his players or not good enough because the evidence shows barring one disappointing season they are a top ten squad.

Did any of the players improve as the season went on? I honestly don’t think so

Did he bring through younger talent? Again no we saw Cundle briefly but barring a 2 minute cameo at Newcastle the u23s top scorer has been ignored and he publicly criticised other younger players.

Are we a better team for a full season with him in charge? I really don’t think we are

It’s a shame because I genuinely had such high hopes for him, but I no longer believe he is the man to lead the next stage, he doesn’t seem to have the characteristics to unite people, players, staff, fans all together as we need them to be. It’s perhaps unfair that he followed a man who did just that, but to move forward we need a new Nuno not a Paul Lambert and I’m sorry for me Lage is Lambert

 

[lets all have a disco]

Haven't Brighton have the mirror image of our season?

Started off dreadfully but have finished strongly.

Brighton started off well... dreadful middle , where they didn't score for 3 months at home.... strong end..

We started and finished badly but had a very strong middle ....

Overall result the same ..