Bruno Lage

[maws]

Give him a few months with his system for gods sake

 

[Bognor_Wolf]

Why are some still talking about last season still?... This is a completely different team and system yes the lack of goals is a worry (an actual striker might help you know..) but surely we have seen enough to suggest things are moving forward we played really well against a side who most think will finish 3rd this season..

Collins and Kilman look solid and the three in midfield will dominate a lot of games this season and we will score goals and create chances its just unfortune the first game we have the new guys in is against a top Spurs side away who have a Premier League great who only needs one chance to score in Kane!

Way more positives than negatives and I'm struggling how some can't see Lage is building something good here Guedes, Collins and Nunes will be BIG players and will really improve us!

The goals and results will come I have no doubt about it...

 

[Hoganstolemywife]

I personally wouldn’t. Thought there were some really good signs today and that he deserves a fair shake with this squad (and hopefully a striker).

But if we’re on 6-7 points from 10 games, on the back of last season’s run and the discussions over his future in the Summer, it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest.

My stance too. I hope he turns it around but managers don't tend to survive the run he's on

 

[JOSWolf]

We need a win soon from somewhere. The run without wins from last season is deeply concerning as is the total lack of goals. Next weekend is a big game.

 

[BCWolf]

Give him a few months with his system for gods sake

Not trying to be pedantic, but 10 games is roughly two months.

All I am saying is if we're bottom third after ten games I think Fosun should at least be considering making a change.

 

[SanFranWolf]

We’ve got to back him now he’s got at least most of the players he wants.

As others have said though, the Premier League is notoriously tough on managers on this sort of run.

Hope he can turn it around soon.

 

[Tezthewolvesfan]

He will be backed, however time waits for no one.

He needs a win and soon

 

[Minimalist]

last season he played a stupid tactic of Donk in a half midfield half right forward role.

I suspected he was going to pull this stupid rwb right forward rubbish. He started using chiquinho like that last season. You know... in all those games we were useless and lost.

What a wasteful use of Neto.

He over thinks things.
Too clever for his own good.
Idiot.

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

I can't see him surviving this and was shocked he didn't get sacked last season.

Our inability to take chances are the same now as they were last season, said in the commentary thread I'm lost for words with how many we miss Podence had a clear chance and couldn't even hit the target again it's just desperately poor.

We really don't miss that many chances. We barely create them

 

[Skrilla]

last season he played a stupid tactic of Donk in a half midfield half right forward role.

I suspected he was going to pull this stupid rwb right forward rubbish. He started using chiquinho like that last season. You know... in all those games we were useless and lost.

What a wasteful use of Neto.

He over thinks things.
Too clever for his own good.
Idiot.

He didn't really have a choice. Spurs gameplan was to overload down our left hand side, Davies playing almost as a left back when Spurs had the ball, and Perisic and Son ahead of him. If he didn't do that, Jonny would have had the impossible task of marking both of them.

 

[Rhoswolf]

Not Bruno's greatest fan but if he goes who realistically comes in?

 

[sc91]

Jardim is someone id like.

He should have gone months ago, hes still here. Shame, but whatever.

 

[MotorWoden]

last season he played a stupid tactic of Donk in a half midfield half right forward role.

I suspected he was going to pull this stupid rwb right forward rubbish. He started using chiquinho like that last season. You know... in all those games we were useless and lost.

What a wasteful use of Neto.

He over thinks things.
Too clever for his own good.
Idiot.

I agree, tying to be too clever. Nearly of all those 'clever' tactics seem to involve nullifying one or more of our attacking players - Neto looked pretty frustrated to me today, playing so deep. Sending the players out with the message 'you need to defend deep and hit them on the break' as we clearly did in the second half is almost like saying 'you arent good enough to win if we go toe to toe'. I doubt that that is good for confidence, no wonder we keep checking back, or overplaying.

We have very good players, the equal of Spurs for the most part, we need to stop having the plucky underdog attitude from our first few seasons and start trusting them. Addin ga goalscoreer will help of course but it wont be transformatice until we change our approach in my opinion.

 

[Bostin]

Deserves a few months now he’s finally starting to shape his own squad.

Not convinced by him at all though. I can’t remember the last time his subs made a difference to a game. I get the impression that he chucks a team out and hopes for the best.

The first half today was very good, but he had no answer when they came out second half.

 

[DasWolf]

Not sure why he has so many defenders here, hasn't really done anything to justify it.

No wins in 10 and the response is "uh.... just ignore last season because reasons"

 

[marrs-guitar]

Will he manage to top Terry Connor's 13 PL games in a row without a win?

 

[Contrarian]

Not sure why he has so many defenders here, hasn't really done anything to justify it.

No wins in 10 and the response is "uh.... just ignore last season because reasons"

If we'd won the last 3 matches last season, would that change anybody's attitude? I doubt it. Those who want him gone would still want him gone, they'd just have to quote some other stats. "Only 3 wins in 10, that's not good enough, he has to go".

 

[Loefah]

If we'd won the last 3 matches last season, would that change anybody's attitude? I doubt it. Those who want him gone would still want him gone, they'd just have to quote some other stats. "Only 3 wins in 10, that's not good enough, he has to go".

It absolutely would. I don't want him to go yet but there would be a lot more good will if we'd finished the season strongly and had secured 8th. Actually 3 wins would have had us secure 6th so that argument makes no sense.

 

[Contrarian]

I agree, tying to be too clever. Nearly of all those 'clever' tactics seem to involve nullifying one or more of our attacking players - Neto looked pretty frustrated to me today, playing so deep. Sending the players out with the message 'you need to defend deep and hit them on the break' as we clearly did in the second half is almost like saying 'you arent good enough to win if we go toe to toe'.

It was Spurs. Most people would think we aren't good enough to win toe to toe aganst any of the Sky 6. (other than Man U temporarily). Fair enough against Leeds & Fulham, but we did go toe to toe against them.

I doubt that that is good for confidence, no wonder we keep checking back, or overplaying.

We have very good players, the equal of Spurs for the most part, we need to stop having the plucky underdog attitude from our first few seasons and start trusting them. Addin ga goalscoreer will help of course but it wont be transformatice until we change our approach in my opinion.

I get the overall point, I agree that there is still something of the plucky underdog about us. The problem is how to move on from that. We were always a counter-attacking team. Which is the tactic of plucky underdogs. We've not even had one full 90 minutes with the new players aiming to move us on from that. I think the problem wasn't narrowly losing today, it was not winning either of Leeds or Fulham matches.

On the goalscorer, it's chicken and egg. We can't change our approach without that goal scorer presence in the box, troubling defenders like Kane and Son sometimes troubled ours. TBF I thought Raul showed some of that, and what was missing from the first two games. Classic centre forward role, though presumably not fully match fit, still thought we looked more likely to score with one Raul on the pitch, than we would with half a dozen Podences back heeling to opponents.

 

[Contrarian]

It absolutely would. I don't want him to go yet but there would be a lot more good will if we'd finished the season strongly and had secured 8th. Actually 3 wins would have had us secure 6th so that argument makes no sense.

Football supporters are licensed to have arguments that make no sense. It goes with the territory.

Bottom 6 at end of September yet beaten a couple of nonentities in the Europa league? " The league is what counts, no good having a cup run and getting relegated. Last season counts for nothing now. Bruno out".

 

[Minimalist]

He didn't really have a choice. Spurs gameplan was to overload down our left hand side, Davies playing almost as a left back when Spurs had the ball, and Perisic and Son ahead of him. If he didn't do that, Jonny would have had the impossible task of marking both of them.

Chicken and egg situation??

If he thought that was their plan then bring boly in and play a back 3/5. Let Neto play further forward.

 

[wwbug]

I don't think a striker will solve all of our issues though, it will certainly help but we need to make better decisions in the final third as a team.

Bruno has got us playing good football in the first two thirds but he will know that we need to convert that into chances and goals. I'd like him to be the man to do it but we've got a good squad now, there's no excuse.

If you don’t have men in the box there is no division to make in that final third . Just pass it out wide or backwards .

 

[wwbug]

I think the hope is that Nunes and Guedes will play a big part in changing that final third decision making.

Shall I pass to Podence Hwang Neto or Traore ? Oh **** it I will shoot !

 

[Urko]

It could be worse

Gerrard (new) poll - IN or OUT?

Please vote whether you want Gerrard sacked or we keep him as manager.

www.villatalk.com

 

[Fenrir_]

If we'd won the last 3 matches last season, would that change anybody's attitude? I doubt it. Those who want him gone would still want him gone, they'd just have to quote some other stats. "Only 3 wins in 10, that's not good enough, he has to go".

I've was critical because of the performances, people defending him were using the results as their argument. Now the results have started to mirror the performances (although worse than I feared), they're still defending him.

My stance won't change until our performances start to reflect the kind of side we have (which is a top half side that can play good stuff, and with recent additions one that should be pushing for top seven), I'm not sure what those who used results to defend him six months ago can use in his defence now

 

[the 15th Wanderer]

Not trying to be pedantic, but 10 games is roughly two months.

All I am saying is if we're bottom third after ten games I think Fosun should at least be considering making a change.

The "system" is 4 at the back we weren't playing that last year. At the risk being even more pedantic

 

[Fenrir_]

It could be worse

Gerrard (new) poll - IN or OUT?

Please vote whether you want Gerrard sacked or we keep him as manager.

www.villatalk.com

They'd have one on the Everton forum too if they hadn't nicked that equaliser!

Don't rate either Lampard or Gerrard and wouldn't sack Lage if it meant one of those were coming in

 

[Matt]

It could be worse

Gerrard (new) poll - IN or OUT?

Please vote whether you want Gerrard sacked or we keep him as manager.

www.villatalk.com

97% want him out! After 3 games, mad!

 

[colincameron]

Will he manage to top Terry Connor's 13 PL games in a row without a win?

Remarkable that it’s even close when you look at the difference between those two teams

 

[thommo1984]

Why are some still talking about last season still?

Because we haven't won a game since April 2nd

Not Bruno's greatest fan but if he goes who realistically comes in?

This is never a legitimate argument. We're a really good prospect, it's a huge job.

 

[Fenrir_]

Will he manage to top Terry Connor's 13 PL games in a row without a win?

Am I right in thinking our current run going back to last season is worse than anything Dave Jones or Mick McCarthy served up?

 

[marrs-guitar]

Am I right in thinking our current run going back to last season is worse than anything Dave Jones or Mick McCarthy served up?

Jones managed 7 winless games, McCarthy got to 9 and then we won at QPR the week before the Albion disaster; Connor then took over and delivered 13 without a win.

Nuno's worst run was 8 without a win before we beat 9-man Arsenal in his final season.

 

[Contrarian]

I've was critical because of the performances, people defending him were using the results as their argument. Now the results have started to mirror the performances (although worse than I feared), they're still defending him.

My stance won't change until our performances start to reflect the kind of side we have (which is a top half side that can play good stuff, and with recent additions one that should be pushing for top seven), I'm not sure what those who used results to defend him six months ago can use in his defence now

Beat Newcastle and Bournemouth and we will be a top half side. Will your stance change? Even 4 points will see us shoot up the table at this stage. I don't think it's performances that are the problem so far, as much as results.

Nobody can see into the future - what if we get a new manager in and we still can't score goals? It's been our problem for 2 managers now, without the right players, I'm not convinced any manager could turn this squad into that sylish free scoring side that some wanted even when we were grinding out the wins in first half last season. How does this magic work? What manager can make Donk a lethal finisher? Pod get on the end of Traores pinpoint crosses?

Now we could improve on our set pieces, which are abysmal. However, that's classic Pulis-ball/Burnley. . Defend the whole match and try and snatch something from a set piece. It's so very not stylish, of course. I believe a team defends as a team, yet goals are created and scored by individuals. "Well organised defending" is an art. "Well organised attacking" is absurd! You have to have flair and skill to surprise the opposition, unbalance them.

Never mind Bruno - I can tell you now the one change that would lift this team up the table, start winning matches. It would be if we have Jota up front with Raul. That alone would score us goals. The manager hardly matters. It's the players.

 

[sc91]

If we'd won the last 3 matches last season, would that change anybody's attitude? I doubt it. Those who want him gone would still want him gone, they'd just have to quote some other stats. "Only 3 wins in 10, that's not good enough, he has to go".

It certainly would have because you could have seen something. He didn't deserve to have the job at the end of the season though, so let's deal in that reality. Hes still here and uh, still the same.

 

[Fenrir_]

Beat Newcastle and Bournemouth and we will be a top half side. Will your stance change? Even 4 points will see us shoot up the table at this stage. I don't think it's performances that are the problem so far, as much as results.

Nobody can see into the future - what if we get a new manager in and we still can't score goals? It's been our problem for 2 managers now, without the right players, I'm not convinced any manager could turn this squad into that sylish free scoring side that some wanted even when we were grinding out the wins in first half last season. How does this magic work? What manager can make Donk a lethal finisher? Pod get on the end of Traores pinpoint crosses?

Now we could improve on our set pieces, which are abysmal. However, that's classic Pulis-ball/Burnley. . Defend the whole match and try and snatch something from a set piece. It's so very not stylish, of course. I believe a team defends as a team, yet goals are created and scored by individuals. "Well organised defending" is an art. "Well organised attacking" is absurd! You have to have flair and skill to surprise the opposition, unbalance them.

Never mind Bruno - I can tell you now the one change that would lift this team up the table, start winning matches. It would be if we have Jota up front with Raul. That alone would score us goals. The manager hardly matters. It's the players.

Will the performances be what they should or will we fluke it in a turgid manner, relying on our goalkeeper like we did last year?

And it's a nonsense to suggest the manager hardly matters, managers/head coaches make a huge difference

 

[NOKASPLACE]

If we don’t get anything against Newcastle then I really think he has 2 games to save his job. The 4 after that are horrendous fixtures

 

[Contrarian]

Will the performances be what they should or will we fluke it in a turgid manner, relying on our goalkeeper like we did last year?

Goalposts moving already! I can see it now: "Yes, we qualified for the Champions League, but it was the poorest Premier league season on record. Bruno out".

And it's a nonsense to suggest the manager hardly matters, managers/head coaches make a huge difference

When a new manager comes in, there may be a new manager bounce, but mostly teams carry on exactly as with the previous manager. Nothing changes unless there are key player changes, too. Very rarely does a manager get a different tune out of the same players. Just look at Villa and Norwich last season. New managers, nothing changed. Newcastle shot up the table because they bought wisely in the winter window. Look at any of the many teams who change managers in a season, their records are invariably the same until the new manager makes his own signings.

 

[waggys left foot]

Not Bruno's greatest fan but if he goes who realistically comes in?

Another Portuguese manager selected by Mendes of course.

 

[KBWWFC]

I can’t remember the last time his subs made a difference to a game.

All of our players have the same attributes. We have no game changers on the bench, only "more of the same".

 

[Alex Rae The Substitute]

If he fails to win one of the next two he’s in big trouble.

Still not won over by him (was always going to be a big ask after Nuno), but I hope he can get enough points on the board soon to give himself a shot with his own team.