Burnt out, Tired or maybe getting complacent?

[wwbug]

This was always going to be a problem.
I did say last month that after three years the Savilla match was a “full stop” - A point of arrival.
Not a comma .
I think we could only get around that by buying like Chelsea ,Everton , Leicester or even Villa have done, or regenerate over a longer period as we have obviously decided to do.
Giving Nuno a new challenge , which he relishes, to bring along the brightest of young players.
I don’t expect another peak for two years.

 

[Ewok vs Wolf]

I think its the effect from the long season we had. The lack of a pre season

 

[colwall wolf]

Manutd, wolves, chelsea and Mancity have all started average at best

Wonder what they all had in common?

It’s clear lack of pre season has effected all four sides

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

I am worried about saying this but..are the players burnt out / tired or is it complacency or even a slight lack of desire?

I am worried that Nuno is even having to say we lack speed / tempo, not making runs / turns we should and we need to get on the training pitch. For the first two seasons our work ethic has set us apart from other teams but this now seems to have dropped off a little to me. Surely the things Nuno is talking about should be a given and what our rise from the Championship have been based upon.

Lookman came on Sunday and changed the game for Fulham. I would argue that he isn't technically more gifted than Podence, Traore, Neto but what he brought was a desire and enthusiasm to take the game to the opposition that we seemed to sadly lack. I would say Neto was the least culpable for this accusation but surely Podence (particularly) and Traore shouldnt be tired after sitting on our bench.

I think complacency has been a bit of a problem this season. From Raul arguing with the ref rather than getting in the box to Boly's ball-watching, good players have switched off a little at times.
We also look a little disorganised, but that is understandable given the changes and the lack of preseason. Having said that, I think the reaction to us winning against Fulham from some on here is over the top, having had no pre-season and a year of playing.
With regards to Lookman changing the game,no I think we changed the game by bringing on the extra midfielder. Every time we do this we lose any kind of initiative. I don't know why we still persist with it; it doesn't work.

 

[sillytuna]

It was the same for all teams. Don't think our squad is that much smaller, just that we seem to have a lot of young players, who while apparently are full of potential, are not considered for the first team.

We played more games with less players. There's no getting around it - this stuff has contributed to our early season performances. Nuno has straight up said as much. Seems a bit weird to doubt it.

It's not an excuse, it's a reason. It's our job to deal with it.

 

[Fifty Niner]

Like all the sides in Europe, we looked tired. Imagine the meltdown here if Villa had done that to us - well they did it to Liverpool!

We also had the longest season of anyone last year.

I do wonder if we need to give the youngsters more of a chance and give Neves and Moutinho in particular a rest.

To be fair, we had a 3 month break like everyone else before limping over the line.

We started to look stale last season so new players were needed even if Doc or Jota hadn’t left. I also think our slow tempo doesn’t help as it mentally slows everything down including reaction times.

 

[Fifty Niner]

I think complacency has been a bit of a problem this season. From Raul arguing with the ref rather than getting in the box to Boly's ball-watching, good players have switched off a little at times.
We also look a little disorganised, but that is understandable given the changes and the lack of preseason. Having said that, I think the reaction to us winning against Fulham from some on here is over the top, having had no pre-season and a year of playing.
With regards to Lookman changing the game,no I think we changed the game by bringing on the extra midfielder. Every time we do this we lose any kind of initiative. I don't know why we still persist with it; it doesn't work.

Good points, although as pointed out elsewhere, we had a 3 month break like everyone else, so we weren’t actually playing for a year.

 

[Incognito]

We've had no pre-season. These early games are our pre-season. There are no easy games in the prem. Sure come Christmas we'll be up to speed. What I will say is I think the players are missing our fans at games. Think they get an extra wind in their sails, especially when attacking a packed South Bank. We can't be that bad after all.

 

[Lycaon]

I don’t think it’s complacency or a lack of desire, certain players maybe showing a slight lack of self belief and confidence after what was a very gruelling 19/20 season. This also extends to Nuno and the backroom staff.
Give it a couple of weeks or so (barring the international break) and we’ll be back.

 

[sc91]

We've had no pre-season. These early games are our pre-season. There are no easy games in the prem. Sure come Christmas we'll be up to speed. What I will say is I think the players are missing our fans at games. Think they get an extra wind in their sails, especially when attacking a packed South Bank. We can't be that bad after all.

I actually agree with this sentiment, we have players and personalities that thrive off a crowd. Seen it quite a few times under Nuno where Molineux or whatever away ground we are at is bouncing and it shows in the performance.

 

[Nivada]

I am a bit now you ask.

Have a lie down man.

 

[SoCal_Wolf]

In my opinion, it's due to the lack of preseason and a reshuffling of the deck in terms of our wingbacks on both sides - positions that everyone agrees are crucial to our setup. In fact, I would argue that the instability and lack of understanding between players have unsettled the back three and compromised our defensive shape.

Match	RWB​	LWB​
Sheffield United	Traore/Buur	Marcel
Manchester City	Traore	Marcel/Vinagre
West Ham	Semedo/Hoever	Vinagre
Fulham	Semedo/Hoever	Saiss

This can only be corrected with time and work on the practice pitch, which I fully expect Nuno to sort out.

 

[AndyWolves]

I think it's mental as much as physical tiredness. It'll come, but it will take a while. I thought at the end of last season that the start of this season would be a struggle.

I fully expect them to look out of sorts for a few more games but gradually getting better. At some point Nuno will take them on holiday to Portugal and that will sort everything out

 

[Fenrir_]

It's a lack of pre-season, as I pointed out here

Now this isn't "need to give it a season" patience, just a few weeks. I think people are overreacting massively to the form some teams are showing and completely dismissing that some teams are simply better prepared than others at the moment.

We had 34 days between Sevilla and Sheff Utd, in that time we gave the players a three week break, came back, got most of our players back from internationals a few days before the start and off we went. Man U also had 34 days, before getting beaten up by Palace ( who had 48 days), should have been smashed by Brighton (50) and then got humiliated by Spurs (49). Man City had 38, started against us (34) but came unstuck against Leicester (49) and were ultimately lucky to get a point against Leeds.

Leeds had 52 days off, and amongst other sides looking quite impressive now, Everton had 49 and Villa 57 between PL fixtures, though their first competitive game was after 52 in the EFL Cup.

It's not a coincidence that the sides that had the longer breaks are on the whole looking better and sharper than those that had a shorter break. We are one of a number of teams playing catch up and it will be a few weeks until we've caught up fitness-wise and it all settles down. That's when we'll really see who's where in this year's league

Any side that's looked decent so far had a decent break. Even add Liverpool and Arsenal - who both had short breaks between competitive games. Arsenal, while having good results were only convincing against a Fulham side that was involved in the play offs, lucky against West Ham and Sheffield and beaten by Liverpool, who themselves have only looked good once - against Chelsea who, surprise surprise, had a short break

If it's still lacklustre at Christmas then you can start looking at things like tiredness or burnout being a possible reason, but everything at the moment points to having far less time to prepare

 

[Incognito]

I think it's mental as much as physical tiredness. It'll come, but it will take a while. I thought at the end of last season that the start of this season would be a struggle.

I fully expect them to look out of sorts for a few more games but gradually getting better. At some point Nuno will take them on holiday to Portugal and that will sort everything out

Thought the escape to the sun was usually Spain?

 

[Deleted member 11332]

To be fair, we had a 3 month break like everyone else before limping over the line.

We started to look stale last season so new players were needed even if Doc or Jota hadn’t left. I also think our slow tempo doesn’t help as it mentally slows everything down including reaction times.

Without that break we'd have finished 5th. Leicester were falling to pieces already, Spurs had about 15 players out and we were just hitting our stride. We were the biggest loser's from that break last year.

 

[Wolf316]

Without that break we'd have finished 5th. Leicester were falling to pieces already, Spurs had about 15 players out and we were just hitting our stride. We were the biggest loser's from that break last year.

And unfortunately Manure were the biggest winners.

 

[Deleted member 11332]

And unfortunately Manure were the biggest winners.

I'd say spurs really but them ****ers are up there aswell as villa.

 

[OLDGOLD]

For two month lay off read two months of being stuck in a house like the rest of us, unable to see family/friends, unable to go on holiday.

They are miserable and do not have a crowd to lift them.

As I said the other day, there are clubs that will prosper without crowds. Everton, Man United, Villa, West Ham, Newcastle all have misery guts support bases that suck the life out of the players when the slightest thing goes wrong.

That may be true, but I think you will find a lot of fans would put us in the misery guts group as well....although maybe not in the last couple of years.
The cover break was a strange one. Hardly mentally and physically refreshing, but all teams had the same so should not really affect us more adversely than any other team. Not sure why we would end a pre season a we only had a short break, although if some have let fitness lapse it may be an issue. Likewise not sure how long it should take to integrate new players. I am more worried that some players looked more sulky and not up for it...almost like they may gave been expecting a move?.up to Nuno to dandgle the carrot or wield the bud stick now

 

[inaglasshouse]

I think they are also missing the 12th man. I know it's the same for all but we have had a brilliant atmosphere and sense of occasion at home in the last few seasons. The away following has also been good I'm led to believe. I'm sure it does give them a buzz when they hear the fans support. It's a real shame for the new players to not experience it.

 

[Darvo]

I think the lack of intensity, zip, drive, energy is our biggest problem at the moment. The lack of a preseason will not have helped ... but we were like this at the end of last season too. I’ve even found myself wondering if we’re suffering from collective ‘long covid’.

We need to snap out of this malaise.

 

[The Wolf In The North]

I think they're glum.

I've read a couple of articles recently about how players at all clubs are finding it tough to hit full motivation, concentration and focus without crowds, and that everything feels a bit artificial and surreal right now. And, yes, we didn't have a proper pre-season with full focus on the year ahead.

I also think the transfer window was a massive distraction, with Jota leaving and rumours floating around about Raul before he committed to the new contract. And all the regulations around Covid are a pain in the backside.

It's going to be a weird season.

 

[Deleted member 9202LYK]

Perhaps we’re just not playing very well at the moment?

 

[RJs Tankard]

When I saw the thread title, I expected to come into this post expecting it to say:

"Then you could be entitled to compensation. Give Harris-Fowler Solicitors a call now on 0805........."

 

[Keyser Soze]

Putting everything to one side for a moment in terms of no pre season, change in style etc. Could it be that we're simply not great starters to the season?

18/19 it was 5 points after 4 games
19/20 it was 3!
20/21 at 6 seems like an improvement even if the 2 defeats to teams we did the double over last season makes it taste a bit fouler

With our heavy reliance on organisation and the work Nuno and the backroom team do, is it just a case of it takes us a few games for everyone to get to know their roles again after a break... in a similar way to that we always seem to struggle after the international break and we're so much better when the team have been on the training pitch together more

Hopefully as the season progresses we will benefit more and more from this, also with not having to travel so much for Europe, Nuno will get more and more time with the players, something he's been complaining about so the impact is not lost on him

 

[BCWolf]

Inclined to agree with those that point to the lack of a pre-season, internationals, fatigue from last season, etc. is having a massive impact on our fitness and style of play. Add in all of the new players, departures, the impact of Covid on professional and personal lives and you can imagine how unsettling things must be for the players.

 

[Tojo the grass]

I think now that the dust has settled on the transfer window Nuno will be able to start working to develop relationships all over the pitch and decide on two or three optimum starting elevens, it will take a little time for it all to gel but as long as we keep our heads above water we will be well placed to push on when it does.

 

[ombyman]

I am worried about saying this but..are the players burnt out / tired or is it complacency or even a slight lack of desire?

I am worried that Nuno is even having to say we lack speed / tempo, not making runs / turns we should and we need to get on the training pitch. For the first two seasons our work ethic has set us apart from other teams but this now seems to have dropped off a little to me. Surely the things Nuno is talking about should be a given and what our rise from the Championship have been based upon.

Lookman came on Sunday and changed the game for Fulham. I would argue that he isn't technically more gifted than Podence, Traore, Neto but what he brought was a desire and enthusiasm to take the game to the opposition that we seemed to sadly lack. I would say Neto was the least culpable for this accusation but surely Podence (particularly) and Traore shouldnt be tired after sitting on our bench.

I wonder if they dont all need an old fashioned rocket up the **** to shake us out of our malaise. I am not just talking about our wingers either, Boly, Saiss, Neves, Moutinho etc are all looking very casual.

Mark Rankines Lovechild, can you hear me?

 

[Coshamwolves]

I think complacency has been a bit of a problem this season. From Raul arguing with the ref rather than getting in the box to Boly's ball-watching, good players have switched off a little at times.
We also look a little disorganised, but that is understandable given the changes and the lack of preseason. Having said that, I think the reaction to us winning against Fulham from some on here is over the top, having had no pre-season and a year of playing.
With regards to Lookman changing the game,no I think we changed the game by bringing on the extra midfielder. Every time we do this we lose any kind of initiative. I don't know why we still persist with it; it doesn't work.

A year of playing? Didnt they get 2 months off over Lockdown?

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

A year of playing? Didnt they get 2 months off over Lockdown?

Okay, but my point is they have played more games in that year than certain other teams who have started the season well.

 

[WickedWolfie]

A year of playing? Didnt they get 2 months off over Lockdown?

Not exactly off. Could hardly go away for a family break....

 

[Bankswolf The Third]

I think mentally it must play a part. Footballers are like anyone like a routine and I imagine like the idea like us to have things to look forward to like holidays etc.
Now before everyone jumps at me with the whole "If I earnt X amount a week I would holiday in Aston and be happy" you have to take into account the many years players have worked to get to this point so obviously a break would be helpful. That and also taking into account pre season is usually organised with such military precision that not having one can impact. You see how little Klopp reacted towards his team after the defeat? Or Nuno after ours? Its because they can read between the lines and see how much it has affected the players who are expected for 90 minutes to concentrate with such intensity that without any formal break and uncertainty on the horizon it can continue
If I am honest I go into this lockdown season feeling that as long as we don't get relegated I cant have too much expectations and can see that this whole situation is difficult especially given that the one thrill players get with football (i.e. us, the fans) has been taken away with no room for negotiation or bargaining

 

[Contrarian]

Also, it's not all about us. How about: "Other teams have noticeably improved"? Not everybody, but take West Ham, for example. I've seen at least part of all their matches this season and they are performing way ahead of last season. Villa and Everton, too, no surprises there as just about everybody acknowledges they are better than last season. Leicester have improved overall, until that last match against even more improved West Ham.. Arsenal, Spurs, all generally looking better than last season.

The other 19 teams are not stationary cones that we just manouvre past. They all have people working 24/7 to get ahead, too. If you stand still in this, you fall behind.

 

[Coshamwolves]

Not exactly off. Could hardly go away for a family break....

Talk about twisting things...no wonder many good posters dont bother anymore

 

[WickedWolfie]

Talk about twisting things...no wonder many good posters dont bother anymore

What the hell is that reaction about? Sounds like epic dummy spitting because someone dared to challenge your view. Obviously you don't get what forums are about.
Normally players get two+ months off where they can completely switch off from the game. During that period they get quality time with their extended family and friends. How does that in any way equate to, as you hint it does, being pretty completely isolated in their own home either by themself or with their closest family while doing their best to stay match fit?

 

[Deleted member 11332]

Talk about twisting things...no wonder many good posters dont bother anymore

I'll answer your original point. They weren't off as they would have been during a close season, they had to keep training and presumably staying close to their peak as we didn't know when they would be back. That's not a break, they probably had very little rest. They had to stay in football shape for over a calendar year. It's bound to take its toll.

 

[WickedWolfie]

I'll answer your original point. They weren't off as they would have been during a close season, they had to keep training and presumably staying close to their peak as we didn't know when they would be back. That's not a break, they probably had very little rest. They had to stay in football shape for over a calendar year. It's bound to take its toll.

Posted in parallel with my response making pretty much the same point.

 

[Deleted member 11332]

Posted in parallel with my response making pretty much the same point.

Don't see what people don't get about it. It was a jolly for me as I spent the 2 months in the garden drinking ice cold beers and pottering about but they wouldn't have that luxury.

 

[Coshamwolves]

What the hell is that reaction about? Sounds like epic dummy spitting because someone dared to challenge your view.
Normally players get two+ months off where they can completely switch off from the game. During that period they get quality time with their extended family and friends. How does that in any way equate to, as you hint it does, being pretty completely isolated in your own home either by yourself or with your closest family while doing their best to stay match fit?

They had some months off and my point was that they didnt didnt play for a full year, as another poster said, you ****ing drama queen.

 

[WickedWolfie]

They had some months off and my point was that they didnt didnt play for a full year, as another poster said, you ****ing drama queen.

I'm not going to resort to personal insults but will say that you obviously don't have a ****ing clue.