Nuno's downfall?

[Neves wolf]

i don't mean this as in getting the sack or anything, as I think he's the best manager we've ever had in my lifetime, and hope he's here for many years to come. But just wondering with him preferring to work with a small squad, is it going to cost him achieving a top 7 finish. With a small squad and now getting to the business side of the season we are showing signs of fatigue, are we going to be able to push on and get that top 7. I really think we need a few more players next season to help with this. What's anyone else think?

 

[OLDGOLD]

i don't mean this as in getting the sack or anything, as I think he's the best manager we've ever had in my lifetime, and hope he's here for many years to come. But just wondering with him preferring to work with a small squad, is it going to cost him achieving a top 7 finish. With a small squad and now getting to the business side of the season we are showing signs of fatigue, are we going to be able to push on and get that top 7. I really think we need a few more players next season to help with this. What's anyone else think?

I reckon next season we will have 2 or 3 better players in the squad and more depth at centre back, striker and hopefully someone in midfield to run with the ball.....top seven is always difficult.

 

[Andywolf74]

Nuno has all season stood by his counter attacking style of play. We've had a great season overall but we either need some new players and or different tactics to sort this obvious problem against the bottom 6.

 

[those were the days]

Squad depth could end up being an issue this season that's true.

But, bigger picture, to be where we are competing for 7th against established Premier League sides is an achievement in itself this season. The other teams around us have had many more transfer windows within the PL to evolve the size and depth of their squads.

The club has done a pretty decent job of trimming down the squad over the last few years. Over the next few windows, we'll hopefully add more quality and depth and expand the squad out a little too. These things take time and money though of course

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

18 might do, just need better options. MGW needs to develop, Costa needs to go (sorry and thanks Helder), Bennett probably too (good signing for a promoted team) but will lose out to the flexibility of Saiss, sadly probably Cav too (will get a decent move). Decisions to make about what Traore can do but I'd keep him for his unique talents. Vinagre to start and Jonny to cover both full-back positions from the bench for me. We do need to keep our amazing injury-free record going too.

 

[madwolf]

Its all about quality over quantity. A squad of 18 can work but all 18 need to be quality. That is what we are lacking this year but to be where we are with the tools we have is a massive achievement. I think over the next 2 seasons we will see a shift in ‘next level’ players.

 

[waggys left foot]

With the wages cap a small squad allows us to pay wages which attract international class players.But the downside is clear for all to see.You can offset this to an extent by recruiting players who can play more than one position but the danger is jack of all trades master of none.

Nuno is an intelligent manager -imo his only big mistake was wasting £4mill on Bonatini.

I am sure he will be looking for a bigger squad next season.

 

[Deleted member 4453]

As above, things take time.

We're accustomed to having everything go our way, so it's a bit of a jar now when it's gone a bit bumpy.
You could still add 5 or 6 players and have the small squad that Nuno wants.

Patience as Take That would say...

 

[Wall heath Wanderer]

We have been extremely lucky with injuries, with a small squad two or three long term injuries to key players can destroy a season.

 

[WW1963]

We have been extremely lucky with injuries, with a small squad two or three long term injuries to key players can destroy a season.

Imagine if Raul and Jota had missed most of this season? We would have been in a relegation scrap.

 

[wwbug]

i don't mean this as in getting the sack or anything, as I think he's the best manager we've ever had in my lifetime, and hope he's here for many years to come. But just wondering with him preferring to work with a small squad, is it going to cost him achieving a top 7 finish. With a small squad and now getting to the business side of the season we are showing signs of fatigue, are we going to be able to push on and get that top 7. I really think we need a few more players next season to help with this. What's anyone else think?

If you have a small squad , you say you like to work with a small squad.
Thats man management.
Even if we had Man City quality players in the first 11 it would be difficult if nothing can substitute or alter a game because the other 14 are not much above Championship level.

 

[ShropshireLad]

i don't mean this as in getting the sack or anything, as I think he's the best manager we've ever had in my lifetime, and hope he's here for many years to come. But just wondering with him preferring to work with a small squad, is it going to cost him achieving a top 7 finish. With a small squad and now getting to the business side of the season we are showing signs of fatigue, are we going to be able to push on and get that top 7. I really think we need a few more players next season to help with this. What's anyone else think?

Erm, yep.

 

[wallace]

WE ARE going to finish in the top ten of the premiership and somehow managed to get dumped out of the semi finals of the fa cup and some of you are questioning the manage and his methods? It seems a bit premature to be doing this after such a short time in the development of the new wolves. It could be a far more difficult season following this one to get fully established in the higher echelons of the football world, a littlepatience may be needed.

 

[Chisels_n_ommers]

We have been extremely lucky with injuries, with a small squad two or three long term injuries to key players can destroy a season.

This is very apt. The way we have avoided injuries has been amazing. And it can't all be down to our medical team. Man Utd and Spurs etc have had their injury upheavals and they won't exactly be skimping on paying for the best.

 

[Dubwolf71]

With the wages cap a small squad allows us to pay wages which attract international class players.But the downside is clear for all to see.You can offset this to an extent by recruiting players who can play more than one position but the danger is jack of all trades master of none.

Nuno is an intelligent manager -imo his only big mistake was wasting £4mill on Bonatini.

I am sure he will be looking for a bigger squad next season.

Yet the £4m Bonatinis goals played a huge part in getting us to the promised land?

 

[wwbug]

Squad depth could end up being an issue this season that's true.

But, bigger picture, to be where we are competing for 7th against established Premier League sides is an achievement in itself this season. The other teams around us have had many more transfer windows within the PL to evolve the size and depth of their squads.

The club has done a pretty decent job of trimming down the squad over the last few years. Over the next few windows, we'll hopefully add more quality and depth and expand the squad out a little too. These things take time and money though of course

Bang on -

I would add, last four of FA Cup and you learn and build.
This has been a fabulous season but I think we may be running out of steam, and that is in large part due to squad depth.

 

[Dubwolf71]

I think, in our first season back in the Premier League, we should be comparing ourselves against the 2 teams that came up with us. Don't think we are doing too badly.

 

[Rugrats]

We have no impact subs, no strategies from the bench - nearly every week its Traore, Gibbs-White, Costa, Traore, Gibbs-White, Costa over and over again and I have yet to see any of them change the game when getting on. Traore we are going top have to admit was an appalling waste of £19m, Gibbs-White - just don't see why the plaudits, loan him out to a decent club if he's good enough as he's doing nothing here and Costa - well living off his game at Liverpool in the FA Cup 2 years ago.

We have had absolutely nothing sat on the bench all year - give Ruddy a run out in the outfield for all the difference the others make.

 

[Rugrats]

I think, in our first season back in the Premier League, we should be comparing ourselves against the 2 teams that came up with us. Don't think we are doing too badly.

They didn't come up with our budget

 

[Shifnal Wolf]

Working with a small squad is a necessity financially as much as it is Nunos decision in my opinion.

You can’t have the quality and the wages of the players we have and have 25 of them this early on in the journey.

Our U’23’s need to be improved so we have some genuine talent in their that can support the first team.

 

[goldeneyed]

We need a squad of 20 minimum.Three of those will be goalies so that is 17 minimum outfield players.I would add two or three of our best U.23 players to that as further back up.
If Costa goes then we need at least five new additions in the summer....striker, attacking midfielder, centre back, right wing back and perhaps a new No.2 goalie if Ruddy goes. That is the minimum. Keep Traore and Cav for now.
Obviously hold on to Neves bar someone offering £100m or similar.

 

[Pinhead]

we just need that few more quality players to bolster up the squad it would be nice to see how Jonny gets on on the right with Vinagre on the left as yesterday Doc looked very tired

 

[JR WAS KING]

They didn't come up with our budget

Ermm, I think Fulham did.

 

[Lisas Husband]

Yet the £4m Bonatinis goals played a huge part in getting us to the promised land?

No. The 'on loan' Bonatini scored those, then failed to score for half a season, also seemed to give up at times. It was after that we shelled out the £4m.

Then the next thing we know, there is was, gone.

 

[Lisas Husband]

They didn't come up with our budget

Fulham out spent us easily.

 

[groundhogwolf]

WE ARE going to finish in the top ten of the premiership and somehow managed to get dumped out of the semi finals of the fa cup and some of you are questioning the manage and his methods? It seems a bit premature to be doing this after such a short time in the development of the new wolves. It could be a far more difficult season following this one to get fully established in the higher echelons of the football world, a little patience may be needed.

Bedwetters have returned. You would think we were fighting relegation.

 

[Highlandwolf2]

In fact the opinions of supporters may in the end not mean too much. Fosun are not used to second best and if they feel that their ambitions are not being met, a new manager will follow (of course we don't know exactly what their ambitions are and/or the time scale) . Nuno has correctly attracted much praise over the last 2 years but questions may be raised about formation; size of the squad; and reliance on players who aren't/may not be quite good enough.

Wolves have had better managers than Nuno that have been sacked (viz Cullis) .

We will know a lot more come the first game of next season but personally I would be concerned if there has not been an overhaul of a sizeable chunk of the present squad.

 

[Sampford Wolf]

Massive overreaction going on here.

The small squad seems to have worked quite well given that we are eighth in the premier League and reached the cup semis.

For a newly promoted club to attract the players we have you need to offer first team football and the right wages. I don't see how you do that with a bigger squad.

As we become a more mature premier league team I expect us to grow but we need to remember our values and how we got this far. Thankfully Nuno does know this.

 

[Rugrats]

Ermm, I think Fulham did.

I stand corrected - they spent £105,000,000 only beaten by Liverpool !!!!!

Wow !

 

[AndyY]

Nuno is an intelligent manager -imo his only big mistake was wasting £4mill on Bonatini.

.

Might not have been his decision. And i would have kept Afobe and Ndiaye too.

 

[BarryM]

We got very lucky with injuries. We obviously have a great medical team but not much they can do with a bad tackle or studs caught in the ground and pop there goes your knee.

 

[Stafford]

Imagine if Raul and Jota had missed most of this season? We would have been in a relegation scrap.

Imagine if Raul, Jota, Moutinho, Boly were all injured the whole season?

We might have finished 14th.

We might have finished 19th.

We might have finished 16th.

 

[Wanderer Til I Die]

18 might do, just need better options. MGW needs to develop, Costa needs to go (sorry and thanks Helder), Bennett probably too (good signing for a promoted team) but will lose out to the flexibility of Saiss, sadly probably Cav too (will get a decent move). Decisions to make about what Traore can do but I'd keep him for his unique talents. Vinagre to start and Jonny to cover both full-back positions from the bench for me. We do need to keep our amazing injury-free record going too.

I'd sooner sell Traore than Cav. Traore may have the pace, but Cav is the better overall player imo.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

I'd sooner sell Traore than Cav. Traore may have the pace, but Cav is the better overall player imo.

Traore brings unique talents though, if I was a manager of a promoted team I'd take Cav, to start week in week out, but as a game changing option I'd take Traore, he's got to show he can improve in some aspects though and he needs to be used correctly.

 

[KiwiWolf]

Massive overreaction going on here.

As per usual

 

[Deleted member 3751]

i don't mean this as in getting the sack or anything, as I think he's the best manager we've ever had in my lifetime, and hope he's here for many years to come. But just wondering with him preferring to work with a small squad, is it going to cost him achieving a top 7 finish. With a small squad and now getting to the business side of the season we are showing signs of fatigue, are we going to be able to push on and get that top 7. I really think we need a few more players next season to help with this. What's anyone else think?

A small squad is fine when the quality runs all the way through it, it doesn't with ours, we actually only have 12-14 players who are good enough and the rest are either not ready, too inconsistent or just making up the numbers. The job Nuno has done with the squad he has is phenomenal.

Bring in four or five quality operators, trim the fat from the squad again and have 16-17 outfield players who are at the required level supplemented with the kids and you have a tight knit squad that has options/can cope with a couple of injuries

 

[KiwiWolf]

WE ARE going to finish in the top ten of the premiership and somehow managed to get dumped out of the semi finals of the fa cup

Yes indeed and I have a feeling, perverse though it may sound, that Nuno nd the team learnt far more from last Sunday at Wembley that they ever would have had they won. Winners don't dwell on their defeats, they learn from them and improve.

and some of you are questioning the manage and his methods?

Not me, I think his methods and approach are a massive contributing factor to how injury free we have been this season, let alone how successful we have been.

It seems a bit premature to be doing this after such a short time in the development of the new wolves. It could be a far more difficult season following this one to get fully established in the higher echelons of the football world, a littlepatience may be needed.

People want instant gratification nowadays wallace, but this journey we're on is going to take another 5-6 seasons as a minimum IMO before we can establish ourselves anywhere near where we want to be.