All hail king Nuno | Page 2 | Vital Football

All hail king Nuno

I think while Nuno was at Wolves it was 7th place in 18/19 & 19/20 Nuno then 13th in 21/22. Far too early for any talk of us replicating that, but thats 3 very respectable finishes in recent Premier League history.

I would happily follow that blueprint and I'm a big fan of the no-shite talk from him in pressers. That's obviously not his personality behind the scenes with the players and I dont blame him. It's hard to talk shite constantly just for the sake of it to appease the media
 
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weejockmcplop said:
Cooper did exactly what we hired him to do, and its one of the hardest things to do in the modern game. Getting promoted with half a team to the EPL and then keeping us there was a miracle.
So far, Nuno's done everything asked of him too.
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This is a great point. I cannot think of too many coaches that have got promoted to the Prem and than managed to transition into being a solid coach at the higher level. That twat at Brentford, plus Nuno with Wolves are the only ones I can recall.
 
Strett said:
This is a great point. I cannot think of too many coaches that have got promoted to the Prem and than managed to transition into being a solid coach at the higher level. That twat at Brentford, plus Nuno with Wolves are the only ones I can recall.
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Not a popular name but didn’t Hughton manage it?
 
By and large Nuno’s career as a manager has been one of success albeit of a more prosaic nature as opposed to spectacular. Whilst I admit to being a little underwhelmed by his appointment, comments from Wolves fans and a little digging into his past was reassuring.

This season he looks a different person, slimmer, calmer, more at ease with the whole situation and I really feel we’ll reap the dividends of this. Whilst he appears a little aloof in his media duties, odd clips you see of his interacting with the players shows what I perceive to be his more normal persona, warm, smiling and looks to have a close bond with the squad.

I will be forever grateful to Coops and see no logic in disparaging the guy but Nuno is a better manager imo. We look a much better team under his tutelage and if we can be a little more clinical in converting our chances, I honestly feel we could be this years ‘surprise package’
 
NQ's Finest said:
By and large Nuno’s career as a manager has been one of success albeit of a more prosaic nature as opposed to spectacular. Whilst I admit to being a little underwhelmed by his appointment, comments from Wolves fans and a little digging into his past was reassuring.

This season he looks a different person, slimmer, calmer, more at ease with the whole situation and I really feel we’ll reap the dividends of this. Whilst he appears a little aloof in his media duties, odd clips you see of his interacting with the players shows what I perceive to be his more normal persona, warm, smiling and looks to have a close bond with the squad.

I will be forever grateful to Coops and see no logic in disparaging the guy but Nuno is a better manager imo. We look a much better team under his tutelage and if we can be a little more clinical in converting our chances, I honestly feel we could be this years ‘surprise package’
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Yeah it turns out Nuno is the better manager for where we are now.
I still think there's only one person who could have got us promoted that season though, and we were lucky enough to find and hire him.
 
radfordinlondon said:
agree with this. one swallow doesn't make a summer and the result against liverpoo doesn't mean we can sit back and watch while we cruise to a top 10 finish.

a bit like Churchill tho, I do think this is the end of the beginning. we are back in the PL and competing, no longer fighting for a beach head and clinging on.

where we go from here is down to everyone at the club. hopefully everyone is on the same page and wants to compete at the highest level possible.
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I think a lot of fans at other EPL clubs are starting to get jealous of the players we have signed, the way we play and the positive atmosphere at our games
 
Thewolf/jimmygordon said:
I think a lot of fans at other EPL clubs are starting to get jealous of the players we have signed, the way we play and the positive atmosphere at our games
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Wolves fans loved Nuno as did most of the players. I think the positive atmosphere among the players pre-dated his arrival but it actually seems to have gotten stronger.

We also seem to have every reason to be positive as fans which is an amazing place to be.
 
Thewolf/jimmygordon said:
I think a lot of fans at other EPL clubs are starting to get jealous of the players we have signed, the way we play and the positive atmosphere at our games
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they should be cos we have some bangers and ballers. last season we were still looking for our best 11 and working out our plan a formation. feels like we have done all that and practiced a plan b as well.
 
Basha73 said:
Wolves fans loved Nuno as did most of the players. I think the positive atmosphere among the players pre-dated his arrival but it actually seems to have gotten stronger.

We also seem to have every reason to be positive as fans which is an amazing place to be.
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Its clearly strong now and its great to see.
Wins build positive mentality and relationships.
The biggest test is going to be when we lose a couple.
 
I remember watching a Nuno led Wolves team play Forest. They ere superior in every dept. Gave us a good beating. They walked the championship that season and took premier League by storm next.
 
pulled this from the athletic

Confidence. Trust. Details.
Three words that Nuno Espirito Santo uses frequently when talking to the media and, more importantly, when talking with his players. They are the values behind Nottingham Forest’s start to the season.
Last season, Nuno repeatedly said he would improve things once he had a pre-season to work with his players. It was easy to dismiss such words as an excuse while Forest battled to survival for the second year running but their head coach is being vindicated.

Yes, it is only four games and Forest face a very difficult trip to Brighton on Sunday, but that does not mean that the very obvious improvements in his Forest side should be overlooked.

The fact there is frustration behind the scenes that they have not collected more than eight points reveals the shift. So how has Nuno inspired such positivity?
Following Nuno’s appointment just before Christmas, Forest only had one weekend without a fixture. They played a game every 5.69 days on average, which meant their time was taken up with game preparation and recovery.
 
After the season finished, the return to training was July 9. Nuno made the most of every minute. It was intense. He is a hands-on coach who likes to get involved on the training ground. He expects enthusiasm in every session but he also wants the players to enjoy it. Sessions are short and sharp to retain focus.

The work that led to the 1-0 win at Liverpool began during Forest’s training camp in Spain. Temperatures often went above 30C (86F) in Murcia, so sessions took place early in the morning or in the evening, with double sessions most days. The squad regularly split into smaller groups to intensify their work with the ball.

Forest used different formations during their pre-season friendlies, with fringe players getting minutes. Nuno largely uses a 4-2-3-1 — even if the personnel might change — but wants Forest to be flexible depending on the challenges of each fixture.
At Anfield, the plan was always to field Nico Dominguez and Elliot Anderson in the wider midfield positions, to stifle the opposition threat down the flanks, before introducing the more attack-minded Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi off the bench as Liverpool tired.

The plan worked, enhancing Nuno’s standing among the squad. Steve Cooper remains a hugely respected figure for leading Forest into the Premier League but there is a feeling that Nuno is equipped to take the club forward again.
go-deeper
GO DEEPER
Nuno presides over unusually settled camp as Forest swap chaos for calm

This summer was Forest’s most impressive transfer window for some time. Recruitment was sensible and carefully planned. Every arrival made the squad stronger.
The level of forethought — with input from chief football officer Ross Wilson, global technical director George Syrianos and head of recruitment Pedro Ferreira — can best be summed up by the work done in the full-back positions.
 
First, they have Neco Williams, who is highly regarded at Forest, while Ola Aina proved himself to be an outstanding addition last season. Forest wanted to sign another left-back to switch Aina to his more natural right side.
So they added Alex Moreno — a 31-year-old Spaniard with attacking instincts — on loan from Aston Villa and Eric Moreira, an 18-year-old from St Pauli who has significantly impressed Forest’s coaches.
In midfield, some people questioned whether the signing of James Ward-Prowse on loan from West Ham was needed but he has already made an impact after injuries to Danilo and Ibrahim Sangare. Ward-Prowse was outstanding on his debut at Liverpool.
On the wing, Jota Silva and Ramon Sosa are two exciting wide players who will ensure that Elanga and Hudson-Odoi do not drop their standards. Whichever two of the quartet start games, there will be quality options on the bench for Nuno, who prioritised signing more wingers.
Forest sold Brennan Johnson to Tottenham Hotspur for £47.5million ($63m at current rates) a year ago but have signed four very good wide players for less than the total they recouped by selling him — though Johnson’s departure was motivated by profit and sustainability rules (PSR).
PSR also contributed to the deal that saw Odysseas Vlachodimos move to Newcastle United and Elliot Anderson join Forest, with a fee of £15million effectively changing hands for the midfielder. It could easily become the best deal Forest have done in many years. Anderson has thrived on the left and in a central role, with his energy and quality on the ball taking Forest up a level.
 
have improved. “We are more competitive. You can tell from the players we have brought in. When players with quality come in, everyone else also has to raise their game,” he said.
Back to those three core principles.
“Confidence. Trust. Details,” said Nuno, when asked about Forest’s improvement, even before the Liverpool win. “What can we improve? How strongly can you impose your ideas? How can you dominate and control games?”
Since Nuno’s appointment, one of his priorities has been to give his players more belief. His message to the players has been to have faith in their own abilities — and to know that they can have an impact, even from the bench.
As Hudson-Odoi said in an interview with the BBC at Anfield: “The manager gives us big belief, and we go into every game confident. I didn’t start, but I wasn’t angry or disappointed. In my head, I just knew if I came on the pitch I’d have to make an impact and do what I can to help the team to win, which obviously I did. I’m buzzing.”
 
Nuno does not want his players to be fearful or intimidated when they head to face the big teams, and there is a feeling behind the scenes — among both the hierarchy and the squad — that Forest are now capable of winning games like the one they did at Liverpool.
There is a positive atmosphere in the dressing room, enhanced by the unbeaten start. As one source — who wished to remain anonymous to protect relationships — close to the players put it: “The group just has a very strong winning mentality. They want to keep going.”
During the training camp in Murcia, squad unity was seen as key — the players, coaches and staff enjoyed a meal together and there was the
opportunity for them to play golf and games of table tennis, padel and darts.
With Forest having upgraded the facilities at the Nigel Doughty Academy last season and over the summer, players are encouraged to socialise before and after training. The canteen area and player’s lounge are now of a Premier League standard. Those at the club are no longer nervous about potential new signings seeing the facilities.

Forest are pressing higher up the pitch, playing with a higher tempo and attacking with ambition.
As the data writers at The Athletic would point out, definitive conclusions cannot be drawn by comparing an entire season of stats with just four games of the new campaign — but a few key statistics are noticeable.
Forest were 15th in the Premier League for the number of shots they had last season but now rank sixth. Their ranking for shooting accuracy has gone from 19th to fifth. Forest have averaged six shots on target per game, which is the most in the Premier League, along with Tottenham and Manchester City. For goals conceded (two), they are ranked third, in comparison to 15th last season.
 
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