Nuno Herlander Simões Espírito Santo

[MaxiRobriguez]

We can all argue until the cows come home but the reality is Nuno was brought in to shoot us up the league and so far, for whatever reason, that hasn't happened.

Talk of his sacking is very premature but you can bet your boots our petulant owner will be considering options not just for then but now, and if we finish the season limping to a 17th place finish then they'll be plenty of clamour from the stands as well to try someone new.

The formula to address it is simple: win more games. Everything else is just bluster. Over to you Nuno.

 

[MASE]

I

The formula to address it is simple: win more games. Everything else is just bluster. Over to you Nuno.

Exactly, couldnt give a f*** how many more goals we;ve scored, we need to start winning.

 

[glosterred]

We scored 2 goals mate.

Fair enough.

For me, the game at Villa was never really in doubt irrespective of the two goals we scored. Unlike, for instance, the two goals we scored at Old Trafford earlier in the season - a game we were really competitive in up until Worral’s sending off.

 

[Gyros Peter]

Some interesting posts above. I'm sat waiting for a client to arrive for a meeting, so to kill some time I've done a mini-reflection...

Is sacking Nuno even on the cards?
Well, did the club change manager just to tread water in 17th like the previous manager was doing? I doubt it, I very much think Marinakis was expecting much more. So yeah, I think Marinakis' will be looking at Summer options tbh, he's about as loyal as Tiger Woods in a brothel. Cooper's sacking really taught me not to underestimate how deluded Marinakis and co. really are with regards to where we should be in the Prem.

I'd say Nuno doesn't have to convince the club that he can keep us up (although that would be a start), he has to convince them he can take us to challenge for Europe. Beating Liverpool would be a great boost for him with the club I've no doubt, as the egos at the club are enamored by big, designer, ego-fueling names. I genuinely think that a win against a big club registers as 6pts in the mind of some fans and, more importantly, our owners. So fingers crossed we slay the scouse, I think it will buy him considerably more time than a win against the likes of Palace.


But what about the bloke himself?
Regards Nuno himself, he's a very mixed manager as far as I can see.

+Great at getting the most from certain players. Honestly, I think this element of his game is hugely underestimated. The improvement in players like Wood, Origi, CHO etc. is frankly superb, so I've big respect for his man-management skills. I also think it's helped his cause that he has a smaller squad to deal with too, again we go back to the club self-harming with shit recruitment strategizing. But Nuno drove that squad trimming anyway, so again he gets the credit.

+Plays nice football. Obviously this means a lot to some fans, and I think it means something to all of us. But nice football doesn't necessarily mean nice results, which is what he'll ultimately be judged on of course. Still, it's a good string to his bow.

- He's slow, in fact I would bet a nice chunk that Nuno is a spliff man lol, because boy is he slow to spot things e.g. the fact that he didn't think we needed a new keeper until late in the window; and he didn't spot Niakate's previous failure at LB against Brentford; questions over his opinion on Toffs too etc. He doesn't strike me as an obsessive grafter when it comes to the job.

- His "longview" is poor. Sorry, but many of us said at the time that we thought Nuno was making a mistake fielding such strong teams in the Cup against the likes of Blackpool, and seeing how much our energy dropped off after 60 min last night those concerns look to be manifesting. They certainly manifested in Wood, who he ran into the ground (people may say he had no other options, but as I've said before he could easily have played without a forward or a CB/mid playing up top for the last 15-20 min of the poxy cup games.) Who's gonna remember our cup run in 5 years time? No-one. But we'll remember it if burn-out sees us making silly mistakes which send us down again.

- This is just a personal gripe, but I'm sick of hearing his patronizing bull about "we need the fans" on radio. You're here to earn that support Nuno, Cooper didn't get it magically, he took us from bottom of the Champ to the prem and then kept us up season after. In doing so, the belief and support grew.

Marinakis carries the can for this largely, he raised prices, he sacked Coops for "underperforming" (in 17th ), he promised "this is just the beginning" after getting carried away over beating Man U in the League...so high standards have been set. But Nuno is here to meet those standards, not have us carry him there. A victim of club over-ambition, but he signed up for that.


Conclusion?
Ultimately, Nuno has acquired better players in key aeras, namely goal, and still has us sat in the league exactly where we were when he took over after a quarter of a season in charge. In that time he's concentrated on a cup run which has done little but shattered some of our players.

So far, the improvement is pretty superficial, and he needs to start showing a nastier streak by demanding more from the players and more from the club. We've a weak owner who's backed by a weak son, neither capable of riding out a rocky patch without panic buying or manager hunting, and so we can't afford to have a weak manager too.

I'm hoping that Nuno's excellent man-management and attacking football will be enough to carry us through, and that players like Origi continue to improve enough to get Nuno to a Summer where he can grab the top brass by the balls and actually sort the cub out, specifically by getting in more well-rounded and suited players, as we currently have some very good-but-very flawed ones, and by moving out even more dead wood too.

That killed a few minutes rather nicely

While I agree with lots of that I can't have the better players in key areas line - he's bought one better player in, lost one and has been given a couple of youngsters to run the rule over.

 

[blue_eyes777]

The football and possession is miles better under Nuno and we look like an exciting side.

The wins will start coming, though probably not on Saturday.

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[Strummer]

The football and possession is miles better under Nuno and we look like an exciting side.

The wins will start coming, though probably not on Saturday.

Well, the wins had better f***ing hurry up, or Forest will run out of games.

 

[Redemption]

Has he gone yet?

 

[DizzyBala]

What I said about replacing Nuno wasn't in reaction to yesterday's game, it's more that I just don't see enough of an improvement on what Steve was doing in these two months to imagine that Marinakis long term is going to be satisfied. Time will tell, obviously, but to me it feels like an arrangement that won't last that long.

 

[Cloughie1975]

Well, the wins had better f***ing hurry up, or Forest will run out of games.

Agreed-I reckon we need 40 points to have a reasonably good chance of survival given our
likely points deduction.
I personally can’t see us getting any reward against Liverpool,Tottenham and Manchester City.
That means we need 16 points from the other 9 games-it’s a tall order.
Our best chance is that Luton hit a bad run and that deduction is only 3 or 4 points.
We still need wins in either scenario,

 

[Alf-engelos Mindminackers]

While I agree with lots of that I can't have the better players in key areas line - he's bought one better player in, lost one and has been given a couple of youngsters to run the rule over.

Awoniyi?

 

[Gyros Peter]

What I said about replacing Nuno wasn't in reaction to yesterday's game, it's more that I just don't see enough of an improvement on what Steve was doing in these two months to imagine that Marinakis long term is going to be satisfied. Time will tell, obviously, but to me it feels like an arrangement that won't last that long.

That's the owners prerogative, and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a trigger happy owner pull his trigger.

That's different to "I'd f*** Nuno off in the summer, regardless of what happens if I'm honest." though.

 

[Gyros Peter]

Awoniyi?

Ah, assumed you meant transfers, though I'm still not giving it you because he's nowhere near fit and we've lost Wood as well.

Edit: and I'll raise you a lost key players too: AFCON!

 

[Alf-engelos Mindminackers]

Ah, assumed you meant transfers, though I'm still not giving it you because he's nowhere near fit and we've lost Wood as well.

You don't see Awoniyi as an upgrade on Wood?

 

[Berkshire Red]

An intriguing comparison to make so soon after we didn’t lay a glove on Villa at the weekend after beating them earlier in the season

"Didn't lay a glove"? We scored twice and should have had a third through Elanga. Last season when we didn't lay a glove on a team we really didn't lay a glove on them, scored none and didn't look like scoring any. There's a huge difference.

 

[MASE]

The football and possession is miles better under Nuno and we look like an exciting side.

The wins will start coming, though probably not on Saturday.

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The football is better, thats clear to see. We've regressed at the back though & look likely to concede at every set piece.

Personally Id rather succumb by playing something decent to watch at least, so the Cooper switch remains justifiable, but it wont be much of a consolation if we go down.

Nuno needs to get some results, easier said than done granted when your players make defensive errors & fluff decent chances.

 

[Gyros Peter]

You don't see Awoniyi as an upgrade on Wood?

Oh I absolutely do if he's fit. As it is I've got him working at about 60%.

Fully fit Wood Vs 60% Awoniyi - harsh on Wood but probably similar, though he's only just up to 60% from been out for months following surgery so T's not even been that.

 

[Alf-engelos Mindminackers]

Oh I absolutely do if he's fit. As it is I've got him working at about 60%.

Fully fit Wood Vs 60% Awoniyi - harsh on Wood but probably similar, though he's only just up to 60% from been out for months following surgery so T's not even been that.

I agree, but I also think Awoniyi's presence changes our team's dynamic in a positive way significantly for that time.

Given the choice of Awoniyi for 60 min & Origi/Whoever for the remaining 30, or Wood for 90 and I'd take the former every day of the week myself.

 

[Gyros Peter]

There's not too much point going into the Cooper v Nuno thing either, because it dues noone any favours really.

What I will say is that I remember that last Cooper interview (I think - it might have been the penultimate) and it was sad listening, with him pretty much saying he was out of ideas. That's how it looked against Everton too.

Regardless of playing style and what had come before, it's sad to say but in hindsight he'd probably had his chances to turn it around. I wouldn't have pulled that trigger but I can understand why the owner did, and it's probably the right decision.

Whether Nuno is better remains to be seen - I like him but we need points on the board.

 

[Gyros Peter]

I agree, but I also think Awoniyi's presence changes our team's dynamic in a positive way significantly for that time.

Given the choice of Awoniyi for 60 min & Origi/Whoever for the remaining 30, or Wood for 90 and I'd take the former every day of the week myself.

I'm not so sure - the ideal situation is both of course but it's been a while since anyone has had that luxury.

I do worry that we didn't bring enough depth in up top, though hopefully Wood is back soon and Origi showed us something last night.

 

[Thomas]

The football is better, thats clear to see. We've regressed at the back though & look likely to concede at every set piece.

Personally Id rather succumb by playing something decent to watch at least, so the Cooper switch remains justifiable, but it wont be much of a consolation if we go down.

Nuno needs to get some results, easier said than done granted when your players make defensive errors & fluff decent chances.

We haven’t regressed at the back, it’s only set pieces that is our main issue. There is where having Boly and Sangare might help tonnes and I’m hearing they should be back soon?


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[isaacs]

Just read Paul Taylors article in the Athletic (i know i know) but he mentioned something very interesting and it both explains and confuses me as to what the hell is going on in training. Simon Rusk, our set piece coach that Coops wanted and brought in just before his sacking, is in fact not coaching our set pieces anymore. Nuno trusts his own men, none of whom are a dedicated set piece coach. Rusk was apparently really liked by the players and were already seeing benefits before his step down in role, that was months ago.

Now a) how did Paul get that info? b) if true, is Nuno perhaps rethinking his coaching set up and c) what the hell is the Big Man thinking when he wanted Gianni Vio as set piece coach but gave in to Coops for Simon Rusk, only to then hire a manager who doesn't use him yet watches on as we concede the most basic goals from set pieces in game after game after game while offering sweet f*** all in our attacking set pieces?

 

[Erik]

Just read Paul Taylors article in the Athletic (i know i know) but he mentioned something very interesting and it both explains and confuses me as to what the hell is going on in training. Simon Rusk, our set piece coach that Coops wanted and brought in just before his sacking, is in fact not coaching our set pieces anymore. Nuno trusts his own men, none of whom are a dedicated set piece coach. Rusk was apparently really liked by the players and were already seeing benefits before his step down in role, that was months ago.

Now a) how did Paul get that info? b) if true, is Nuno perhaps rethinking his coaching set up and c) what the hell is the Big Man thinking when he wanted Gianni Vio as set piece coach but gave in to Coops for Simon Rusk, only to then hire a manager who doesn't use him yet watches on as we concede the most basic goals from set pieces in game after game after game while offering sweet f*** all in our attacking set pieces?

Perhaps most importantly, if that story is true then we can stop blaming the specialist set piece coach for us being crap at set pieces because he's not responsible!

 

[Mr. Blonde]

Simon Rusk?

No wonder we crumble at set pieces

 

[Morpeth]

Taylor probably gets his info from a kindly old lady who watches out her window all day looking out on to the training ground.

 

[Cloughie1975]

Perhaps most importantly, if that story is true then we can stop blaming the specialist set piece coach for us being crap at set pieces because he's not responsible!

I’d have loved to have seen Brian Clough respond to the appointment of a set piece coach.
Why is there a f*****g coach for everything in life nowadays-I guess that there will soon be a
specialist needed to have a dump.