In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, Wolves head coach Bruno Lage discusses the change of system that he thinks will improve his team this season; watch Wolves vs Newcastle live on Sky Sports Premier League from 1pm on Sunday; kick-off 2pm
Sunday 28 August 2022 10:16, UK
When Bruno Lage arrived at Wolves last summer he toyed with the idea of switching to a back four before reverting to the formation that the players knew best. Now it is time to do things his way and that decision is set to define his time at the club.
The head coach has not only changed the system but the personnel. The departure of Conor Coady - Wolves' captain, leader and longest-serving player - was symbolic. It also means the man at the heart of their back three is gone. In fact, the back three itself has gone.
"This is a different system," Lage tells Sky Sports.
As a result, after one point from the first three games, the story is already written if this goes wrong. But speaking to Lage at the training ground on the eve of a huge game against Newcastle on Sunday, he is expansive and erudite in explaining his thinking.
"We saw that we did not have time to make the change in the first season but I think it was a good step. We did not change the system but we tried to play with a different style, to have more of the ball. I think everyone noticed the way we played with the ball.
"When I came here the project was not a revolution. It was evolution. To see how we could improve our squad. To grow up. After the first season, we are getting there. We are bringing good players in to improve the quality of the squad and increase the competition."
Wolves impressed for much of last season and were six points off fourth with two games in hand in late February. "We were dreaming of Europe again." A lacklustre finish in which they failed to win any of their last seven games put paid to that.
"There were a lot of problems, a lack of solutions," says Lage. He points to an injury list that included three of his back five. But that is gone now and a top-half finish still represented an encouraging start for the former title winner with Benfica.
Something to build on?
The new signings give Lage reason to believe that is now happening.
Nathans Collins is a more natural centre-back than Coady in a back four. Goncalo Guedes is a wide forward who can score - something that has been lacking. Matheus Nunes is a ball-carrier and box threat - qualities missing in an otherwise impressive Wolves midfield.
It brings more options. Wolves went with a 4-2-3-1 in their opening two games, effectively removing Coady's sweeper role and adding a No 10 to the team. Against Tottenham, Nunes made it a three-man midfield. This is the flexibility that Lage wants.
"There are several aspects to it," he explains.
"What I want in the future is to be able to change that key position during the game - because we have five subs now - without losing that dynamic. That man could be the central defender, the defensive midfielder or we could put him as the offensive midfielder.
"It is about everyone understanding what happens if we take that man from between the two centre-backs and put him behind the midfielders or in front of the midfielders. How does that change how we defend? How does that change how we press?"
Whatever the system, the hope is that a younger defence will be able to play higher up the pitch than last season. "We tried to move that line of five from a low block to a medium block but sometimes we were not as aggressive as I wanted us to be," says Lage.
In particular, he recalls a chastening home defeat to Brentford in September of last year when things went badly awry. "We tried to press and they got two easy goals in behind our lines." He wants his defenders to be fearless but knows that it is not straightforward.
"It is one thing for them to look back and see 10 metres of space behind them. It is another thing for them to see 20 or 30 metres of space in behind them. We need to understand that you cannot take them out of their comfort zone without giving them time."
Further forwards, it is hoped that Guedes, who scored 11 goals for Valencia last season, can have a transformative impact as well. Lage wants his wide forwards to find space in the pockets rather than hug the touchline but goals have been a problem whoever plays.
Daniel Podence scored twice last season. So did the now departed Francisco Trincao. Pedro Neto and Adama Traore managed one apiece. Guedes is a different type of player. He will play inside the box. "That is what we want, one more man there," says Lage.
"But our players give us different things. Daniel is one of the best at linking play between the lines. Neto is aggressive in spaces. Hwang is good on diagonals. Guedes can come inside and shoot. That is the good thing now. We have different players for everything."
If there is one element that he would like to add it is perhaps a target man. "We understand that we do not have tall guys." The 6'7" Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic would change that. But Wolves fans are still wondering whether any of their favourites will leave.
For much of the summer there has been speculation about high-profile exits. Ruben Neves was on the verge of tears at the end of last season, his departure anticipated by all. Neto continues to be linked with a move to Arsenal. Changes could still come.
But any chatter about momentum lost has been curtailed by those signings of Guedes and Nunes - the latter for a club-record fee. Lage has been outspoken in previous windows about the need for players. He knows that he has been backed this time.
"We understand the financial situation not just of the club, not just of football, but of the world. We are coming out of a pandemic. But I was so confident that in time things would happen. It was just a case of one piece moving and then it would all move."
All of which brings pressure, of course. The slow start can be explained. Injuries meant that young Chem Campbell was the only substitute introduced at Leeds on the opening weekend. But the situation is much healthier now. Only Chiquinho is unavailable.
Joao Moutinho returned at Tottenham. Raul Jimenez and Traore scored in their first starts of the campaign against Preston in the cup. Nelson Semedo is an option again. Guedes and Nunes had some valuable minutes. Wolves just need a Premier League win now.
Newcastle's visit to Molineux is the start of a run of three games in seven days that will also see Lage's side travel to Bournemouth on Wednesday evening before returning to Wolverhampton to host Southampton next weekend. It feels like a big week.
Given that Wolves face back-to-back games against Liverpool and Manchester City next month, the demand for points takes on greater urgency. Lage has shaken things up at Molineux. It is his team now. It is time to see it take shape on the pitch.
"We do not have time to lose," says Lage.
"These next games will be hard for us but they will also be hard for our opponents. It is so important to find a good rhythm and for the players to understand our ideas. But everything is coming together. I am very confident with the way that the team is working.
"What I know, because I know my team and the signs they are giving me, is that in three months, they will be solid. That is when I expect the team to arrive. I do not mean in terms of points or goals, but when I expect them to look solid is in the middle of November.
"That is when I will be able to say, this is our team. The players will have been in the house for two months of work, 16 games. That is a good moment to think that the team will be in a good position in terms of how they are playing and also in terms of the table.
"The fans just need to be patient. We need time. We need time for everyone. The players who are coming back from injury to get a good rhythm of games and the players who are new to the team to get used to the dynamics that we are trying to implement.
"For now, we just need to work hard. But the signs are there."
Watch Wolves vs Newcastle live on Sky Sports Premier League from 1pm on Sunday; kick-off 2pm
