There is an intriguing symmetry provided through the results achieved by Portugal’s coaching representatives in the Premier League – Nuno Espírito Santo and Bruno Lage- after the opening three rounds of matches.
Both men are settling into new surroundings but with contrasting fortunes, as Nuno’s Tottenham Hotspur lead the table with three 1-0 victories, while Lage and Wolves are still yet to earn their first point and sit near the foot of the table after losing 1-0 in each of their games.
While Nuno is credited with adding resilience and unity to a previously fractured Spurs environment, former Benfica boss Lage is also earning praise for the progressive and approach implemented at Molineux, despite the team heading into the international break without a goal or a point.
Spurs’ win over Watford, courtesy of Son Heung-Min’s goal, set a new club record. Nuno must have felt like he had won big in one of the best us online casinos. Never had the Lilywhites navigated the first three matches of a Premier League season without conceding a goal, and Nuno became the first manager to win his first three matches in charge in the top flight. “I’m proud of the players because it’s them, honestly, it’s them, not only in the games, in the training sessions, they are the ones who deliver,” Nuno said on the pitch after the final whistle.
“I’m trying only to help them, to show them the way that I think is better for us. I think we are on the way, not perfect yet, but becoming solid, compact, everyone working for each other.
“You can see... when we didn’t kill the game, the final minutes required different aspects and we managed that well, controlled it well defensively, put the ball in their half and didn’t allow the counter-attack. All this is a balance of small things. So, credit to them, they are amazing.”
"The results will come" - Neves
For Wolves under new coach Lage, another defeat on Sunday at the hands of Bruno Fernandes’ Manchester United having been widely deemed unfortunate to lose against Leicester City and Spurs previously. Mason Greenwood’s winner ten minutes from time gave the Red Devils all three points, after Wolves had shown more initiative for much of the afternoon.
Speaking after the match, midfielder Rúben Neves said he was confident the team will begin getting the results their approach deserves. “We need to keep working,” he said. “We need to keep going. To be honest with you, I’ve never been in a position like this. Playing like we are playing and not scoring goals.
“I’m pretty sure that if we keep going, if we keep doing what we are doing, I’m pretty sure the results will come for us, because usually if we play like this for 10 games, we would lose two and win the rest.
“I think as soon as the first goal goes in, it will change and we will start winning games.”
This is the way - Lage
Lage also expressed his frustration at the result and shared the belief that Wolves are on the right track given their performance level. Bad fortune as clearly played its part in the poor start, with luck also a big factor when playing australia online pokies. A trip to Watford after the international break will give Lage’s men the chance to finally put some points on the board, but the Portuguese believes in the progress of the side so far under his management.
“It’s the feeling we had in the first two matches,” he told the club’s media. “I think we are doing things well because we created a lot of chances, but everyone, not one player, we had several players with good chances to score goals, seven or eight today.
“After, with a good 80 minutes they scored, so disappointed with the result, but like I said to my players, this is the way and if you want to play this way, creating a lot of chances, and managed the ball well, we need to keep going.
“When you don’t win after this performance, you feel like you deserve more than we have. We created a lot of chances, like the first two games, and in the end, we don’t take point. This league is very hard, and this is about points, but I believe in the way we work, the way we play, we’re creating chances and will score the goals and win the points we need.
“When you win, you need to go for another match, every time thinking of improving. When you lose, you’re the same way, the most important thing is to give confidence to my players to continue to work like we are working. I’m confident because the team are playing well and creating chances, so I’m confident.”
By Sean Gillen
