Quality over quantity is helping Wolves
Nuno Espirito Santo believes Wolves’ small squad has helped develop a ‘deep knowledge’ among his players that is proving a major boost for the Premier League campaign.
Nuno has just 16 senior outfield players at his disposal, plus goalkeepers Rui Patricio, John Ruddy and Will Norris. However, with Wolves’ injury record by far the best in the Premier League, that hasn’t been a problem so far this season.
And the Wolves boss says having fewer players on the training ground has big benefits on the pitch.
“It’s an idea that we have,” Nuno said. “We started with 18 players, plus the goalies, now we have 16 (after Leo Bonatini and Kortney Hause went out on loan), plus the keepers. Of course, we have the back-ups of the under-23s, but it’s not a question of easy or difficult.
“It’s our philosophy, it’s our idea of having a strong and compact squad that allows us to make good decisions.
“If it’s the same players, over and over again, training together, passing the ball to each other, timing their runs, all these small details that can help so a deep knowledge of your team-mates it really helps with the tasks he has to do. The squad must work well, then we have to decide the 11 and the players that come in, but although we have a small squad, everybody’s involved at the same time.
“Even if they don’t play, they are still involved in the competition, so that makes it easier when the player steps into the team, they know their task and what they have to do inside the dynamic of the team.
“What I really encourage is the players to prepare well, focus on their work, because when the chance comes we must perform.”
The majority of the squad live close to Wolves’ Compton Park training ground, with a sizeable Portuguese contingent forming close relationships off the pitch as well as on it. Nuno added: “If you know each other better outside of the pitch, when you are inside of the competition, their relationship it’s easier.
“The respect is there, the friendship is there, the common effort has to come in the right moment.
“Of course, we care about their home lives and their problems, it’s the job of the club to provide all that can help them, for the player to come here and just perform. Train and play.
“It began from last season, but it’s a growing process that started a long time ago. We started with a small squad, now we have an even smaller squad.
“It’s our philosophy, it’s a belief that the squad being short, everybody’s involved, has time of competition, and the relationship between them increases the more hours they spend together.
“The complicity, knowing small details that can help.”
