Vitor Pereira is currently shaping his squad ahead of the 2025/26 season, and he’s found one thing difficult to implement.
The Wolves players have returned from their pre-season training campaign in Portugal, where they lost 2-1 against Santa Clara and drew 1-1 with Premier League outfit Burnley.
Pereira has utilised some youngsters during these matches, while new signing Fer Lopez has also featured prominently.
Pre-season at any club presents an opportunity for the manager to implement their philosophy and try out new tactics, with the Portuguese boss truly looking to stamp his style on the Wolves squad.
Unfortunately, there was one tactical demand that his players found difficult to get to grips with and remains a work in progress.
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Wolves players have struggled to play one and two-touch football
Pereira has transformed Wolves since joining the club in December, and that was demonstrated by their upturn in form in the second half of the campaign.
The 56-year-old was able to implement a style that worked wonders, and the players bought into it. However, now that he has a full pre-season with the squad, he wants to take things up a notch.
When discussing the preparations so far, Pereira has noted that his players have found it challenging to play one and two-touch football, highlighting it as a ‘problem’.
“I’m not worried about the results,” he told the E&S. “I have some good surprises and I understand sometimes in the end of a training I need to go to some players and say to them, ‘no worries, this is the time to make mistakes. This is time to correct mistakes’.
“This is time to understand that it’s a different level of pressure, of intensity. If I ask them to play in one touch or two touches, it’s a problem because of the pace. But this is the time for them to understand what is the level that we need in the future.
“It means they can make mistakes, they can understand. Sometimes in the end of a training I need to go there and say, ‘no worries, I understand. This is the time to do mistakes, no worries’.”
Wolves need more quality through the door
It’s become clear that Pereira wants to play fast, attacking football. He doesn’t want his team to be laboured in possession, instead always looking forward.
That being said, he needs quality through the door to truly implement his tactical blueprint, and so far, Wolves have struggled to sign players.
Jhon Arias is close to being announced and will join Lopez as the club’s latest recruit, yet they still need a new right wing-back, left wing-back, central midfielder and centre-forward, at the very least.
Pereira will only sign a new contract at Wolves if he’s backed in the transfer window, something Fosun need to do in the next month.
Luckily, Pereira has said he won’t walk out on Wolves, regardless of what happens, but getting the players he needs in at Molineux could set the Old Gold up for a much-improved campaign.