Wolves have been the pride of the Midlands ever since the team returned to the Premier League. But the good times were finally challenged this season. What the team seemed to lack was a tough manager who could make the hard choices. Someone who could excel tactically was needed. Someone with experience was required.
I wrote this article in December 2024. Vitor Pereira had just become the new manager of Wolverhampton. And, even though I lauded his resume, I could not anticipate the immediate impact he would have.
Here are the tactics and methods used by Pereira. Here’s who they impacted your fantasy football team. And, here’s why it might not all be just a single-season wonder.
Career Prior to Managing Wolves
Vitor Pereira is a 56-year-old manager and one of the most important coaches not yet managed in England.
Pereira played amateur football for many years in the lower Portuguese divisions. He began his coaching career around 2002, working first with youth teams and with lower-tier clubs.
He got, however, his big break in 2011. After a stint as assistant manager of FC Porto, one of Portugal’s top three sides, he was given the senior position.
Not everyone loved Pereira from the onset, but he managed good results. He won the Primeira Liga twice and played for the UEFA Super Cup trophy.
The first hint that Pereira was a manager with one eye on the purse and the other on results came in 2013. Although interviewed for several EPL positions, he opted to join the rich Saudi side Al Ahli.
He bounced around clubs for the next few years. In fact, since 2014, Pereira has managed seven clubs (he was appointed manager of Fenebache twice), including in the Brazilian Serie A. His last appointment was Al Shabbab in the Saudi Pro League.
Tactical Philosophy
In many ways, Vitor Pereira always seemed suited to managing a struggling Premier League side. His tactical philosophy is all about reacting to the opposition rather than dominating a game.
Vítor Manuel de Oliveira Lopes Pereira creates highly organised teams. His previous appointments seemed to show a manager who liked his teams to play on the counter-attack. He rarely encouraged all-out pressing but rather forced out the opposition’s mistakes.
Is this what he did with Wolves? Yes, for the most part, the tactics have been based on stability and balance. The players were encouraged through repetitive training sessions to execute the basics well.
Personal mistakes have been eradicated. Tactical consistency has meant that players knew clearly what would be expected of them. The team didn’t barge in on defences, nor risked it all on tireless pressing.
In my previous article, I highlighted Danny Röhl, Sheffield Wednesday’s manager, as a young coach with a similar approach. I stand by my statement. However, Wednesday’s mid-table Championship finish proves that squad and resources are important factors in actual results.
However, Pereira was also surprising. The manager was noted as someone who often changed team formation, shape and instructions based on the opposition. Wolves, as previously stated, has been consistent both in terms of results, as well as tactically.
Formations and Adaptability
Pereira likes to play with a three-man defence. That’s the way Wolves had been playing the entire 2024/25 campaign. And, it’s clear that the club has looked to hire a manager who fits the team’s current style, someone who can work within the confines of the system that is already being used. Wise decision!
Pereira liked to play in a 3-4-3 formation whenever possible in the past. Typically, based on the opponent, this could change to a 3-4-2-1 or 3-4-1-2. During his tenure in Brazil, managing Corinthians, the team used a 3-5-2 in buildup.
However, Pereira would also adapt his formation as well as playing style. During his short spell managing Flamengo in 2023, a 4-2-3-1 formation was most often used.
Wolves line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation. This has been the starting point for all of Pereira’s tactics. Primarily, this approach protects against fast, skilful opposition players.
We have to remember that before going on the recent winning run, Wolves looked condemned to drop to the Championship. It makes sense that Pereira’s first order of business was to fix the leaky defence.
Pereira and Wolves in Defense
Vitor Pereira is a manager who wants his team to react to the opposition. Like Jose Mourinho, he believes that there is greater pressure on the team that has possession of the ball.
Pereira’s team want to frustrate the opponent and force mistakes. The team will often sit in a mid-block, around the halfway line. Players will try to be as compact as possible.
Players do not press relentlessly but are clever in the way they cut off space. Attacking players are just as active in this phase as the defenders, looking to force the opponent to play long when building out.
Pereira also relies on trigger presses, usually determined by the defensive movement of his strikers. When full-backs move higher during the press, the team’s shape usually resembles a 3-4-3.
Ideally, this will cause the opponent to move the ball through the middle of the pitch, where they will run into heavy traffic.
Pereira and Wolves in Attack
Pereira is a manager who loves to use the counter-attack as the preferred goal-scoring method. But this is not to say that his teams reject possession outright.
No, Pereira just understands that it is easier to maintain a compact structure when defending in a mid-block or bursting on the counter-attack.
Vitor Pereira operates by the classic idiom – make yourself smaller when defending and large when attacking. Wolves will likely play with width on the counterattack. This will encourage giving options to players looking to move with quick, direct passes.
When possession is won, Pereira will want Wolves to move with speed through direct passes toward the opponents’ box. The technique of Mattheus Cunha and Jorgen Larsen‘s ability to win aerial duels may prove valuable.
When building out from the bank, Pereira normally wants the full-back and one of the more technical midfielders to drop deep. They need to assist the ball-playing central defender. They’ll create a triangle shape for passes and try to move the ball upfield quickly.
How do Vitor Pereira’s team usually score goals? Usually, from crosses down the flanks. The manager wants his players to create overloads in wonder areas and get the wing-backs into positions where they can cross the ball.
Pereira’s also relied on the ability of players like Joao Gomes, Mattheus Cunha or Pablo Sarabia to take long-range shots.
From this point of view, Pereira had some of the right players in the squad from the very beginning. Nelson Semedo is an experienced player, and Rayan Aït-Nouri shows exceptional potential. Both worked really hard on improving their crossing and positioning.
What’s Next for Pereira and for Wolverhampton Wanderers?
Vitor Pereira has exceeded expectations. Wolves are back mid-table. It’s no small achievement for a team promoted in 2003, and again in 2017. In its last eight seasons, Wolverhampton Wanderers has been more consistent than many wealthier EPL clubs.
I praised Pereira’s experience and tactical acumen in my original analysis. However, I was also among those surprised by his achievements. This has been the most notable campaign of an already well-established manager.
What’s next for the club and the manager? Confidence will be high for next season. Still, Wolves have been here before. Nuno Espirito Santo delighted West Midlands fans in his first season with the club. But the team lost momentum and stalled.
While this can happen to any team of Wolves’ size, Pereira’s shown a great ability to read opponents and adapt. The club’s good fortunes can carry on into next season. The Premier League, however, changes quickly, and both the manager and team will need to move quickly with it.
Remember that you, too, can run Wolves your way. You can do it all through FootballCoin’s free fantasy football contest. This daily game is free and offers prizes for each contest.
