Either Nunes or one of the young ones, we need some energy and pace in their, we are so slow and laboured it's untrue.
It's a shame Grealish is out, I would still like to see him used in the centre.
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27 | Matheus Nunes - 2024/25
- Thread starter Haaland94
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It's a shame Grealish is out, I would still like to see him used in the centre.
Either Nunes or one of the young ones, we need some energy and pace in their, we are so slow and laboured it's untrue.
It's a shame Grealish is out, I would still like to see him used in the centre.
Grealish is our only winger who couldn't play on both sides. Might explain why Pep is reluctant to play him centrally. But I'd like to see whether such an experiment would work. Surprises happen.
He often played centrally for Villa and looked the part.Grealish is our only winger who couldn't play on both sides. Might explain why Pep is reluctant to play him centrally. But I'd like to see whether such an experiment would work. Surprises happen.
Just not sure he has the fitness to get up and down that pitch on a regular basis.
B\connellblue
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Do you not think if Pep thought he was the answer centrally he'd have played him there by now? Rightly or wrongly it's not happening.
He often played centrally for Villa and looked the part.
Just not sure he has the fitness to get up and down that pitch on a regular basis.
He was never a CM, he was more of an attacking player who attacked free spaces in the central zones coming from the left. He was largely free of defensive responsibilities at Villa. To play centrally for City, he will have to be really good at pressing and going up and down the pitch.
That said, even Pep doesn't understand everything in advance and may need to experiment to see whether Grealish may do a good job centrally.
The time I recall him playing centrally often was when he was in the Championship and he was CAM and never a CM. So I take it that "often" means—when he was still in the trenches and was still in the Championship?He often played centrally for Villa and looked the part.
In the EPL, playing for Villa, Jack spent most of his time as a LW rather than CAM/LCM. Unless you’re counting all competitions and his time in the Championship and when he was 16-21yrs old, but as a more mature player, he’s mostly been a LW and this is in the EPL.
Adding to his CITY career, where he played almost always as a LW, his been a LW in the EPL(Villa+City) more than anything. His career has summed him up as LW.
CAM for CITY needs numbers G/A, vision and intelligence, all Pep CAM's in all Pep teams are phenomenal. Grealish does not offer that!
He doesn’t even have the attributes to be a traditional 8 in a Pep team, but at this point, he might as well play there. Even though he's slow in his decision-making, I doubt it could be worse than what we currently have. At least he's younger than Gundo and Kova and will put in the effort, unlike Gundo and Kova, who are a bit too slow
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I'm not sure on putting him centrally. His confidence is high because of how well he's performing on the wing - and the reason he's performing so well is because he's able to run past his marker 1v1.
I've still seen him bottle out of challenges and one specifically on Saturday against Bournemouth which was central and led to a counter attack.
I'd keep him where he's performing well, where he's managed to get his confidence rather than risking losing it with a poor performance in the middle where it's a completely different way of playing to what's expected of him right now out wide.
Not only that, he's one of few consistent sparks in the team at the minute so why change it?
I've still seen him bottle out of challenges and one specifically on Saturday against Bournemouth which was central and led to a counter attack.
I'd keep him where he's performing well, where he's managed to get his confidence rather than risking losing it with a poor performance in the middle where it's a completely different way of playing to what's expected of him right now out wide.
Not only that, he's one of few consistent sparks in the team at the minute so why change it?
BlueMoonRisin’
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I'm pleased Nunes has had a good run on the left I'm not sure if he can get a starting place when we have a fully fit squad. He needs to go up another level grow bigger bollocks and gain consistency to have a chance of starting regularly.
he's one of few consistent sparks in the team at the minute so why change it?
Because Savinho and Doku have been among our better performers and it might make sense to use them + Nunes in order to create more chances while alo resting Gundo and Bernardo or Kova. 30+ players can't play two games in a week.
I'm pleased Nunes has had a good run on the left I'm not sure if he can get a starting place when we have a fully fit squad. He needs to go up another level grow bigger bollocks and gain consistency to have a chance of starting regularly.
What exactly makes Nunes worse than Grealish, given that he scores and creates more?
Nunes has probably created more chances for Haaland in 3 games than Grealish did in 3 months last season.
BlueMoonRisin’
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That's a fair point but I was thinking of Nunes starting in midfield as others have suggested. Regarding Grealish he's not impressed when he's played. Still not taking on defenders and whipping in crosses because he always plays it (boring and predictable) safe. Too few assists and goals and too many injuries. I doubt he'll be here next season.What exactly makes Nunes worse than Grealish, given that he scores and creates more?
Nunes has probably created more chances for Haaland in 3 games than Grealish did in 3 months last season.
Because Savinho and Doku have been among our better performers and it might make sense to use them + Nunes in order to create more chances while alo resting Gundo and Bernardo or Kova. 30+ players can't play two games in a week.
I just don't see him being trusted in midfield.
I wouldn't mind it as, from a really simplistic viewpoint, he'll give us more energy. But digging deeper into it, his risk on the ball and tendency to bottle 50/50s will do more harm than good. In my opinion anyway.
That's a fair point but I was thinking of Nunes starting in midfield as others have suggested. Regarding Grealish he's not impressed when he's played. Still not taking on defenders and whipping in crosses because he always plays it (boring and predictable) safe. Too few assists and goals and too many injuries. I doubt he'll be here next season.
Grealish is told to play like that. Not sure how that's not understood given how many years he's been here. (Not specifically at you - just generally from others and mainly neutrals)
He draws players to him which usually leaves somebody on their own in a better position to shoot. Look at Jonny Boulders's goal against Arsenal, two players rushed out to Grealish which meant he could square to Kovacic who had a free shot on goal.
The sooner it's realised that he's not expected to run at defenders with pace and dribbling, the better. We have Doku, Savinho and now Nunes for that. Grealish offers something different and a lot more composure, cleverness on the ball and retention than those. And it works. Hence the treble winning season.
I just don't see him being trusted in midfield.
I wouldn't mind it as, from a really simplistic viewpoint, he'll give us more energy. But digging deeper into it, his risk on the ball and tendency to bottle 50/50s will do more harm than good. In my opinion anyway.
This might or might not be so. Only if/when Nunes plays 5-6 games in midfield can we say whether he makes us better or worse. He isn't impatient on the wing and doesn't lose the ball often. On the contrary, he looks like a Pep player there which shows intelligence. Otherwise, given he has been a midfielder so far, he would have needed more time to adapt.
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Gaz (FMwkdsoul)
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Don't agree with this, Jack was one of the brighter sparks for the first 2 months up until maybe the Fulham game where I thought he should have been hooked at HT. Was easily in for a few MOTM shouts at the end of Sept and then injury again.That's a fair point but I was thinking of Nunes starting in midfield as others have suggested. Regarding Grealish he's not impressed when he's played. Still not taking on defenders and whipping in crosses because he always plays it (boring and predictable) safe. Too few assists and goals and too many injuries. I doubt he'll be here next season.
Needs to get fit and stay fit though.
Since the treble season Grealish has been a shadow of himself. Pep has said numerous times in press conferences he lets his wingers play how they want to. It's clearly Grealish that's being too pragmatic and tepid on the ball without instruction.Grealish is told to play like that. Not sure how that's not understood given how many years he's been here. (Not specifically at you - just generally from others and mainly neutrals)
He draws players to him which usually leaves somebody on their own in a better position to shoot. Look at Jonny Boulders's goal against Arsenal, two players rushed out to Grealish which meant he could square to Kovacic who had a free shot on goal.
The sooner it's realised that he's not expected to run at defenders with pace and dribbling, the better. We have Doku, Savinho and now Nunes for that. Grealish offers something different and a lot more composure, cleverness on the ball and retention than those. And it works. Hence the treble winning season.
BlueMoonRisin’
Well-Known Member
Pep has told Grealish more than once that he needs more goals and assists. He very rarely beats a man to whip in a cross which is a basic attribute for any decent winger. Yes he draws players to him but often plays it backwards or sideways when he's closed down and he's been playing the same way for 4 seasons. I was hoping for a major improvement this season, but...Grealish is told to play like that. Not sure how that's not understood given how many years he's been here. (Not specifically at you - just generally from others and mainly neutrals)
He draws players to him which usually leaves somebody on their own in a better position to shoot. Look at Jonny Boulders's goal against Arsenal, two players rushed out to Grealish which meant he could square to Kovacic who had a free shot on goal.
The sooner it's realised that he's not expected to run at defenders with pace and dribbling, the better. We have Doku, Savinho and now Nunes for that. Grealish offers something different and a lot more composure, cleverness on the ball and retention than those. And it works. Hence the treble winning season.
"Grealish is told to play like that"Grealish is told to play like that. Not sure how that's not understood given how many years he's been here. (Not specifically at you - just generally from others and mainly neutrals)
He draws players to him which usually leaves somebody on their own in a better position to shoot. Look at Jonny Boulders's goal against Arsenal, two players rushed out to Grealish which meant he could square to Kovacic who had a free shot on goal.
The sooner it's realised that he's not expected to run at defenders with pace and dribbling, the better. We have Doku, Savinho and now Nunes for that. Grealish offers something different and a lot more composure, cleverness on the ball and retention than those. And it works. Hence the treble winning season.
Strange that every other winger beats a man and creates chances and I include Nunes recent cameos out wide.
Grealish is very good at beating his man and used to create chances at Villa, for me it's down to him and I do think he has self confidence issues at times.
jamesha
Well-Known Member
I get what you are saying but I think Grealish should be allowed to attack more at times. He can be predictable so maybe the occasional risky attacking move would keep opponents off balance.Grealish is told to play like that. Not sure how that's not understood given how many years he's been here. (Not specifically at you - just generally from others and mainly neutrals)
He draws players to him which usually leaves somebody on their own in a better position to shoot. Look at Jonny Boulders's goal against Arsenal, two players rushed out to Grealish which meant he could square to Kovacic who had a free shot on goal.
The sooner it's realised that he's not expected to run at defenders with pace and dribbling, the better. We have Doku, Savinho and now Nunes for that. Grealish offers something different and a lot more composure, cleverness on the ball and retention than those. And it works. Hence the treble winning season.
end of the day we need end product from wingers. doesnt matter who but we need those goals and assists. we can afford Grealish extremly low numbers when others are all firing and add lot of goals into the tally Foden, Gundo, KDB, Haaland, Mahrez, Alvarez, Rodri etc. when that is not there and only Haaland is delivering goals in some games we cannot afford Grealish imo.
Raphinha at Barca already close to 20 goal contribution this season(G+A) and its early November only. I want to see a winger like that at City. and were in the mix when he signed for Barca...
Raphinha at Barca already close to 20 goal contribution this season(G+A) and its early November only. I want to see a winger like that at City. and were in the mix when he signed for Barca...
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