27 | Matheus Nunes - 2025/26

I have said previously that the time to judge our players is in a functioning team.
There were so many holes at parts of last season that everyone looked vulnerable.
That is gone, so let players like Nunes and Rico be judged when we are not so susceptible to losing the ball and having teams break on us, en-masse, without the midfield able to get back quick enough to help out.
 
ninjamonkey said:
What does a "proper right back" offer that Nunes doesn't? People are so hung up on the fact he wasnt bought to play there. it's irrelevant, hes been doing brilliantly at right back, him not being a "proper right back" only lends to the potential he has there. Pep see's him as a right back now, that's where hes playing so hes a right back.

Is it the obvious place? Who is the improvement? We are supposedly looking at livramento who isn't even an obvious upgrade and imo is unattainable. He would cost a world record fee for a fullback even if he was attainable. surely if it was an obvious place to improve we could do it much cheaper and would have done it already? We were reportedly quoted north of £60m for cambiasso last window who i dont think is as good as Nunes so who is the obvious improvement?
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I think your praise is a bit too much, he is not a top 5 RB, he’s nowhere near top 5 in his preferred position.

For me, we look good with strength in most places. Some may have issues with the wingers but most agree they should get another year, especially as the inside forwards will play a key role, so may play with just one winger or no wingers in some games.

CM’s we seem to have an abundance there, but you could point to one more, but it seems very unlikely with the outgoings needed.

Central defence, we have a lot and probably need to move some players before anyone is brought.

Left back we look like we might now have a starting one

Goalkeeper- Possibility but I think Ederson does one more year.

Right back - Nunes/Rico and possibly a Kushanov or Akanji/ Stones playing the right back with left pushing forward and the right turning into a 3.

It’s doable but a starting RB who is technically up to standard would be great. Doesn’t need to be a huge signing, but just the right one.
 
Genuinely There’s not a game that goes by recently where I am not, at least on one occasion, incredibly impressed by his physicality. he just shoves players out of the way, the way he uses his body is nothing short of exquisite. Watch the 3rd goal

1751038916707.png
he has no right to finish so ahead of the defender. Most attackers would get bodied by the defender and taken off their stride. but he just shoves him out of the way nonchalantly.

1751038958292.png
 
IrishBloodEnglishHeart said:
Agreed. We need balance and quality. We're aiming to be back at the standard we were at - would Nunes get in at Real? Liverpool? Bayern? He wouldn't be anywhere near
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It’s funny you say that considering both Bayern and Real play with makeshift right backs too. Vazquez, Laimer and so on.

Nunes is better than Frimpong also, in my opinion, definitely better than Connor Bradley and most certainly better at defending than Trent was.

He’s been at it for a matter of months at fullback, not years, give him time. He has everything required: pace, physicality, crossing, passing, technique.

Coming on leaps and bounds and there isn’t a right back on the market that would be a genuine upgrade.
 
Kippax Street 1880 said:
Real literally played a midget converted winger (Lucas Vasquez) who can't defend at right back the entirety of last season
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Well yes because possibly the best RB in the world was out all season, and Madrid won fuck all in the end with Vazquez, though Nunes is much better than him.
 
CΛL said:
It’s funny you say that considering both Bayern and Real play with makeshift right backs too. Vazquez, Laimer and so on.

Nunes is better than Frimpong also, in my opinion, definitely better than Connor Bradley and most certainly better at defending than Trent was.

He’s been at it for a matter of months at fullback, not years, give him time. He has everything required: pace, physicality, crossing, passing, technique.

Coming on leaps and bounds and there isn’t a right back on the market that would be a genuine upgrade.
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The epitomy of blue tinted specs
 
In the second half of last season, he must have been close to being our most improved player (granted, it was a low bar and many wanted him strung up by his bollocks after the derby at our place). And he seems to be carrying on that improved form. If Newcastle make it impossible to get Livramento (crazy transfer fee, for instance), we may well carry on with Matheus in the shirt. It may not be a disaster. I remember Delph and Zinchenko being square pegs being put into round holes. With relatively successful results.
 
Matheus's constant rise in stature as a right back has been nothing short of inspirational. Slagged off by everyone including his manager and fans as a failed signing, his form during the PL last stretch and this CWC has been nothing short of brilliant. He had his share of failings and f**k ups while learning the trade of a new position, but since then he has done more than enough to get a proper go at this position. I mean, just go and take a look at his performance last night against Juventus, he was incredible! If a player has improved so much in such little time, my money is on him to make this position his own. He is a fighter and we need players with his mentality in the team. Thankfully Pep and his teammates are fully behind him and he is more than repaying their trust!
 
K-Bo said:
I think one of Nunes or Rico has to go if we sign an rb. Think Nunes has made the better case to stay, over the past season
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Is Rico essential for the HG quota? If not I can see him gone. There’s no position for him anyways. And the one he has a chance to play is one where he doesn’t excel at
 
samuelyeboah said:
Genuinely There’s not a game that goes by recently where I am not, at least on one occasion, incredibly impressed by his physicality. he just shoves players out of the way, the way he uses his body is nothing short of exquisite. Watch the 3rd goal

View attachment 161313
he has no right to finish so ahead of the defender. Most attackers would get bodied by the defender and taken off their stride. but he just shoves him out of the way nonchalantly.

View attachment 161314
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Completely agree with this, he was just bullying the Juve players physically yesterday. That side of his game has come on massively as his confidence has improved
 
He wants to be here. He loves this club , I think he didn't want to go anywhere else. Pep put him at right back and he's giving it his all, he keeps improving he still watches the ball instead of the runner sometimes. But his overall game has gone up a level. He might see this as a second chance since he didnt fit in midfield, so he's giving it everything to learn
 
King Jay said:
Is Rico essential for the HG quota? If not I can see him gone. There’s no position for him anyways. And the one he has a chance to play is one where he doesn’t excel at
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Makes no difference, certainly not essential, nobody is. Doesn’t matter anyway neither are going anywhere.
 
Silva2021 said:
I think your praise is a bit too much, he is not a top 5 RB, he’s nowhere near top 5 in his preferred position.

For me, we look good with strength in most places. Some may have issues with the wingers but most agree they should get another year, especially as the inside forwards will play a key role, so may play with just one winger or no wingers in some games.

CM’s we seem to have an abundance there, but you could point to one more, but it seems very unlikely with the outgoings needed.

Central defence, we have a lot and probably need to move some players before anyone is brought.

Left back we look like we might now have a starting one

Goalkeeper- Possibility but I think Ederson does one more year.

Right back - Nunes/Rico and possibly a Kushanov or Akanji/ Stones playing the right back with left pushing forward and the right turning into a 3.

It’s doable but a starting RB who is technically up to standard would be great. Doesn’t need to be a huge signing, but just the right one.
Click to expand...
Does he need to be top 5 in the world? What club has a top 5 in the world player in every single position? Real Madrid don't but are possibly the closest to having that and look what they won last season...

12 months ago, Gravenberch at liverpool wasnt a 6, he was an attacking midfielder that couldn't get a game for an average dipper side. Nobody would have said they could win a title with him as their first choice 6 yet sadly here we are with exactly that result.

There's no reason why we can't win any trophy next season with Nunes as our first choice right back.

Nunes has every single attribute pep wants, he lacks just 2 things, elite concentration levels which is coachable and something he can and will learn and experience in that position which he'll get playing.
 
Lads we won the league with Delph and Zinchenko at fullback, Nunes is a far better player than both.
 
K-Bo said:
I think one of Nunes or Rico has to go if we sign an rb. Think Nunes has made the better case to stay, over the past season
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Agree with that mate . I like nunes and being able to play in both right back and mid. Makes him important to our squad but for us to challenge for titles then we will need a good tight back because we will get massively tested down that side .
 
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