27 | Matheus Nunes - 2023/24

Status
Not open for further replies.
I really like the physique of Nunes, his dribbling skills and the way he glides across the field.
With time, he could be a better addition than many expect.
 
Just give him a time and chance to adapt in his first season playing for us FFS.

There's potential for Nunes to blossom for us sooner or later, i hope he is not get injured and given chance by Pep to have consistent play time.
 
Last edited:
Whilst I certainly fall in the give them time category, I think he was a bit of a panic buy and like Phillips he’ll make the step up.

But who knows I have been wrong before.
 
Fuzzy80 said:
Whilst I certainly fall in the give them time category, I think he was a bit of a panic buy and like Phillips he’ll make the step up.

But who knows I have been wrong before.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't compare the two. We went for Kalvin because of Bielsa's recommendation, whereas Pep has been a long-standing admirer of Nunes. Nunes was not our 1st option, but he is definitely a player Pep sees something in. I don't think Pep sees anything in Phillips, maybe there was something, to begin with, but not anymore.
 
Grealish played 743 minutes in his first 10 league games for us, Phillips managed 1 minute before doing his shoulder, and Nunes has been given 199 minutes in his first 9 games. Hard to judge on that because he arrived late and has had to adapt to the system, yet at the same time we have had enough injuries to make one think that we might have expected him to play more. I would definitely expect him to be pushing for game time in the six matches after Spurs, but if he doesn’t feature significantly in those, then it might become harder for him to establish himself in the remainder of the season.
 
I am not sure about Nunes. rarely gets chances which is never good sign.

had we signed Paqueta for the quoted prices 75-80m, doubt he would be used as a rare sub like Nunes. so we went and signed Nunes and use him as we do. kind of agree he was a panic buy just to make up the numbers in case we manage to throw Phillips out last day of the window and we also had the bad KDb injury.

still feels like Stones, Akanji, Lewis, Kovacic all in front of Nunes to get into the line up.


Nunes needs to play series of games not just one off CL group game with not much at stake if he is to make it here. those wont be enough to build him up to be a crucial player here.

Pep also needs to feel he wants to be in the starting line up and make everything in training to get that.

this season would have been so much different if we had signed our number 1 target Bellingham. he is very different from Kovacic and Nunes too. much better clearly, younger, much higher potential and lot of attacking output, energy.

feels a bit we got lost with all the replanning of going from plan A to plan B to plan C, then the Paqueta betting scandal, then the delay on the Gvardiol deal.
 
Damanino said:
I am not sure about Nunes. rarely gets chances which is never good sign.

had we signed Paqueta for the quoted prices 75-80m, doubt he would be used as a rare sub like Nunes. so we went and signed Nunes and use him as we do. kind of agree he was a panic buy just to make up the numbers in case we manage to throw Phillips out last day of the window and we also had the bad KDb injury.

still feels like Stones, Akanji, Lewis, Kovacic all in front of Nunes to get into the line up.


Nunes needs to play series of games not just one off CL group game with not much at stake if he is to make it here. those wont be enough to build him up to be a crucial player here.

Pep also needs to feel he wants to be in the starting line up and make everything in training to get that.

this season would have been so much different if we had signed our number 1 target Bellingham. he is very different from Kovacic and Nunes too. much better clearly, younger, much higher potential and lot of attacking output, energy.

feels a bit we got lost with all the replanning of going from plan A to plan B to plan C, then the Paqueta betting scandal, then the delay on the Gvardiol deal.
Click to expand...
You bring up some fair points, but I mentioned in the game thread that I thought this was a game where we could have used Nunes. Same as the game versus Chelsea. I think we're asking Rodri to cover too much ground right now and he could use some real legs next to him.
 
TrentGrisham said:
You bring up some fair points, but I mentioned in the game thread that I thought this was a game where we could have used Nunes. Same as the game versus Chelsea. I think we're asking Rodri to cover too much ground right now and he could use some real legs next to him.
Click to expand...
100% we looked very slow in central midfield, Rodri was getting taken out of the game and position far too often, we really miss Stones and his athleticism in these type of games.
 
Keeper! said:
100% we looked very slow in central midfield, Rodri was getting taken out of the game and position far too often, we really miss Stones and his athleticism in these type of games.
Click to expand...
I believe I saw a graphic that Nunes averaged the most tackles in the league last season. I think him next to Rodri would tighten things up a lot for us. Although, thus far he's been deployed in a far more attacking position so I suppose there's a reason for that...
 
TrentGrisham said:
I believe I saw a graphic that Nunes averaged the most tackles in the league last season. I think him next to Rodri would tighten things up a lot for us. Although, thus far he's been deployed in a far more attacking position so I suppose there's a reason for that...
Click to expand...
First touch is poor as Pep has already stated, once he learns our system for me he will be a big asset.
 
He was always going to be a slow burn. He felt like a 3rd choice signing that's maybe a bit of a gamble and won't make an immediate impact but strong chance of paying off long term.

I don't think that's changed. I imagine we expected to ease kovacic in who would click very quickly and then slow game Nunes' play time with the intention of him being a proper option next season and beyond.

The injury to kdb shifted everybody up a rank and the new lads just aren't ready for it yet with injuries stifling them further.
 
I really feel for him. I think fans have been tough on all the new signings this year (maybe with the exception of Doku). There seems to be this expectation they should come in and be starters, but I don’t know how you possibly come in a replace anyone of the starters from last year - all world class with the benefit of experience together. And then when they do get starts it’s with heavily rotated squads with little chemistry.

It feels like an impossible balance - how do you find people to be a solid fill-in for anyone on this team, yet also be fine to sit on the bench for the majority of the time. I know they come to City to learn from Pep and win trophies but it’s got to be hard going from being the star on your team to a bench player. And obviously for Nunes this recent injury just sets him back further.
 
Look forward to him balling out. I get a Yaya Toure vibe about him. Especially when he turns and runs with the ball. I'd like to see that incorporated back into the team.

He is a very talented player that fans seem to take a while before they start liking him.

He could be the next Yaya Toure or Ilkay Gundogan (by that, I mean a player many don't like at the beginning but later grow to love). Many forget now how despised those two were at the beginning of their time at City. Fans were constantly whining about how they weren't good enough. Only for both to leave as legends and folks to whine about how we are going to replace them. Perhaps he wont leave as a legend, but I can easily see fans wondering in 4 years how we are going to replace what he does.

History will repeat itself again I believe... Just give it time :)
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top