Right back options

[mattcity5]

No need as Pep is now playing a 2-2-2-4 formation.

Absolutely this. People are obsessed with old-fashioned formations, when the huge majority of our home matches we're set up in a 3-2-5, a 2-2-2-4, a 3-1-6 or something like that. Even when Nunes was nominally playing right-back, most of the time it was more of a right wing-back or even right midfield position.

There are games we could do with a better more traditional right-back, but those games are few across the season. It can matter because those games are tough, but I can understand why we might not want to pay over the odds for a player who may only offer improvement in a handful of games.

 

[TonyColemansbagofapples]

1) Ait Nouri is going to be great for us but he is not as defensively sound or quick as peak Walker who was a huge part of that success

2) as the poster above said, options we have had including Zinchenko, Delph, Gvardiol, Ake, Danilo have all been vastly superior options to Nunes who will never ever be good enough.

Point one will be covered by Khusanov and if, note if, our signings come off, then potentially this side could be our best ever.

 

[King Jay]

If we don't sign a top class right-back this summer, we won't have learned anything.

No right-back, no title-tilt.

Nunes will never be good enough for it.

We want to give others a chance so we do it on purpose. Also don’t forget that we have several „ who can play the position“ we don’t need a specialist. Just a bunch who can play every position innit

 

[IrishBloodEnglishHeart]

I don’t think that is true, Zinchenko had as many mistakes, many forget because he was a nice lad and cost about 20 pence.

Plus he wasn’t as good going forward.

What?! Haha He was miles better than Nunes at full back and hugely better going forward.

 

[King Jay]

What?! Haha He was miles better than Nunes at full back and hugely better going forward.

He wasn’t better going forward. He was a better passer that’s it

 

[St.Pauli support]

If we don't sign a top class right-back this summer, we won't have learned anything.

No right-back, no title-tilt.

Nunes will never be good enough for it.

That top class RB you are speaking about, who could that be?

 

[schfc6]

Akanji played RB in the CL final and was just fine. I’d obviously prefer a quality right back, But I don’t think it’s that pressing.

 

[Cobwebcat]

If we don't sign a top class right-back this summer, we won't have learned anything.

No right-back, no title-tilt.

Nunes will never be good enough for it.

Who? The number of very good and obtainable RBs are tiny even if we buy non HG.

Also remember how good Rico was when we were playing like normal City.

I’d rather wait than just get anyone.

 

[BringBackSwales]

Is there any difference between not having a top class right back and not having a top class left back? Seems to me we have just swapped over.

I’m not sure we have an absolutely top class left back tbh. From an attacking perspective we do

 

[117 M34]

Absolutely this. People are obsessed with old-fashioned formations, when the huge majority of our home matches we're set up in a 3-2-5, a 2-2-2-4, a 3-1-6 or something like that. Even when Nunes was nominally playing right-back, most of the time it was more of a right wing-back or even right midfield position.

There are games we could do with a better more traditional right-back, but those games are few across the season. It can matter because those games are tough, but I can understand why we might not want to pay over the odds for a player who may only offer improvement in a handful of games.

Problem is them few games are often the ones that make or break the season

 

[decmancity]

That top class RB you are speaking about, who could that be?

Theres none on the market, theres probably two in world football and neither are for sale.

 

[Zenmanc]

What?! Haha He was miles better than Nunes at full back and hugely better going forward.

Not even close. Nunes ability to run the flank and get passes into and across the face of goal became much more apparent end of season. Zinchenko was beating no one for pace down the flanks.

 

[Cobwebcat]

Not even close. Nunes ability to run the flank and get passes into and across the face of goal became much more apparent end of season. Zinchenko was beating no one for pace down the flanks.

Nunes better going forward Zin better going back

 

[bell_mcfc]

I think spending (big) money on a Right Back depends on HOW Pep is planning to play.

In lieu of a RB, do we have sufficient RCB talent to cover the flank when necessary and a RM who can drop in as needed? Does Pep “waste” a RB position on someone like Rico Lewis, who can invert into midfield OR do we play a 2 in front of a defensive 3, with our 2 new AMs ahead of them, with an attacking line of 3, with wide right players that can actually track back? Or, does a player with speed and defensive capabilities (Khusanov?) play RB, allowing our new LB the freedom to get forward and allow Marmoush, Savinho, Doku to come into the inside forward position?

I find it increasingly difficult to presuppose Pep’s fluid formations given where we have invested and the way those players might fit into his plans, especially at RB!

Of Bernado is staying it helps. He formed a solid partnership with Nunes and even just played RB a few times for the last 10 when we threw subs on. He can play RCM and help cover.

He offers so much experience.

 

[bell_mcfc]

If we don't sign a top class right-back this summer, we won't have learned anything.

No right-back, no title-tilt.

Nunes will never be good enough for it.

Khaldoons comments, Pep publicly saying Nunes can’t play CM and is still being in for Livramento shows me that we are in for one.

If it’s not Livramento im confident we move on, as opposed to sticking with what we have which we’ve done in previous seasons.

Difference is we won with those teams, last season was a shambles. There is no reason to keep anyone apart from the obvious few, if we won the league we’d have kept the same team again. This is a reshuffle.

 

[St.Pauli support]

Nunes better going forward Zin better going back

Oh, I would doubt that.
Zin was horrible vs pacy wingers, Nunes has shown to battle 1v1 and is really fast on the 1st yards!

There's no doubt Nunes has shown a steep learning curve at RB.
If he could stabilize on that level and further reduces to step out and offers space in his back, he would be difficult to be replaced given the empty RB market.

 

[bell_mcfc]

Oh, I would doubt that.
Zin was horrible vs pacy wingers, Nunes has shown to battle 1v1 and is really fast on the 1st yards!

There's no doubt Nunes has shown a steep learning curve at RB.
If he could stabilize on that level and further reduces to step out and offers space in his back, he would be difficult to be replaced given the empty RB market.

Thing with Nunes is he made his name as a CDM, that pep called world class then laughed it off when we signed him. He has always had the attributes to be a good defender.

 

[Tier2Blue]

The CWC will be a factor. If we have a good run and even win it our budget could grow by a fair bit and make plan a affordable. If we don’t do well and/or nobody comes in for Grealish then Plan b may be the option we go for. Waiting game for a few weeks.

 

[Xhavenjoe]

Nunes better going forward Zin better going back

I blame both of them equally for my panic attacks

 

[domalino]

The CWC will be a factor. If we have a good run and even win it our budget could grow by a fair bit and make plan a affordable. If we don’t do well and/or nobody comes in for Grealish then Plan b may be the option we go for. Waiting game for a few weeks.

The winner will take home €100m so it could change the transfer market quite a lot whichever big European team wins it.