19 Apr 2024 16:35:08
Rumours on the old interweb that Edwards isn't happy with some signings made when he left. Namely Nunez gakpo gravenberch and endo and could look to get them off the books.
19 Apr 2024 16:50:32
Think nunez could be a better if we played him on the left over diaz and got a proper 9 that can finish the chances.
19 Apr 2024 17:07:25
Would that not be hughes job?
19 Apr 2024 17:19:18
Pretty sure this information is unlikely to come out given Edwards likes to move in stealth.
However, I do believe that some of our more recent signings haven't been driven by the data like in the past.
19 Apr 2024 18:43:10
Following on from Peak Bobby, Mo and Sadio with Divock coming from the bench was never likely to be easy.
I'm yet to be convinced that Nunez can iron out the deficiencies in his game, although as stated above, if we were to buy a goal getter who can stay fit, they could convert the many chances into many more goals.
19 Apr 2024 19:36:49
Surely that should be down to the new manager, if he wants them going forward or not!
19 Apr 2024 19:41:13
I think he can become brilliant for us.
19 Apr 2024 21:03:03
Whilst I might agree with the person who made this rumour up on player assessment, it’s just nonsense.
The next manager hasn’t been identified yet and we’re deciding which players we keep?
Just not credible.
19 Apr 2024 22:11:48
Nunez would be lethal on the left. Play to his strengths and utilise his physical attributes.
19 Apr 2024 22:34:39
Serious question: what are his strengths?
19 Apr 2024 23:11:42
Nunez has missed some chances but when he doesn’t play we don’t create even half the chances we do when he’s in the team.
He’ll come good if the buffoons like Ron don’t drive him out.
19 Apr 2024 23:15:00
@Ron, I have it on authority (a contributor to this forum no less) that our next manager is in place already. From there, and using the same ‘logic’, it’s just a short step to the CEO not being happy with our recent signings. Life is going to be an awful lot easier for the next 4 or 5 months, if we all just suspend disbelief and just climb aboard the good old fashioned roller coaster that we call social media.
19 Apr 2024 23:25:53
I mean if you can't see that Nunez has some strengths to his game then you are either being deliberately stupid or you don't know anything about football at all.
19 Apr 2024 23:59:58
Just because he runs the channels, it doesn’t equate to being an able to be a top winger.
20 Apr 2024 07:18:08
Mane and robbo on the left caused havoc, mane was a great finisher, Bobby in the middle was tricky a good link up player and good in the air and a good finisher, salah on the right was quick and linked up with trent and was a good finisher, the 3 combined pulled teams all over the place. Mane and Bobby gone, its clear salah has lost a yard or is trying too hard, nunez would cause havoc in the mane roll its a question of he could pull defenders away from the middle to create space. We became very predictable with Nunez and Diaz, Salah was lucky to have mane and bobby because the 3 combined created the space for Salah to take his chances. Because Nunez is down the middle mostly and Robbo not fit or Klopps changed the system and we are easier to play against. Replicating mane would be easier with Nunez down the left, Jotta central and Salah right.
20 Apr 2024 07:21:16
I think Gakpo has a higher ceiling than Nunez. He’s technically and tactically superior. However Nunez has that maverick edge to him. The aggression and the blistering pace make him a bit of a nightmare. If we played him the ball earlier instead of dithering on it at the back, I think he’d be playing a lot better than he is right now.
I really like Gakpo though. In both legs against Atalanta he was the only one who was prepared to come and get the ball, take a hit from the opposition, and turn out of the pressure to drive in to space. Saw Jones do it once but Gakpo did it consistently across both games and you have to credit him for that. A player not at his best, trying to grab it by the scruff. He should’ve had an excellent assist as well if Salah had executed a basic lobbed finish over a keeper in no man’s land.
I don’t know yet if either player will be elite but with 15 and 18 goals respectively this season, it’s fair to say they’re already pretty effective for 24 year olds. It’ll be interesting to see how they continue to develop under a new manager with fresh ideas.
20 Apr 2024 09:12:27
Don't think Nunez has the agility or skill to play wide. His strengths in my opinion are his speed, strength and aggression. He occupies defenders and has decent link up and can get in behind. Trouble is he miss times his runs far too much and misses far too many chances. I don't think we play to his strengths because we don't cross enough and our build up is too slow to utilise his pace in behind. Trents ability pass from back to front will help this. But Nunez must do better. Big decision for the new manager to make and big season for Nunez next year if he is kept.
20 Apr 2024 10:04:31
Beckers Pecker “ drive him out”?
What? By posting opinion on a message board. I see, blame the fans again for players underperforming.
If you think fans on a message board can drive players out of a club then you need to look in a mirror instead of calling others “buffoons”.
Instead of listing his supposed strengths (thanks Red Will is 1) most prefer to attack the person asking the question.
Strength, speed and aggression.
It’s not enough to play at the top level, you need football ability too. Heskey had strength speed and aggression, but he was an average technician - like Darwin I’m afraid.
If he’s sold it’s because he’s not good enough or some team likes him so much they offer an obscene amount.
I think we know which is most likely.
When I’m at the match - like every other supporter, I’m behind “Nooo nezzz”, but when I look back at games objectively he just doesn’t have the quality to succeed at this level.
Having said that we have a serious lack of quality in the squad. Salah getting on, Virgil ageing. Allison is top class, Diaz is good, obviously Mac Allister and Trent are top class, I think Elliott has quality. Robbo still has quality but how many more years can he sustain his all action game for?
Others have potential - Quansah, Bradley, Clarke, Danns, Bajcetic.
I think we have a big rebuild on our hands, it’ll take a few years.
As for the new manager being in place, let’s remember Hughes doesn’t start his new job before June.
No disrespect to anyone but I’ll believe it when Ed002 confirms it.
20 Apr 2024 10:14:48
His mistimed runs can be put down to players behind him holding onto the ball too long. Trent coming back will definitely help shame Thiago has been out he would have halved his offside incidents. I would not be in a rush to let him leave. I think Diaz will be the fall guy.
20 Apr 2024 11:05:25
My worry about Darwin is his lack of game smarts. His assets are obvious, e. g. boundless enthusiasm and energy, but a cool head is not one of them. He'll be 25 in June, so he's not really a malleable young puppy anymore.
I reckon he has supersub written all over him, because he's such a disrupter. But I can't see a universe in which he becomes Mr Dependable. Suspect the new manager will agree, but who knows?
20 Apr 2024 11:43:23
Nunez will reach his peak at 27, and if we keep him, we'll reep the benefits.
There's a player in there, and we just need to nurture him.
20 Apr 2024 12:41:57
Every player has strengths. It’s asinine to ask that question.
The real question is their consistency, mentality and how they fit in the system we play - I. e., do we play to their strengths.
Nunez is direct, physical, good in the air and creates opportunities for his team mates. I think he is a central striker and would be best served with wingers and full backs bombing crosses in.
20 Apr 2024 14:23:56
Ron you are a buffoon for even asking the question and for the thinly veiled dig that was contained in it.
Nunez has pace, power, aggression, he’s good in the air, can go past people, scores goals, creates goals, occupies defenders, creates space for others, bullies defenders.
Is that enough for you?
Rather than looking at what he hasn’t done why not try looking at what he has done and form an opinion about what kind of player he can become from that? The 2 goals against Newcastle, the goal against Sheff Utd, the goal against Bournemouth, the goals against Prague, the goal against Forest. All absolutely brilliant finishes that shows you that if he could just calm down in front of goal he would be some player.
That’s without mentioning the countless opportunities he creates for himself and others with his endless running and never say die attitude.
He’s missed a few chances recently but then so has everyone else. The whole team looks tense in front of goal but you choose to pick on him?
As for fans having an impact on players and driving them out it happens all the time. Why should he give his all for us when every time he looks on social media even his own fans are saying he doesn’t have any strengths?
I honestly believe there’s a 30 goal a season striker there, we just need to allow him to iron out his game and get used to the pressure of being at a top club. If we sell him now he’ll just smash it up for someone else and we’ll end up looking a bit silly.
20 Apr 2024 14:50:59
Gakpo and Diaz are far better players than Darwin. I agree with Ron, what are his strengths exactly? He can't dribble, he can't finish, his touch is abysmal. He can pick a pass but he often makes the strangest decisions when he has the ball.
20 Apr 2024 15:42:15
BP - I didn’t ask that question and suggest ‘he has no strengths’. I asked it to see what do his fans really see in him.
Anyone who’s been on the match chat knows I praise Nunez’s energy and enthusiasm. He certainly has pace.
By asking the question I’m trying to ascertain if I’m missing something.
It seems I’m not.
Passion, enthusiasm, energy, pace - these are absolutely necessary, they’re absolutely not universally present in the squad or any squad.
But at the top level you need more. In the 80’s you didn’t, lots of players had careers based on those attributes.
But in the 21st century you need to have technical ability, you need to be comfortable with the ball at your feet, you need to be able to control the ball, you need to be able to play a pass, time your runs and strikers need to have a cool head in the box.
That’s where he’s lacking in my opinion.
It’s all irrelevant, the new coaching team will judge him.
21 Apr 2024 07:09:29
Gakpo and Nunez both rubbish, only the 32 goals between them this year. 🤣
Players like Salah, Haaland, Messi, Lewandowski and Ronaldo have skewed the figures. There was a time where 20 goals a season was the mark of a top class striker and plus 10 was the mark of a world class wide or attacking midfielder. These are good young players who can still get better.
21 Apr 2024 23:08:13
The words Nunez and lethal should never be in the same sentence.
{Ed002's Note - I think there is a very good chance he will move to Liverpool but the club need to talk with Sporting, pay up and then perhaps sign a no poaching agreement.}