Nunez video - "maestro"

[damn that Ralph Coates! 47]

I also thought he had his best game on Saturday.

Really could become important for us in our play-off push

[cambridgeshire canary 6,735]

Bossed our midfield. No excuse for him to not be in the midfield as a regular from now on, we always plays worse without him

[Mason 47 1,382]

Taken a while to really settle. I was quite disappointed watching Dean Smith turn what was a sparkling, attacking flair player into an exhaustive central midfield slogger last season.

He definitely looks to have got a grip on the midfield now though. I'm not sure his long term destiny is there, as he tends to get overrun by anyone with longer legs, but there's no doubting there's a player there.

[Google Bot 3,278]

Certainly looks a lot better when we've got the lions share of possession, it's when we haven't that he suffers.   He's very lightweight to play that deep unless there was someone besides him who's bossing things on a physical level, of which Sara isn't.

[Grumpy 122]

Definitely had one of his best games on Saturday.I think the midfield three have come to grips with the style of play that Wagner wants and as things stand I wouldnt want to drop anyone of them.This got me thinking about how he would fit a DMF player into his team(I realise he doesnt necessarily like the idea of playing a out and out DMF but supporters,me included seem to want one) given that he would have a choice of any three from Sainz,Rowe,Barnes,Sargent and Hernandez for a front three. 

[BobLoz3 492]

Nunez has great ability to pick out a long pass and with him sitting deeper he is able to find more time to do just that. 

He can also run, seemingly, for absolutely ever so I don't think it's a bad position for him. Maybe that physicality next to him would help but I think he gets a run of games now 👍

[Christoph Stiepermann 1,138]

Always liked Nunez because he tries things and doesn't get discouraged when a few passes don't come off. You need a player like him in the team or you become too predictable.

The trouble is after his great start last season and up until the start of 2024 almost every one of his through balls and long passes seemed to be nearly but not quite right. He's really improved recently though and more often than not those killer passes are getting through now. He's also capable of keeping us ticking over well because he actually understands that the idea is pass AND move so he's always offering an option and his work off the ball is improving.

He was a bit of an unknown quantity at first and teams were wary of us and stood off us a bit so he had time and space to do his thing. Then teams figured out we weren't up to much last year and started really getting at us and Nunez in particular started getting closed down and ran off the ball often. But he seems to have adapted to this league now and he suits the role we're asking for him at the moment. I just hope it's not just a run of good form and that he can maintain these levels for the rest of the season. 

[Ulfotto 635]

Glad he is doing well he has far too much natural ability to be on the bench. I still feel we haven’t found his best position either. Against the bottom half of the championship he can look very good in central midfield I am not sure he has the same impact against team who press well.  I always thought playing him on the right might he a good option with Stacey overlapping.
 

I feel there is also some correlation between his form and him not playing for the Chilean national team. Just google how much travelling is involved in getting to Chile from. Norwich and then playing away in Venezuela. 

Edited February 21 by Ulfotto

[Robert N. LiM 4,385]

20 hours ago, Mason 47 said:

Taken a while to really settle. I was quite disappointed watching Dean Smith turn what was a sparkling, attacking flair player into an exhaustive central midfield slogger last season.

Not a huge exaggeration to say that the disappearance of Núñez's smile was the main reason I was happy to see Smith sacked.

[Ulfotto 635]

1 hour ago, Robert N. LiM said:

Not a huge exaggeration to say that the disappearance of Núñez's smile was the main reason I was happy to see Smith sacked.

Sorry I get Smith was not popular but Nunez was straight into the first team under Smith and played his best football in the early part of last season said performances under Smith are the reason he is held in such regard as his contribution under Wagner until quite recently have been a long way short of his form under Smith.

[skittles 11]

I remember Blackpool last season was probably Nunez’s best game I have seen him and that was under Smith tbf. 

[The Bunny 310]

On 20/02/2024 at 20:59, Google Bot said:

Certainly looks a lot better when we've got the lions share of possession, it's when we haven't that he suffers.   He's very lightweight to play that deep unless there was someone besides him who's bossing things on a physical level, of which Sara isn't.

Well it’s a good job we tend to retain possession a lot better when he’s on the pitch.