Nunes is superb at carrying the ball - this may seem at odds with City’s possession-based ethos but there are two very obvious uses for it
City were plainly good enough already but generally, they did not establish their dominance by using midfielders who could carry the ball past an opponent. That is now another string to their bow.
With the way that players are quickly profiled on social media these days, especially after they are linked with a transfer to a new club, many City fans will already be aware of Nunes’ runs up the pitch with the ball at his feet.Somebody who carries the ball so frequently may seem at odds with City’s possession-related ethos but there are at least two very obvious uses for it.
But his ball-carrying could also be very useful against the deep, compact defences that City routinely come up against. When an opponent sets up with a well-defined defensive line, a midfielder who can simply breeze past a couple of players — and, therefore, a line — is very useful. City have blown past teams without that ability, so it is not vital, but it is a handy skill to add to the mix.
That said, there is more to Nunes’ game than just carrying the ball. As the graphic below shows, he has various ways of moving the ball up the pitch — some of which hint at his versatility as a midfielder and the different positions he has been used in at Wolves.There is a fairly well-balanced split of how he gets the ball forward, with carrying taking up 27 per cent but receiving the ball in advanced areas accounting for 36 per cent, highlighting how he has played in advanced roles, too.
“Matheus Nunes is one of the best players in the world today,” Guardiola said after City faced him in theGuardiola is known for speaking enthusiastically about players, perhaps overly so at times, but Nunes not only carries the ball very well but also has very good technique and the right vision for somebody who will be in the heart of midfield (
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