The subtlety of what people expect of Nkunku differs wildly on here.

Most agree he is a top quality footballer.

Some believe he’s a winger, whilst others believe he’s a 10. Fewer believe he’s a 9. Many have him as an inside forward.

The truth is that he’s all 4 in my opinion. Because we have a tactician as our manager each player has very specific instructions that he must be able to do in any given position. Nkunku maybe falls down the pecking order because he can’t/won’t carry out the specific roles Maresca asks of the positions Nkunku can play.

I think in the right league or system he can be genuine threat in any role as an attacker. He’d be a killer in a 4-3-3 like Liverpool for instance.

I really like Maresca despite his mistakes as I see progression. The difficulty with the Pep school of managers is recruitment has to be absolutely spot on and our scattergun approach up to now  doesn’t help Enzo.
 

If you look at some of the great players Pep bombed out at the 3 clubs he’s managed it was mainly for not being able or wanting to play the role given. Maybe a similar type of scenario with Nkunku?

Edited January 14, 20251 yr by 19seventyone

Same German sources saying Veiga wants out and has agreed terms with Dortmund are saying Nkunku wants out this month and has agreed terms with Bayern.

They are also saying a deal for Tel this month is unlikely 

Edited January 14, 20251 yr by axman2526

Seems the player has agreed a contract at Bayern and the clubs are now agreeing a fee.

I don't watch the Bundesliga so never understood the hype around the guy. Also that balloon celebration is f**king cringeworthy. Shame it didn't work out but it's best to get him off the books.

Out of all the players I have hyped he is by far the greatest hype there has ever been and thus by far the greatest disappointment.

Ziyech and Nkunku should have been successful in the PL.

What a waste.

Personally, I don't think we've seen enough of Nkunku in the PL to establish whether he's all hype or not. 

His record with us in the games he has played suggests he would have done well though : 

29 PL "appearances" and 5 goals is deceptive when you consider it is only 829 minutes across those 29 appearances - less than half an hour per "appearance". Very hard to get any rhythm or build relationships with the other attackers when you're feeding off scraps, and yet he still has the equivalent of 5 goals in 9 "90s". 

 

Should never have been second choice he needs games to get consistency.

We’re past that point now, he’s gone.

Didn’t play today which would suggest he’s definitely gone.

Bizarre that the only other player in our team capable of scoring goals is going to be sold 😐

Scored the winner last time we played them, yet couldnt get on the field this time around.  Jackson was ok today but definitely no match winner, so wouldn't hurt to replace him with Nukunku with  20 to go, or just play him as an extra attacker.

32 minutes ago, icecoolguy22 said:

Scored the winner last time we played them, yet couldnt get on the field this time around.  Jackson was ok today but definitely no match winner, so wouldn't hurt to replace him with Nukunku with  20 to go, or just play him as an extra attacker.

We are actively trying to move him so no poinr risking injury 

15 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

Personally, I don't think we've seen enough of Nkunku in the PL to establish whether he's all hype or not. 

His record with us in the games he has played suggests he would have done well though : 

29 PL "appearances" and 5 goals is deceptive when you consider it is only 829 minutes across those 29 appearances - less than half an hour per "appearance". Very hard to get any rhythm or build relationships with the other attackers when you're feeding off scraps, and yet he still has the equivalent of 5 goals in 9 "90s". 

 

I thought he was very good in his debut last season. He looks very composed and his ability to get Mudyrk into games was so impressive. 

Sadly It lasted for 2 games and that is it. From then on, he only played as st (injury prevention) 

Edited January 15, 20251 yr by Bob stark

1 hour ago, Scott Harris said:

Bizarre that the only other player in our team capable of scoring goals is going to be sold 😐

I do have serious concerns about how Maresca will use Estevao. If the kid really is that good imagine if he does not do the defensive side well or press well enough so Maresca does not use him.

 

I mean maybe it is a bit much to expect all 3 to be in a starting line up but how can  you have 3 talented footballers, creators and goalscorers in Palmer, Nkunku and Felix but relegate 2 of them to conference league level. (Yes the goalscorer part does not fit Felix like the other 2, but he is still more a threat than Sancho, Neto and arguably Noni).

 

What would Maresca do if he had prime Hazard right now? Bench Palmer or Hazard?

3 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

I do have serious concerns about how Maresca will use Estevao. If the kid really is that good imagine if he does not do the defensive side well or press well enough so Maresca does not use him.

 

I mean maybe it is a bit much to expect all 3 to be in a starting line up but how can  you have 3 talented footballers, creators and goalscorers in Palmer, Nkunku and Felix but relegate 2 of them to conference league level. (Yes the goalscorer part does not fit Felix like the other 2, but he is still more a threat than Sancho, Neto and arguably Noni).

 

What would Maresca do if he had prime Hazard right now? Bench Palmer or Hazard?

I suspect he would play Hazard on the wing like he does with Sancho. Hazard was able to play on the wing and also helped defensively. Of the 3 players you mentioned, Palmer can still be productive on the wing. Nkunku and Felix don't seem to work well unless in the center. Both are specifically number 10's which means they are neither strikers or wingers and therefore limited to certain systems. Perhaps if we went with wing backs we could then play either Nkunku of Felix as inside forwards with Cole.

3 minutes ago, forbzy said:

I suspect he would play Hazard on the wing like he does with Sancho. Hazard was able to play on the wing and also helped defensively. Of the 3 players you mentioned, Palmer can still be productive on the wing. Nkunku and Felix don't seem to work well unless in the center. Both are specifically number 10's which means they are neither strikers or wingers and therefore limited to certain systems. Perhaps if we went with wing backs we could then play either Nkunku of Felix as inside forwards with Cole.

Hazard was not a presser though. Only one player is allowed to not be a presser, that being Cole, who actually does press quite well.

6 hours ago, dansubrosa said:

We’re past that point now, he’s gone.

Not sure. And I think we could get stiffed here. Any buying club is acutely aware of the following:

1. He desperately wants to leave.

2. Him and the manager don't get on.

3. We want to sell him at close to the price we paid for him.

 

3 hours ago, forbzy said:

Hazard was able to play on the wing and also helped defensively. 

😱😱😱😱😱

Edited January 15, 20251 yr by Bob stark

4 hours ago, forbzy said:

Hazard was able to play on the wing and also helped defensively.

I loved Hazard, but using the word helped there is similar to the way my wife helps me change a tyre on the car by standing near me watching.

1 hour ago, dkw said:

I loved Hazard, but using the word helped there is similar to the way my wife helps me change a tyre on the car by standing near me watching.

It is funny to see every single one Hazard manager tried to ask Hazard to hslp defensively and pretty much all of them give up after week 2.

6 hours ago, axman2526 said:

I do have serious concerns about how Maresca will use Estevao. If the kid really is that good imagine if he does not do the defensive side well or press well enough so Maresca does not use him.

 

I mean maybe it is a bit much to expect all 3 to be in a starting line up but how can  you have 3 talented footballers, creators and goalscorers in Palmer, Nkunku and Felix but relegate 2 of them to conference league level. (Yes the goalscorer part does not fit Felix like the other 2, but he is still more a threat than Sancho, Neto and arguably Noni).

 

What would Maresca do if he had prime Hazard right now? Bench Palmer or Hazard?

Felix? Creator?

4 hours ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Felix? Creator?

Aye. Am sure he can improve upon our wide players creation for Nico to up his missed goals stat.

4 hours ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Felix? Creator?

Created the opportunity for James to equalise !

47 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Aye. Am sure he can improve upon our wide players creation for Nico to up his missed goals stat.

Felix with his 2 assist in 39 games for us lol 

5 minutes ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Felix with his 2 assist in 39 games for us lol 

Would still be better that what we have from our wide players if given their game time, imo.

Does not mean I think he should be the final solution. We still need better.

I'm not too overly fussed they aren't playing. I've seen enough to suggest they aren't really impact players. Them both starting isn't an ideal solution either. 

Felix should of never been signed regardless and Nkunku in my eye lost a lot of explosiveness.