Matheus Cunha

[whitnash wolf ex.dewsbury]

‘Peter Knowles, Burnside’.

‘Peter Knowles, Burnside’.

‘Peter Knowles, Burnside’.

Shameful!
To compare a ball juggler from Sandwell with the the best Wolves player I have seen
always got me angry

 

[Scallywolf]

Shameful!
To compare a ball juggler from Sandwell with the the best Wolves player I have seen
always got me angry

Peter Knowles will always be my all time favourite.

 

[Hawkguy]

I'm starting to dislike him. Sarabia took on a shot and curled it beyond the far post, a decent effort imo, and Cunha seemed to complain about not receiving a pass when he wasn't really open and wasn't even playing well. There was a match last season where Costa played the ball in front of Cunha and ran on into the box. Lacking a left foot, Cunha had to run past the ball to hit it with his right and hit a poor shot. Costa suggested he should have been passed to and Cunha pointed to his eyes, seeming to suggest that he hadn't seen Costa. It was difficult to believe this given that Costa had just passed to him, and then made a normal run. The truth as far as I could tell was that Cunha hadn't tried to return the pass because to do so he would have had to use his left foot, and he doesn't have one. Sometimes it's like watching a hockey player.

It makes matters worse that when Cunha has somebody up with him, Cunha is almost invariably to the left of the other player and therefore can hardly ever pass to them in the box. His whole game seems to be based on the inverted-forward shot curled past the keeper into the far post. He had a decent effort just after he scored which was IIRC of that type. I think PL defenders have him sussed though and won't let him cut back onto his right very often. Maybe I'm wrong.

He took the penalty very well, and I'll warm to him rapidly if he chalks a few more goals up, but at the moment I see him as a Dave Edwards type of player: he'll chip in with a few goals, but the fluency of the team will be poor while he's there and this will reduce our over all goals scored. I think we could use Doc as a forward and we would be better off than with Cunha there. Fabs worked very well with Doc, and understood the intelligent run he made.

Just my opinion.

Dave Edwards had 30 times the heart though.

 

[Fifty Niner]

Looks great off a striker. Will look even better when a striker like Silva makes runs to create space

Absolute no brainer to play him in number 10, and to never play him on his own

Has anyone told Lopetegui?

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

Has anyone told Lopetegui?

Most the people on here can see it ffs

 

[Ercall Wolves]

We paid double what he is actually worth, he has not shown anything yet to show that he is even a striker never mind a No9.

He’s not a number 9

 

[Wolf316]

Dave Edwards had 30 times the heart though.

Dave had about 30 times less talent though.

 

[ombyman]

I don't understand why people are shocked, he had a zero in 17 record for the season when we signed him.

 

[Wagstaffe Was Magic]

I want him to succeed, we all do!

However, the answer is in the OP question….., did Robbie Keane need time to adapt???

How have we managed to spend so much money on ‘strikers’ and get it wrong every time

 

[reanswolf]

I don't understand why people are shocked, he had a zero in 17 record for the season when we signed him.

As I say £40m was extortionate

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

I certainly don't dislike him as a player; I think the fee we paid was ridiculous.

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

If you judge him by the number of goals he scores, you'll be disappointed. Get Sasa or Fabio next to him and watch them flourish.

I think he'll get goals with fabio right next to him.

 

[wolfgar]

I do like him, but he's a £15/20 million striker in reality. Talented, but certainly not unplayable and he's no clinical finisher. If we don't make signings I suspect we may be in trouble if at least one of Fabio or Sasa doesn't come good? TBH I don't think Cunha would score too many more than Sarabia from open play if they were to play the similar amount of games.

 

[nomadwolf]

v Celtic. he had the 2 just wide(r) headers, the blocked side foot, and the curler Hart saved...

...scored 3 in 5 games in pre-season

...doing something right, and yes, play Fabio up with him

 

[Ned]

I don't understand why people are shocked, he had a zero in 17 record for the season when we signed him.

Exactly. I think it was generally acknowledged by most people here that he wasn’t a goalscorer but I think more goal involvements were expected.

The jury is out, for me, but he clearly has been a victim of a “needs must” approach so far from the manager. When he did play as a two he looked a lot better.

More to come I hope.

 

[Ned]

As I say £40m was extortionate

Just think, we could have got 2 Palhinhas for that!

 

[TheConcourse]

Hindsight FC.

 

[JadeWolf]

Is he a good player? Yeah
Does he make our team better? Yeah
Will he solve our goalscoring issues? Not on his own.
Was he worth £43m? Nope.
Will he be important this season? Potentially.

 

[Oldgoldilox]

I don't get this labelling of him as a number 10 or not a number 9 as an excuse for him not scoring goals, he plays up front of course he should be contributing goals. I seem to recall John Richards playing the number 10 role alongside Dougan and Gray, didnt stop him becoming our record goal scorer.

Like most if not all of our forward players, he overplays, is not direct enough and isnt, at the moment at least, clinical enough in his finishing. He's a talented lad, someone mentioned show pony in a derogatory sense, that's not far off, he's a luxury we cant afford at the moment in a lone striker role. In a front two alongside Fabio, Sasa or someone who is actually ready, able and willing to lead the line he will be very effective but would still need to add goals to his game for me.

 

[Kcb92]

I think he'll get goals with fabio right next to him.

I do too, but he's not a 9 so I wouldn't expect him to be a 15+ a season type of guy. 5-10 goals, same in assists, but generally linking play in the final third is what I'm hoping to see from him this season

 

[DJLWolf]

He'll be quality if he plays in the hole behind the striker which is clearly his best position.

If he plays up top on his own he'll be bang average.

No in between for me.

 

[Ian]

As a Forward.... Hwang has been more effective.
If Fabio goes, Sasa doesn't get fit, we don't bring in another CF and Lopetegui persists with a lone striker , I would choose Hwang to play the lone striker role over Cunha.
I hope Cunha does become a world beater playing as a support striker but I have my doubts.

 

[OLDGOLD]

He's not even a Mendes client

No, but the way I which it seems to work is that he is aware of others and seems to ... enable... other business as well.

 

[OLDGOLD]

Dave Edwards had 30 times the heart though.

Not seen the pre season, but from the tail end of last season I think he has quite a lot of heart, alongside the likes of Gomes and Lemina.

 

[Wiltshire Wolfie]

We all know / knew that he is not an out and out number nine, he feeds off a striker and develops a partnership and understanding. Skilful but never scored much in his career to date and has been at a few clubs without really ever breaking through in a big way. But looking back Jimenez had never really broken through either until he came to us and then things just clicked. We have to hope that he stays fit, develops an understanding with a striker, be it Sasa, Fabio or someone else who might be acquired before the deadline.

 

[Sedgers]

I want him to succeed, we all do!

However, the answer is in the OP question….., did Robbie Keane need time to adapt???

How have we managed to spend so much money on ‘strikers’ and get it wrong every time

It's the Raul effect. We signed him and he didn't have the greatest record so Jeff has tried the rinse and repeat approach. Sadly Raul's don't come along very often. We were very lucky. Hopefully the penny will drop soon.

 

[Hawkguy]

Not seen the pre season, but from the tail end of last season I think he has quite a lot of heart, alongside the likes of Gomes and Lemina.

Not saying he doesn't. I like Cunha. I think we overspent so far, but I like him.

But there's very few players with as much heart as Dave Edwards. If Edwards had no heart, he'd never have made it as a player cause it was most definitely not talent that kept him playing all those years.

 

[Jefe]

v Celtic. he had the 2 just wide(r) headers, the blocked side foot, and the curler Hart saved...

...scored 3 in 5 games in pre-season ...doing something right, and yes, play Fabio up with him

The Hart save aside, the other chances were pretty poor misses. Low ball in from the left, instead of wrapping his left foot around it, he allowed it to roll across his body for a right-foot finish, giving the defender the time to block. The first header can be excused a little because it bobbled up towards him quickly, but the second header from seven yards out centre of the goal, was a really poor miss. None of the misses were as bad as Nunes' of course!

 

[goldeneyed]

Cunha is crying out for a central striker to play off. It is as simple as that. Playing him as an outright No.9 does not work. If Loptegui refuses to acknowledge this our goals tally will remain pathetic and his own job will be on the line.
Yes we paid far too much but he is a good player who played in the right position will do damage to opponents. He and Sasa or he and Fabio might just work for us. But playing Cunha in an isolated role up front is doomed to failure. That is just not his game.

 

[Beckbury Wolf]

He's a 10 not a 9 so bit unfair! His previous club he used to play to the left of a front 3 and cut in on his right foot.

 

[so-called fan]

He was very good against Rennes. I'm still in two minds about him, but this was a decent performance. Unlucky not to score. Needs to be to the right of his teammates and not their left imo, but if he can carry on like this in the season I'll be delighted.

 

[Woolywolf]

Still seems an odd signing to make as JLs big statement of intent. We’ve clearly paid through the nose, and he’s a player that you have to set up a particular way to get the most out of. Sure we all think we could have spent £40m more effectively. That said he seems a great kid and has talent, so let’s hope he flourishes

 

[StaffordWolf]

I think he's a player with big potential, excellent movement off the ball and carries the ball incredibly well.

 

[Darvo]

I think he’ll come good for us.

 

[Peszkywolf]

Still seems an odd signing to make as JLs big statement of intent. We’ve clearly paid through the nose, and he’s a player that you have to set up a particular way to get the most out of. Sure we all think we could have spent £40m more effectively. That said he seems a great kid and has talent, so let’s hope he flourishes

Think he's actually worth 40m, he's fast, clever on the ball, and makes good runs. Just if you haven't got a striker who can do the poaching/finishing then he was a bit of a luxury. Behind Silva or Sasa he'll be really useful.

 

[Krispy Kreme]

Just think, we could have got 2 Palhinhas for that!

Did we need a Palhinha?

We got a Lemina a Gomes and a Traitor for less than 2 Palhinhas.

I know Palhinha had a good season last, but so did Lemina when he came in and I think Lemina has more to his game overall.

 

[Stee]

I always feel like this kind of conversation can become totally the opposite so quickly. If he plays positively and we do as a team I think he’ll look a very good signing.

If he starts the season well with some goals and assists and we look a good side, you can bet your house come January the media will be telling us that X,Y and Z are interested in buying him

 

[Bawtry Wolf]

Did we need a Palhinha?

We got a Lemina a Gomes and a Traitor for less than 2 Palhinhas.

I know Palhinha had a good season last, but so did Lemina when he came in and I think Lemina has more to his game overall.

A traitor?

 

[OLDGOLD]

A traitor?

I'm guessing autocorrect for Traore.

 

[tonto]

I'm guessing autocorrect for Traore.

Oh I thought the guy that’s on loan to Benfica