Marcelino Nunez flourishing in new City role under Thorup

In recent weeks, a tweak in team structure and indiviual role for the Chilean international has unlocked his qualities in a way that is making an impactful difference to Norwich's work in possession and infiltrating opposition defences. 

Since Johannes Hoff Thorup arrived at Carrow Road in May, the Chilean has been at the centre of his game model and compatible with the technical quality placed at the core of what the Dane is attempting to build. 

Nunez has entered his third Championship campaign at Norwich since moving from South America in 2022. Whereas other coaches have seen the 24-year-old as too slight or lacking in defensive capabilities to feature regularly, Thorup has identified him as a key cog in his system. 

Throughout his spell at City, there have been flashes of his quality - be it strikes from range, individual performances or moments that offered a snippet of his attributes. It does feel like Thorup and his coaching staff have uncovered that spark to best benefit the team.  

Nunez's performances throughout 2024 have been impressively consistent. Work has been done on his physicality. 

A tweak in positioning within City's wider tactical structure has allowed Nunez to flourish in higher areas of the pitch. His influence continues to grow, and his performances are becoming increasingly impressive. 

Thorup's decision to invert Kellen Fisher and Callum Doyle alongside a single pivot of Kenny McLean has given Nunez an increased licence to join attacking phases, which is designed to utilise his technical proficiency in higher areas of the pitch. 

No City player had more touches in the final third than the Chilean in this victory, and his eight passes in the final third illustrate the benefits of handing him a more advanced position. 

The change enables him to become an important link to help convert deep phases of possession into moments of attacking promise, as well as making better use of his passing radar and accuracy in areas to hurt opposition. 

Compare that high position against Hull compared to the deeper one against Oxford when City lacked rhythm and connection between the thirds. On that day, he had just nine touches in the attacking third. Unlocking Nunez has been part of the attacking solution for the Canaries. 

With every passing week, Nunez is becoming more commanding and pivotal to City's operation. His ability to take the ball in tight areas, press resistance, and quality enables the slick vertical game that Thorup demands. 

In previous weeks, Thorup has spoken with frustration about City's ability to work themselves into promising positions whilst lacking the quality to create tangible opportunities from those spells. Pushing Nunez further forward has increased the supply line to Borja Sainz and Josh Sargent. 

Marcelino Nunez has been handed a more attacking role in this Norwich City system. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd) As average positional maps show, Nunez was the City player closest to Sargent throughout this encounter. Instead of forming a key part of their deep build-up, the midfielder is now being unleashed in areas that allow him to flourish. 

It isn't just his on-ball capabilities that have aided Norwich's attacking play; it is also Nunez's energy in the press that have helped him carve a key role in this system. 

Throughout the Championship campaign, Nunez has become one of City's most influential and creative performers. He is an enabler who combines his almost majestic passing repertoire with high-energy off-ball actions. 

In the opening 15 minutes of this contest, Nunez was sent one-on-one by Anis Ben Slimane before and rifled an effort in the top corner after a sumptuous switch to in-form Sainz. His strike combined pace, accuracy and swerve to beat Hull keeper Ivor Pandur. 

Nunez has now matched his goal tally from the entirety of last season - both of his strikes have come from open play rather than his trademark set-pieces. 

Perhaps for the first time in his Norwich career, it feels that Nunez is one of the first names on the teamsheet under Thorup. That is a testament to his productivity and Thorup's ability to find a role for him to have maximum impact.

No City player has made more progressive passes than Nunez's 51 in nine matches. Only three in the entire division have bettered his passes that result in a shot. Those numbers highlight his growth into a creative asset in Thorup's system. 

After years of flashes, this is now a more sustained window into his qualities. Many suspected Nunez would be one of the major winners of the managerial change in the summer, and that has been proven to date. 

Nunez has formed part of the attacking solution for Norwich City. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd) City had to field significant interest in Nunez from Turkey in the summer, and that list of suitors will only intensify if this patch of form can be sustained.

Like Norwich more widely, Nunez's uplift in performance has been a joy to consume, and supporters have responded in kind. 

VERDICT: Seems to growing into this system with every passing week and flourishing in a new advanced role handed to him by Thorup. Technical proficiency being allowed to shine consistently. 

RATING: 9 out of 10