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Rodrigo Muniz: From Flamengo to Fulham

April 10, 2024
Player Analysis, Premier League Analysis

Rodrigo Muniz’s breakout season in 2021 at Brazilian club Flamengo saw the young talent earn his big move to then-Championship outfit Fulham. The young Brazilian racked up nine goals and one assist in 25 games, bringing him to England. Despite this move, his name was still relatively unknown.

 

The 2023/24 season saw Muniz playing for Fulham to fill the boots of recently transferred Aleksandar Mitrovic in what would be a big task for the attacker. Muniz eventually became a well-known name in February as the goals and assists started flowing for Fulham, earning him the plaudits he has deserved for his step up the big time. Since his contributions have made him the dream player for Fantasy Premier League managers, questions have been asked about who the Brazilian making his name in the world’s best league really is. 

 

Settling in West London

 

Muniz is in the form of his life currently, scoring eight goals and one assist in his last eight Premier League games for Fulham. All his Premier League goal contributions have come in that period, with his eighth goal being a spectacular bicycle kick in the 93rd minute to secure a point away at strugglers Sheffield United.

 

 

The Brazilian has really been a bright spark in Fulham’s campaign which has seen them climb to 13th in the table and a point closer to their tally of 52 in the previous campaign as they sit on 39 points with seven games remaining. Muniz joined The Cottagers in an £8 million deal on 13th August 2021. He was signed with Fulham gunning for promotion in a season that saw Mitrovic break the Championship goal-scoring record with 43 goals.

 

Breaking into the first team seemed an impossible task with a striker on such form. Muniz made his debut on the 11th of September as Fulham played away at recently promoted Blackpool. The Seasiders ran out 1-0 victors on the day as the attacker was substituted on to try and take three points back to the capital. Just a week later, Muniz opened his account as Fulham lost yet again. This time, it was a 2-1 defeat against Reading.

 

Muniz has spoken about Marco Silva and how the Fulham manager helped him to settle in England after convincing him to sign and helping him learn as he got older. The faith has been repaid, with Silva recently being very public about how delighted he is with the form of his number 19. 

 

The attacker would go on to make 25 appearances for Fulham in his debut season, scoring a further four and bring his tally up to five. The four goals would come in two installments as he scored braces against Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City. The following season would see Muniz loaned out to Middlesborough. Boro did reach the playoffs that season, losing to Coventry in the semi-finals but the attacking talent on show would be too much with Muniz struggling to make an impact.

 

 

Michael Carrick’s side boasted players such as Championship top scorer Chuba Akpom and Aston Villa loanees Cameron Archer and Aaron Ramsey. The goals unfortunately didn’t come, notching two in 17 Championship appearances. Both of his goals would come early in the season against Watford and Cardiff, both games would end in losses. His final start would come in Carrick’s first game against Preston North End. The Former Manchester United man claimed it was a knee injury that limited chances for his man on loan.

 

The 23/24 season has been a challenge for such a young player, with appearances coming sparsely in the first half of the season coupled with an injury that left him side-lined for around a month. The lack of goals didn’t help either, with his solemn goal coming against Ipswich Town in the Carabao Cup.

 

It really seems Muniz has now settled and figured out what he’s best at as goals keep coming, and with an away game at Nottingham Forest next up for Fulham, he will hope to carry on his great form.

Strengths and Weaknesses

 

The 22-year-old excels in his ability to cause issues for defenders with his back to goal, with three main ways he does so. Firstly, his ability to hold up the ball makes him a focal point of an attack linking up with the midfield and players around him.

 

Muniz uses his body excellently with his back to goal allowing for defenders and midfielders to drill the ball into him, knowing he can trap the ball and hold off his man with excellent strength. This allows Fulham to get up the pitch when they may be stuck in their own half as players run to get around him to build attacks.

 

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The second way he causes issues is his ability to turn on the ball. Like his holdup play, when the ball is drilled into him, he can turn in a flash with minimal touches, beating the defender and setting him through on goal when he doesn’t have the opportunity to link up with those around him. His pace and close control allow him to drive towards the goal after the turn and the strength previously mentioned means he can win duels with defenders whilst marauding towards the opposition goal. 

 

Finally, his passing range, particularly with first-time passes to find running wingers, is fantastic for such a young player. With his back to goal, he can regularly play a pass over the top or even find gaps to set wingers on their way. He then turns himself, making a late run into the box to latch on to a cross. 

 

The late run previously mentioned is a massive part of his game also. The run he makes to receive a ball, whether it looks likely he will receive or not, is a huge part of what makes him so unpredictable. This can be seen in his goal vs Burnley and even his headed goal vs Brighton. When compared to other strikers, his attacking numbers are amongst the elite levels. He causes a nuisance in the box, constantly looking for chances to shoot and score and that is why he is up there with the very best currently. 

 

Photo: FBRef.com

 

The 98th percentile for shots is massive in showing the journey he’s been on in gaining confidence and becoming the main man for Fulham, whilst the 95th percentile for non-penalty goals really shows his excellence in front of goal. Whilst his shot-creating actions are on the lower end, his ability to utilise space in and around the box to create space for others is why he is such a valuable player on the team.

 

Relating to his creative production, it could be better. Whilst he is able to hold a defender off and play a pass through, when he is faced 1-1 with a defender, he does struggle to take a man on and his final pass does lack sometimes, costing Fulham chances on the attack.

 

Photo: FBRef.com

 

The 13.33 passes attempted per game shows he lacks the creative mindset to find a teammate, with only a 59.2% pass completion rate showing further his limited abilities to set up teammates. Whilst he does have a lot of touches around the penalty area, it’s clear most of these are to find himself the back of the net rather than creating for others and playing to his strengths. 

 

Whilst his attacking capabilities already make him an incredible member of the team, compared to other strikers he is exceptional with his defensive work showing his willingness to put it all on the line for his teammates. His 1.4 clearances a game and 4.65 aerial duels won ranks him in the 92nd and 90th percentiles respectively, showing his work rate and attitude towards helping others to find success collectively. 

 

Brazil has always been a factory for talent and some of the greatest players in world football have played in Brazil to start their career. Rodrigo Muniz could be the next of a crop of Brazilian talents to make waves overseas, should he stay on the right path and still learning.

 

At 22 years of age, it is difficult to judge the player he will become, but if his recent form is anything to go off, he will truly become a star. Whilst Fulham go through with their plans for a new stadium, Rodrigo Muniz should be the centre point of the Fulham project and the star of their new riverside home. 

 

By: Josh Wright / @joshwrightt12__

Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Rich Linley – CameraSport

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