Is there a case for recalling Fernando

[schfc6]

I don't think Fernando is as bad as people make out, in that regard. he's no Yaya, but if the whole team is passing the ball well, I don't think he has a problem joining in.

It's usually a team thing, when we go to shit imo, rather than one midfielder.

It almost happened to Yaya last night when he was mugged due to Stones' early passing as if he was wearing rubber clown shoes. Later in the game, when Stones calmed down, it all looked easy.

I thought Fernando looked nervous as hell vs Spurs away. I don't mind him as a player. I just don't think he wants the ball enough and when we're at our best it's been with Toure's nous and passing ability or Fernandinho's energy and willingness to drop very deep then explode forwards with or without the ball.
Fernandinho can brake the press with a burst of speed or a pass. Toure with a turn under pressure or a quick round the corner ball.
I don't think Fernando has ever shown any signs of being able to brake the press and just passes it the way he's facing. He struggled with that at first. He's better now. But if he's the link between back four and front 5. I think the team would end up as a mess and so many players would be out of position due to inferior passing.
Granted Toure may get caught the odd time or Fernandinho may give it away but for me, no where near as often as Fernando with just 'English' it and play the way he's facing.

As you say though, there's certainly a time and a place for him. But not starting for me. Spoiling or closing out a game, sure.

 

[schfc6]

We played Spurs and Chelsea off the park, and took a point. We were better than Liverpool, but lost.

We really should not have lost at Leicester or Everton. Kamikaze stuff. This City team is in transition, I know that

I am sur Guardiola does not regard it as the end-product but so many of you seem happy with a team that is 8 points off the top, and for me we have the best forwards in the country - by a long way. Hence we can have Aguero on the bench. And yet we are trailing Chelsea and just a few points above the riff-raff.

My point was, you advocated Fernando and our worst performance by some distance was Spurs away. He came in at the expense of De Bruyne and we changed shape from a team that had just won ten in a row.

 

[Rolee]

Imo the 'eye of the needle' passes are exactly what we don't want to be attempting too much of when we are 2-0 up, & are often part of the problem because they give away the ball more than they open up the oppo. At the other end of the scale, people such as Clichy, Kolarov, Stones, randomly hoofing or heading the ball back into centre midfield or up in the air, rather than clearing it properly, is another huge danger. Simple, ball retention is what we need, then the oppo will provide the gap themselves, by getting tired chasing.

Fernando can do that, if needed.

But imo, the problem isn't whether Fernando plays or doesn't play, it's how the whole team operates together.

If they develop the ability to keep the ball, as a method of closing games out, like v Bournemouth, & Silva/KDB put in the hard work centrally, then there is not so much need for Fernando, other than to cover for injuries. But if it's 1-0 rather than 2-0, & we are playing a top 4 side, can we keep our nerve, & do it ?

Also, whatever formation we play & no matter how well we are playing, there will be situations where we lose the ball.

On many occasions this season, that has resulted in the oppo, with the most basic of moves, completely dumbfounding our back 4, as if Messi had conjured up something magical, when actually they just lumped it, or played it wide, like Chelsea, Everton, Spurs, Leicester etc did. Most of he goals we concede, are stoppable with competent, rather than excellent defending.

Where we need players like Fernando, Delph etc, isn't when everyone is getting it right, it's when they get it wrong & somebody has to win the ball back. We have had many of those situations & arguably needed two or three Fernandos to protect the back 4.

I don't disagree with you in that we don't need them type of passes when we are 2 up however we do need them type of passes when we're trying to break down the massed ranks.

A lot of the chances we've conceded have been due to not defending from the front, we are conceding less of these lately because Jesus energy is inspiring the rest to not allow the opposition easy ball out from their defensive third. Him and Sané added to Sterling has helped us as much defensively as it has attacking.

 

[Neville Kneville]

I thought Fernando looked nervous as hell vs Spurs away. I don't mind him as a player. I just don't think he wants the ball enough and when we're at our best it's been with Toure's nous and passing ability or Fernandinho's energy and willingness to drop very deep then explode forwards with or without the ball.
Fernandinho can brake the press with a burst of speed or a pass. Toure with a turn under pressure or a quick round the corner ball.
I don't think Fernando has ever shown any signs of being able to brake the press and just passes it the way he's facing. He struggled with that at first. He's better now. But if he's the link between back four and front 5. I think the team would end up as a mess and so many players would be out of position due to inferior passing.
Granted Toure may get caught the odd time or Fernandinho may give it away but for me, no where near as often as Fernando with just 'English' it and play the way he's facing.

As you say though, there's certainly a time and a place for him. But not starting for me. Spoiling or closing out a game, sure.

The problem imo with Fernando is he is very 'rusty' when not playing regularly, which makes his job as 'occasional' midfielder, not the best one.

I thought the whole team was dreadful v Spurs though, & it looked like it was coming during the Celtic game.

I would like to see a 'plan B' team, with 3 solid mids, not as a desired system, but as something we fall back on, if the whole philosophy goes to shit during a game & the players we rely on, stop performing. Fernando would be part of that.

I think we have the players to convert to a tough, hard to break down team, with terrifying pace on the counter attack. I don't expect Pep will ever do it, but if we were 1-0 up in the Bernabau & getting tatered, nobody would care if we had 20 mins of 'solid'.

 

[Neville Kneville]

I don't disagree with you in that we don't need them type of passes when we are 2 up however we do need them type of passes when we're trying to break down the massed ranks.

A lot of the chances we've conceded have been due to not defending from the front, we are conceding less of these lately because Jesus energy is inspiring the rest to not allow the opposition easy ball out from their defensive third. Him and Sané added to Sterling has helped us as much defensively as it has attacking.

The fear of pace also has an effect on the oppo I think. We are a very different side, with this front 3.

 

[ell]

I just dont think hes anywhere near good enough on the ball. A good option to bring off the bench though

 

[BillyShears]

No.

The balance of the side is currently perfect and it's the reason that we've gone from looking unbalanced to looking strong in both boxes and dominant in midfield. Fernando would be a terrible terrible addition to that side and IMO it'll never happen while the players are playing as they are.

Pep's got this spot on with this incarnation of the 433 and baring a disaster i reckon it won't change for the rest of the season.

 

[shemnel]

likely to start at Huddersfield instead of Ya Ya

 

[Blue Hefner]

likely to start at Huddersfield instead of Ya Ya

I agree, but I would rather see Garcia play

 

[schfc6]

The problem imo with Fernando is he is very 'rusty' when not playing regularly, which makes his job as 'occasional' midfielder, not the best one.

I thought the whole team was dreadful v Spurs though, & it looked like it was coming during the Celtic game.

I would like to see a 'plan B' team, with 3 solid mids, not as a desired system, but as something we fall back on, if the whole philosophy goes to shit during a game & the players we rely on, stop performing. Fernando would be part of that.

I think we have the players to convert to a tough, hard to break down team, with terrifying pace on the counter attack. I don't expect Pep will ever do it, but if we were 1-0 up in the Bernabau & getting tatered, nobody would care if we had 20 mins of 'solid'.

I'd have no issue with a midfield three like we saw at Seville last year. Especially if we had Sané and Sterling out wide. Would need Jesus or Silva/De Bruyne in a 'false 9' though.

I do think that's the limitation of Fernando though. He really only excels in the traditional anchor man role and needs two more traditional centre mids with him. I don't think I'm alone in saying I don't like him in a 'two'.
It would have been interesting to see Fernando, Fernandinho and Gundogan in a defensive minded midfield.