20 | Bernardo Silva - 2025/26

domalino said:
Unironically Kalvin Phillips at his best, when he played for Leeds, is exactly the player we need right now.

I don’t think that player exists anymore sadly.
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I agree, yes. We certainly needed someone sitting in front of the back four tonight and Stones can’t do that role anymore it seems.

Will be interesting to see what happens with Phillips in January, as in what level he ends up playing at when he goes out on loan.
 
cleavers said:
He's not been "shocking" for 2 years, he's had the odd bad game, and some very good ones, he's not as consistent as he was, I will agree.

I don't know what some folk actually watch, because he always runs his heart out for the team, whether he's good or bad, perhaps some should check out what Pep said this very week.
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I've been playing and watching the game for more than 50 years so I know what I watch and he was absolutely garbage yet again tonight.
 
peter.evans said:
I've been playing and watching the game for more than 50 years so I know what I watch and he was absolutely garbage yet again tonight.
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Just goes to show experience doesn't always bring expertise, he was one of the better players tonight. One of the few who kept their heads.
His current job in the team is not to be flashy, we need at least one player who can keep the ball, play it simple and draw fouls when under the cosh
 
hilts said:
Just goes to show experience doesn't always bring expertise, he was one of the better players tonight. One of the few who kept their heads.
His current job in the team is not to be flashy, we need at least one player who can keep the ball, play it simple and draw fouls when under the cosh
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Yeah Bernardo is our dirty work glue guy. Works his ass off. Never afraid to come back and receive the ball. The real worry for me is the defense to midfield connection and without Rodri, Bernie plays a specific role. He isn’t flashy but he will give us an important goal. I hate the people disparaging him and his contributions to all of our Pep era success.
 
hilts said:
Just goes to show experience doesn't always bring expertise, he was one of the better players tonight. One of the few who kept their heads.
His current job in the team is not to be flashy, we need at least one player who can keep the ball, play it simple and draw fouls when under the cosh
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Tbh I thought he was playing like a schoolboy just running around everywhere and not really having an effect busy fool is the word . Great player for us but not a captain and hopefully gone in summer .
 
Paul1970 said:
Tbh I thought he was playing like a schoolboy just running around everywhere and not really having an effect busy fool is the word . Great player for us but not a captain and hopefully gone in summer .
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That just about sums up his last 2 years ! He WAS quality but hasn't been for a long long time and to make him captain is another example of Guardiolas terrible decision making of late, like the situations with Savinho, Marmoush, Bobb and letting Grealish go to name just a few ! Those defending Silva go on about him retaining the ball but he's never in the game and perhaps he is one of the reasons why teams are just walking through our non exultant midfield ?
 
hilts said:
Just goes to show experience doesn't always bring expertise, he was one of the better players tonight. One of the few who kept their heads.
His current job in the team is not to be flashy, we need at least one player who can keep the ball, play it simple and draw fouls when under the cosh
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He is still underrated by so many, even in his final season, while being chosen as Captain by Pep. What a dumbass Pep must be for that huge mistake, eh?!
 
peter.evans said:
That just about sums up his last 2 years ! He WAS quality but hasn't been for a long long time and to make him captain is another example of Guardiolas terrible decision making of late, like the situations with Savinho, Marmoush, Bobb and letting Grealish go to name just a few ! Those defending Silva go on about him retaining the ball but he's never in the game and perhaps he is one of the reasons why teams are just walking through our non exultant midfield ?
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Letting Grealish go WAS absolutely the right decision. He was inferior to Doku and Marmoush. So that was a fine decision.
 
He is not a physical player but he showed once Cherki came on that he could do a job in difficult circumstances. The former brought the movement and control back to the game and Bernardo thrived from that point.
 
WallyA said:
Im gonna be slightly contrarian here.

I dont really think it's his fault, he wasn't that bad, but 2 things are happening that I dont like, and it's on Pep.

1) Reijnders offers literally no midfield protection with Bernie and Nico G. So when Stones goes and looks a bit lost, the trio looks catastrophically bad.

I dont blame Stones here so much, but Reijnders moreso who made 4 defensive contributions compared to Bernie (11), Nico G (8, subbed early and clearly tired) and Phil (13).

2) Playing Phil RW means Phil basically goes into midfield and doesnt even bother holding the width.

That's clearly on purpose, and while Doku has freedom to go central, he still does loads of wide play, Phil does none.

This means Bernie has to do it, and it's just such a waste of his and our time, he can't do that anymore, everyone knows it.

So that's my slight defense of him, I think Pep is using him wrong with the structure around other players, but he may have no choice in that manner.
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Some of this may be correct but he's been on the wane for a minimum of 18 months now. Plenty of effort and doesn't shirk. But no goals, limited assists, conceding possession have become common place with him.
 
domalino said:
Unironically Kalvin Phillips at his best, when he played for Leeds, is exactly the player we need right now.

I don’t think that player exists anymore sadly.
Click to expand...

I've been saying the same about Grealish. I'm not sure how it's happened but our style of play this year, with space to attack into and less control of the ball means him and the Leeds/England version of Phillips would be absolutely ideal. Kalvin would be getting his foot in, intercepting and Grealish would be getting us up the other end, winning free kicks, attacking space and offering that more control.

As you said, that version of Phillips is gone and we won't turn back to Grealish either.
 
I know he hasn't been great lately, but I'd say he certainly lowered my anxiety levels in the 2nd half when he got on the ball. Tried to slow the game down and playing his way out of presses.
 
Pep should have been figuring out who should start instead of Bernardo for a long while. There are plenty of options in the squad. It doesn't require new signings imo. (That said - signing proper physical freaks would be awesome)

This is all part of Pep's failing to create a functional system for the past few years.

The writing was on the wall while we were still winning trophies. Its long past due to fix but it's not too late if he starts now.

Let Bernardo captain from the side line and watch his team grow.
 
TonyM said:
Pep should have been figuring out who should start instead of Bernardo for a long while. There are plenty of options in the squad. It doesn't require new signings imo. (That said - signing proper physical freaks would be awesome)

This is all part of Pep's failing to create a functional system for the past few years.

The writing was on the wall while we were still winning trophies. Its long past due to fix but it's not too late if he starts now.

Let Bernardo captain from the side line and watch his team grow.
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We've done alright at winning trophies to say he hasn't created a functional system for a few years.
 
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