4 | Tijjani Reijnders - 2025/26

Clearly better further forward.
I suspect that's how Pep uses him from now on.

He isnt doing enough off the ball work deeper in build up, but he makes good runs higher up, has a decent shot (he should have more goals), and looks lively more as a second striker.

Although that's not what we needed from him, we needed a more deeper build up player ala Gundogan, we have to adapt.

Foden is looking good deeper as a build up player so maybe that's the way around it to play Reijnders more.

Although when Doku is fit does Reijnders play? I struggle to see it.

This is why I wanted him to replace Bernie as a starter but that seems done now, I think he will be a fine backup attacking option.
 
I suspect that's how Pep uses him from now on.

He isnt doing enough off the ball work deeper in build up, but he makes good runs higher up, has a decent shot (he should have more goals), and looks lively more as a second striker.

Although that's not what we needed from him, we needed a more deeper build up player ala Gundogan, we have to adapt.

Foden is looking good deeper as a build up player so maybe that's the way around it to play Reijnders more.

Although when Doku is fit does Reijnders play? I struggle to see it.

This is why I wanted him to replace Bernie as a starter but that seems done now, I think he will be a fine backup attacking option.
Agree. He's in the rotation for one of the forward lying roles with Doku, Foden, Cherki. But in the top games I think he's the back up.
 
Reijinders has now scored 3 PL goals and his stats are starting to improve. However, alongside Foden and Cherki, we still look a bit lightweight in midfield and rely too much on Gonsales and Bernardo when the opposition have the ball.
Don’t doubt his ability it’s if we can play him alongside Foden , Cherki and Bernardo leaving the physical battle down to Gonzalez like you say.. Certain sides that would be a huge risk. West Ham not the benchmark. We have lots of options and quality from attacking/creative midfield. A fit Rodri and Kovacic suddenly gives us the strongest midfield in Europe in my view ( assuming Rodri is at Rodri standard). Think we are building something special.
 
Don’t doubt his ability it’s if we can play him alongside Foden , Cherki and Bernardo leaving the physical battle down to Gonzalez like you say.. Certain sides that would be a huge risk. West Ham not the benchmark. We have lots of options and quality from attacking/creative midfield. A fit Rodri and Kovacic suddenly gives us the strongest midfield in Europe in my view ( assuming Rodri is at Rodri standard). Think we are building something special.
Yeah there's so much riding on Rodri's return to fitness as it would provide us with balance and so many more options.
However when asked, I just find Pep's comments to be so glib that I fear that there's something going on behind the scenes
 
If and when Rodri is fit again, and playing regularly, Reijnders will certainly be an asset upfield. Silva’s contract expires in the summer and has been a great servant, but there have been rumours for three or four seasons now that he would like to go back to Portugal or Spain. I think Bobb may leave on loan or permanently. Pep seems intent on keeping Savinho, who is taking time for consistency, Doku seems to be finally reaching his potential. Cherki and Foden are, for me, the first names on the team sheet in terms of attacking midfield, but they can’t play every game. So is short, give the lad some time, like we did for Nunes, Doku and Savinho.
 
Anybody else noticed how this guy always seems to be in a good mood? If there isn't a smile on his face it's a half-smile. It's funny, because it doesn't seem to be related to how he's playing, whether it's good, bad or indifferent.
 
Fantastic attacking midfielder. The perfect 10. Not an 8 and Pep is starting to realise.

That’s fine. He has unbelievable strengths and quality attacking which is hard to come by for somebody also capable of playing centrally.
 
Reijnders brain is not quick enough, he's mostly in the way, until he scores..
Pep G wanted to sub Reijnders after first half, City flow immediately better when he went off, he does score goals and make important runs though.. its a bit of a conundrum for Pep. All of a sudden Foden came to life as well with "his" space that was clogged up more earlier.
edit: 2nd on the ball here I see now.
 
His best attributes are his movement in and around the box and getting on the end of things.

He is fucking useless when involved in the play, which thankfully isn’t too often. I mean WTF was he doing on the edge of their box which started the move for their goal? He is a disaster in general play.

He is a passenger most of the time. He drives me mental with his constant disappearing acts but there’s no doubt we need his goals. I guess the big question is, are we happy for him to do fuck all but finish the season with 10 goals?
 
He made comments earlier in the week about how he didn't like being compared to Kevin de Bruyne, because he sees himself as a 8, not a 10.

But he is way too weak defensively to play as an 8, Pep has seen it and is minimizing the risk of playing him deep, he also hardly helps with build up.

When everyone is fit, Reijnders is Phil's backup at 10.

And that's fine, he is more useful higher up the pitch floating off Haaland as a second striker.
 

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