Fernando has turned it around

Think Fernando will stay. Look at the way Pep teams play they can generally defend and attack like the best of them. We need I think he may well be the 1 sitting in front of the back 4. The energy will come from others around the midfield to press the ball all the time. Feel players with high work rate in general in all areas will help. KDB we will see more of pressing when we dont have the ball and Sterling too. Sterling can do it has the legs to do it. Does KDB have the legs to do both not too sure. Also feel Silva will love to play in a Pep team hopefully next season no niggling injuries and we have options already in the squad.
 
Akira said:
Maybe it's just me, but Navas seems to be putting a shift in. It's just his ability dragging him down.
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Putting a shift in was never something anyone could take off from Navas. He always worked very hard, harder than anyone in our team. Putting a good cross in is other story, though this season he didn't have much choice as usually there's nobody in the box.
 
leighton said:
Think Fernando will stay. Look at the way Pep teams play they can generally defend and attack like the best of them. We need I think he may well be the 1 sitting in front of the back 4. The energy will come from others around the midfield to press the ball all the time. Feel players with high work rate in general in all areas will help. KDB we will see more of pressing when we dont have the ball and Sterling too. Sterling can do it has the legs to do it. Does KDB have the legs to do both not too sure. Also feel Silva will love to play in a Pep team hopefully next season no niggling injuries and we have options already in the squad.
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Whilst Fernando has been more than reliable throughout this season, and, overall very good, I can't see him in a Pep team. He's been a professional coach for 8 seasons now and never ever used a specialist DM in his starting eleven, neither he even had one in his senior squad. Xabi Alonso, Kimmich, Thiago, Busquets and even Vidal are completely different type of players. He would consider him as a waste in midfield, which he sees probably as the most important part of a footballing side.

His movement when we have possession is quite limited and just too negative, something even Pep might be unable to change. :)

I like him and you can watch back that I was mostly always supportive of him and thought the criticism towards him was way over the top, but I'd rather sell him now for a similar fee which we had brought him in, and give a shot to Aleix Garcia / M. Garcia / Byrne / Davenport / Bryan etc. They are much more suited to what we will try to play, and, importantly, Pep can sort of form them into his own liking.
 
Yes, he's been providing great cover for the back four. But I've been watching him really closely in the last few matches and he really doesn't do much for us in possession. Quite the opposite: he never seems to offer himself as a passing outlet to the defence. Yesterday there were a couple of time where Sagna and Otamendi were under pretty minimal pressure, and instead of finding space to give them an easy pass he just pointed up front as if to say "Lump it up there".

I think it's a mental thing - he sort of switches off once we've regained possession, when that's actually the exact time we need to build up attacks through him. It's not asking him to spray the ball around, just do the simple stuff - find space, take the ball, move it on. Making sure it's Silva, Nasri, de Bruyne playing the risky passes and not Mangala and Otamendi.

Having said that, he's had such an improvement this season. But he should offer so much more going forward. But I could imagine him as a centre back...
 
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He's been a bright spot in an otherwise grim couple of months. Still looks uncomfortable in possession and he's hardly likely to deliver any killer balls but as a hardworking defensive midfielder he's got most of the tools needed to do the job well. The more minutes he gets the better he's looked though I'm not sure it'll be enough for Pep to consider him a starter.
 
Garcia turned it around in the end too. It didn't save him from being fucked off.
 
stony said:
Garcia turned it around in the end too. It didn't save him from being fucked off.
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It's the genius plan of buying a specialist holding midfield player, spending a year using them about once a month out of a position as a standard central midfielder, then after a year or so when they start to adapt and get used to what is being asked of them and actually start to play well, sell them and replace them with another specialist holding midfielder so we can start it all over again. Presumably we are lining up another £15m holding midfielder from Portugal as we speak so we can continue this ridiculous pattern
 
He has improved, much like his predecessor Garcia!
With all the other probable in's & out's, I wouldn't be surprised if he still remained part of the squad. He is ideal for certain games and opponents! Not sure he does enough on the ball for Pep's liking though.
 
BigOscar said:
It's the genius plan of buying a specialist holding midfield player, spending a year using them about once a month out of a position as a standard central midfielder, then after a year or so when they start to adapt and get used to what is being asked of them and actually start to play well, sell them and replace them with another specialist holding midfielder so we can start it all over again. Presumably we are lining up another £15m holding midfielder from Portugal as we speak so we can continue this ridiculous pattern
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It's all about maintaining Porto's cash flow...
 
BigOscar said:
It's the genius plan of buying a specialist holding midfield player, spending a year using them about once a month out of a position as a standard central midfielder, then after a year or so when they start to adapt and get used to what is being asked of them and actually start to play well, sell them and replace them with another specialist holding midfielder so we can start it all over again. Presumably we are lining up another £15m holding midfielder from Portugal as we speak so we can continue this ridiculous pattern
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He played as a standard CM yesterday and still looked great. Not a big believer in positional rigidity. He is a good CM if most of the team works hard defensively. While he is often a simple passer, his speed of thought is actually as good as Yaya and Dihno's. Quick feet and deft little toiches to create space. I'm beginning to love his game. And this isn't like Garcia improving. Nando can actually play.


We just need everyone playing at a higher level defensively and he looks great regardless of the formation.
 
Dave Ewing's Back 'eader said:
When I saw the teamsheet I thought we would be overrun, but he was immense. Worked like a trojan. I said at one point in the second half that we had got de Jong back. If he can perform like that next season we will be in good shape.
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Agree mate, but I think it is too late now unless Pep changes his mind. He is a tireless patroller but not very comfy with the ball at his feet. I hope he stays.
 
I would rather have two Fernandinhos in the team than two Fernandos.

Fernando has done very well, but he is one dimensional player who could do great on 4-3-3 as pure defensive midfielder.

Fernandinho can play anywhere and will do good in any position, he can defend or link up the play and attack.
 
I think he could have a future with Pep, he wins the ball so often and breaks up opponents attacks but then is lacking with his passes out to get attacks started (De Jong was a genius at this). If Pep sets the team up so there is always 1or 2 options for him to give it to simple then he could fit in nicely. I shit myself every time I see his only option is to give it to Mangala who has spoons on his feet instead of boots
 
Blue Expat said:
I would rather have two Fernandinhos in the team than two Fernandos.

Fernando has done very well, but he is one dimensional player who could do great on 4-3-3 as pure defensive midfielder.

Fernandinho can play anywhere and will do good in any position, he can defend or link up the play and attack.
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Again, why does everyone keep parroting this fallasy. He played in a 2 yesterday. And probably had his best game here. Not to mention, he is not one dimensional. Sure he is not the vision wizard Silva is, or the powerhouse Yaya was. But he is a pretty solid all-round footballer it turns out.

Pep may or may not keep him. But it wouldn't be because he'd be terrible. Neither is he as limited as people claim he is. He is often conscious of staying back on build ups, but watch him on counter attacks with the ball at his feet and you'd quickly notice he is quite capable launching them. His understanding of how to use space to his advantage is also top notch.
 
I don't think technical ability is Fernando
Dax777 said:
Again, why does everyone keep parroting this fallasy. He played in a 2 yesterday. And probably had his best game here. Not to mention, he is not one dimensional. Sure he is not the vision wizard Silva is, or the powerhouse Yaya was. But he is a pretty solid all-round footballer it turns out.

Pep may or may not keep him. But it wouldn't be because he'd be terrible. Neither is he as limited as people claim he is. He is often conscious of staying back on build ups, but watch him on counter attacks with the ball at his feet and you'd quickly notice he is quite capable launching them. His understanding of how to use space to his advantage is also top notch.
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Exactly this. Fernando may not do it on a regular basis, but he definitely can launch the occasional 'wonder pass'. And for holding midfielders, he is as solid as they come.

Every top teams need a holding midfielder as much as they need a top striker. Holding midfielders might not start every game, but they are a necessary option for any top midfields (Alaba/Lahm/Javi Martinez, Casemiro, Busquets, etc).
 
He has been better in recent months but he has been here now for two seasons so he should have improved because he was poor last season and for the early part of this.

The fact he is suddenly the "in" player on here sums up how shit the some of the rest have been recently.

We have that many to ship out that I think he will stay but I still cant see him starting more than 50% of the games.
 
I can see Pep using him as a squad player and someone to close out games. Especially with the number of games, the lack of a winter break and the fact we can't keep anyone fit!

However much he like to have players who have amazing technical ability, his approach is going to have to be different with this squad in the first year at least. I'm sure we're going to see his ability to adapt and confirm why he's the best manager in the world.
 
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