#20 | Bernardo Silva - 2020/21 Performances

[Craig]

He had a really good season a couple of years ago there is no denying that.He Is not a world class player though. About 7 goals and 7 assists when he had his very best season is not world class or even close. Ffs even pissed those stats last season although admittedly Bernado got through twice the graft but the way he’s been overhyped for one good season and all the excuses for his averageness since is pretty ridiculous.

 

[DATOIA]

Insane Drop off form

During 2018/2019 season in 85% of the matches - Bernardo played as the Right Attacking Midfielder and in 15% of the matches as the Right Winger. But the most of the heroic games we remember were in that 85%. For example matches against Liverpool (both Anfield and Etihad), that goal against United when Sane came in during the half time and he was moved back to the midfield, that community shield game against Chelsea and etc..

He had some good games as the Right Winger but that was influenced by his great form via playing as the Right Attacking Midfielder and his confidence was high..

As soon as Pep started to play him as a Right Winger more actively and frequently in 2019/2020 - his overall form regressed and now we are back to the 2017 / 2018 season, where best contribution he could deliver was as a squad player who substitutes main players for the last 15-20 minutes..

But that's not the player that was regarded as the best during the number of months in 2018 / 2019 season..

So solution is simple - he either plays on that Right Attacking Midfielder position, boosts his confidence and becomes the one we remember or he should be sold and Club should buy the player who will play as the Left Attacking Midfielder - like Jack Grealish for example or direct swap to Isco - that's the solution as well..

Otherwise there will be questions why he isn't as good as he was.. The reason is incorrect position..

 

[Cityinmud]

He had a really good season a couple of years ago there is no denying that.He Is not a world class player though. About 7 goals and 7 assists when he had his very best season is not world class or even close. Ffs even pissed those stats last season although admittedly Bernado got through twice the graft but the way he’s been overhyped for one good season and all the excuses for his averageness since is pretty ridiculous.

Absolutely agree. He has been average for Portugal too. But we will absolutely blame it all on pep. Pep makes fair share of his mistakes but not with Bernardo. Bernardo simply needs to step up his game..

 

[David Silva]

Bernardo’s collapse in form is affecting us as much as anyone in the squad at the moment. Given this was the player supposedly ready-made to replace David when the time came, his failure to step up has been a complete disaster so far this year. Would be no surprise at all to see both him and Rodri replaced next summer at this rate.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Love him but Pep's killing him,sell him while he's still feting a price and he can be appreciated elsewhere.

 

[mccity]

Love him but Pep's killing him,sell him while he's still feting a price and he can be appreciated elsewhere.

Surely Bernardo is responsible more than anyone for his own dip in form?

 

[domalino]

Love him but Pep's killing him,sell him while he's still feting a price and he can be appreciated elsewhere.

Why is Pep killing him?

He's not performing. He's not performing in midfield, he's not performing on the right. People were screeching like fucking loons when Pep played him on the right, despite the fact it's where he played 90% of his career. Now, he's been put in midfield to replace Silva like you all wanted and it's Pep's fault he's still not good.

He was excused bad performances and rested loads after the 18/19 season where he was supposedly run into the ground. He has been given more than a year to get over the racism thing.


When does a player just have to accept some responsibility for their own performance instead of people bending over backwards to blame everything on Pep?

 

[domalino]

During 2018/2019 season in 85% of the matches - Bernardo played as the Right Attacking Midfielder and in 15% of the matches as the Right Winger. But the most of the heroic games we remember were in that 85%. For example matches against Liverpool (both Anfield and Etihad), that goal against United when Sane came in during the half time and he was moved back to the midfield, that community shield game against Chelsea and etc..

He had some good games as the Right Winger but that was influenced by his great form via playing as the Right Attacking Midfielder and his confidence was high..

As soon as Pep started to play him as a Right Winger more actively and frequently in 2019/2020 - his overall form regressed and now we are back to the 2017 / 2018 season, where best contribution he could deliver was as a squad player who substitutes main players for the last 15-20 minutes..

But that's not the player that was regarded as the best during the number of months in 2018 / 2019 season..

So solution is simple - he either plays on that Right Attacking Midfielder position, boosts his confidence and becomes the one we remember or he should be sold and Club should buy the player who will play as the Left Attacking Midfielder - like Jack Grealish for example or direct swap to Isco - that's the solution as well..

Otherwise there will be questions why he isn't as good as he was.. The reason is incorrect position..

This post essentially boils down to "The only time he's useful to us is when Kevin De Bruyne is injured".

 

[FantasyIreland]

Why is Pep killing him?

He's not performing. He's not performing in midfield, he's not performing on the right. People were screeching like fucking loons when Pep played him on the right, despite the fact it's where he played 90% of his career. Now, he's been put in midfield to replace Silva like you all wanted and it's Pep's fault he's still not good.

He was excused bad performances and rested loads after the 18/19 season where he was supposedly run into the ground. He has been given more than a year to get over the racism thing.


When does a player just have to accept some responsibility for their own performance instead of people bending over backwards to blame everything on Pep?

Of course players have to take responsibility but they currently seem shackled by our tactics,Bernardo isn't alone in that respect.

I'd also like to see him in a more cohesive system,with more licence to dictate and roam,in a 3 alongside Foden and KDB,playing in front of a stable defence and behind the front man/men.

 

[mccity]

Why is Pep killing him?

He's not performing. He's not performing in midfield, he's not performing on the right. People were screeching like fucking loons when Pep played him on the right, despite the fact it's where he played 90% of his career. Now, he's been put in midfield to replace Silva like you all wanted and it's Pep's fault he's still not good.

He was excused bad performances and rested loads after the 18/19 season where he was supposedly run into the ground. He has been given more than a year to get over the racism thing.


When does a player just have to accept some responsibility for their own performance instead of people bending over backwards to blame everything on Pep?

Also, the moving positions argument that we've seen doesn't work either. Since Pep arrived, Kolarov, Navas, Fernandinho, Delph, Zinchenko, Danilo, Walker (kind of), Sterling, Foden, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Laporte, Cancelo and probably others have all been moved around or played out of position and none of them suffered any kind of nosedive and were all capable of showing their quality in some way or form. That's not to say playing Fernandinho at LB was ever ideal but as soon as he went back into the middle he was back to normal.

And it's not like players can't bounce back from bad patches of form under Pep. Walker, Aguero, Sané, Otamendi, Sterling, Stones, and even Touré have each managed to turn it around at some point(s) since Pep arrived (even if it preceded another dip for some).

Bernardo's drop off is too severe to put at the hands of just Pep. Pep's probably contributed in some way but unless there's something crazy going on behind the scenes with Pep that we somehow haven't heard about it's just reaching to put the blame mostly on him. I wonder if he's having the same issues as Stones?

I understand he's easy to like because he's a high effort player who seems to have bought into the club vibe, but that shouldn't excuse him.

Of course, there's still ample time for Bernardo to turn it around. Hopefully he can take accountability more so than some fans are giving him.