7 | Joao Cancelo - 2022/23 Performances

[Tangled up in blue.]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm 6 posts in 13 years.
Now call me an old sceptic but ...

Is that an anagram of cespit

 

[MichaelBBack]

Won't make any judgements on his character or call him all the names under the sun like some have done, as I don't know him and can't be sure on what exactly happened behind-the-scenes. There must be all sorts that goes on and things that are said that we will never know about, and I know from plenty of experience that these kinds of incidents are almost never as black and white or "goodie and baddie" as they might seem, so I won't judge a guy based on rumours and one-offs.

All I do know about Cancelo is that he's a talented lad who clearly has quite a sensitive side and can be easily angry with himself or others if things don't go as he hoped. He's also been through a couple of traumatic incidents that I'm glad I can't even imagine, like the accident that killed his mother. Surely that affected his moods, his mental health, and perhaps his career decisions and teammate relationships. I don't know. So I won't say.

I'll just say I'm sad to see him go. I support all of our players (with a couple of extreme exceptions) and root for them all the time they're with us, and I still hold a soft spot for many after they've gone, too (not Milner, he can f*** off). So I hope he does fine over there, although I won't exactly follow him with the same level of fondness as the likes of Silva and Dzeko.

In his time with us, Joao did a lot of good things. He was a big part in us winning the league last year, in particular, and played his part in our other successes. I think it's foolish to say otherwise, and I won't write off or discredit a player's contributions just because they've left the club, even if it is an acrimonious departure.

I do agree that his defensive work wasn't the best, but it was far from terrible, either, and he has rightfully been classed as one of the top full backs in the game. He also adapted very well to Pep's tactics, and the way he played the inside WB role and drifted into midfield and onto the wing in certain games last year - effectively playing 3/4 different roles in a single match - was something to behold. In spite of his faults, he's been a great player to watch (obviously not in every game he played, but still a fair number of them).

Losing an in-form Cancelo makes the squad significantly weaker. But losing an out-of-form Cancelo who is potentially causing issues off-the-pitch might not be so bad. We're still lacking in the full back spots and I think we'll have a hard time competing on three fronts now (unless a last-minute LB arrives), but always have faith in Pep to figure things out.

 

[Jesus H Gabz]

You train how you play. I was watching an interview with a former player who said they often walked off the training pitch with blood dripping down their shins. Loads of players in successful teams hated each other or didn't speak at all. You compromise for the greater goal.

There's probably more to this than will ever come out, but the armed burglary at Cancelo's gaff could have been pivotal. He was attacked at his front door by 4 men, with his wife and daughter screaming inside. It would scare the bejasus out of most people.

Steady on with that statement……the media lurkers will twist it into the Sheik has sent some heavies round

 

[Uncle Wally One Ball]

Agreed. It was curt, abrupt & very much to the point. I seriously can't abide disrupters. It's best he move on & become a problem to someone else.

The curious one is his Instagram message essentially saying his City association is far from over. Sounds like he's regretting his decision already, or more likely he's covering his arse in case there're no takers for him in the summer & his sour face is forced to return with his tail between his legs... :-/

My take on that it was classic slapped arse from Cancelo, probably typed out with his gob hanging open and it is some form of reference to playing against us as opposition

 

[Dribble]

I would be very surprised if this wasn’t exactly that: the final straw.

The Athletic article does paint a picture of a situation that slowly became untenable, largely out of the hands of management (without giving Cancelo far more power than any player should have).

What's the article saying? It's behind a paywall so I can't read it...

 

[Lavinda Past]

They probably made the stuff up about his screaming into his phone in the tunnel too.

I suppose we'll never know the truth of it all, but I'm 99.999% sure that Cancelo won't have posted anything positive about City after we called his bluff.

I for one won't miss him one little bit.

 

[birchwoodgingerste]

So the finest manager of his generation calls him out for a bad attitude and a day before the end of the transfer window is more than happy to let him leave on loan and you think it's wrong?

I think it's right don't know where you have come to that conclusion.

 

[SWP's back]

Is that an anagram of cespit

If you’re dyslexic, probably.

 

[JTFactsPlz]

If he really was causing this type of disruption and distraction to the team, we should have got rid of him earlier. Seems like the club was actually incredibly patient with him, presumably being well aware of the problems with getting rid of him outlined on this thread. Clearly things came to a pass where there was absolutely no option but for him to leave.


This would make sense and explain a LOT.

 

[LongsightM13]

Nedum at our recent supporters club meeting summed it up perfectly. He has played alongside individuals not happy.

If you have a player in the side trying to sabotage the tactics deliberately it is not good for the squad. If you have a player who creates more fuss being out the side that’s a real issue to deal with.

As good as the player is technically they have to be moved on for the good of the overall squad.

I think people with this type of personality always have a short shelf life tbh
They might be tolerated while their performances make them worth the hassle, but sooner or later the risks outweigh the benefits
Bellamy was a similar character and probably explains why he had so many clubs and didn’t really stay anywhere for long, I imagine Cancelo’s career will probably follow a similar path