Fernando has turned it around

[BigOscar]

I doubt he was instructed to offer a threat offensively tonight.

a) it's not his game
b) there was no need to

He's not great, but it's akin to slagging off Aguero's defensive ability.

A lot of people seem to just not understand the concept of a holding midfielder. It's probably the reason why Gareth Barry is the only english holding midfield player and every single other midfielder is a charge around headless chicken, box to box midfielder. Then they cannot fathom why Gerrard and Lampard don't play well together for England.

I can understand people not thinking Fernando is good enough, but a hell of a lot of the criticism of him isn't even about him, it's about holding midfielders in general.

 

[franksinatra]

I doubt he was instructed to offer a threat offensively tonight.

a) it's not his game
b) there was no need to

He's not great, but it's akin to slagging off Aguero's defensive ability.

Possibly true he was not required to offer anything going forward offensively tonight, but saying its 'not his game' is not true, it's basically because he is unable to do it.

The guy in that position acts as the conductor for the entire team. I'm not expecting him to pop up with ten goals a season but offering a threat offensively could be achieved by not requiring a silva/Yaya even Aguero to come deep and collect the ball of him to set up the next attack. It slows down momentum, takes away another option for a forward pass (as an attacking player has come to collect the ball) and is exactly the reason we have threads discussing our lack of invention, pedestrian football and isolation of the striker.

 

[cleavers]

Did his job tonight, in a simple manner, cuts things out, and gives it to a more skilful player, much the same as De Jong did. At his best when you hardly notice him, like tonight.

 

[citymad]

Great game tonight.

 

[blue ranger]

Thought he did his job well last night, second only to Yaya in the motm stakes. But definitely not good enough for City and will be moved on in the summer.

 

[bondsman]

makele, dunga, mascherano

To compare Fernando to any of makele, dunga, or masherano is an insult to all three and embarrassing for you marv.

 

[Bobbymanc]

Maybe he should be considered as a centre back to replace Vincent?

 

[sir baconface]

the octopus has landed

Good one. :)

 

[lancs blue]

Maybe he should be considered as a centre back to replace Vincent?

I don't think he reads the game well enough to do a CB job. Don't forget his run of missed tackles that led to goals earlier in the season - Juve and Stoke away were the most glaring examples.

He's a steady Eddie type of player, mostly 6.5/10 with the odd 7 and 5 thrown in. He did well enough last night but the opposition failed to put us under any concerted pressure and collectively we were fairly average so his performance was more noticeable. I doubt Pep will be starting him too often next season, if he's still here.

 

[The Fat el Hombre]

Broke stuff up well that first half but has still looked one pace, wooden, flat and predictable recently