Fernando

[greasedupdeafguy]

A bit of an exaggeration, sure. But I think his point was that they are pretty solid.

I think hes bang average although he had a decent 45 minutes against Arsenal. He is truly awful with the ball though which makes me think he will be definitely one of the favourites for chop under Pep.

 

[Dax777]

I think hes bang average although he had a decent 45 minutes against Arsenal. He is truly awful with the ball though which makes me think he will be definitely one of the favourites for chop under Pep.

He isnt though. But the fallacy that he is, persist. He didn't just have a decent 45 against Arsenal. He had one against PSG, against Real, against Swansea. He has pretty much been good since he became a full-time starter.

And his Ball skills are grossly underrated. So ischis IQ. Which may be 2nd only to Kev's on the squad. The way he maneuvers the ball into the correct space to create separation is exquisite. I think he is a shoe in to stay.

 

[teddykgb]

He isnt though. But the fallacy that he is, persist. He didn't just have a decent 45 against Arsenal. He had one against PSG, against Real, against Swansea. He has pretty much been good since he became a full-time starter.

And his Ball skills are grossly underrated. So ischis IQ. Which may be 2nd only to Kev's on the squad. The way he maneuvers the ball into the correct space to create separation is exquisite. I think he is a shoe in to stay.

You're no stranger to being called crazy at this point and I generally think people are too harsh on you but this one is incredibly hard to believe. If you watch the game as critically as you claim to you can't possibly have this opinion. Neither his IQ nor his ball skills are anywhere near exquisite. He's an extremely limited player who frequently hides from possession. He showed a bit more panache late in the season but 2nd on the team to Kev is not just absurd, it reads like trolling. His close control is mediocre to poor and he lacks quickness in tight spaces. He's one of the major things wrong with our attack.

I'm not even wanting to have a go at him. He's always given honest effort -- there is no question about his commitment and the things he can do he tends to do well enough. He's just an extremely limited player who we have asked to do far more than he is capable of doing.

 

[Dax777]

You're no stranger to being called crazy at this point and I generally think people are too harsh on you but this one is incredibly hard to believe. If you watch the game as critically as you claim to you can't possibly have this opinion. Neither his IQ nor his ball skills are anywhere near exquisite. He's an extremely limited player who frequently hides from possession. He showed a bit more panache late in the season but 2nd on the team to Kev is not just absurd, it reads like trolling. His close control is mediocre to poor and he lacks quickness in tight spaces. He's one of the major things wrong with our attack.

I'm not even wanting to have a go at him. He's always given honest effort -- there is no question about his commitment and the things he can do he tends to do well enough. He's just an extremely limited player who we have asked to do far more than he is capable of doing.

I reread my comments and see how it could have been ambiguous. Even though from your response, I sense you'd stil disagree with me anyway. But here it is with less ambiguity and specifics:

I don't think he is awful with the ball (that was a response to gddg's statement). I think that is mostly perception rather that facts of late.

He has been good since he became a starter. That was my opinion. I think most agree with this, but reckon it's not enough to change their preexisting opinion of him.

As a passer, I think he is actually very good. His passes rarely puts his teammates in trouble (a sign of his footballing IQ) and when he gets a pass that might potentially put him under trouble, He often maneuvers it (exquisitely I might add) to rectify the situation. Be that via a nutmeg pass, switching his body position to speed up where he can direct the ball to, or deftly flicking the ball from one foot to the other to create separation. He does these things so seamlessly. And that's part of why I think he is only 2nd to Kev IQ wise.

I think his ball skills are grossly underrated. He is competent in control, his passes are low strong and to feet, the hallmarks of good passing. Rearly would you find him giving a hospital ball pass. He uses his body adroitly to aid his control. Must be a Brazilian thing, coz Dihno does it too. And when leasing a fast break, he almost always makes the right pass.

His game is reserved, as he is meant to be the most withdrawn of the CMs when he plays, but thus should not be confused for hiding. He is often cautious, and will take a withdrawn position as we move forward, but this should not be confused for hiding. Come into his area ( which Nasri and Yaya sometimes do, and he'd join in in a triangle passing tree to breakdown presurre.

What Mangala does is purposeful hiding, what Nando does, is cautious footballing. Once the ball is ahead of him, he doesn't force it. When it's behind him he often shows for it.

Anyway those are some of the reasons why I've concluded what o have about him. And I'd say his the last CM to get the cut because he is younger than both Yaya and Dihno (who has quietly begun to show his age, and Delph who has mostly been a crock this season, and doesn't have much playing time to be judged on. And the little he has, he was mostly poor.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Fernando has been our best player for three months and it's been startling to see how good he actually is on the ball when he breaks forward between the lines.

His pass selection is very good and our whole league season started to unravel the day Fernando was subbed against Spurs at home, as we chased the win.

I still hold Hart responsible for the error in Paris, even if Fernando's touch was heavier than Yaya after a cake binge.

 

[Gundogan's Moustache]

Fernando has been our best player for three months and it's been startling to see how good he actually is on the ball when he breaks forward between the lines.

His pass selection is very good and our whole league season started to unravel the day Fernando was subbed against Spurs at home, as we chased the win.

I still hold Hart responsible for the error in Paris, even if Fernando's touch was heavier than Yaya after a cake binge.

Any sign whether he's staying or going ? I imagine he'll be down the pecking order if we sign Gundogan and Pogba

 

[Esteban de la Sexface]

hmmmmmm

They didn't give PSG or Real Madrid a kick for the majority of the quarter final and semi final

 

[Thenumber1blue]

Fernando has been our best player for three months and it's been startling to see how good he actually is on the ball when he breaks forward between the lines.

His pass selection is very good and our whole league season started to unravel the day Fernando was subbed against Spurs at home, as we chased the win.

I still hold Hart responsible for the error in Paris, even if Fernando's touch was heavier than Yaya after a cake binge.

Correct and correct !

 

[spiny]

Pep could even see Fernando as a CB.

 

[mosssideblue]

Fernando has been our best player for three months and it's been startling to see how good he actually is on the ball when he breaks forward between the lines.

His pass selection is very good and our whole league season started to unravel the day Fernando was subbed against Spurs at home, as we chased the win.

I still hold Hart responsible for the error in Paris, even if Fernando's touch was heavier than Yaya after a cake binge.

Agree with all of this.