Fred(Signed for United)

[Colin Bells Boots]

To be honest, this guy looked like one of those rare Fernandinho-type players that combines technique AND athleticism. So I'm gutted we're not getting him. He's quality and the ideal Fern replacement.

Pretty sure we will be aware of others to fill the role, and if his agent is trying to start an auction with the Rags, we will simply walk away.

Considering the Pogba, Sanchez success ???? , our guys have been right so far.

 

[domalino]

I didn't say it'll never work I said you'd be nullifying the best parts of his game. I merely used Pogba as an example of my projection as they are very similar players.

Just ignoring his goalscoring?
He'll be cutting out that dribbling
He's ok in the air, should be better given his height.
Passing is indeed good

Also
David silva 15/16 - 24 appearances, 25 tackles
David Silva 17/18 - 24 appearances, not 50(twice as much as you claim) but 18

Are you really trying to contend that Silva and De Bruyne don't do much, much more defensive work than before Guardiola arrived and shifted them deeper? Sometimes I wonder if you just decide to leave common sense in drawer when you post comments.

Anyway, yes, you said it'll be nullifying the best part of his game which is 100% rubbish. There's no reason why that would be the case, the whole point is that the strong parts of his game would make him excel as a pivot.

You've admitted his passing and distribution would be great from that position.

Why would he cut out dribbling? By dribbling I assume you mean his runs from deep, and there's no way in hell Pep would cut that out, because he knows that a defensive player who can beat a marker instantly creates numerical advantages upfield. If a 6 gets past his marker and carries the ball forwards then a defender marking someone more advanced, KDB or Silva, has to leave them to go to the #6. It's a fundamental principle of how his teams play.

So driving runs from deep would be fantastic, beat a defender, unmark a teammate and give it to them in their newfound space. Ideal play.

Getting into the box from late runs, also brilliant if you're trying to break someone down, as they rarely get tracked, it's what he has Gundogan doing all the time when playing at 6.

Aerial threat? Well we get more corners and set pieces than anyone, and Fernandinho gets through more headers than anyone else in the side, it's another asset for the position.



You're approaching the idea of SMS at #6 completely backwards. The problem isn't that his strengths wouldn't be used in the position, it's that his weaknesses might be exaggerated. He'd need to learn to keep the ball better (another thing Pep's already done with KDB), and he'd need to show a reading of the game defensively that he doesn't really have to do in his position at Lazio. That doesn't mean he hasn't got it, it means he doesn't need to show it with Lucas behind him.

 

[01cravend]

Are you really trying to contend that Silva and De Bruyne don't do much, much more defensive work than before Guardiola arrived and shifted them deeper? Sometimes I wonder if you just decide to leave common sense in drawer when you post comments.

Anyway, yes, you said it'll be nullifying the best part of his game which is 100% rubbish. There's no reason why that would be the case, the whole point is that the strong parts of his game would make him excel as a pivot.

You've admitted his passing and distribution would be great from that position.

Why would he cut out dribbling? By dribbling I assume you mean his runs from deep, and there's no way in hell Pep would cut that out, because he knows that a defensive player who can beat a marker instantly creates numerical advantages upfield. If a 6 gets past his marker and carries the ball forwards then a defender marking someone more advanced, KDB or Silva, has to leave them to go to the #6. It's a fundamental principle of how his teams play.

So driving runs from deep would be fantastic, beat a defender, unmark a teammate and give it to them in their newfound space. Ideal play.

Getting into the box from late runs, also brilliant if you're trying to break someone down, as they rarely get tracked, it's what he has Gundogan doing all the time when playing at 6.

Aerial threat? Well we get more corners and set pieces than anyone, and Fernandinho gets through more headers than anyone else in the side, it's another asset for the position.

Kev certainly does and they both press a lot more of course...I singled out tackles after you said they had double when they FACTUALLY haven't. You always try and twist what people say to fit your all knowing football guru narrative and rather than come across well you give off "he's a bit of a ****" vibes. Grow up and argue/debate without the constant reverting to personal digs. You don't come across like this on reddit but then I guess you can't get down-voted on here you upvote whore.

What driving runs from deep? he's a skillful close control dribbler (Gundogan but with added strength) not a prime Yayaesque one.

Gundogan was doing it when playing in place of Silva he didnt have a single shot vs Arsenal or Chelsea(his games at number 6)

He could very well excel at pivot, he has attributes to suggest as such but to sign him to play that position instead of CM is a risk and a waste IN MY OPINION when you can go out and get a player who is a natural CDM for half the price in the knowledge that they'd slide right into the team without a hitch. Sign him to eventually replace Dave or to replace Gundogan and i'd be all for it.

 

[domalino]

Kev certainly does and they both press a lot more of course...I singled out tackles after you said they had double when they FACTUALLY haven't. You always try and twist what people say to fit your all knowing football guru narrative and rather than come across well you give off "he's a bit of a ****" vibes. Grow up and argue/debate without the constant reverting to personal digs. You don't come across like this on reddit but then I guess you can't get down-voted on here you upvote whore.

What driving runs from deep? he's a skillful close control dribbler (Gundogan but with added strength) not a prime Yayaesque one.

Gundogan was doing it when playing in place of Silva he didnt have a single shot vs Arsenal or Chelsea(his games at number 6)

He could very well excel at pivot, he has attributes to suggest as such but to sign him to play that position instead of CM is a risk and a waste IN MY OPINION when you can go out and get a player who is a natural CDM for half the price in the knowledge that they'd slide right into the team without a hitch. Sign him to eventually replace Dave or to replace Gundogan and i'd be all for it.

So now you've gone from 'playing him at pivot would nullify every positive aspect in his game' to 'he has all the attributes to succeed at pivot but it might be a risk'.

Make your mind up, which is it? They are two completely different positions. Maybe watch the lad play some more as well in the meantime if you think he doesn't make driving runs in midfield.

 

[ctid83]

Why’s he off to scum?
Nightmare !

 

[01cravend]

So now you've gone from 'playing him at pivot would nullify every positive aspect in his game' to 'he has all the attributes to succeed at pivot but it might be a risk'.

Make your mind up, which is it? They are two completely different positions. Maybe watch the lad play some more as well in the meantime if you think he doesn't make driving runs in midfield.

What are you on, I said nullify the best parts of his game first and foremost so don't add quotation marks then misquote what I said.

He's an attacking CM so of course asking to curb those instincts is nullifying his game. That doesn't mean he couldn't be a decent CDM though, is that really that hard to understand?

 

[domalino]

He's an attacking CM so of course asking to curb those instincts is nullifying his game.

Wrong. Moving a player deeper does not equal nullify his game. We've already been over this when you agreed that Pep's added a considerable amount of defensive duties to KDB's game and pushing him back from a number 10 to a deeper number 8 role has not nullified his game.

You agreed with this earlier, don't tell me you're changing your mind again?

 

[BlueAnorak]

I was quite taken with the idea of signing Fred, however if it doesn't happen then Im fairly certain it'll be because we've decided to go for somebody else who we think is even better, so I'm pretty relaxed about it.

This

A shame if he goes to the rags. A very good player IMO. As I have said though he needs to be taller if he plays as the sole DM/Pivot with the shells that are comming down on Fernandinho and Gundogan at the moment.

 

[01cravend]

Wrong. Moving a player deeper does not equal nullify his game. We've already been over this when you agreed that Pep's added a considerable amount of defensive duties to KDB's game and pushing him back from a number 10 to a deeper number 8 role has not nullified his game.

You agreed with this earlier, don't tell me you're changing your mind again?

It' not simply moving him deeper though is it, it's changing his role in the team.. Tell me playing Kev in Dinhos position wouldn't nullify his game?

 

[domalino]

It' not simply moving him deeper though is it, it's changing his role in the team.. Tell me playing Kev in Dinhos position wouldn't nullify his game?

And moving De Bruyne to from a sole number 10 to one of 2 number 8's changed his role in the team as well.

Kev has played as the deepest midfielder for quite a few spells in games this season and been incredible there, it makes the most of his passing range and ability to transition us from defence to attack quicker than anyone else. His game wasn't nullified at all.