Fred(Signed for United)

[MarsLlama]

Wasn't he subject of a doping ban, British press will murder him.

Yes, although from what I remember he tested positive for a diuretic medicine and not a typical performance-enhancing drug. Could be wrong though.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Yes, although from what I remember he tested positive for a diuretic medicine and not a typical performance-enhancing drug. Could be wrong though.

Diuretics are used to mask PED's.

In regards this kids height.....Kante is doing just fine in this league.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Pep's actually made quite a few comments about us being at a disadvantage for being a short side, and the importance of controlling second balls against teams who go long because you can't allow them to use that strategy of knocking it up to someone who can lay it off with a head down. His defensive signings have all been pretty big as well - Mendy at 6'2" is the biggest LB in the league, Danilo and Walker are both 6ft.

I don't think it's Pep's biggest priority, but I think it's something he's aware of.

And if he is towards the taller end of the estimates online, 5'8'' then depending on how well he jumps (which is something they train as well, there was a news report a few months ago that Stones has been working on his jumping for headers) then he might well be tall enough anyway and it's not an issue.

Plus if worst comes to worst then you can always just play Fernandinho ahead of him next year, hardly a hardship...

Fernandinho takes so much pressure off the cbs this season, by often being the guy who challenges one of the big strikers & stops them getting in a clean header to flick on.

Imo it's one of the reasons our cbs look so much better, they are sometimes just dropping off & picking up the next phase after Fernandinho spoils the first one, rather than rushing out & being left stranded as the cf flicks it behind them.

If a player can't do that, he can't replace Fernandinho & we have to change.

 

[tshirtman]

Nah,we got Barnie,next we got Fred,all we need next is Wilma....

Nah, we need a player called Flint, then we'd have, Fred, Flint, Stones

 

[domalino]

In regards this kids height.....Kante is doing just fine in this league.

Kante is an awful comparison - he did well standing next to 6'4'' Matic, or in a Leicester side that sat deep and had Morgan and Huth head everything away. Even now he has Bakayoko next to him. There's no such protection for our pivot, and as a result Fernandinho gets through a lot of headers.

Fernandinho wins 5x as many aerial duels as Kante (2.67 vs. 0.55). The two are completely incomparable. As @Neville Kneville mentioned above, one of our most obvious tactics against hoofball teams is to stick Fernandinho on the target man, and then have the CB's free to pick up the rebounds or any runners.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

I would have thought most people predicted we'd play 433 with 1 holding midfielder in August....it's what we played for the majority of last year.

With Delph at LB etc.? Considering we started the season 3-5-2, Dave will be going on 33, Dinho will be 33, who knows...

 

[domalino]

With Delph at LB etc.? Considering we started the season 3-5-2, Dave will be going on 33, Dinho will be 33, who knows...

Even if Dave retired tomorrow, Guardiola would be more likely to play Bernardo or Gundogan or buy another replacement that play 2 defensive midfielders.

And obviously no one predicted Mendy being injured, but we'd still likely be playing 433 if he didn't.

 

[PW]

Even if Dave retired tomorrow, Guardiola would be more likely to play Bernardo or Gundogan or buy another replacement that play 2 defensive midfielders.

And obviously no one predicted Mendy being injured, but we'd still likely be playing 433 if he didn't.

I dread the day Dave retires because it will be impossible to replace him. His namesake and Ilkay are both fine players, but they are not in the same league as him and this season he has taken his game to new heights. The only player I see as possibly matching his ability is Isco at Madrid who has a huge release clause and its unlikely leave Spain anyway.

 

[Edwin Edwin]

More mobile and physically reliable than Weigl.
Fernandinho will continue being a consistent starter for another season at least..Whoever comes in has be prepared to understudy him while learning the role gradually..Not many who'd be comfortable with this,leaving a consistent starting place to sit on the bench so Fred makes a lot of sense.

 

[domalino]

I dread the day Dave retires because it will be impossible to replace him. His namesake and Ilkay are both fine players, but they are not in the same league as him and this season he has taken his game to new heights. The only player I see as possibly matching his ability is Isco at Madrid who has a huge release clause and its unlikely leave Spain anyway.

Bernardo Silva is obviously the long term replacement and judging him against Merlin is unfair because he's a) settled b)playing in the actual position being discussed c) has the weight of everything he's achieved in a City shirt backing him up.

I'm sure given time Bernardo will be every bit as special, in his own unique way. Marti Perarnau gave an interview where he said Pep believes Bernie will be one of the 2 or 3 best players in the world in a couple of years, and if Pep thinks that then I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.