It's Quiet Thread 15 - Txiki Blinders

Status
Not open for further replies.
BillyShears said:
Quite surprised at how many people would swap Bernardo for Joao Felix or Jack Grealish.

Personally I'd be saying not to both those deals because Grealish won't ever be as good as Bernardo, and Felix for all his grace and talent feels like a luxury player with no real defined position.

Bernardo is our Swiss army knife. Can play almost anywhere and be world class.
Click to expand...

Personally I think Bernardo is the one to go for Grealish if it were to happen.

I like Bernardo, he's infectious with his work rate, but he doesn't give the numbers or even the threat that he should from that position. He's also unfortunately not nailed down a spot, and is constantly being shifted around. When we sign a striker he won't be in the first XI.

I think he's the one who could be moved. He hasn't played at his best level since the treble season. I appreciate he works hard, but his end product isn't there for me.
 
City_Sean said:
Personally I think Bernardo is the one to go for Grealish if it were to happen.

I like Bernardo, he's infectious with his work rate, but he doesn't give the numbers or even the threat that he should from that position. He's also unfortunately not nailed down a spot, and is constantly being shifted around.

I think he's the one who could be moved. He hasn't played at his best level since the treble season. I appreciate he works hard, but his end product isn't there for me.
Click to expand...

I like him because he's not a numbers guy, he's a football guy. Bit like David Silva in that sense, although they are very different players.

I'd be gutted if we shipped Bernie out and brought Grealish in. Very gutted. And I like Grealish and rate him, I just think the difference between the two is big in terms of talent. Grealish is easy on the eye, but Bernardo is more effective IMO.
 
BillyShears said:
I disagree. Think he's shown to be world class when playing wide right of a front three, and playing in both the 8 positions.
Click to expand...

He's only played half a dozen games as the left sided #8 in 4 seasons though, usually in cup games when people are rested and the right sided 8 is what I meant by KDB's position.

He did have a great spell in 2018/19 back on the right, but there's half a dozen options preferred ahead of him now. Is he going to replace Mahrez, Sterling, Jesus, Torres?

He's a bit lost in this side, and I wouldn't blame him at all if he wanted to move on. I don't think he's even a guaranteed starter for Portugal any more.
 
domalino said:
I love Bernardo as a personality, but he's not been world class anywhere but KDB's position really.

He's had some great games as an extra man in the strikerless formation, but he's also had some absolutely anonymous ones. He's going to be immediately benched by Kane/Haaland and then where is he getting back in the side? Ahead of Mahrez/Sterling/Jesus/Torres on the right wing? Not often. Ahead of KDB? Only if he's injured.

I hope he stays, I hope he finds a position, because currently he's drifting, no better than he was when we signed him at 23. I thought when we signed him he could be one of the best players in the world. I remember Pol Ballus saying Pep thought he could be Messi without the goals on your podcast. He's not been anywhere near that unfortunately outside of the winter of 2018.

Having said that Grealish I don't see being much different, except he'd be competing with Gundogan on the left side of midfield and maybe that's more attainable. Felix is a proper false 9 so he would offer something new to the squad, but he's obviously far too expensive so it's a non starter.
Click to expand...

Do you think it's Bernie who drops once a 9 comes in?
 
City_Sean said:
Personally I think Bernardo is the one to go for Grealish if it were to happen.

I like Bernardo, he's infectious with his work rate, but he doesn't give the numbers or even the threat that he should from that position. He's also unfortunately not nailed down a spot, and is constantly being shifted around.

I think he's the one who could be moved. He hasn't played at his best level since the treble season. I appreciate he works hard, but his end product isn't there for me.
Click to expand...
While I can see where you're coming from, not all players need to be stat padders for goals and assists.

Bernardo is crucial to our ball retention and tempo. He's extremely intelligent and enables other players to shine.

But if we were to judge him on stats, I imagine he's up there for ground covers, passes completed, etc.
 
domalino said:
He did have a great spell in 2018/19 back on the right, but there's half a dozen options preferred ahead of him now. Is he going to replace Mahrez, Sterling, Jesus, Torres?
Click to expand...

It's a good question. I don't know is the honest answer but I'm not sure that he's so far behind them all that it rules him out. I guess when I'm looking at Grealish/Felix I'm not instantly going "wow that's an upgrade". I appreciate that Felix is a false 9, but for arguments sake, how much better than Foden is he as a false 9?
 
BillyShears said:
I like him because he's not a numbers guy, he's a football guy. Bit like David Silva in that sense, although they are very different players.

I'd be gutted if we shipped Bernie out and brought Grealish in. Very gutted. And I like Grealish and rate him, I just think the difference between the two is big in terms of talent. Grealish is easy on the eye, but Bernardo is more effective IMO.
Click to expand...

I think this is where Grealish would be even more effective than Bernardo. He's the third most creative player in the league and that's with him missing three months of the season and also playing at Villa. Imagine how good Grealish could be in this side with the quality around. As well as the micro-management from Pep and his staff.

I also think he's got the ability to play the pausa role. For me at the moment Bernardo offers work rate but nothing else. Everyone works hard in this team.
 
BillyShears said:
It's a good question. I don't know is the honest answer but I'm not sure that he's so far behind them all that it rules him out. I guess when I'm looking at Grealish/Felix I'm not instantly going "wow that's an upgrade". I appreciate that Felix is a false 9, but for arguments sake, how much better than Foden is he as a false 9?
Click to expand...

Felix is an anomaly , at Atletico he has moments of brilliance taking on multiple players showing the talent he had at benfica then some games he looks frustrated and annoyed. There was rumours half way through the season when the teams form dropped of a cliff that Felix and Simone had a huge fall out why he was dropped for a couple of games. He seems like a player that wants to be creative and attack but is stifled by Atleticio‘s defence formation.

when i have watched him in the games he’s been brilliant In, he looks unplayable easily getting past the defenders creating chances etc, his passing needs to improve but his decision making and confidence when attacking is his greatest asset. When he’s confident and enjoying his football he glides past players. When he’s not enjoying his football he’s a passenger.

I think if he played in this City team he would explode into life, he’s still that Benfica gem that cost a lot of money he just needs the right manager to flourish. Pep would be perfect

Also his brother looks a special player as well in Benficas academy, he’s a more ruthless finisher than Joao.
 
Bernardo is a bit of an enigma. I'd imagine many City fans visualised him as something quite different to what they've actually seen. I feel he's definitely curbing some of his natural flair to play the role Pep is asking of him. He does it without complaint and is still an important player but I do sometimes wonder if he wants to cut loose a bit more. Jesus is another in that category.
 
BillyShears said:
It's a good question. I don't know is the honest answer but I'm not sure that he's so far behind them all that it rules him out. I guess when I'm looking at Grealish/Felix I'm not instantly going "wow that's an upgrade". I appreciate that Felix is a false 9, but for arguments sake, how much better than Foden is he as a false 9?
Click to expand...

I think he's quite a lot better as a false 9 after 2 years with Atletico which have really seen him learn to hold the ball up and play with his back to goal more. He's still not a target man, but I don't think our midfield false 9's have ever really managed that part of the position and Felix has gotten a lot better.

I don't really get the Felix links though. Personally if I was looking to buy a false 9, I'd go for Dybala because he'd cost 1/4 of the price thanks to his contract running out and he's while he's obviously not the outright striker Juventus want him to be, he could play that role if Kane/Haaland got injured for a bit.

Felix seems like a Jesus replacement more than a Bernardo one. Jesus might be moving to the wing, but then we'd still be a midfielder short if Bernardo went.
 
Mr. Wednesday said:
Bernardo is a bit of an enigma. I'd imagine many City fans visualised him as something quite different to what they've actually seen. I feel he's definitely curbing some of his natural flair to play the role Pep is asking of him. He does it without complaint and is still an important player but I do sometimes wonder if he wants to cut loose a bit more. Jesus is another in that category.
Click to expand...


Both are willing to adapt positiobs and at times not plays for a game or two.

When they come in they put in maximum effort in whatever position they play.

If we are to replace them then it has to be with players of the same mindset, will grealish be happy if he doesn't start for possibly 5-6 games in a row ? Would Felix ? We don't know tbf.


Also I don't think bernie or jesus have really has long periods playing in their best positions

Would be happy to see Jesus moved into the left AM role competing with foden and a new striker bought in with torres used as a 9


Also we still don't know what Pep plans for Kayck yet, where he will play if brought strainght in
 
We need more creativity in the team take the burden of kev so I'd take grealish all day bernie doesn't need to go as we are not going to get many more years off diniho gudongan mahrez a front 6 of either

Rodri/diniho/gudongan

Kdb/gudongan grealish/foden

Mahrz/bernie/jesus/torres/kane/raz/
 
Mr. Wednesday said:
Bernardo is a bit of an enigma. I'd imagine many City fans visualised him as something quite different to what they've actually seen. I feel he's definitely curbing some of his natural flair to play the role Pep is asking of him. He does it without complaint and is still an important player but I do sometimes wonder if he wants to cut loose a bit more. Jesus is another in that category.
Click to expand...
I don't think Bernardo has been great after the stupid incident with Mendy when he got fined.
 
BillyShears said:
I like him because he's not a numbers guy, he's a football guy. Bit like David Silva in that sense, although they are very different players.

I'd be gutted if we shipped Bernie out and brought Grealish in. Very gutted. And I like Grealish and rate him, I just think the difference between the two is big in terms of talent. Grealish is easy on the eye, but Bernardo is more effective IMO.
Click to expand...
No, David Silva was a completely different player and much better, one of the best I've ever seen, he always demanded the ball and always tried to play forward and was also incredibly creative, he was so good with the ball they couldn't stop him when he started sneaking between defenders because he was so agile, he turned 3 times before defenders did once, Bernardo unfortunately has nothing to do with that level of play and I'm not sure he will.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top