Our attack - what's off?

[EdersonsSmiley]

1. I didn't say that I thought 36 year old Fernandinho could perform the role described - I pretty obviously meant peak-era Fernandinho.
2. I never said, or even insinuated, that Liverpool had never torn into us before.....although that was unquestionably the worst 30 minutes they've put us through in recent years at the Etihad.
3. This thread isn't confined to yesterday's game. It embraces a growing number of performances over the course of the last 18 months (11 defeats last season, most of which featured the Rodri/Gundogan double act).
4. Again, very obviously there are other factors at play - loss of Sane and Silva, etc - but the demise of Fernandinho has been the biggest in my opinion.
5. It's a forum full of opinions, and describing someone lamenting the loss of an acknowledged (by plenty of people and pundits) key midfield component, as delusional, is frankly, erm, delusional.

1. Typing "Simple answer, Fernandinho" reads to anyone that you think the answer is current Fernandinho otherwise you would out the caveat of in his prime there.

2. Can't agree on that, they had some dangerous plays but they came to nothing and I think the only real chance they had was a penalty unless you count the Henderson shot that went 10 yards wide. We have had games before where the keeper has made 3 - 4 good saves in their period of dominance or we have just conceded a couple of goals.

3. The Gundogan Rodri midfield has its place such as the win against Madrid last season (I think they also played in most of other big game wins last season). I don't think changing this will magically improve our results when there are issues everywhere in front of the back 5.

4. Your post read that we need current Fernandinho back to sort the issues, that is a delusional opinion.

6. I wasn't in a box, not sure what this is getting at?

 

[Kippax77]

I don't always expect Sterling to score when through on goal, but I'm rapidly reaching the point, where I don't even expect him to shoot.
He's a hot-and-cold striker, who repeatedly comes out of a barren spell with 10 goals in 10 games, but his combination play is non existent, and he rarely assists or even crosses the ball.
I suspect that with a full stadium, the referee would have awarded a free kick for the push on Sterling, in the move that led to the Liverpool penalty.
However, it's precisely that type of dribble, that always finishes with Sterling on the floor, either through foul play or a fair tackle.

He is way to easy to disposess.
Then if he does get into their box his body and brain a rarely in tandem, to find the correct pass

 

[EdersonsSmiley]

The problem is we didn't replace Silva.

Several journalists have relayed that 3 or 4 times this season Foden has basically been given a bollocking by Pep or KDB or someone else for not keeping hold of the ball, and he's given the ball away a lot, carelessly, that's why he can't play the role Silva did. He's too attack focused, he doesn't know how when to just calm down and restart an attack instead of forcing the ball and losing possession.

So then there's a choice between Bernardo or Gundogan as KDB's partner, and Bernardo has played awfully for more than a year now and has never looked good playing next to KDB. Gundogan doesn't have the energy to do the defensive work.


This problem is the consequence of Pep taking 4 years to bring Foden through. He doesn't have the experience and maturity to play Silva's role and it could be another 100 games in that position before he does.

I don't think Foden will ever replace Silva controlling aspect of the game. He is a goal scorer and wants to drive forward and play as almost a second striker positionally.

I don't think it's worth neutering the best aspect of his game to be more calm and controlled in possession when it's unlikely he will ever be world class at that.

The big issue is that it doesn't look like he and Kevin can play together, as like you say they are both risk takers and we can't have two midfielders who will end up with 80% passing accuracy in the system Pep plays.

I don't envy Pep trying to figure out the best balance of the team!

 

[domalino]

I don't think Foden will ever replace Silva controlling aspect of the game. He is a goal scorer and wants to drive forward and play as almost a second striker positionally.

I don't think it's worth neutering the best aspect of his game to be more calm and controlled in possession when it's unlikely he will ever be world class at that.

The big issue is that it doesn't look like he and Kevin can play together, as like you say they are both risk takers and we can't have two midfielders who will end up with 80% passing accuracy in the system Pep plays.

I don't envy Pep trying to figure out the best balance of the team!

All good number 10's start out wanting to drive forward and score goals, and then they grow up.

Do you think KDB would still like to be scoring 20 a season like he did as a 22/23 year old? Silva scored a lot more goals for Valencia than at City.

If he doesn't learn to protect the ball then he'll never make it at the top level. If he has to sacrifice some goals for that (I don't think he does necessarily) then it's not really an optional choice.

 

[meltonblue]

Took a while for Silva too to adapt, I’m not sure looking to replicate the Silva De Bruyne central midfield will work anyway as we don’t have a peak Fernandinho behind it to support it. Really were blessed both to have those three players and for Guardiola to try that system in the first place, most managers wouldn’t have done it.

 

[Jesus2020]

Seems to be just getting back on track imo. Jesus only just back and has scored each game he's played. Torres looks decent. We scored 3 last game and one against last years winners. Augero is out. Not quite panic stations is it?

 

[Corky]

All good number 10's start out wanting to drive forward and score goals, and then they grow up.

Do you think KDB would still like to be scoring 20 a season like he did as a 22/23 year old? Silva scored a lot more goals for Valencia than at City.

If he doesn't learn to protect the ball then he'll never make it at the top level. If he has to sacrifice some goals for that (I don't think he does necessarily) then it's not really an optional choice.

Both rubbish.

 

[domalino]

Both rubbish.

Apart from the fact they literally are not.

 

[Citycity76]

Sterling is shi*e that’s the problem and 25 min against 36 year old Milner and he doesn’t beat him once says it all.

 

[EdersonsSmiley]

All good number 10's start out wanting to drive forward and score goals, and then they grow up.

Do you think KDB would still like to be scoring 20 a season like he did as a 22/23 year old? Silva scored a lot more goals for Valencia than at City.

If he doesn't learn to protect the ball then he'll never make it at the top level. If he has to sacrifice some goals for that (I don't think he does necessarily) then it's not really an optional choice.

I get what you mean but I think Foden is a huge amount more attacking than Silva.

He is like Kevin or Ozil where he can be getting 30+ goals and assist a season. He is capable of learning to slow things down on occasion but I can't see a huge change happening this season or even by next season.

So then the question is, is it better to play Phil in a role that suits his natural talent and looking into the market for that more controlling player we need.

I think Bernardo has a bigger chance of being that player but unfortunately both he and Kevin love that inside right position.