Our formidable midfield duo

[Matt the Giant]

They are like visual poetry them two: Yaya and Fernadinho is looking more and more as one of the best midfield pairings in European football. They seem to understand each other's movement perfectly and one is alwyas there to offer a choice or back-up to the other.

They totally boss their area most matches, BUT.... when one doesn't play we go from having a world class midfield to a not so great.

Is that really sustainable?
Looking at the options we have in the sqaud, there's not much to cheer for:
Rodwell keeps getting injured unfortunately, but could become a very good central midfielder.
Garcia is too slow, too immobile, and I'd be surprised if he is still with us after next summer.
Barry is obviously on his way out.
Milner is good and very versatile player, but not nearly as good as Inferno or Yaya.
Nasri could drop deep and play in a Yaya-like manner, but I'd rather see him further up the pitch.

Do you think what we have is good enough, or is this a position we need to reinforce? In January already or next summer?

For now though, I hope the two of them stays fit, as I believe they are essential for our title(s) winning hopes.

 

[Anonymous]

I called it at the beginning of the season .... but these two in midfield are absolutely formidable and we will win the league because of their work as much as anyone else's.

I agree that either one of them being missing is a big loss ... but i still hold high hopes for Rodwell developing into Yaya's proper understudy.

Garcia i reckon we'll replace next summer.

 

[Cobwebcat]

Yep another top class DM is all we are missing when everyone is fit.

 

[aguero93:20]

I called it at the beginning of the season .... but these two in midfield are absolutely formidable and we will win the league because of their work as much as anyone else's.

I agree that either one of them being missing is a big loss ... but i still hold high hopes for Rodwell developing into Yaya's proper understudy.

Garcia i reckon we'll replace next summer.

next month would suit me better, play it safe, try to bring in a replacement and the second they pass a medical- "hello, Rafa? 10 million Yeh?"

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Could be one of the great pairings of the PL. Funny though how they seem to go down a step or two when the other isn't there. Suppose that's one of the characteristics of a great duo. Eric Morecambe wouldn't have been half as funny on his own, and would Ronnie Barker's 'fork handles' have been as funny without Little Ron?

 

[Anonymous]

I called it at the beginning of the season .... but these two in midfield are absolutely formidable and we will win the league because of their work as much as anyone else's.

I agree that either one of them being missing is a big loss ... but i still hold high hopes for Rodwell developing into Yaya's proper understudy.

Garcia i reckon we'll replace next summer.

next month would suit me better, play it safe, try to bring in a replacement and the second they pass a medical- "hello, Rafa? 10 million Yeh?"

I think what the club won't do is rush out to sign a player who isn't a serious upgrade, which is why I reckon it'll be the summer before we sell him.

The only caveat I have to that is if we sign someone who isn't cup tied in the CL. If we do manage to find someone in Jan and sign them, then maybe I can see Garcia being let go. But really, for my money it'll be the summer.

 

[Cobwebcat]

Could be one of the great pairings of the PL. Funny though how they seem to go down a step or two when the other isn't there. Suppose that's one of the characteristics of a great duo. Eric Morecambe wouldn't have been half as funny on his own, and would Ronnie Barker's 'fork handles' have been as funny without Little Ron?

I think both would be fine with a Barry of a couple of years ago and Rodwell will be good eventually. We've never adequately replaced NDJ.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

I called it at the beginning of the season .... but these two in midfield are absolutely formidable and we will win the league because of their work as much as anyone else's.

I agree that either one of them being missing is a big loss ... but i still hold high hopes for Rodwell developing into Yaya's proper understudy.

Garcia i reckon we'll replace next summer.

next month would suit me better, play it safe, try to bring in a replacement and the second they pass a medical- "hello, Rafa? 10 million Yeh?"

I think what the club won't do is rush out to sign a player who isn't a serious upgrade, which is why I reckon it'll be the summer before we sell him.

The only caveat I have to that is if we sign someone who isn't cup tied in the CL. If we do manage to find someone in Jan and sign them, then maybe I can see Garcia being let go. But really, for my money it'll be the summer.

This is where we are at! And should be!

 

[adr2.8i]

will we be losing Yaya in january again for the African cup of nations?

 

[Cobwebcat]

will we be losing Yaya in january again for the African cup of nations?

There isnt one next year.

 

[kaz7]

will we be losing Yaya in january again for the African cup of nations?

No

 

[Didsbury Dave]

An injury to one of these two would be bad, bad news. We saw at Sunderland how important Fernandinho is.

Am I right in thinking Ya Ya has never been injured for us? HE's played an incredible amount of games, too, and hardly been subbed. I hope I'm not tempting fate. I hope our bad luck with injuries has been used up for the season now. Full strength coming up, touch wood.

Funnily enough, this is the first time since The Sheikh came when our best eleven "picks itself".

 

[Neville Kneville]

They are a formidable duo with the ball & a gaping hole in defence without it.

 

[adrianr]

will we be losing Yaya in january again for the African cup of nations?

No. We may never lose him for them again given his age.

Fernandinho and Yaya is good, but, and I mean no disrespect to the big man, the day we have a young mobile Yaya Toure in there alongside Fernan is the day we're at the very top of the tree.

 

[Proelia]

They are great in possesion but quite frankly yaya is a machine further forward but the defensive side of his game is lacking , which means fernandinho has all the defensive responsibility which is impossible to do on your own

 

[aguero93:20]

I called it at the beginning of the season .... but these two in midfield are absolutely formidable and we will win the league because of their work as much as anyone else's.

I agree that either one of them being missing is a big loss ... but i still hold high hopes for Rodwell developing into Yaya's proper understudy.

Garcia i reckon we'll replace next summer.

next month would suit me better, play it safe, try to bring in a replacement and the second they pass a medical- "hello, Rafa? 10 million Yeh?"

I think what the club won't do is rush out to sign a player who isn't a serious upgrade, which is why I reckon it'll be the summer before we sell him.

The only caveat I have to that is if we sign someone who isn't cup tied in the CL. If we do manage to find someone in Jan and sign them, then maybe I can see Garcia being let go. But really, for my money it'll be the summer.

gundogan hasn't spent a minute on the pitch for bvb in the champions league this season.

 

[adrianr]

next month would suit me better, play it safe, try to bring in a replacement and the second they pass a medical- "hello, Rafa? 10 million Yeh?"

I think what the club won't do is rush out to sign a player who isn't a serious upgrade, which is why I reckon it'll be the summer before we sell him.

The only caveat I have to that is if we sign someone who isn't cup tied in the CL. If we do manage to find someone in Jan and sign them, then maybe I can see Garcia being let go. But really, for my money it'll be the summer.

gundogan hasn't spent a minute on the pitch for bvb in the champions league this season.

Really?! He's my number 1 target for the summer. Well, joint tied with a centre half.

 

[Anonymous]

next month would suit me better, play it safe, try to bring in a replacement and the second they pass a medical- "hello, Rafa? 10 million Yeh?"

I think what the club won't do is rush out to sign a player who isn't a serious upgrade, which is why I reckon it'll be the summer before we sell him.

The only caveat I have to that is if we sign someone who isn't cup tied in the CL. If we do manage to find someone in Jan and sign them, then maybe I can see Garcia being let go. But really, for my money it'll be the summer.

gundogan hasn't spent a minute on the pitch for bvb in the champions league this season.

He's had a bad injury which has kept him sidelined .... and honestly taking a player from Dortmund is something we should forget about. Especially their holy trinity of Reus, Gundogan, and Hummels.

 

[aguero93:20]

I think what the club won't do is rush out to sign a player who isn't a serious upgrade, which is why I reckon it'll be the summer before we sell him.

The only caveat I have to that is if we sign someone who isn't cup tied in the CL. If we do manage to find someone in Jan and sign them, then maybe I can see Garcia being let go. But really, for my money it'll be the summer.

gundogan hasn't spent a minute on the pitch for bvb in the champions league this season.

He's had a bad injury which has kept him sidelined .... and honestly taking a player from Dortmund is something we should forget about. Especially their holy trinity of Reus, Gundogan, and Hummels.

Gotze mark 2, he's not signed his new deal after clubs expressed interest and he's aboyhood schalke fan their most hated rivals, buy out clause is 35m or so I've heard, we should do a 'summer of 2013' and get in before someone else does

 

[moomba]

Said it a few times, if one is missing we just cant afford to replace him with only the one player in midfield.

Probably a good indication of how good they are.