Player thread: Fernando (2014/15)

[Bluewonder]

Whenever he gets to play in a double-pivot he does well. His problems arise when we play 4-4-2 as he doesn't have the physical attributes to cover the additional amount of space.

 

[onceabluealways]

for someone who was brought in to stop players, the amount of times that players skip past him is unbelievable. He would not get in any other prem team in the top 6

 

[Mikejl]

Sorry for sounding thick, but we pay 12M for a DM that can only play in a 4-5-1

Poor scouting?

Surely at this price he should be adaptable and more mobile in a 4-4-2

Either his confidence is now so shot he's not worth starting or he's crap

 

[teddykgb]

I posted this in the game thread, but I think it bears repeating here. Fernando seems to really struggle with the additional responsibility of being in a midfield two, particularly with having his back to the attacking end. He seems fine when he can survey the pitch and distribute the ball, with everything in front of him like a defender, but it all gets ugly quickly when he's having to play passing triangles and know where the next pass is before he's received it. He's slow on the ball and highly turnover prone, and he's not showing for his teammates. It's a real disaster, as it pulls players out of position to show for passes, which usually disrupts the next pass.

What has crystallized in my mind is that we have no room for a player in our starting XI who can't truly play the ball. If we want to be at the level of Barca and Bayern, everyone must be capable of playing the ball. To me, that's the difference, we have too many specialists in the squad and when we come up against an XI of footballers we consistently get exposed. I think it's probably true that Fernando could be "covered" in a 4-1-3-2 or some formation that anchors him in the midfield, but he couldn't do the job Busquets did for them, anchoring and distributing while under any pressure. It's fine and we can play like this in the league, but in Europe I think we're consistently being exposed for having too many players who aren't 100% comfortable on the ball under pressure.

 

[southamptonblue]

Nothing to do with formations or confidence or any other excuse....he's simply a very average player and we'd struggle to get rid of him.....bit like many signings in last two seasons ;)

It's either Txiki doesn't know a good player other than the obvious ones......or our scouts don't......or the manager doesn't (certainly him that wasted £6m on a second choice sub standard keeper when we were restricted with funds)

 

[City_Sean]

Been hugely disappointed with him. The game against Barca we really needed a top performance from him, but he was slow, poor in the tackle and even worse in possession.

I can't see him here next season.

 

[oakiecokie]

Been hugely disappointed with him. The game against Barca we really needed a top performance from him, but he was slow, poor in the tackle and even worse in possession.

I can't see him here next season.

He`ll be here for certainly one more season.However the guy seriously needs to improve and after the Chelsea home game I was expecting great things from him.However he appears to have gone backwards since then.

 

[toffee balls]

I posted this in the game thread, but I think it bears repeating here. Fernando seems to really struggle with the additional responsibility of being in a midfield two, particularly with having his back to the attacking end. He seems fine when he can survey the pitch and distribute the ball, with everything in front of him like a defender, but it all gets ugly quickly when he's having to play passing triangles and know where the next pass is before he's received it. He's slow on the ball and highly turnover prone, and he's not showing for his teammates. It's a real disaster, as it pulls players out of position to show for passes, which usually disrupts the next pass.

What has crystallized in my mind is that we have no room for a player in our starting XI who can't truly play the ball. If we want to be at the level of Barca and Bayern, everyone must be capable of playing the ball. To me, that's the difference, we have too many specialists in the squad and when we come up against an XI of footballers we consistently get exposed. I think it's probably true that Fernando could be "covered" in a 4-1-3-2 or some formation that anchors him in the midfield, but he couldn't do the job Busquets did for them, anchoring and distributing while under any pressure. It's fine and we can play like this in the league, but in Europe I think we're consistently being exposed for having too many players who aren't 100% comfortable on the ball under pressure.

How very true.

Can't add to that.

 

[Wio Gumflapdinand]

I don't know how he's made a career of being a defensive mid that's got him to one of the worlds top clubs when he's so shy of tackling, so incredibly slow, zero positional sense, can't pass ten yards in a straight line or forward at all. Serious questions need to be asked about whoever scouted and whoever sanctioned this signing.

 

[HelloCity]

The Gareth Barry of today would still be better.