Player thread: Fernando (2014/15)

[Ray78]

He is looking like he is finally settling down to life in England.

 

[Dax777]

I have to say that I thought he played well today. Very disciplined as ever and allowed others licence to roam.

Some pillock on R Manchester singled him out and wants rid.
Some people just don't get the role of a DM and whinge because they don't make many pretty passes or score many goals.
I read a stat recently that Fernando has the highest pass completion %age in the opponents final third of any player in the PL.
Probably fewer attempts than many others but still a good performance for a guy playing his first English season in an underachieving team.

He won't be sold anytime soon nor should he be IMO.

Most get what a DM does, but count me amongst those who find specialist DMs like Fernando inadequate. I think it shows a lack of imagination really. No top team should use specialist DMs like Fernando, Coquelin and the like. What you want is a high energy sure tackler who also is a footballer first, like Matic or the kid at Barca. Pair them with other energetic players and you make the specialist DM an irrelevant position. Small clubs should use them to frustrate the top clubs. But a top club with a specialist DM suggests a lack of imagination to me.

 

[ianw16]

Played his favoured position today and played it well.

Not rocket science to play him in the position he is best in,mp has used him all wrong all season

I agree he is a specialist player and when you set the team up properly he does a job he was bought to do. Really in tougher away games he should of been in a midfield 3 and the problem of the gap between defence and midfield would have been solved.

You have to wonder, if he's a specialist player, why we didn't pick that up when scouting him? Why buy a player who is a specialist, and then play him out of position? Why not just buy a player who is a specialist in the position we end up playing him most of the time? When we got him, I assumed we'd be playing 4-1-4-1, with Fernando the "1" in front of the back four. Yaya, Fernandinho Silva, Nasri in front, and Aguero up top.
I think the stubbornness of wanting to play 4-4-2 has meant he has had to play a different role. Should have either gone 4-1-4-1, or bought a different player. Bit bizarre, really.

 

[sam-caddick]

He still isn't good enough.

West Ham never pressed us once as a unit and it played into Fernando's hands, put him under pressure with a strong press and he crumbles.

 

[sam-caddick]

He still isn't good enough.

West Ham never pressed us once as a unit and it played into Fernando's hands, put him under pressure with a strong press and he crumbles.

 

[Deleted member 58678]

I wouldn't say he played well just, in part, did the job he's supposed to do as a professional football midfielder.

 

[kunaguero10]

If he's playing regularly for us next season we have issues.

As with Pellegrini, today's win changes nothing in my eyes.

 

[kupest]

That run and tackle on Enner Valencia when he was through was pretty great. Summed up his afternoon, might have had the highest touches for us (or maybe 2nd to Yaya). Great game and will give him immense confidence.

 

[FantasyIreland]

He still isn't good enough.

West Ham never pressed us once as a unit and it played into Fernando's hands, put him under pressure with a strong press and he crumbles.

I had to check this wasn't the Yaya thread.......

Anyway,i thought he did great today,his confidence will be damaged due to the clusterfuck that has been this season......but,along with Mangala,this game came just at the right time and will do both players the world of good - he also looked fitter than of late......and,while he'll never be a Makalele.... I really don't think we've seen anything close to the real Fernando yet.

 

[City_Sean]

His passing range impressed me today, he picked out some good balls to spread the play, and nullified West Ham in the middle of the park.