Player thread: Fernando (2014/15)

[BlueDeadHead]

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.

Simples...Tixki buys MP picks the formation. They don't agree on tactics or formations so Tixki's players are out of position. It really is that simple.

 

[Stephenhakin]

Again credit where it is due. Decent game today though West Ham are already on the beach. Would really like to see him just plonked in front of the back 4 to tidy up. Convinced we will see a better Fernando when we start defending as a unit again.

 

[CityFan94]

Played really well at the base of a midfield trio with Yaya and Lampard.

I'm not surprised, that's where Fernando is at his best. He's not suited to a midfield two.

 

[CityFan94]

Played really well at the base of a midfield trio with Yaya and Lampard.

I'm not surprised, that's where Fernando is at his best. He's not suited to a midfield two.

So that's now Fernando and Yaya who are better suited to a midfield trio.

 

[bondsman]

Downgrade on Garcia. Looked okay yesterday because he was playing nothing. The lad tries and may be slightly better next year having settled in but doesn't have enough ability to be a starter and know where near the level of de Jong or Barry.

 

[BigOscar]

I honestly think if we played him week in, week out in a midfield three, no one would have a bad word to say about him. Unfortunately, we've messed him around trying to play him in a position he's not suited to, while trying to adapt to a new league while only playing once ever few weeks. It's not surprisng it's not been a seamless transition. His fitness has clearly suffered for not playing regularly for the first time in years, along with the injury he picked up earlier in the season, but that's hardly surprising.

I don't have a bad word to say about him when he's on the ball, he does exactly what he's supposed to do with excellent consistency. He consistently picks the best possible option that is safe, he takes no risks and he helps move the defence around. He's not supposed to be hitting through balls or going on runs, if he was trying to do that then I'd be hugely dissapointed in his lack of discipline. If you compare his passing stats to someone like Busquets, widely considered to be the best in the business at what he does, they are near enough identical. Obviously there is room for improvement, especially very early on when he found himself getting caught in possession every now and again, but that's to be expected in a new league playing at a higher tempo. (I seem to recall him even saying as much in an interview)

For me, his problem has been the defensive side of his game, as he seems a bit lost as to what he's supposed to be doing. He doesn't look sure as to whether to go in for the tackle or whether to stay back and make sure he doesn't overcommit himself due to the lack of other midfielders back. A lot of the time he's ended up neither doing one or the other and that indecision is costing us. That's not him, it certainly wasn't at Porto, that's a combination of lack of confidence and lack of trust in the shambles of a midfield system we've played all season. At Porto, he was flying into tackles left, right and center and was incredibly decisive. We need to get him back to doing that, as that's his game and that's his strength.

Honestly, I think that there is a lot more to come from him and he could be a very useful part of our squad next year. (puts tin hat on)

 

[CityFan94]

I honestly think if we played him week in, week out in a midfield three, no one would have a bad word to say about him. Unfortunately, we've messed him around trying to play him in a position he's not suited to, while trying to adapt to a new league while only playing once ever few weeks. It's not surprisng it's not been a seamless transition. His fitness has clearly suffered for not playing regularly for the first time in years, along with the injury he picked up earlier in the season, but that's hardly surprising.

I don't have a bad word to say about him when he's on the ball, he does exactly what he's supposed to do with excellent consistency. He consistently picks the best possible option that is safe, he takes no risks and he helps move the defence around. He's not supposed to be hitting through balls or going on runs, if he was trying to do that then I'd be hugely dissapointed in his lack of discipline. If you compare his passing stats to someone like Busquets, widely considered to be the best in the business at what he does, they are near enough identical. Obviously there is room for improvement, especially very early on when he found himself getting caught in possession every now and again, but that's to be expected in a new league playing at a higher tempo. (I seem to recall him even saying as much in an interview)

For me, his problem has been the defensive side of his game, as he seems a bit lost as to what he's supposed to be doing. He doesn't look sure as to whether to go in for the tackle or whether to stay back and make sure he doesn't overcommit himself due to the lack of other midfielders back. A lot of the time he's ended up neither doing one or the other and that indecision is costing us. That's not him, it certainly wasn't at Porto, that's a combination of lack of confidence and lack of trust in the shambles of a midfield system we've played all season. At Porto, he was flying into tackles left, right and center and was incredibly decisive. We need to get him back to doing that, as that's his game and that's his strength.

Honestly, I think that there is a lot more to come from him and he could be a very useful part of our squad next year. (puts tin hat on)

Great post.

Fernando looked a little lost in a midfield two and, as you said, wasn't sure what to do at times. Especially in a midfield two with Yaya.

There was none of that yesterday. Fernando knows that role, base of a midfield trio, down to the ground and it showed. He bossed that area for large parts of the game. It's where he played at Porto and he impressed enough in that position for us to sign him.

Yesterday wasn't a game against nobodys either, West Ham are 10th.

 

[kunaguero10]

I honestly think if we played him week in, week out in a midfield three, no one would have a bad word to say about him. Unfortunately, we've messed him around trying to play him in a position he's not suited to, while trying to adapt to a new league while only playing once ever few weeks. It's not surprisng it's not been a seamless transition. His fitness has clearly suffered for not playing regularly for the first time in years, along with the injury he picked up earlier in the season, but that's hardly surprising.

I don't have a bad word to say about him when he's on the ball, he does exactly what he's supposed to do with excellent consistency. He consistently picks the best possible option that is safe, he takes no risks and he helps move the defence around. He's not supposed to be hitting through balls or going on runs, if he was trying to do that then I'd be hugely dissapointed in his lack of discipline. If you compare his passing stats to someone like Busquets, widely considered to be the best in the business at what he does, they are near enough identical. Obviously there is room for improvement, especially very early on when he found himself getting caught in possession every now and again, but that's to be expected in a new league playing at a higher tempo. (I seem to recall him even saying as much in an interview)

For me, his problem has been the defensive side of his game, as he seems a bit lost as to what he's supposed to be doing. He doesn't look sure as to whether to go in for the tackle or whether to stay back and make sure he doesn't overcommit himself due to the lack of other midfielders back. A lot of the time he's ended up neither doing one or the other and that indecision is costing us. That's not him, it certainly wasn't at Porto, that's a combination of lack of confidence and lack of trust in the shambles of a midfield system we've played all season. At Porto, he was flying into tackles left, right and center and was incredibly decisive. We need to get him back to doing that, as that's his game and that's his strength.

Honestly, I think that there is a lot more to come from him and he could be a very useful part of our squad next year. (puts tin hat on)

Great post.

Fernando looked a little lost in a midfield two and, as you said, wasn't sure what to do at times. Especially in a midfield two with Yaya.

There was none of that yesterday. Fernando knows that role, base of a midfield trio, down to the ground and it showed. He bossed that area for large parts of the game. It's where he played at Porto and he impressed enough in that position for us to sign him.

Yesterday wasn't a game against nobodys either, West Ham are 10th.

Give over, they were shocking. And if that him bossing it yesterday, I can't wait to see what you make of a proper midfield performance next season.

 

[Happy Feet]

I honestly think if we played him week in, week out in a midfield three, no one would have a bad word to say about him. Unfortunately, we've messed him around trying to play him in a position he's not suited to, while trying to adapt to a new league while only playing once ever few weeks. It's not surprisng it's not been a seamless transition. His fitness has clearly suffered for not playing regularly for the first time in years, along with the injury he picked up earlier in the season, but that's hardly surprising.

I don't have a bad word to say about him when he's on the ball, he does exactly what he's supposed to do with excellent consistency. He consistently picks the best possible option that is safe, he takes no risks and he helps move the defence around. He's not supposed to be hitting through balls or going on runs, if he was trying to do that then I'd be hugely dissapointed in his lack of discipline. If you compare his passing stats to someone like Busquets, widely considered to be the best in the business at what he does, they are near enough identical. Obviously there is room for improvement, especially very early on when he found himself getting caught in possession every now and again, but that's to be expected in a new league playing at a higher tempo. (I seem to recall him even saying as much in an interview)

For me, his problem has been the defensive side of his game, as he seems a bit lost as to what he's supposed to be doing. He doesn't look sure as to whether to go in for the tackle or whether to stay back and make sure he doesn't overcommit himself due to the lack of other midfielders back. A lot of the time he's ended up neither doing one or the other and that indecision is costing us. That's not him, it certainly wasn't at Porto, that's a combination of lack of confidence and lack of trust in the shambles of a midfield system we've played all season. At Porto, he was flying into tackles left, right and center and was incredibly decisive. We need to get him back to doing that, as that's his game and that's his strength.

Honestly, I think that there is a lot more to come from him and he could be a very useful part of our squad next year. (puts tin hat on)

Great post.

Fernando looked a little lost in a midfield two and, as you said, wasn't sure what to do at times. Especially in a midfield two with Yaya.

There was none of that yesterday. Fernando knows that role, base of a midfield trio, down to the ground and it showed. He bossed that area for large parts of the game. It's where he played at Porto and he impressed enough in that position for us to sign him.

Yesterday wasn't a game against nobodys either, West Ham are 10th.

Give over, they were shocking. And if that him bossing it yesterday, I can't wait to see what you make of a proper midfield performance next season.

West Ham were awful, you couldn't judge anything on yesterday

 

[argyle]

He's much better when he plays in a three man midfield and sits in front of the back four.