Player thread: Fernando (2014/15)

[J_Bow]

Bring Nige back!

 

[Rorz88]

Except he wasn't.

The opening 30 mins is the only part of the match I am interested in re Fernando because we were under pressure and this is where a defensive midfielder is supposed to show his worth. He was as anonymous as ever. Doesn't win tackles, doesn't win headers, doesn't close down the space and his default position is always 10 yards deeper than he should be, He has the positional awareness of a traffic cone! For their goal he lost Crouch twice and look who he has decided to mark when the cross comes in............Mangala. For those opening 30 mins he was making Nzonzi look like Yaya!

We dominated for the rest of the game and he was able to go back to his usual anonymous self, playing as a 3rd centre back and taking no part in the game whatsoever.

This guy has no discernible positive impact on any game, ever.

Fernandinho misplaced a few passes and made a few dodgy decisions but at least he wants the ball and he was heavily involved in a lot of our attacking play.

With Yayas return Fernando shouldn't kick a ball for this club again!

There are a few discrepencies in your post that I would like to point out -

Zaba was the closest man to crouch for their goal and should have tucked around to at least make it difficult for him to head the ball, he was in no mans land
What about the header he made for our first goal, quite influential
By anonymous for the rest of the game, you mean the shot that went just wide after he had made a great run into the box
I don't remember giving the ball away once last night

I am not saying it was a perfect performance by any stretch and I don't think he will be first choice when Yaya is back, but he did well last night

There are no discrepancies.

1. Fernando watched Crouch bring it down, play it out wide and then let him run off the back of him. Fernando went over and held hands with Mangala while Crouch ran into the box and made it 1-1.
2. The header he made for the first goal was a weak clearance that landed in our box, we went on to score from it but on any other given day that header lands at the feet of an opposition striker to score rather than at the feet of Milner to complete the clearance.
3. That "great" run into the box was him being too slow to get back, they had a breakaway on from our corner but lost it in the middle of the park, he almost scored because of his lack of energy and desire to get back to do the job he is paid for. Even then the dopey frigger couldn't hit the target from 6 yards out!
4. He will rarely give the ball away because he doesn't make a pass over a 5 yard distance.

He's a shirker, takes no responsibility whatsoever. At least now there's no confusion over why he is called the octopus.............

No backbone!

I do think your being slightly harsh on him, but your entitles to your opinion. im not going to argue, lets just enjoy the win and hope for more of the same against Newcastle hey !

 

[PragueBlue]

He's a shirker, takes no responsibility whatsoever. At least now there's no confusion over why he is called the octopus.............

No backbone!

Perhaps a little harsh (but only a little) but quite funny I thought.

 

[sam-caddick]

I thought Fernando would be a decent signing but after seeing what I have so far I think we should just cut our losses and move him on in the summer, we should still be able to recoup at least £10m for him.

It just goes to show how big the difference is between Portuguese football and English football because there is no way Fernando is mobile, quick or technically good enough to play in the Premier League, not for a top side anyway.

You can go on saying three man midfielda will suit him but when if ever have we played a solid three man midfield? The last time we did that was Chelsea away last season when Yaya had Fernandinho and Garcia beside him, it's an incredibly rare situation we play three out and out central midfielders.

It's quite astonishing we sold De Jong for a fee of around £5m or below and spent close to £30 trying to replace him when in reality we haven't.

We need to start being far more astute in the transfer market!

 

[philiph20]

He is dreadful, Porto have well and truly pulled our pants down with him and Mangala on their showing so far.

 

[MeatHunterrr]

I thought Fernando would be a decent signing but after seeing what I have so far I think we should just cut our losses and move him on in the summer, we should still be able to recoup at least £10m for him.

It just goes to show how big the difference is between Portuguese football and English football because there is no way Fernando is mobile, quick or technically good enough to play in the Premier League, not for a top side anyway.

You can go on saying three man midfielda will suit him but when if ever have we played a solid three man midfield? The last time we did that was Chelsea away last season when Yaya had Fernandinho and Garcia beside him, it's an incredibly rare situation we play three out and out central midfielders.

It's quite astonishing we sold De Jong for a fee of around £5m or below and spent close to £30 trying to replace him when in reality we haven't.

We need to start being far more astute in the transfer market!

Agree with this. City can do better than Fernando in DM position. Schneiderlin would be good, home-grown as well. But I think Txiki and co. will give him another season, like with Garcia, when he was quite dreadful in his first season.

 

[mosssideblue]

He is dreadful, Porto have well and truly pulled our pants down with him and Mangala on their showing so far.

You may well be proven right, but I feel it is still too early to be writing them off. Scouts spent considerable time looking at this pair, they must have something in them which the club will tease out.

 

[eversince 76]

About the same comments on the Garcia topics about two years ago. And I haven't even looked to confirn this.

Foreign player. 1st season in PL. Meaning:
- different languague and habits
- different surroundings on and off the pitch
- different league in all aspects
- different style of play teamwise

Some get used to it quickly, some need a complete season. Numerous exemples. Judge the man when it's time to do so.

But if you wanna Judge him now, like most seem to be willing to do so, than I agree he has not been an improvement on Garcia. And that is the Garcia who played in his 2nd season for us, esp. his last 5 months.

 

[mosssideblue]

About the same comments on the Garcia topics about two years ago. And I haven't even looked to confirn this.

Foreign player. 1st season in PL. Meaning:
- different languague and habits
- different surroundings on and off the pitch
- different league in all aspects
- different style of play teamwise

Some get used to it quickly, some need a complete season. Numerous exemples. Judge the man when it's time to do so.

But if you wanna Judge him now, like most seem to be willing to do so, than I agree he has not been an improvement on Garcia. And that is the Garcia who played in his 2nd season for us, esp. his last 5 months.

We can throw MDM in the mix also.

 

[FantasyIreland]

He is dreadful, Porto have well and truly pulled our pants down with him and Mangala on their showing so far.

Criticise Fernando if that is your thing but why bring the far more talented Mangala into this thread?

On Fernando......I think the physicality and pace of the league has hugely surprised him,i dont think his fitness is yet at the level required and I really don't believe,as a consequence of such,were seeing the best of him.He hasn't been as bad as some are making out but I realise there is plenty of room for improvement - and i think he will.