Should we swap Fernandinho and Rodri?

[MCFC1993]

Something I've been thinking about since Fern came in because I think with Rodris height and ability on the ball he might be better suited to it.

Rodri is doing a brilliant job but part of me thinks he'd bring a bit of a calming influence at the back that we're missing at the moment (Laporte-esq). Then Fern can do what he has been doing for 6 years.

Fixing the defence:
- Obviously goes without saying that we need an actual left back at left back.
- Then maybe Garcia or Harwood-Bellis alongside Rodri.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Something I've been thinking about since Fern came in because I think with Rodris height and ability on the ball he might be better suited to it.

Rodri is doing a brilliant job but part of me thinks he's bring a bit of a calming influence at the back that we're missing at the moment (Laporte-esq). Then Fern can do what he has been doing for 6 years.

Fixing the defence:
- Obviously goes without saying that we need an actual left back at left back.
- Then maybe Garcia or Harwood-Bellis alongside Rodri.

Fernandinho has been pretty calm & is quicker than Rodri.

The problem is, that when Fernandinho miskicked that ball, we needed Fernandinho to clear it. Neither Rodri nor Gundogan were anywhere to be seen.

Rodri is fantastic but needs to be a bit sharper in those kind of instances & to start winning headers. We need to get Mendy fully fit, soon as possible.

 

[Fame Monster]

Yes. I was thinking exactly the same.

Rodri has been very good since he's been here but the one criticism I'd have of him is that his passing is a bit safe. Normally, a 100% pass completion rate against Norwich (?) would be something to shout about but if a lot of the passes are sideways then it doesn't really allow us to break teams down.

Plus let's not forget, Fernandinho was our best player last season for the first half of the year so he didn't really deserve to lose his place in that position and we've missed his floated balls over the back line. Also defensively, Rodri looks to have a lot of potential and dare I say it, there are very slight shades of a certain Vincent Kompany when he came into the side before he was moved to CB. I think it's definitely worth giving it a try.

 

[Ric]

Guardiola has alluded to Rodri potentially playing as a centre half so it’s certainly a possibility. He’d give us greater presence and aerial ability, but I worry about about his lack of pace. We’d be pretty susceptible to balls in behind the centre halves with him and Otamendi at the back.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

The situation isn't broken - no fix needed.

 

[BLUEMATT23]

This wouldn't have been an issue had the club bought a centre back in the summer.
Now we're discussing midfielders playing in defence.

 

[squirtyflower]

It’s amazing the great vision some folks have.....after the fact

 

[ninjamonkey]

wont happen. He’s too slow to play there, especially with the players we have to play with him.

Fernandinho will become a better cb once we get stones back. some of Fernandinho’s best attributes are his reading of the game, his anticipation of a pass and ability to nick the ball back, none of which he’s able to use whilst playing next to otamendi who repeatedly goes walkabouts trying to win balls he’s never going to get to, we can’t have both centre backs doing that.

Stones is less inclined to do that, once he’s back, both will be able to play their more natural game alongside one another. It’s still by no means a safe defence and us trying to decide which midfielder would be best suited in central defence shows just how woeful the decision not to buy a cb was but it’s the best option we have until we can get Laporte back.

 

[SebastianBlue]

It’s amazing the great vision some folks have.....after the fact

Well, you know what they say...

Spec Savers is having an outrageous three for one special on all common frames, with free lens fitting.

Jokes aside, I should dig up the argument I had with a few blues and other supporters of various clubs on Twitter when I had the temerity to suggest Rodri could play CB for us along side a more athletic partner (just after he signed). After quite a bit of back and forth, a few actually conceded he could do a job but, and I quote (more or less word-for-word), “that’ll only happen in an injury crisis and Fernandinho is not available, so is very unlikely to happen at all.”

It’s amazing the lack of vision some folks have... before the fact. ;-)

 

[Thomas Hearns]

Something I've been thinking about since Fern came in because I think with Rodris height and ability on the ball he might be better suited to it.

Rodri is doing a brilliant job but part of me thinks he'd bring a bit of a calming influence at the back that we're missing at the moment (Laporte-esq). Then Fern can do what he has been doing for 6 years.

Fixing the defence:
- Obviously goes without saying that we need an actual left back at left back.
- Then maybe Garcia or Harwood-Bellis alongside Rodri.

Nothing wrong with the defence. One bad game at Norwich which the biased media gleefully seize upon as proof that we’re on the slide and all the flappers start panicking and wanting to replace title winning first class central defenders with kids. 1 goal conceded in 4 subsequent games shows everything’s fine

And how many games does Zin need to have played and won at left back in probably the best English side ever in the best quality title race ever to qualify as a left back ffs