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Summerbuzz
Guest
To me he looks like Di Maria would have done if he'd specialised as a defensive midfielder (he played box to box for a while). That is some left foot, his close control looks excellent, as do his reactions.
I remember at the start of the season, just before the rumours about him joining Barca were finally put to bed, Pep decided to give Bernie what I think was his first start. He spent most of the game dropping deep in front of the left centre half to pick up the ball. It didn't go that well. But i could see why Pep did it. It made for a good shape.
I spent a bit of time then wondering if we'd sign someone for that role. That Brazilian who ended up on the Newcastle bench has the left foot and technique to make it work, so I wasn't suprised when he was linked, because I think what it will mean is we see much more of Bernie more on the right wing. And that, to me, is exactly how we should compensate for losing the false nine. Haaland is a destroyer, there will be chaos around him, equally he won't be recieving the ball, and turning as much as the smaller technical false nines, nor will he be as agile in closing down. Those are Bernie's key qualities. Whizzing around picking up the pieces.
But if Pep plays him there, he loses a range of passing angles that playing a left footer opens up. Foden is never going into the midfield three as more than an emergency measure. And Palmer's loan has revealed - he's an attacker. There's no way he can progress if we ask him to be a workhorse.
Hence why I think Pep wants this guy. Me too! I'm very, very keen - based on what little I've seen.
I remember at the start of the season, just before the rumours about him joining Barca were finally put to bed, Pep decided to give Bernie what I think was his first start. He spent most of the game dropping deep in front of the left centre half to pick up the ball. It didn't go that well. But i could see why Pep did it. It made for a good shape.
I spent a bit of time then wondering if we'd sign someone for that role. That Brazilian who ended up on the Newcastle bench has the left foot and technique to make it work, so I wasn't suprised when he was linked, because I think what it will mean is we see much more of Bernie more on the right wing. And that, to me, is exactly how we should compensate for losing the false nine. Haaland is a destroyer, there will be chaos around him, equally he won't be recieving the ball, and turning as much as the smaller technical false nines, nor will he be as agile in closing down. Those are Bernie's key qualities. Whizzing around picking up the pieces.
But if Pep plays him there, he loses a range of passing angles that playing a left footer opens up. Foden is never going into the midfield three as more than an emergency measure. And Palmer's loan has revealed - he's an attacker. There's no way he can progress if we ask him to be a workhorse.
Hence why I think Pep wants this guy. Me too! I'm very, very keen - based on what little I've seen.