Fernando

[MilnersJaw]

Another average player we bought for decent money. Meanwhile Chelsea bought cesc in the same window.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

If we were going to pick one of Fernando and Fernandinho last night it should have been the latter because he's a more complete player. I would have played both. Fernando suffered last night from a lack of outlets when in possession which is not his fault. Anyone would look uncomfortable in possession when he's being monstered in his own half and has no one to pass to. That's one thing we miss when Yaya isn't playing. He tends to offer himself as an outlet in deep positions. No excuse though; it's the responsibility of every player to make themselves available to the man in possession. It isn't rocket science; pass and move.

I agree with this.

Milner was neither good on the ball nor good closing down. Fernandinho is better. But imo, getting rid of either Silva or Nasri, then playing both Ferns, and Milner, was probably the way to go, with hindsight.

Maybe give Silva & Nasri half a game each & tell them to go flat out.

Why?

[bayblue]

Along with the bad take a look at some of the good as well - there was a move in the second half against Barca where I think it was Messi had the ball in our 6 yard box, Fernando was there to cover, knocked the ball high and out towards the edge of our area - he also reacted to it and managed to run out to challenge the Barca player looking to head it, and win the header knocking it to one of our players - two vital defensive interventions in the same move. That's what he brings as I mentioned in the match thread - anticipation of where he's needed to cover in the back four and an ability to win back possession. He also showed in preseason there's more to his game than that but he seems to be having a rough time adapting and maybe he's just trying to stick to what he does best for now. I haven't given up on him considering how Garcia improved after quite a while with us, and as I have said a few times before central midfield is the key position under Pellegrini's system of play - it puts way more pressure on the player than in other systems so any problems tend to be amplified.

Fair points. And your last sentence highlights why the solution is unlikely to be him.

[Hazy2]

Given where he is at - and assuming we use two central midfielders I wouldn't play him against Liverpool - with three central midfielders he would be a very good platform for the other two (Yaya and Fern 1) to rotate their attacks around.
Having said that, I wouldn't have started him last night either - so what do any of us know?

the only chance of him starting against the Dippers is if "the Brodge" kidnaps yaya, fernandinho, milner and Lampard.

I could not believe he came out for the 2nd half so he could be wearing the arm band Sunday, based in MP sticking with him when he looked lost.

[Ted Hughes]

Given where he is at - and assuming we use two central midfielders I wouldn't play him against Liverpool - with three central midfielders he would be a very good platform for the other two (Yaya and Fern 1) to rotate their attacks around.
Having said that, I wouldn't have started him last night either - so what do any of us know?

the only chance of him starting against the Dippers is if "the Brodge" kidnaps yaya, fernandinho, milner and Lampard.

I could not believe he came out for the 2nd half so he could be wearing the arm band Sunday, based in MP sticking with him when he looked lost.

He was one of the main players 2nd half which allowed us to get into the game.

It's not fair the way people are blaming him just because they prefer not to see him in the team. Milner was more of a problem than Fernando in that game.

[freshie]

Round the 15th minute mark, I smoked a foot long joint and just concentrated on Fernando, nothing else just him. Didn't watch other players, just focused on Fernando.
Five minutes later I wanted to blow my head off.

He had one interception and then failed to pass it any of our players, just decided not to get involved.

When we were trying to get the ball from defense to attack, he spent his time hiding between Barca's players, most of the time turning his back to or defenders or whoever was on the ball, almost as if our players, him included, were under instructions not to include him in the build up.

In second half he was more pro active but still...he should bring more to our play.

The Count didn't help with his team selection.

you could have just concentrated on Milner and said the same, we were set up wrong and were there for the taking, I felt sorry for them and put the blame firmly at the counts feet last night.

I blame Silva, Nasri & Aguero, & slightly Dzeko.

Me too. Our big players let us down massively last night. You can argue that Silva and Aguero got us the goal but the damage had already been done by then

[bobby brows]

City need to own up and admit that their real FFP punishment was to play Fernando for 90 minutes every week.

I don't like picking on new players in their first season, but from what I've seen, I'm still not convinced he's actually Brazilian.
I've never seen a Brazilian so uncomfortable with the ball. He has no first touch, the second touch of a wall and can't pass five yards to his own man. I really hope he gets better, because he's not an upgrade on anything we've had there before. He certainly is not equipped to do the job Pellegrini seems to have given him last night.

God, I'd completely forgotten he was Brazilian. In my mind he is Portuguese.

Its making me reminisce about the days of Javi Garcia.

[PeterParker]

He is a puzzle for me

If you look close, he is really, but really a excelent counter stopping and overall, atack stopping. Excelent placement, great positioning, etc. He really is something.

However, he has one of the most shitties ball control i have ever seen in my entire life. Worse that a Sunday League footballer + terrible passing, gives away a lot of balls, puts the opposition in clear scoring situations.

I think from the next season we can see how he really is (like with Garcia). He is still new to the league and thinks a game at Hull is the same as one in Rio Ave.

[Wonderwall]

He is a puzzle for me

If you look close, he is really, but really a excelent counter stopping and overall, atack stopping. Excelent placement, great positioning, etc. He really is something.

However, he has one of the most shitties ball control i have ever seen in my entire life. Worse that a Sunday League footballer + terrible passing, gives away a lot of balls, puts the opposition in clear scoring situations.

I think from the next season we can see how he really is (like with Garcia). He is still new to the league and thinks a game at Hull is the same as one in Rio Ave.

So in short, he is a mobile traffic cone?

[Ted Hughes]

I said at the very start of the season that he didn't look actually as good as Garcia was when he left, but I would give him time.

Then he produced a couple of absolutely fantastic performances, with the best defending I've ever seen from a City defensive mid; even better than Barry. He showed good pace & was good on the ball. Then he got injured.

Since he came back, he's been soso.

Not fucking hopeless, or mainly responsible for us losing games or any of the other fucking shite people are levelling at him.

I don't know if he will improve enough to be a long term player for City. I think he can do, as far as ability goes, no problem at all, but if evidence so far is anything to go on, he will have to deal with people being cunts with him at the same time.

We've had it with Jovetic, Navas, Fernandinho already this season; people basically just picking on them, because they have decided to blame it all on one player when it goes wrong.

[Hazy2]

He is a puzzle for me

If you look close, he is really, but really a excelent counter stopping and overall, atack stopping. Excelent placement, great positioning, etc. He really is something.

However, he has one of the most shitties ball control i have ever seen in my entire life. Worse that a Sunday League footballer + terrible passing, gives away a lot of balls, puts the opposition in clear scoring situations.

I think from the next season we can see how he really is (like with Garcia). He is still new to the league and thinks a game at Hull is the same as one in Rio Ave.

Wheelie Bin, he is known as the Wheelie Bin, Stands on grass and is Rubbish.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

I said at the very start of the season that he didn't look actually as good as Garcia was when he left, but I would give him time.

Then he produced a couple of absolutely fantastic performances, with the best defending I've ever seen from a City defensive mid; even better than Barry. He showed good pace & was good on the ball. Then he got injured.

Since he came back, he's been soso.

Not fucking hopeless, or mainly responsible for us losing games or any of the other fucking shite people are levelling at him.

I don't know if he will improve enough to be a long term player for City. I think he can do, as far as ability goes, no problem at all, but if evidence so far is anything to go on, he will have to deal with people being cunts with him at the same time.

We've had it with Jovetic, Navas, Fernandinho already this season; people basically just picking on them, because they have decided to blame it all on one player when it goes wrong.

I'm fairly certain there at least half a dozen being blamed on here if you read a bit more and type a little less. You should know you respond to all of them.

It's no good pointing out everything you get right if you type so long you get the here and now wrong.

[Ted Hughes]

I said at the very start of the season that he didn't look actually as good as Garcia was when he left, but I would give him time.

Then he produced a couple of absolutely fantastic performances, with the best defending I've ever seen from a City defensive mid; even better than Barry. He showed good pace & was good on the ball. Then he got injured.

Since he came back, he's been soso.

Not fucking hopeless, or mainly responsible for us losing games or any of the other fucking shite people are levelling at him.

I don't know if he will improve enough to be a long term player for City. I think he can do, as far as ability goes, no problem at all, but if evidence so far is anything to go on, he will have to deal with people being cunts with him at the same time.

We've had it with Jovetic, Navas, Fernandinho already this season; people basically just picking on them, because they have decided to blame it all on one player when it goes wrong.

I'm fairly certain there at least half a dozen being blamed on here if you read a bit more and type a little less. You should know you respond to all of them.

It's no good pointing out everything you get right if you type so long you get the here and now wrong.

If any of these players produce the kind of match losing stuff Kompany & Zabaleta have been doing all season, then the shit they get would be fair.

Jovetic has been singled out for shit & been the main topic when he's come on as fucking substitute, as has Navas. Now Fernando is getting the piss taken out of him for what was, on the 90 mins, not a bad game, vs fucking Barca.

And I don't require any personal abuse from you about anything at all. But if you want to go down that road, keep it fucking coming.

[Hazy2]

I said at the very start of the season that he didn't look actually as good as Garcia was when he left, but I would give him time.

Then he produced a couple of absolutely fantastic performances, with the best defending I've ever seen from a City defensive mid; even better than Barry. He showed good pace & was good on the ball. Then he got injured.

Since he came back, he's been soso.

Not fucking hopeless, or mainly responsible for us losing games or any of the other fucking shite people are levelling at him.

I don't know if he will improve enough to be a long term player for City. I think he can do, as far as ability goes, no problem at all, but if evidence so far is anything to go on, he will have to deal with people being cunts with him at the same time.

We've had it with Jovetic, Navas, Fernandinho already this season; people basically just picking on them, because they have decided to blame it all on one player when it goes wrong.

I was QPR he made a last ditch tackle , he was shagged by Barton the whole game !!!!!!!!!!, Hull at Home he was gash, stop the bollocks Ted. He slows it all down and kills the likes of Silva and Nasri the other night due to the fact he needs 2 secs to move it on, you would have been lynched on Tues back in Town with this mantra of tripe. No fucker rates him face it he is a wheelie Bin.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

I said at the very start of the season that he didn't look actually as good as Garcia was when he left, but I would give him time.

Then he produced a couple of absolutely fantastic performances, with the best defending I've ever seen from a City defensive mid; even better than Barry. He showed good pace & was good on the ball. Then he got injured.

Since he came back, he's been soso.

Not fucking hopeless, or mainly responsible for us losing games or any of the other fucking shite people are levelling at him.

I don't know if he will improve enough to be a long term player for City. I think he can do, as far as ability goes, no problem at all, but if evidence so far is anything to go on, he will have to deal with people being cunts with him at the same time.

We've had it with Jovetic, Navas, Fernandinho already this season; people basically just picking on them, because they have decided to blame it all on one player when it goes wrong.

I'm fairly certain there at least half a dozen being blamed on here if you read a bit more and type a little less. You should know you respond to all of them.

It's no good pointing out everything you get right if you type so long you get the here and now wrong.

If any of these players produce the kind of match losing stuff Kompany & Zabaleta have been doing all season, then the shit they get would be fair.

Jovetic has been singled out for shit & been the main topic when he's come on as fucking substitute, as has Navas. Now Fernando is getting the piss taken out of him for what was, on the 90 mins, not a bad game, vs fucking Barca.

And I don't require any personal abuse from you about anything at all. But if you want to go down that road, keep it fucking coming.

I didn't abuse you, it just winds me up that you get on here and tell us all how you called it on every bloody thing. You say one player is being blamed, but clearly you can see kompany, silva, milner and others also being blamed.

I don't have a problem with you, but after disappointing results I struggle to read your "I'm the voice of reason and here's where I called it 1st" stuff. Sometimes players play shit and people say so. This is one of those occasions.

[Ted Hughes]

I said at the very start of the season that he didn't look actually as good as Garcia was when he left, but I would give him time.

Then he produced a couple of absolutely fantastic performances, with the best defending I've ever seen from a City defensive mid; even better than Barry. He showed good pace & was good on the ball. Then he got injured.

Since he came back, he's been soso.

Not fucking hopeless, or mainly responsible for us losing games or any of the other fucking shite people are levelling at him.

I don't know if he will improve enough to be a long term player for City. I think he can do, as far as ability goes, no problem at all, but if evidence so far is anything to go on, he will have to deal with people being cunts with him at the same time.

We've had it with Jovetic, Navas, Fernandinho already this season; people basically just picking on them, because they have decided to blame it all on one player when it goes wrong.

I'm fairly certain there at least half a dozen being blamed on here if you read a bit more and type a little less. You should know you respond to all of them.

It's no good pointing out everything you get right if you type so long you get the here and now wrong.

If any of these players produce the kind of match losing stuff Kompany & Zabaleta have been doing all season, then the shit they get would be fair.

Jovetic has been singled out for shit & been the main topic when he's come on as fucking substitute, as has Navas. Now Fernando is getting the piss taken out of him for what was, on the 90 mins, not a bad game, vs fucking Barca.

And I don't require any personal abuse from you about anything at all. But if you want to go down that road, keep it fucking coming.

I didn't abuse you, it just winds me up that you get on here and tell us all how you called it on every bloody thing. You say one player is being blamed, but clearly you can see kompany, silva, milner and others also being blamed.

I don't have a problem with you, but after disappointing results I struggle to read your "I'm the voice of reason and here's where I called it 1st" stuff. Sometimes players play shit and people say so. This is one of those occasions.

I don't mean to come across as saying 'I called it first' on anything, but if that is common then I must just be really clever ;)

I was referring to it re Fernando, in order to show that I am not some Fernando fan boy, not that 'I called it first'. If I called it first that he wasn't good enough & I now am defending him, then I called it first wrong didn't I ? Think about it.

I don't recall loads of posts I've made where I've claimed to have always been right. I know I mentioned blaming Mancini for the kind of crap Silva & nasri produced v Barca, so once again, that is not claiming to have called it right, at all.

In fact my beef about the Barca game, is every other cunt claiming to have 'called it right' because we lost, not me doing it. I would have accepted 5, 4 or 3 in the midfield.

And Fernando was no way deserving of special abuse after that game. Yet here we are.

[Hazy2]

I said at the very start of the season that he didn't look actually as good as Garcia was when he left, but I would give him time.

Then he produced a couple of absolutely fantastic performances, with the best defending I've ever seen from a City defensive mid; even better than Barry. He showed good pace & was good on the ball. Then he got injured.

Since he came back, he's been soso.

Not fucking hopeless, or mainly responsible for us losing games or any of the other fucking shite people are levelling at him.

I don't know if he will improve enough to be a long term player for City. I think he can do, as far as ability goes, no problem at all, but if evidence so far is anything to go on, he will have to deal with people being cunts with him at the same time.

We've had it with Jovetic, Navas, Fernandinho already this season; people basically just picking on them, because they have decided to blame it all on one player when it goes wrong.

I'm fairly certain there at least half a dozen being blamed on here if you read a bit more and type a little less. You should know you respond to all of them.

It's no good pointing out everything you get right if you type so long you get the here and now wrong.

If any of these players produce the kind of match losing stuff Kompany & Zabaleta have been doing all season, then the shit they get would be fair.

Jovetic has been singled out for shit & been the main topic when he's come on as fucking substitute, as has Navas. Now Fernando is getting the piss taken out of him for what was, on the 90 mins, not a bad game, vs fucking Barca.

And I don't require any personal abuse from you about anything at all. But if you want to go down that road, keep it fucking coming.

I didn't abuse you, it just winds me up that you get on here and tell us all how you called it on every bloody thing. You say one player is being blamed, but clearly you can see kompany, silva, milner and others also being blamed.

I don't have a problem with you, but after disappointing results I struggle to read your "I'm the voice of reason and here's where I called it 1st" stuff. Sometimes players play shit and people say so. This is one of those occasions.

Nasri, looked like a scapegoat when the W.B should have been hooked, I am not abusing Ted, I just fail to accept he adds anything that we don't already have. Is every other fucker wrong, will he start at Liverpool another high tempo quick passing very pacey team, who will pick his pockets to Counter attack and rip Vinny NEW ONE. Will he fuck. This is football talk and nothing more. I would checking his passport they ain't no fucking earthly he learned to play on Copa Cabbana beach.

[Ted Hughes]

We did pretty well 2nd half, with him in the team, & he did pretty well in it.

Now people can just assume he had nothing to do with that ?

I've no idea whether he will play v Liverpool, or be shit if he does play.

But I have the same concern over every other player in that midfield & defence, but if they turn up; we probably win. If they'd turned up v Barca first half, we may have won that too. Fernando was not the main problem in that team. It was too many players not doing what they were supposed to. Good or bad; he wasn't one who was neglecting his job.

[Hazy2]

We did pretty well 2nd half, with him in the team, & he did pretty well in it.

Now people can just assume he had nothing to do with that ?

I've no idea whether he will play v Liverpool, or be shit if he does play.

But I have the same concern over every other player in that midfield & defence, but if they turn up; we probably win. If they'd turned up v Barca first half, we may have won that too. Fernando was not the main problem in that team. It was too many players not doing what they were supposed to. Good or bad; he wasn't one who was neglecting his job.

I doubt he would get into another Top 4 or 6 team.

[Goaters 103]

Would he get in Chelseas team - nope; would he get in Barcelona's team - nope; would he get in Real's team - nope; would he get in Bayerns team - nope.

Slice it and dice it anywhere you want, he's a liability in possession and he doesn't do such a superior job in other facets of his game to compensate for it. Ted may rate him but Id wager he's in rather a small minority amongst City fans, the general watching football public and expert pundits themselves. We've seen more than a decent sample size now to affirm that he isn't good enough if we are to get where we want to go.

Really good players don't need a year to settle in, and its time City stopped settling for players at Fernando's level. Either shop for top class, or don't bother wasting more money on guys like this.

Personally, Id wish Ted was right and this guy suddenly became Claude Makelele mkII and no doubt we'd be reminded of it endlessly on here, but I trust my own eyes on this guy. Over the years Ive seen some real class, and plenty of 2nd class watching City, and this guy falls into the latter category. I don't give him any stick when he's playing for us, and never do to any City player as that wont help, but if you put a ribbon around a bucket of piss its still a bucket of piss. Fernando being in what is a good team does not make him a good enough player if we have serious ambitions to competing at the business end in Europe, and at the top of the Premier League.