Alvaro Fernandez Carreras

That is who he exactly is for sure. Matic at the 6. I've watched Álvaro for a season and a bit and he just gets caught out on pace at left back but his ability on the ball is excellent. He is tall and strong and can make 5-10 metre strides to beat a first man which is all he would need anyway. But he can't bomb down the sidelines like Laird, Williams etc. Even in these highlights he is in front of a player but he gets ran down too quick and turns back to goal. I'd love to see him at 6. He has never had the chance in all the matches I've seen him.
 
He looks promising but honestly I'm not seeing a dead-cert top class player in him yet. He moves really slowly and given the type of player he is that might start hurting him as he moves up a level or two. He's clearly got something so it'll be interesting to see how we manage his next 18 months.
 
Drizzle said:
He looks promising but honestly I'm not seeing a dead-cert top class player in him yet. He moves really slowly and given the type of player he is that might start hurting him as he moves up a level or two. He's clearly got something so it'll be interesting to see how we manage his next 18 months.
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same.

It's still early days
 
Demaw said:
That is who he exactly is for sure. Matic at the 6. I've watched Álvaro for a season and a bit and he just gets caught out on pace at left back but his ability on the ball is excellent. He is tall and strong and can make 5-10 metre strides to beat a first man which is all he would need anyway. But he can't bomb down the sidelines like Laird, Williams etc. Even in these highlights he is in front of a player but he gets ran down too quick and turns back to goal. I'd love to see him at 6. He has never had the chance in all the matches I've seen him.
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I have been thinking the same.
His abilities are sufficient for the middle pack.
I also know he has been used as a CD before and he didn't look out of place so a more advanced role might actually work.
 
Played as a RB and LB in the same game.

It was tactical decision to start him as a RB or it is part of his education?
 
There's a bit of a weird obsession on here with switching players positions. His best qualities are probably crossing & beating players on the run which is helped by unpredictability because he's very 2 footed which helps when cutting inside from the wing & his biggest weaknesses are probably awareness of opposition players around him & getting caught flat footed when players run at him which doesn't exactly scream future DM to me
 
jb8521 said:
There's a bit of a weird obsession on here with switching players positions. His best qualities are probably crossing & beating players on the run which is helped by unpredictability because he's very 2 footed which helps when cutting inside from the wing & his biggest weaknesses are probably awareness of opposition players around him & getting caught flat footed when players run at him which doesn't exactly scream future DM to me
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That awareness is certainly something you can learn as you get older. Not every player is a genius at the age of 18 - technical ability is a good start.
 
TwoSheds said:
That awareness is certainly something you can learn as you get older. Not every player is a genius at the age of 18 - technical ability is a good start.
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As can the defensive side of the game & physicality, I just don't get why people seem to want to write him off as a fullback based on his weaknesses but want to ignore how those weaknesses would be just as much if not more of an issue in another position
 
jb8521 said:
As can the defensive side of the game & physicality, I just don't get why people seem to want to write him off as a fullback based on his weaknesses but want to ignore how those weaknesses would be just as much if not more of an issue in another position
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I'm certainly not writing him off as a full back, I think all that criticism is way over the top. Doesn't mean it's not interesting to think if he could adapt to other positions. Alaba or Lahm being examples perhaps.
 
Will be very interesting to see how he develops over the next 12-18 months.
 
jb8521 said:
There's a bit of a weird obsession on here with switching players positions. His best qualities are probably crossing & beating players on the run which is helped by unpredictability because he's very 2 footed which helps when cutting inside from the wing & his biggest weaknesses are probably awareness of opposition players around him & getting caught flat footed when players run at him which doesn't exactly scream future DM to me
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Being two footed would be a lovely advantage as a DCM wouldn't it?

And getting caught flat footed as a fullback is worse than as a DCM. Imagine Matic playing at fullback now.

So I wouldn't call it a weird obsession. Young players often end up switching their position when it's appropriate.
 
Is he likely to be on the bench tomorrow with AWB suspended and Shaw possibly injured?
 
If the first team kept with the 3-5-2 formation I could see Fernandez perfectly groomed for that left-wing back spot....
 
GueRed said:
If the first team kept with the 3-5-2 formation I could see Fernandez perfectly groomed for that left-wing back spot....
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I haven't been able to watch a full match of him but based on the majority of posts here I don't think its possible unless he improves significantly on the defensive side. Even a wingback has to defend.
 
Demaw said:
That is who he exactly is for sure. Matic at the 6. I've watched Álvaro for a season and a bit and he just gets caught out on pace at left back but his ability on the ball is excellent. He is tall and strong and can make 5-10 metre strides to beat a first man which is all he would need anyway. But he can't bomb down the sidelines like Laird, Williams etc. Even in these highlights he is in front of a player but he gets ran down too quick and turns back to goal. I'd love to see him at 6. He has never had the chance in all the matches I've seen him.
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I have watched him as a central defender once I think - and he was brilliant in that role. But right now he is nowhere near good enough to play in a 4-4-2 as he makes too many awful mistakes defensively. As a wing-back - that is another matter. Him and Laird both have huge potential in that role.
 
lysglimt said:
I have watched him as a central defender once I think - and he was brilliant in that role. But right now he is nowhere near good enough to play in a 4-4-2 as he makes too many awful mistakes defensively. As a wing-back - that is another matter. Him and Laird both have huge potential in that role.
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I think wing back it is. He runs and passing is fantastic.
 
Sea-Cow said:
I haven't been able to watch a full match of him but based on the majority of posts here I don't think its possible unless he improves significantly on the defensive side. Even a wingback has to defend.
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I'm talking in about 18-24 months from now which hopefully includes a loan spell at some point.
So he has time on his side to improve his game..

His ground coverage from that left flank is so good and his link-up going forward has been impressive thus far.
I hate lazy comparisons but he reminds me of Marcos Alonso stylistic-wise..

Let's see how he develops over the next couple of years.
 
ryan_forlan said:
Is he training with the first team? I think I saw him in one of the photos.
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Remember the geese said:
He is indeed. Hope he gets minutes against Middlesbrough.
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I like the look of him and would love to see him make it in the long term. But he's still very much a work in progress in his development and I don't think he's ready for the first team yet.

Will Fish was also training with them, and he couldn't even get games for non league Stockport during his loan spell.
 
Bertie Wooster said:
I like the look of him and would love to see him make it in the long term. But he's still very much a work in progress in his development and I don't think he's ready for the first team yet.

Will Fish was also training with them, and he couldn't even get games for non league Stockport during his loan spell.
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Yeah, he's a lovely player to watch. Really good technically and oozes class on the ball. I love the way he drops a shoulder to manoeuvre out of tight situations. Definitely needs to sharpen up defensively though.

Shame about Fish. He was looking good a year or two ago.
 
pascell said:
I think you'll be left disappointed. We have too many first team players that need to gain form and Shaw is one of those.

I suspect we'll field a first XI that's very strong as we haven't played in two weeks and we need to gain sharpness.
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I didn't mean for him to start. Just that Telles played for Brazil last night, so may be unavailable for Friday night. I assume Shaw will start, but I'm hoping that Fernandez can come on for him at some point.
 
He should be converted into a left sided no 8 in a 433 set-up, he doesn't have the pace to be a full back but he has the technical abilities to be a very efficient CM.
 
Ogaranya said:
He should be converted into a left sided no 8 in a 433 set-up, he doesn't have the pace to be a full back but he has the technical abilities to be a very efficient CM.
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He could be a Daley Blind type player. May turn out to be an excellent defensive midfielder
 
Bertie Wooster said:
I like the look of him and would love to see him make it in the long term. But he's still very much a work in progress in his development and I don't think he's ready for the first team yet.

Will Fish was also training with them, and he couldn't even get games for non league Stockport during his loan spell.
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Pretty sure Will Fish has actually played for the first team already.
 
Rozay said:
Pretty sure Will Fish has actually played for the first team already.
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Yeah, as a late sub in the dead rubber last game of the season. When the first team were being rested for the Europa League final. That does happen with some kids on the last game of the season, or the weakened Europa League squad v Astana, etc.

But he wasn't going to be selected in a meaningful senior game like yesterday, when the first team squad were being selected. And neither were involved, and are both actually playing for the U23's at this very moment.
 
A insightful thread on Fernandez for anyone that's interested, which includes information from a interview he did with Marca in Spain.

 
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