Problem is he isn't good enough on the ball to play in a forward line
8
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 46
- Goals
- 10
- Assists
- 13
- Yellow cards
- 10
- Status
Problem is he isn't good enough on the ball to play in a forward line
At least with him we know there is a good player there. Lets see if ETH brings that out again
Willing to give him the benefit of the doubt under ETH as we saw last season he can be a brilliant player and at the very least always tries hard, but he has been terrible this season. No idea what has happened to him
He's been under the radar awful this season while others have taken most of the flak.
With the lack of a right sided forward I think he should be tried there next season so that we don't have to play with a man short in midfield in terms of physicality and ball retention.
With the lack of a right sided forward I think he should be tried there next season so that we don't have to play with a man short in midfield in terms of physicality and ball retention.
Was just wondering to myself if we might see him tried there in a sort of Tadic role. As I recall Tadic in the PL at least very much wasn't good at keeping the ball but he's found a niche for himself in that Ajax attack.
I think it's worth a pre season experiment at least. We desperately need a new right back though.
There's application and talent. They are kind of the same but there's a distinction when talking about talent in a vacuum. Bruno can play a mean killer pass. The actual application has him spamming it till it sometimes becomes a liability.
One especially problematic aspect of his play is the way he plays counter attacks when he's deep, he only has eyes for the last man and will even ignore way way better advanced options. He can ignore someone like Sancho and Elanga who can actually carry the ball to the final third just to punt something to Ronaldo who is well sandwiched between two defenders. Of course those rarely make it through and those attack die immediately. It makes for great highlights but frequently kills attacking continuity. This is how I know he will continue to suck in big games where the margins are slimmer. I've never felt so confident predicting a player of his caliber to fail in big games.
Some say "It's because he doesn't trust the jokers he's playing with". Massive cop out excuse. Great players never play stupid. He isn't even a top 3 performer this season and is getting outplayed by the players who supposedly care less. I'm curious to see how he meshes with ETH who builds almost exclusively through short passing.
Edit: There's a gif from a couple pages back where instead of going with a basic sidefoot pass to Lindelof who is merely 5 yards away he goes for a toe poke lead pass that goes wrong. There's the awful pass selection too but I have to say the unnecessary risktaking here is the most Bruno Fernandes thing ever.
Credit to @GifLord
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Not sure he can hack it as a midfielder in Eric's system. I think he may have to be a false 9 or a wide attacker.
Bruno’s inconsistency is a problem. He lives for the killer pass, and he’s capable of pulling it off, but he too often takes chances when there’s no chance to be taken.
@Greck on that gif, I think he tried to put the ball just a little bit ahead of Lindelof so he could take the ball with his run and move forward.
I'm actually pretty that's his intent but like you said, the execution is all wrong.
I'm actually pretty that's his intent but like you said, the execution is all wrong.
His best performance in a game against a tough opposition this season for me was Villarreal Away (okay, they're not quite Liverpool, but they're last season's Europa League winner and this season's CL semi-finalist), where Carrick benched him for Donny. He came on for the last 25 minutes, didn't misplace any Hollywood balls, dictated the play & completely changed the game: we pretty much dominated Villarreal from the minute he came on. He himself had a great assist for Sancho and could have had two more if his teammates didn't miss relatively easy chances. According to WhoScored, his passing success rate in that game was 87%, whereas his average for this season is only 77% He also made more key passes in just 25 minutes in that game than on average per 90 this season. His body language that night was moody as hell though, had no reaction at all when Sancho scored.
I'm not calling Carrick a world-class man manager or anything like that, but maybe Bruno is someone who would benefit from being benched once in a while (i.e. not feeling that he's undroppable) to stay focused and actually play to the manager's instructions and not try killer balls every time.
I remember after the final whistle in the Arsenal game (where he had another good game and ended a goal drought), he embraced Carrick and whispered into his ear for a long time. It was probably just him being emotional that Carrick was leaving, but maybe he was finally admitting that being benched helped him?
Carrick in his final post-match press conference that night also joked about how Bruno was moaning all week about being benched (youtube.com/watch?v=Te4z66cR2CA - at around minute 4:50). At the time I didn't think much of it, but when you actually think about it objectively, that's really quite unprofessional behavior from a player (A key player moaning about being benched all week on the training ground can't be good for the team's morale) and it definitely fits Bruno's petulant character. Maybe Ole and Rangnick saw this kind of behavior too and was scared to bench or even rest him even for a single game, even when such a kick in the ass was probably needed to revert a run of bad form. Carrick, being the only manager with nothing to lose anyway, actually did what was needed and got the best out of him for a while.
I'm not calling Carrick a world-class man manager or anything like that, but maybe Bruno is someone who would benefit from being benched once in a while (i.e. not feeling that he's undroppable) to stay focused and actually play to the manager's instructions and not try killer balls every time.
I remember after the final whistle in the Arsenal game (where he had another good game and ended a goal drought), he embraced Carrick and whispered into his ear for a long time. It was probably just him being emotional that Carrick was leaving, but maybe he was finally admitting that being benched helped him?
Carrick in his final post-match press conference that night also joked about how Bruno was moaning all week about being benched (youtube.com/watch?v=Te4z66cR2CA - at around minute 4:50). At the time I didn't think much of it, but when you actually think about it objectively, that's really quite unprofessional behavior from a player (A key player moaning about being benched all week on the training ground can't be good for the team's morale) and it definitely fits Bruno's petulant character. Maybe Ole and Rangnick saw this kind of behavior too and was scared to bench or even rest him even for a single game, even when such a kick in the ass was probably needed to revert a run of bad form. Carrick, being the only manager with nothing to lose anyway, actually did what was needed and got the best out of him for a while.
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Be interesting to see if he‘s used as a false 9 or on the wings under ETH. He’s had an abysmal season, but i think there’s still a gem of a player in him. So let‘s hope he’s back to his best next season. An in form Bruno would be massive for any team in the PL imo.
I completely disagree with that.
At no point does he even look at Lindelof.
The only person Bruno looks at is Telles, and when he plays the ball his body position is directed towards Telles.
There is absolutely no way he was attempting to pass for Lindelof.
Tbh it will be impossible to be sure since the pss is that bad unless he says what he meant. Whoever was aimed at, it was terrible
By far his best performance of the season, probably his best ever for us. Everything worked for him in that game, totally transformative.
I thought so too, a lead pass into space. Decent idea when you don't totally bungle the window for execution and actual execution.
I've already waxed on about my issues with him as a player, but was just curious since I've seen the idea batted around: What top sides do people think he gets into? A few posters have said he's no doubt world class, so I was curious what teams is he in the starting XI for in the world?
Bayern: Probably not
Real: No
Barca: No
Liverpool: No
City: No
Chelsea: Probably although I'm not sure who he replaces. Mount I guess?
Inter: yes
Juve: yes
Atletico: Maybe?
Bayern: Probably not
Real: No
Barca: No
Liverpool: No
City: No
Chelsea: Probably although I'm not sure who he replaces. Mount I guess?
Inter: yes
Juve: yes
Atletico: Maybe?
Am I alone in thinking that Bruno, along with DDG and Varane, is our best player? Undoubtedly he has had a tough season but he is head and shoulders above most of our other players. I think we'll see a return to the old Bruno next season.
BayernL Maybe
Real: Yes
Barca: Definitely
Liverpool: No
City: Maybe
Chelsea: Yes
The rest: Yes
Bruno is world class.
Inter, Juve and Chelsea perhaps for me.
You’re deluded if you think he replaces Modric, Pedri, De Jong, and possibly any of the City players.
He’s been played as a CM the last two games, no wonder he’s not been very good
I'm surprised its taken him so long this season to get any criticism. I think he has generally been poor from the last couple of months or so of last season. Any criticism would get ridiculed with stats or how he is world class.
No doutb he made a huge difference when he came and was excellent, a brath of fresh air for the first few months.....but I think his reputation has been living off of that and assists for a long time now.
I honestly dotn why we threw a new contract his way so quickly after such a poor season, a whingey attitude on the pitch and awaitign a new manager. He is obviously a talented player, he also works hard and has a winning mentality...........but there have een several talented players here the last decade that have started well for the fist few months and then really faded to being poor and inconsistent and wrongly in my opnion albelled world class, which I would add to Fernandes.
Of coruse I hope he can get back to form, but I would not be the least bit surprised to see him having a ral fight for his place next season the way that he plays
No doutb he made a huge difference when he came and was excellent, a brath of fresh air for the first few months.....but I think his reputation has been living off of that and assists for a long time now.
I honestly dotn why we threw a new contract his way so quickly after such a poor season, a whingey attitude on the pitch and awaitign a new manager. He is obviously a talented player, he also works hard and has a winning mentality...........but there have een several talented players here the last decade that have started well for the fist few months and then really faded to being poor and inconsistent and wrongly in my opnion albelled world class, which I would add to Fernandes.
Of coruse I hope he can get back to form, but I would not be the least bit surprised to see him having a ral fight for his place next season the way that he plays
Arsenal 3:1 Man Utd
Told you so
Simultaneously one of the most creative players in the world, but also the most frustrating. His bad performances surely outweigh the good ones, especially this season. He is not a world class player, and I hope ETH does not try and build around him.
One season wonder.
Another one to his collection of shockers in big games.
He's an utterly brainless footballer that isn't half as good as he thinks he is. I said months ago that in years gone by he's a number 10 that would be playing for Shakthar or Fenerbache and he's proving every week that's where he should be playing instead of here.
Awfil player for a team looking to be a top side.
He's an utterly brainless footballer that isn't half as good as he thinks he is. I said months ago that in years gone by he's a number 10 that would be playing for Shakthar or Fenerbache and he's proving every week that's where he should be playing instead of here.
Awfil player for a team looking to be a top side.
Pogba 2.0
I don't often blame a single player on a defeat but today is on him. Hit the target on that penalty, control that ball which led up to Xhaka's goal and we wouldn't have lost.
He's very selfish... Which would be fine if he backed it up. But he hasn't been for quite sometime.
Brain dead decision to let him take that penalty
Brain dead decision to let him take that penalty
Can't wait for Fernandes's Witnesses to come and convince us how much of a great news his new contract is and how he is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Something tells me he will promptly be dropped next season in favor of VDB.
Something tells me he will promptly be dropped next season in favor of VDB.
Even if he had scored the pen to make it 2-2 and we came out with a result, it still would've been a horrendous performance.
His general play is so bad. People laughed when I said he shouldn't start big games but he shouldn't. He's a complete liability in them time and time again.
His general play is so bad. People laughed when I said he shouldn't start big games but he shouldn't. He's a complete liability in them time and time again.
Not here for the apology post that’s incoming from social media. He’s been in wretched form & never looked confident to take it. If we score there that Arsenal team capitulate. Minimum requirement there is to get it on target.
Align that with his overall terrible performance, giving away the ball for their 3rd & honestly that contract is already looking like a mistake.
Align that with his overall terrible performance, giving away the ball for their 3rd & honestly that contract is already looking like a mistake.
Reminds me of mkhitarian honestly. Dude would play so blegh but then pop up with an assist or goal and end the game with decent "stats"
I put the pen miss aside and the ball lost for their 3rd, even without those huge moments, his performance was still garbage.
He found a way to berate Telles for a cross he fecked up himself.
This guy is a good deflector of blame
He found a way to berate Telles for a cross he fecked up himself.
This guy is a good deflector of blame
He's like the bad version of Rooney in his last couple of seasons.
Missed the penalty, lost his head. We've seen it before. We'll see it again. If he hasn't got the head to cope with it when Ronaldo's looking over his shoulder (today, Villa (H)) then let Ronaldo take the set pieces.
Pogba has a list of amazing performances for us in big games. Bruno wishes.
We want to believe that things are going to change but you see this guy get a new contract.... Not a single thought goes through his head when he has the ball, he just throws it inside the box and wishes for the best.
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