Bruno Fernandes | Match Discussion thread 2021/22

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A hatrick isn't a bad way to start the campaign.

Not a penalty in sight either
 
We finally have a replacement for Rooney he’s incredible scoring and creating hopefully it’ll continue and we don’t burn him out.

Loved his finish for the third goal
 
Premier League: Manchester United 4-1 Newcastle United - 11th September 2021

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He smashed that as if to say you’re not having all the glory Ronnie! Superb strike.
 
Worked his socks off last night and got himself an assist but I do think he's got to keep his cool a little better he's wound up fair to easily.

Think that was probably his best game in a long time really put a shift in for the team but another one who I think Ole has got to be prepared to sub at points in games as he was shattered after 70 minutes.
 
Delicious pass last night for the Rashford goal. This is why he plays, he can be frustrating with his misplaced passes but a few times a game he is going to produce absolutely worldie passes to be snapped up.
 
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Awful form.
 
stats can be misleading, like the assist he got for Maguire, probably one of the worst crosses by a professional footballer.

I can see with my eyes, and hear on the radio, all his corners are terrible at the moment. The amount of times they mentioned another stray pass by Fernandes last night was unreal. Do that against Liverpool and they will punish.
Also, I don't think he ever plays well in the big games does he? Pogba does, that's why I would play him in there above Bruno against Liverpool.

But it's just opinions. And the only one that matters is Ole's. And he won't drop Bruno on Sunday so it's all a bit futile.

I just hope he gets back to the player where most of his passes reached their destination as they did when he arrived. Of course a player like him isn't going to hit every pass. But too many are missing at the moment. I really hope he proves me wrong and brings his A game on Sunday.

No one can doubt the quality of the ball for Rashford. 10/10
 
He should have had 3 assist last night even if you don't count the Maguire one. He also played the ball for Freds chance and the ball for Ronaldos one on one.
 
Well lets get 11 Matic on the pitch. We won't score much but we'll enjoy keeping the ball is nice 5 yard square passes.
 
The Man Utd app is actually very good for looking up player stats from games for those of you who don't have it worth downloading.

Vs Atlanta lost the ball 33 times
Vs Leicester lost the ball 16 times
Vs Everton lost the ball 27 times
Vs Villareal lost the ball 20 times
Vs Villa lost the ball 20 times

Bruno is a creative player so he will lose the ball a lot he attempts a lot of high risk balls which if they come off are high risk my argument currently with him is the execution of these passes which we know he has in the locker isn't good enough. So yeah he created 8 chances last night my point is an on form Bruno will have been into double figures.

Bruno is also the creative hub of a very attacking team so he needs to create a lot of chances he's given basically total freedom to try and create chances for the other 3 attacking players so he's going to create a lot of chances.

So it's give and take with him is the 8 chances he created last night worth 33 turnovers of possession?

I think a lot of my frustration last night was more his crossing his corners were all underhit not clearing the first man and in general play he was taking to long and hitting defenders. Some of his flicks around the corner such as the one for Rashford were truly world class and I don't think another player in our side could pull off that pass.
 
The possession lost stat you're using is a little disingenious though. He misplaced 16 passes so using the 33 times to slate his passing is just enhancing the number. His pass completion rate was 72% which is below his normal average of 78% he's never going to be a player in the high 80's because normally more often than not the ball he's playing is a forward one.

Bruno had a very sloppy first 35 minutes but I think you need to realise as a team we created a total of 14 chances. So Bruno is doing over 50% of all the creative work when as you say he's not having the greatest of games. And we want to take that out of our line up? Even when Bruno is having an off game he's a LOT better than any other option we have in that position.
 
the problem is also the team, when you're not playing very well it's frustrating to see a player continually give up posession. If we were dominating and winning games it doesn't stand out as much.

And you use another useless stat, of course he is the most creative player by stats, it's his position in the team. Lindelof or Fred isn't going to create as much

Like I say, I'd like to see him dropped, but it won't happen, at least not by Ole.
 
I took my stat off the Utd app it will also include any time he was tackled and it probably includes crosses that weren't completed. All stats can be skewed and twisted but the point was in general Bruno loses the ball a lot how he loses it will obviously be a mixture of various things.

So yeah I could use other stats but I'm not going to knock off the Maguire assist/chance created from his numbers either I watched the game and I felt even without looking at the stats that Bruno wasn't at his best and he hasn't been at his best for a while. He needs to sharpen up as we really do rely on him first half he got sucked to far forward second half he/Ole/coaches addressed that and it totally changed the flow of the game.

My argument for Sunday isn't take him out as some sort of punishment it's change the tactics as a one off. Accept we are playing a better team and match them up like for like especially in midfield where we know they are going to put us under serious pressure. We used to pull this trick all the time vs Arsenal you knew against them it was always going to be 3 in midfield, speed on the wings and 1 up top I think we've got to do something similar against Liverpool.

Bruno did the 90 minutes last night ran his nuts off second half for the team to get us back from 2-0 down and I imagine he woke up the morning absolutely shattered. Against Liverpool we start 0-0 and I think to avoid being 2-0 down against them we need to shore things up to protect our defence then look to bring on a player like Bruno later in the game when it will open up as both teams start to get tired. That is where he could really hurt Liverpool.

I'm not even joking when I say if Fred is fit for this game I'd consider McTominay/Matic/Fred as a 3 I really think we need to go in there to win the fight in midfield and look to have 3 lads up front who can create for themselves. Against Spurs I want him in from the start as I think we can go toe to toe with them we do that vs Liverpool and we'll get a beating.
 
I can't find the stat's for last season but in 19/20. De Bruyne was third on the possession lost stats. Losing the ball on average 20 times a game. But he also got the premier league assist record with 20 assist. Many people thought it was one of the great individual prem performances over a season we've ever seen (Me included) I don't remember everyone at the time going oh but he loses possession over 20 times a game.

TAA was first on the list that year. Losing the ball on average 28 times a game. I believe he set the record for most assist from a defender that season with 13. If you want these exciting players that provide assist they're going to give the ball away. If we want to win games of football we'll have to accept that. Or we go to LVG's style of football where we keep the ball for the sake of keeping it and never try anything that risk losing possession.

The one thing we should not be doing against Liverpool is taking out our player capable of making the pass to Rashford Ronaldo Greenwood on the break. The other 6 will sit in and none of them are getting that ball out to our counter attacking players to allow us to hit them on the break.

Also the chances created was a season high by any players in the champions league this season. I just don't get the logic in taking that calibre of player out of the side.
 
stats can be misleading, like the assist he got for Maguire, probably one of the worst crosses by a professional footballer.

I can see with my eyes, and hear on the radio, all his corners are terrible at the moment. The amount of times they mentioned another stray pass by Fernandes last night was unreal. Do that against Liverpool and they will punish.
Also, I don't think he ever plays well in the big games does he? Pogba does, that's why I would play him in there above Bruno against Liverpool.

But it's just opinions. And the only one that matters is Ole's. And he won't drop Bruno on Sunday so it's all a bit futile.

I just hope he gets back to the player where most of his passes reached their destination as they did when he arrived. Of course a player like him isn't going to hit every pass. But too many are missing at the moment. I really hope he proves me wrong and brings his A game on Sunday.

No one can doubt the quality of the ball for Rashford. 10/10
Bruno has always been hit and miss with his passing even when he first arrived. However, it was understated a little because we were winning games and Bruno was scoring and assisting for fun.

His crossing was very disappointing last night but still would not have Pogba or Lingard ahead of him in the position he plays.
 
My point is purely one of a bit of squad management whoever it is Bruno or Pogba I think we need them to play more like a centre mid in the next game so we go 3 vs 3 in midfield you can't go 3 vs 2 against the best we'll get murdered. Both of them are capable of playing the sort of passes we need to feed our strikers Pogba has got 7 assists this season after all. What we can't afford is Bruno just standing up front with Ronaldo trying to win a battle with Fabinho because he won't win it Fabinho will shut him out of the game.

If we play Bruno left of a 3 in midfield that puts him up against Henderson who we know isn't necessarily a technically gifted player but physically he's going to run all over you for 90 minutes. Who's better suited to deal with that Bruno who's played 90 minutes midweek or Pogba who's played 30? I just think whoever goes into that midfield on Sunday needs to be up for a physical battle I don't think that plays to Bruno's strength he's a small guy who's pretty weak I think the job is for Pogba to show up and boss his opponent 1 vs 1. That in itself is a gamble because we know what he's like.

Their right side vs our left side is where this game will be won if Shaw/Rashford win the battle with TAA/Salah we can win the game. Foden absolutely had their pants down the other week in that area of the pitch we need Rashford to be doing the same. Same way is Salah throws our some magic we might not be able to stop him.

My argument is a one of game sometimes a big name has to miss out top managers make these sorts of decisions and back themselves. Didn't Fergie bench Rooney for a European Cup match away in Madrid because he knew he needed Welbeck wide that night. From memory Welbz got the goal and we got a 1-1 draw to take home.
 
It's scary to think we have fans that would seriously consider dropping Bruno, if he's fit to play he's the one player in the squad that has earned the right to play himself back into form.
 
This is what needs to stop at this club it's a team sport not an individual sport until we crack that we'll keep going in circles.

This team needs to be able to function without Bruno you don't see City dropping to mid table standard when De Bruyne is injured.

The case for not starting Bruno vs Liverpool is particularly in that game we need to make sure we are much more solid because we are letting in goals for fun and against probably the best team in the country if we do that we are screwed.
 
This is what needs to stop at this club it's a team sport not an individual sport until we crack that we'll keep going in circles.

This team needs to be able to function without Bruno you don't see City dropping to mid table standard when De Bruyne is injured.

The case for not starting Bruno vs Liverpool is particularly in that game we need to make sure we are much more solid because we are letting in goals for fun and against probably the best team in the country if we do that we are screwed.
You have to have Bruno in there. It’s all well and good setting up solid but Liverpool will score I have no doubts - then you’re left with a lack of creativity in the middle of the park chasing a goal or two. That will just continue to invite pressure, especially if Liverpool score early.
 
You have to have Bruno in there. It’s all well and good setting up solid but Liverpool will score I have no doubts - then you’re left with a lack of creativity in the middle of the park chasing a goal or two. That will just continue to invite pressure, especially if Liverpool score early.

So we don't count Pogba as a creative player? How many assists has be got this season?

Are we suggesting that a front 3 that will be 3 of Ronaldo/Cavani/Sancho/Rashford/Greenwood can't create chances?

Shaw can't create a goal with a decent cross?

We have a squad now we have to make the best use of it and we've seen this 4-2-3-1 system doesn't work against good sides there's questions over it working vs weaker sides. I think against Liverpool we have to match them in midfield even if that means Bruno drops back and plays in the 3 in midfield and goes up against Henderson that is fine I just don't think physically he's going to be able to get the better of Henderson.

He'll be on the bench anyway if Liverpool go ahead and he can make the change if he needs to to it's not like anyone is suggesting we sit the guy in the stands as some sort of punishment.

My concern mainly is that Bruno and Ronaldo ran there nuts off on Wednesday to make that comeback happen in a really tough game to get that win unless they are 100% they should not be starting on Sunday if there are guys who are 100% ready to go.
 
I’m basing my comments on your previous post about playing all of Fred, McT and Matic. If you do that you’re not playing Pogba I presume?

We may have 3 up top of Rashford, Ronaldo and Greenwood but if you’re not feeding them the right stuff from midfield you’re going to struggle creating enough chances to beat Liverpool. You need someone like Bruno in there to be that link.

Sometimes you do drop your best players if the situation suits, Sir Alex did do it on occasion but the difference being we had a team that knew exactly what they were doing. I don’t think we are good enough to drop one of our best players at this present time. If he isn’t 100% fit after a gruelling game then yes drop him - but wouldn’t be dropping him for any other reason.
 
I'd be dropping him for Pogba, because at the moment he is giving possesion away too much, which we cannot afford to do against Liverpool.
 
Because Pogba isn't known for giving the ball away or getting caught in possession in dangerous areas by teams that press?

I love Pogba but you're talking about dropping our best player because he gives the ball away trying things on. As I highlighted in De Bruynes 19/20 season which was one of the best ever he was giving the ball away on average 20+ times a game. Difference is when they're giving the ball away it's generally in the oppositions half and isn't/shouldn't be dangerous.

You can pick whatever formation you want but in the biggest game you play your best player.

Also I don't remember Fergie ever dropping his best player for the biggest games. He dropped Rooney for the Madrid game. Rooney wasn't our best player RVP was. His best player if fit would play in the biggest game he may rest them the following week against Spurs. Fergie himself was quoted as saying 'You always play your best players' now sure they need rest but that rest should come against Watford/Burnley etc.
 
Him being our best player is a matter of opinion. He is not our best player in my opinion.
 
Or maybe he is our best player, would explain why we are doing so badly if our best player gives away the ball so frequently.

He is nowhere near the level he was at when he arrived for me.
 
I think it would be very hard to make an argument for anyone else being our best player the last two seasons.
 
Oh yes, but I am talking about current form.

He's giving the ball away too much at the moment, all his cross and corners are poor or hit the first man.
 
I am surprised we would even consider dropping Bruno. His poor run of form is still better than everyone else.
 

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