Bruno Fernandes’ “Bad Season”

MalaysianRed7

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In all competitions:

9 goals
13 assists
22 goal contributions
0 penalties

In the league alone, he had 71 chances created before the Leeds game, more than anyone else. After that masterclass, I fancy he’s on at least 75 now. Better stats than the much heralded Bernardo Silva, KdB, ESR, Saka, Mount, Grealish, Son, Mane, need I go on? This doesn’t even take last season and the half-season before into account, where he was in the top 10 best players in the world period.

He has been the best thing to happen to us since Fergie retired. One of the best midfielders in the world, and definitely in the KdB conversation, although people aren’t ready to talk about it yet.
 
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Solius

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He single handedly saved this club from mediocrity. Most game changing signing we made since van Persie imo.
 

bond19821982

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Simply he is our best player. He needed some time to transform himself when Ronaldo was signed.

Also I'm not seeing the wasteful Bruno under Ole. He isn't trying hard to make things happen. He is getting better under Ralf and is much more purposeful.

Him, Sancho, Dalot and Fred are our most improved players under RR
 

horsechoker

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He can frustrate but when he pulls something off it's magnificent. He's chaotically brilliant.
 

Tom Van Persie

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One of the most disrespected players I've seen. If he played for another team this forum would be in love with him. Very strange.
 

AltiUn

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He's probably the best pure #10 in the world. I've said some pretty stupid things about him in the heat of the moment but he's undeniably a top player.
 

Van Piorsing

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When he's in bad form it still shows. Often he cannot control his own frustration and is unable to hit barn door from few meters. Other than that he's a striker, the attacking midfielder and creative midfielder providing assists from the deep.

Sometimes can't imagine him being injured for more than two weeks and if by some chance he'll catch form vs Atleti, we might even go through almost in flying colors.

That being said, wishing the team around him could show more urgency, especially when he can't carry his team every single game.
 

edcunited1878

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He's a top player in the league and has everything you need and want. Creativity, technique, work rate, shithousery, bite, availability, demanding, and accountability.
 

Rolaholic

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'Chaotically brilliant' might be the best summation of him I've heard :lol:

He's unplayable on his day but he's the rare breed of footballer that even if he's having a shit day, he can still somehow wind up with a goal and assist off of effort with his ability.

He's quite simply put inevitable and he's been one of our few standout players post Fergie.

Really wish we'd have gotten the chance to see the likes of him, Pogba and Sancho playing with a mobile striker with similar ability.
 

arthurka

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One of the most disrespected players I've seen. If he played for another team this forum would be in love with him. Very strange.
Not really we hate all our players bar the FC Martial conundrum. Bruno is a player that we should love but somehow he just isn't getting the love he should here. He is just an awesome natural footballer.
 

Reddevildans

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Amazing stats. But won't get the deserved recognition until he does it in the big games or turns big games, in that regard he needs to do better.
Nevertheless he's the best player signed since rvp.
 

sullydnl

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Comparing his league output this season versus last. Per 90min:

Goals: 0.35 vs 0.52
Non-penalty goals: 0.35 vs 0.26
Assists: 0.22 vs 0.35
xG: 0.25 vs 0.45
NPxG: 0.22 vs 0.23
xA: 0.31 vs 0.32

In other words the only real difference is the loss of penalties.

Otherwise he's returned more goals from open play on almost exactly the same npxG while getting fewer assists on almost exactly the same xA. And obviously it's not his fault if the chances he creates haven't been converted at the same rate as last year.
 

MalaysianRed7

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Sorry I didn’t. The title just suggested more negativity
Fair enough. We’ve all been there. I personally take my bile to Twitter if we lose a game, and bring my actual concise thoughts to the forum the day after after calming down a bit.
 

Plant0x84

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Well Done @MalaysianRed7 for a positive post talking up one of our best players, instead of critiquing every minor fault or flaw.
You’re quite right of course. Bruno is brilliant, he was brilliant when he signed and he will continue to be brilliant. For me the best thing about Bruno is that he doesn’t seek the limelight and the glory himself, but genuinely tries to enhance the team and assist others first and foremost. He can control a game without needing to score himself or force things - but can also finish when he needs too/ is in a position to do so. He is a leader for the team and sets an excellent example.
 

T00lsh3d

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He's probably the best pure #10 in the world. I've said some pretty stupid things about him in the heat of the moment but he's undeniably a top player.
Yeah, I think this about him too….there aren’t any better in that very specific role. Don’t seem to see many ‘pure 10s’ around these days, they seem to have been phased out in favour of wide forwards
 

SirScholes

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Amazing stats. But won't get the deserved recognition until he does it in the big games or turns big games, in that regard he needs to do better.
Nevertheless he's the best player signed since rvp.
Agreed
Club needs to win some throphies
People mentioning rvp. Well rvp won the league, dragging us to victories
 

DWelbz19

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He’s a really weird player. The goalscoring ability of a second striker, the chance creation of a traditional number 10, the passing accuracy of a winger, the dribbling ability of a CB*, and the work rate of a classic box to box midfielder.

* = okay maybe slightly harsh but he is a crap dribbler
 

owlo

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He’s a really weird player. The goalscoring ability of a second striker, the chance creation of a traditional number 10, the passing accuracy of a winger, the dribbling ability of a CB*, and the work rate of a classic box to box midfielder.

* = okay maybe slightly harsh but he is a crap dribbler
The way you describe him, is a bit like Rooney..... (apart from the dribbling) - Which would be a very weird but not altogether terrible comparison.
 

ForeverRed1

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Bernado silva is the best thing ever.
Bruno is rubbish.

Yet Bruno has more goals, more assists and more chances created. This is during a bad season.

He is so good and doesn’t get half the love of other players.

infact I wouldn’t swap them. There I said it :D
 

OrcaFat

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He is very productive even when ragged and seemingly out of form. He expects us to win. He is passionate. He cares. He is our most important player. He is worthy of representing this club (we just need ten more of those and we’re golden).
 

lex talionis

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It's always hard to explain why, but Bruno is not the only player on the squad who's had some high highs and low lows this season. But today he fought like a warrior and was instrumental in the win. Fingers crossed he can recover quickly enough for the midweek CL match.
 

jesperjaap

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Honestly not understanding how people are raving about him after todays game. I thougth Lindelof was good, Pogba was excellent in the frist half and Sancho was good throughout.

The description someone earlier used of "chaotically brilliant" is about right to me. There is no doubting his workrate and desire and his ability to create moments of magic. Of course he is a talented player and has been a good signing. BUT, I have seen Scholes supposedly quoted on twitter saign Fernandes is better than him, best pure 10 in the world, as good as DeBruyne, comparable with Cantona, look at the stats. most improved under Ragnick along with others as keeping it simple.....Im going against the grain sorry, I really dont see any of these things.

The truth in my opinion is he has been poor for months now, he is sloppy with sme of the flicks and one touch passes, he is not keepign it simply he is actually tryign killer passes nearly every time, giving the ball away time and time again, there simply isnt the consistency of quality in a game to compare him to the likes of DeBruyne and certainly not our past greats. Yes the stats look great, would love to see the stats of pass completion percentage for example though...Again I like him as a player, but he simply hasnt been derserving of the praise he is getting on here for some time, like many others he really needs to up his performances in my opinion
 

Ayoba

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Put him in the city team and he wins them the CL!
 

RedDevilCanuck

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He hasn't had a good season. I don't care how many chances he's created.

He's been a great signing and ridiculously productive but lately Sancho, Pogba and Varane have been our best players.

The rolling around on the ground is annoying and I wish it would stop.
 

MalaysianRed7

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Well Done @MalaysianRed7 for a positive post talking up one of our best players, instead of critiquing every minor fault or flaw.
You’re quite right of course. Bruno is brilliant, he was brilliant when he signed and he will continue to be brilliant. For me the best thing about Bruno is that he doesn’t seek the limelight and the glory himself, but genuinely tries to enhance the team and assist others first and foremost. He can control a game without needing to score himself or force things - but can also finish when he needs too/ is in a position to do so. He is a leader for the team and sets an excellent example.
Thanks mate. Thought I had to do it, I think it’s absolutely insane that he receives more criticism than praise. He’s THE best player we’ve had since Fergie left.
Bernado silva is the best thing ever.
Bruno is rubbish.

Yet Bruno has more goals, more assists and more chances created. This is during a bad season.

He is so good and doesn’t get half the love of other players.

infact I wouldn’t swap them. There I said it :D
I’d take one Bruno over two Bernardo’s, and I’m being absolutely serious.
 

SER19

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Hes been world class since he signed and one of the few players who would have excelled under Ferguson and also get in pretty much any other side. There's a subset of fans whose confirmation bias is triggered and causes them to massively overreact every time he makes a bad pass. It's as if they don't watch football regularly. Hes not beyond criticism but he's quite clearly our best player
 

CraftySoAndSo

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I think the problem is for the most part he is our most influential player and also one of the few players who can create real quality chances. So when he's playing bad or even average, he sticks out like a sore thumb because he's our biggest driving force. He's also someone who is forward thinking with the ball and tries things when most of our team are conservative on the ball, so when those things don't come off he again stands out for being wasteful. And yes there have been times he hasn't played well and still got a goal or assist and that is the sign of a high quality player. Hopefully now with Sancho that creative burden goes a bit so if one of them's not playing we can still have a bit of creativity in the team, but if both are playing well then :drool: just need to finish the chances.
 

sullydnl

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There simply isnt the consistency of quality in a game to compare him to the likes of DeBruyne and certainly not our past greats. Yes the stats look great, would love to see the stats of pass completion percentage for example though.
Bruno 21/22 - 73%
Bruno 20/21 - 74.6%
Bruno 19/20 - 71.3%

KDB - 21/22 - 75.5%
KDB - 20/21 - 76%
KDB - 19/20 - 74.6%

So roughly 73% versus 75% on average.
 

The Irish Connection

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His skill for the last goal (and Pogbas earlier) where he flicked it with spin passed the defender to slip past him was special and so underrated in comentary. Bergkampesque!