City’s transfer business has been quite pleasing, if you ask me. Despite the fact we haven’t made any additions which would be considered ‘marquee’, we’ve recruited well and added to our already star-studded squad. While Zuculini has been excellent in pre-season and Sagna, Mangala & Caballero provide quality in positions we were lacking, I deem Fernando to be our most important piece of business.
Clearly, Fernandinho performed admirably at the heart of our midfield last season and put in some sensational displays, but on occasions we still looked quite open in midfield. After all, Fernandinho shouldn’t be considered a natural defensive midfielder, yet he was deployed there last season for our system and the fact he was a reliable deputy in that role. However, Fernando gives us that extra security defensively; something I believe we have lacked since Gareth Barry departed to Everton on loan and before that when De Jong moved to Milan. Even for a team with such focus on dominating, attacking and controlling, we need a player like Fernando – at £12 million he would appear to be a good fit.
It wouldn’t be too wise to judge a player based on his pre-season form, but Fernando’s performances have been encouraging. Pellegrini has already utilised him quite commonly and he looks at home. Apart from him being comfortable in possession, he has covered space brilliantly and provide valuable protection for our Centre-back’s; something we did not have at times last season. There is great emphasis on attack in our side, yet at times that can be the cause of our downfall. We have been known to hold a high-line and with our full-backs attacking, as well as Yaya Toure rampaging his way forward; our defence is prone to being exposed on the counter attack, and frankly Fernandinho cannot do it all on his own, in fact I think he is better as a box-to-box type player and not a destroyer. So Fernando should be a useful asset.
Going into next season, I see us playing 4-3-3 more frequently. Pellegrini opted to play with two upfront for most of last season and then went for a single striker in Aguero’s absence. However with the capture of Fernando, we look well-suited to playing 4-3-3 this coming campaign. Having lost Negredo to injury for the early stages of the season, we could well see City play with one of Aguero/Dzeko/Jovetic up top on their own. This would give more freedom to Yaya and Fernandinho in the centre, but requires a natural destroyer to break up play and move the ball onto his more technically capable teammates. Nigel De Jong was seen as such an effective player for the Blues, marshalling the midfield and bringing opposition attacks to a stand-still. In all fairness though, he didn’t really have the attributes to get City on the front-foot and his distributing of the ball was often predictable, which didn’t benefit us too much. I’m confident Fernando can combine both duties in positive fashion. His passing range has been good in pre-season and he has adopted a reputation as a ‘ball winner’, so the signs are good.
If we are to compete on all fronts this time out, including the Champions League, Pellegrini needs to alter and adjust a few things. Inevitably, his philosophy and principles will remain consistent, but a bit of tinkering is needed if we strive to better last season’s Champions League run. Our relentless, attacking machine can sometimes come under threat, as seen against Bayern and Barca last season; where we fell short. For those bigger clashes, 4-3-3 is ideal. Fernando occupying as the deepest midfield, with Fernandinho allowed more freedom to create and invent and Toure playing as the focal point of the trio, relieved of his defensive duties should put us in good shape when we face a side with undeniable quality going forward. The aim of playing attractively would still be apparent, we would just have that sense of security in the middle, and a reduced risk of being overrun in the big games. I feel the signing of Fernando signals Pellegrini’s ambitions to go far in the Champions League; his presence in midfield could prove decisive.
All in all, Fernando seems a plausible addition. He is the type of player we needed desperately; a key ingredient in the recipe for Champions League success. The signing has been greeted expectedly, without great hype, yet it is an entirely necessary and feasible piece of business and could prove dividends when May comes around, who knows.
