Great night tonight...but, Bernardo Silva?

We could be talking about a player that may need 12 months to settle in as a foreigner, who's new to the PL.

However, from what I've seen so far, he's nothing but a replacement for Jesus Navas and we paid £43m for him.

Navas had pace, very quick. But he couldn't take a player on when he was one on one. He did on the odd occasion, but 99% of the time, he cut back inside and played a simple pass as he was so one-footed. Bernardo seems the same....but without any pace.

I know he played a couple of good passes/crosses this season for goals and that tonight he fought back to win the ball, then fell over it, which led to Sane scoring (but you'd expect that effort from ANY City player), but the amount of game time he's had so far this season, he's not bringing anything to this team that a youth player couldn't bring. He's not affecting the game, he doesn't cross the ball, he doesn't take a player on for the majority of the time, he just basically gets the ball, fake in and out...then do what Navas did and pass the ball back to the nearest player.

He was one-on-one with a Bristol defender approx 10 times tonight....and every time, he did exactly the same thing - pass the ball back inside. At least Sterling can play a one-two and beat the player or knock the ball past him and be in the box, using his pace...possibly getting a penalty.

I'm happy to give him time...but I just don't see where he is improving us or where he can in the future. He's had a few decent games when he's been brought inside, but he's not going to replace Silva, nor is he anywhere his level...who is?

If we sign Fred, there's another central MF player, alongside Gundogan, who will look to replace Ferdy and Silva when rested..or eventually retire. So where is Bernardo going to play?

I hope I'm wrong. But something tells me he'll be one of those signings that we'll move on in the next 12 months. He just looks too weak, too slow and has no imagination or appetite to play in the PL. Hope I'm wrong. 

Not sure what anyone thinks.

At Monaco he played as a player who breaks up possession inb the middle of the park and moves the ball on forward. At city he seems to be playing as a winger or advanced forward which really was not his game in Monaco. I guess Pep is trying to re invent him but I don't see him as a wide player. I personally think he is a top player who will shine through when settled  rather like sterling did.

Hope so.

I think it's fans that are putting undue pressure in him.....

Topdawg wrote:I think it's fans that are putting undue pressure in him.....

Well, he's a professional footballer who's had a big money transfer to a club with CL aspirations, so pressure from the fans should be par for the course.  Stones and Sané have had the same problem and they've stepped up to the plate.  Sterling had to put up with far worse, not just the pressure from fans but the jeers of fans from other clubs (which I never understood, aside from the dippers) and all he's done is take it on the chin and shown everyone what he's capable of.

Maybe he's just being played out of position, but he should be able to just ignore fan pressure at this level.  He'll have to, because it's not going to go away.

Topdawg wrote:I think it's fans that are putting undue pressure in him.....

Aww bless him. £5m signing in fee, £100k per week. Pressure???? He's no idea what pressure is!
Ask the average bloke on the street who's trying to keep his head above water and pay the bills every month. 
If he can't handle pressure, in a team that's 12 points clear in the PL, through to a cup final, still in 2 other competitions, surrounded by world class players..he may as well fuck off now.

It is all about settling in an adjusting as far as I am concerned Sane took the best part of a season so too david silva, Sterling took longer due to being played out of position by pel and also being dropped, rotated too often. he also had the pressure of the media & rival fans jibes & scrutiny at every turn something it must have been very hard to overcome especially when death threats against your children are concerned. Other players such as otamendi, Delph fernandinho have flourished under peps guidance and indeed sterling so I would be happy to see Silva in another 12 months before dismissing him. Especially after what I saw in his performances for Monaco against us & Dortmund in last seasons champions league.

I’m sure he’s been affected by reading the begative comments on these pages 

or more from the social media pages City keep posting where he seems to be the butt of all jokes.
So much so, quite a few are raising it as being bullied in the the dressing room.

social media scrutiny & fans jibes were meant inb relation to Sterling not Bernardo smart arses!!!!

Hey, don't forget, I was one of those on here that stuck up for Sterling when he was having a bad time, when others wanted him gone.

I'm still in support of Bernardo, as said, he may need a full season...but what I'm seeing so far from him, is way off what I would expect from a £43m player and from what I've also seen from him for Monaco. Sterling showed us glimpses...i just see another Navas so far. Maybe when in his favoured position, but he's not going to take Merlin or KDB's place soon, so he's gonna have to find some better form when he gets all these chances.

I think Bernardo has got worse  as the season has gone on.
Only Den wanted Stirling gone, most of us said he was underperforming

yet reading the majority of esteemed Kompany comments and listening to the fans on cheesy's vlogs it appears most fans have, like me seen enough to be encouraged by Bernardo so I guess we all see different things and time will tell.