Player Focus: Fernandinho - Breaker and Maker of Play

When Manchester City brought in Fernandinho to replace Gareth Barry, the instinct was to think that although they’d upgraded, his pairing with Yaya Toure might cause defensive issues. The classic modern midfield partnership, after all, tends to feature an out-and-out holder, a ball winner who sits deep to protect the central defenders, and alongside him somebody more progressive, a player adept at making runs from deep, of advancing with the ball and taking advantage of any space that may emerge. Toure and Fernandinho are both of the latter variety.

That means they either have to be incredibly disciplined as a pairing, with one pushing on and one sitting back, never committing both forward at once , or that City have to play with a high enough line that regaining the ball is done through the application of pressure rather than by tackling, that City become a radically proactive team.

The former is possible at club level – the endless Gerrard-Lampard discussions indicate how difficult it is at international level when players have limited time to work together – and there are signs that Toure and Fernandinho are developing an understanding, but it may be that the latter is the long-term plan, something that is being held up slightly by the need to use the less than rapid Martin Demichelis at centre-back.

Even if concerns remain over the pairing – and with Sergio Agüero absent over the next month, it’ll be fascinating to see whether Manuel Pellegrini starts using David Silva rather than a second striker, bolstering the centre of midfield, as he did in Munich – Fernandinho has emerged as one of the stars of City’s season, even if he was largely unsung until his double against Arsenal on Saturday. In fact, according to the WhoScored.com ratings, he has been City’s third-best player this season (7.68), behind only David Silva and Agüero. In fact, of players who have played 10 games or more, he is the fourth-best player in the Premier League.

However unnatural he may at times appear in the holding role, it can’t be denied that he performs the defensive part of his job with gusto. Fernanidnho averages 3.4 tackles per game, the eighth highest figure among midfielders (although of course players for teams that have a lesser share of the ball than City have more opportunities to make tackles), and 2.6 interceptions, the seventh highest figure among midfielders. Adding tackles and interceptions together, only Lucas Leiva and Mile Jedinak, among midfielders, have regained the ball more often per game than Fernandinho.

Yet that really isn’t the major strength of his game. A pass success rate of 87.2% isn’t sensational, but it is very good for somebody who completes as many as 3.6 accurate long-balls per game. By comparison, Jedinak plays 3.9 accurate long-balls but has a pass success rate of only 74.2%, while Lucas, although he has a pass success rate of 91.1% completes only 2.4 accurate long passes per game. Equally two assists may not seem like many, but the only player categorised as a holding midfielder with more this season is Yaya Toure, while only four players in that position can better his 1.3 key passes per game.

That level of completeness – as a breaker of play and a maker of play - is exceptional and Saturday’s performance suggested he is growing in confidence. The danger is that too many forward surges leave City’s back four exposed, but given Toure is a player of similar attributes, if they can continue to develop their relationship, or if the overall structure becomes more geared to the high press, the result is that City will have even more angles of attack, that they will be – and the thought is staggering for a side that has scored almost 4.5 goals per game at home this season – even more devastating going forwards.

Is the Fernandinho-Toure midfield partnership up there with the best in Europe? Let us know in the comments below