Manchester City Need to Seek an Upgrade on Fernando This Summer

The Manchester City squad has been improved significantly this summer, but it remains somewhat imbalanced. In the attacking midfield positions—those who play in support of Sergio Aguero, the team’s out-and-out goal-getter—the competition for places is fierce.

David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, Ilkay Gundogan, Leroy Sane and Jesus Navas are all fighting for places in the same area of the pitch, and in January, Gabriel Jesus will be added to the mix, a talented 19-year-old who has just broken into the Brazil national side and looks capable of greatness.

That depth of quality means the performance of each player is increased. Every footballer needs competition, to be driven on by their team-mates. City will certainly benefit from the healthy competition in that area of the pitch.

However, other areas are far more stretched. Fernandinho is operating in the defensive-midfield role, or the No. 6 position as Johan Cruyff termed it, and has been in fine form, but he faces little competition. Gundogan can and will play there at times, but in terms of out-and-out defensive qualities, Fernandinho remains head and shoulders above anyone capable of playing just in front of the back four.

Fernando, 29, is perhaps his closest challenger, but he remains something of a conundrum. He found some consistency last season after a difficult debut year, and he has proved to be very useful from the bench this term, helping City protect leads and see games out.

He is limited, though, and last week at Tottenham Hotspur, those limitations were in full view. Making his first Premier League start of the season, he was too easily overwhelmed by a Tottenham side who started quickly and aggressively. He was caught in possession and his passing lacked accuracy. The speed of thought and fleetness of foot needed in such a high-intensity Premier League match simply wasn’t there.

It would be unfair to blame one person for a first-half performance that proved totally inadequate, but it’s fair to say Fernando looked nowhere near the level City require if they are to win games of that magnitude and win the title.

All of which suggests he needs to be used in the right moments and against the right sides. At Old Trafford earlier in the season, he came off the bench early in the second half with City protecting a slender 2-1 lead and gave a masterclass in how to frustrate and limit the opposition.

Time and again he closed down the space and denied United’s forwards the chance to create. Blocks, tackles, interceptions, work rate, it was the perfect cameo, and it helped secure a significant early-season victory.

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

That sort of focused mission seems to suit him—but against sides who press high and hard and look to play on the front foot at pace, as Tottenham did, he can look short of quality. Pep Guardiola, the City manager, will need to think carefully about when to use him.

Aleix Garcia, 19, will certainly be hoping for a few more chances. He is City’s finest youth prospect in the No. 6 role. He perhaps lacks the same physicality Fernando offers at present, but he looks equipped with a more modern set of attributes and is more to Guardiola’s taste.

He sits deep and screens the back four, but he also possesses a excellent range of passing, capable of keeping things simple with accurate short passing while producing expansive, game-changing long balls that stretch play.

His display against Swansea City in the recent EFL Cup win suggests a player ready for more action. His Champions League omission means he can’t be involved in the group stage of the competition, but domestically, he looks set for more involvement in the coming weeks.

Guardiola, who is tasked with increasing the number of young players from the club’s academy featuring regularly in the first team, needs to show his willingness to offer chances by integrating Garcia into the side.

"

Gaining rhythm to achieve success 🙏 #Preseason #CmonCity #MCFC pic.twitter.com/huNdYFGLtA

— Fernando Reges (@Fernando_Reges) July 6, 2016"

Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos would have been a superb addition in the summer. The German international, 26, offers City exactly what they need: a deep-lying playmaker who can offer solidity to a midfield. He’s an outstanding player, one who rarely gives the ball away despite his ambitious passing style.

Given Guardiola loves to see his sides keep possession, Kroos would have been a key component. He specialises in passing, whether it be short- and long-range passes or through balls that lay chances on a plate. Few midfielders can match his accuracy.

It’s that quality in possession that Fernando lacks. He brings a desire to defend and protect the back four, but the more expansive side of the game too often eludes him.

The Brazilian’s first season at City was affected by injury, and he struggled for any kind of consistency. Some of his displays were dreadful, with the FA Cup defeat at home to Middlesbrough perhaps the nadir.

He told Stuart Brennan at the Manchester Evening News:

"

I had a very good pre-season but unfortunately the injury got in the way, and it’s always very difficult to recover while you are playing the season.

I try my best to deliver what I can to the team, and this is what I will keep doing until the end of the season. 

There were a few games when I actually played with a few pains, but it is normal for a player to always want to be on the pitch and play as many games as we possibly can.

"

JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/Getty Images

Last season, though, saw a vast improvement. He was free from groin pain and looked more mobile, and in the Champions League, he emerged as a key player. Again he looked limited, but the protection he offered was vital.

Guardiola needs to use him wisely this season and then seek an upgrade in the summer. There will be times he will be useful during the campaign, from the bench and from the start, but against the quickest and best, he can be exposed.

City want to be the best in Europe, and they need a deep midfielder to challenge and also complement Fernandinho, who is relied on too heavily at present, if they want to achieve their ambitions.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and follows the club from a Manchester base. All quotes and information were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Follow him on Twitter @RobPollard_.