“What do you mean ‘bites’?” asked. “He wants me to assist anyway, so I have to try. I don’t understand that kind of question of keeping the ball or anything. “I keep the ball when I think I have to keep it. I try a pass when I think I should. Sometimes it goes well, sometimes it goes wrong. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player Bruno Fernandes says playing with Cristiano Ronaldo was not a problem for him “When it goes wrong, I know it shouldn’t be, but sometimes when you play in the 10 position you only have a few seconds to think, control the ball and make the pass. “I understand that someone has their own opinion, but when I got to 2020 I was missing the same number of balls in those six months. “The year after I lost the same balls, but I scored 28 goals, so people don’t complain. “Last season, because I only scored 10, people are starting to complain. I’m fine with that. I’m doing my best. I’m always trying to help my teammates. Obviously I’ll have to do what the coach demands of me.” The question was understandable. Fernandes has developed a reputation for being relaxed in possession. As he points out, his appetite to get things done for the team with ambitious use of the ball is celebrated when it works. To be fair to the Portugal international, he has worked hard. Since Fernandes made his Premier League debut in February 2020, only Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne has created more chances in the competition. The Belgian midfielder created 218 chances compared to Fernandes’ 214. No one else comes close. But it’s also true that Fernandes delivers the ball more than most. In fact, since that Premier League debut, only Trent Alexander-Arnold has lost possession more times. In the case of Alexander-Arnold and others at the top of this list – fellow Liverpool full-back Andy Robertson, Burnley’s Dwight McNeil and Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse – that makes sense given their responsibility to put crosses in the wide area. Perhaps it’s more evident with Fernandes, whose decision-making in possession sees him attempt many corner passes and cute balls from central areas. At times it can look like he’s trying to force a spectacular pass that just isn’t on. But the stats also support the player’s argument that his approach to the game hasn’t changed since day one. His pass accuracy in that first half of the season at Manchester United, when his impact helped close a 14-point gap on Leicester City and propel the club into the Champions League places, was 75.7 per cent. It was actually higher than that at 78.3 percent last season. Indeed, the stats show that Fernandes is losing possession less regularly with each passing season. The number dropped from 22.9 times per 90 minutes in his first season to 21.0 times in his second season and 19.1 times in his final season. Simply put, Fernandes doesn’t lose any more than he used to. What has changed is the output. However, even here there is a caveat. His random creation has not dropped noticeably. In his first season he created 2.26 chances per 90 minutes. This rose to 2.75 in the second season and was still at 2.56 in the 2021/22 season. One of the differences that highlighted the perceived drop in creativity was his teammates’ ability to finish opportunities. For example, he dished out seven assists in his first season, but the number of expected assists dropped to 2.34. Fortunately, his colleagues continued to put the ball in the net. In the 2020/21 season, when United finished second, Fernandes had 12 assists. Again, his teammates outdid themselves given the quality of the openings. His expected assist number was 9.67. Last season, his number of assists dropped to six, but the number of expected assists for those opportunities was actually higher at 6.93. I’m still down from last season, but nothing like the difference the bald assist numbers suggested. Maybe that’s why Fernandez sounds so defiant and so upbeat that he doesn’t need to adjust his game. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, he marked the biggest forward move so far in pre-season. This will be to his advantage. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player Bruno Fernandes has welcomed Manchester United manager Erik ten Haag’s “rigorous” management style and clear philosophy. The suspicion remains that Ten Haag may want to take care of the ball more. Donny van de Beek’s example is apt. In his final season under Ten Hag at Ajax, his pass accuracy was 82.2 per cent playing in the No 10 role in Amsterdam. But the stats also show that Van de Beek created fewer chances from that position than Fernandes continues to do for Manchester United. That’s the risk and the reward. Fernandes, it seems, has received no indication that anything needs to change.
