Emiliano Buendía

[cheltenham_villa]

I just see it as he has room for improvement. I like that he looks to go forwards and is very busy, i trust that he generally creates 1-2 good chances a game. I would like him to start working out when to drive forwards and when to help us retain possession. 

In the first half last night we were so controlled. I felt he actually got the balance right, dropped in with the midfield and didnt taken any unnecessary risks, we were absolutely coasting and possession stats felt like 70-80%.

In the second half we were very deep, uncharacteristically. When he got those chance he was trying to create and help kill off the game but often doing it very isolated against a high defensive line. He found Watkins a few time, he gave the ball away a few time running into blind alleys. In those instance he may have been better to use his body (like Grealish/Mcginn), draw the foul and win us a free kick. Thats a side of his game we very rarely see.

[Kingman]

Needs to stop throwing the toys out the pram when he loses the ball or doesn't get the decision his way, just get your arse up off the deck and go win it back

Edited April 26, 2023 by Kingman

[Lord Willard]

Wait is a player getting slated for not being good enough for Top 6 currently playing in a team with top 2/3 form. Something doesnt add up. Is he good or not? 

Our squad is bare thin at the moment. Would I have took him off at 70 mins probably but to say he isn't good enough is just ridiculous 

Edited April 26, 2023 by Lord Willard

[Zatman]

46 minutes ago, Philosopher said:

Disagree! Look at Grealish, rarely gave the ball away for an attacker, but he was also the second highest creator in the league behind DeBruyne while at Villa. The best creators, know when to play penetrative passes and safe passes to retain possession. 

I'm not saying Buendia doesn't have his good points, but for a team aiming to retain possession, more than half the time he is a liability when it comes to keeping the ball.

Coutinho has the same physical limitations as Buendia, the difference is that he doesn't overplay it and makes better decisions. I'm convinced our attack would be better if Coutinho was in the team over Buendia. However the defensive contribution and workrate that Buendia gets through, is hard for Coutinho to match. Coutinho is fragile so that level of work leads to more injuries for him and his dodgy hamstrings.

If Jack Grealish was in this team instead I'd back us for top 4 next season regardless of summer signings. 

You mention De Bruyne but he is usually among the lowest passing stats of the City outfield players

[blandy]

55 minutes ago, Philosopher said:

The best creators, know when to play penetrative passes and safe passes to retain possession

Yes and no. I mean you’re right, but he best creators generally “give the ball away” more, because they try to execute difficult things, instead of playing safe. It’s risk v reward really which is key.  Buendia, if he could just improve slightly on his decision making would be 10 times the good player he already is.

[Jono62]

31 minutes ago, Kingman said:

Needs to stop throwing the toys out the pram when he loses the ball or doesn't get the decision his way, just get your arse up off the deck and go win it back

Yeah, just wrote this in the match thread. It's very Fernandes like and I hate it.

[Rolta]

He was great in the first half. I was telling myself how it was a delight to watch him. He had a bad second half though. The whole team did. I think he's so important to how we play, and when he's off it we struggle.

[Philosopher]

57 minutes ago, cheltenham_villa said:

I just see it as he has room for improvement. I like that he looks to go forwards and is very busy, i trust that he generally creates 1-2 good chances a game. I would like him to start working out when to drive forwards and when to help us retain possession. 

In the first half last night we were so controlled. I felt he actually got the balance right, dropped in with the midfield and didnt taken any unnecessary risks, we were absolutely coasting and possession stats felt like 70-80%.

In the second half we were very deep, uncharacteristically. When he got those chance he was trying to create and help kill off the game but often doing it very isolated against a high defensive line. He found Watkins a few time, he gave the ball away a few time running into blind alleys. In those instance he may have been better to use his body (like Grealish/Mcginn), draw the foul and win us a free kick. Thats a side of his game we very rarely see.

I agree with everything you said. I'd just like to add that because he is also lightweight and slow, he will get bullied off the ball a lot anyway. His combative personality is actually a hindrance to this. A character like Grealish will use the bully boy tactics against them to draw fouls, and get players carded, Buendia tries to fight back. But ultimately he isn't equipped to fight back, he will alway end up losing way more than he wins.

However this same flaw, helps him to be so dogged in his defensive work. But once again if you actually watch his defensive work; most of it isn't very effective, because he ends up trying to battle with bigger, stronger, faster players, when he needs to out smart opponents. Steal the ball, intercept, passes, draw fouls, wind up opponents, thats what he needs to be doing. Going shoulder to shoulder, pulling arms and shirts, is a losing game for him.

He plays on instinct and heart more than intelligence which is holding him back from being a quality number 10. A true number 10 is the attacking brain of the team, intelligence and coolness is the most important mental aspects. Buendia is lacking in these.

[Philosopher]

1 hour ago, Zatman said:

You mention De Bruyne but he is usually among the lowest passing stats of the City outfield players

Compare them to Buendia's passing stats. Also Man City outfield players tend to have considerably higher passing stats than outfield players of any other team. Also De Bruyne plays a lot of long range passes.

[MrBlack]

1 hour ago, Kingman said:

Needs to stop throwing the toys out the pram when he loses the ball or doesn't get the decision his way, just get your arse up off the deck and go win it back

This is my biggest frustration with him. 

He seems to get fouled, retains the ball,  carries on playing, but then because he's been fouled he doesn't have control of the ball and invariably loses it.

Then he has a tantrum because the first foul wasn't given. If he wants a free kick he needs to accept that refs are shit and need the decision making for them (i.e. go down ).

If wants to try and play on then do that, and get your arse back in gear straight away when you lose it.

Otherwise, I like him and think he offers a lot to our open play chance creation. He's also an absolute terrier in the press.

Not sure he's that easy for us to upgrade on as people think and I'd be happy if he's still in the first team next season. 

Edited April 26, 2023 by MrBlack

[Philosopher]

58 minutes ago, blandy said:

Yes and no. I mean you’re right, but he best creators generally “give the ball away” more, because they try to execute difficult things, instead of playing safe. It’s risk v reward really which is key.  Buendia, if he could just improve slightly on his decision making would be 10 times the good player he already is.

They do, as you say it's the nature if the position. But the best 10's are considerably better at retain possession then buendia, and they tend to be better ball carriers too. Buendia's lightweight and slow physical attributes mean his ball carrying stats a very poor. In addition it makes.it harder for him to hold up the ball. As a no 10 that isn't much of a ball carrier tends to have good hold up play went the ball is play into their feet. Buendia has neither. 

He is a very likeable player for he work rate, determination, and desire. He little flicks and through ball are extremely eye catching when they come off. But he is critically flawed and won't ever be a top Premier league player. That's how i see him.

Would love him to prove me wrong though.

[Zatman]

20 minutes ago, Philosopher said:

Compare them to Buendia's passing stats. Also Man City outfield players tend to have considerably higher passing stats than outfield players of any other team. Also De Bruyne plays a lot of long range passes.

De Bruyne has 80.2 pass accuracy this season while Buendia has 79.8 accuracy

[lexicon]

1 hour ago, blandy said:

Yes and no. I mean you’re right, but he best creators generally “give the ball away” more, because they try to execute difficult things, instead of playing safe. It’s risk v reward really which is key.  Buendia, if he could just improve slightly on his decision making would be 10 times the good player he already is.

Exactly - judging them on pass completion rate is completely pointless unless it's really bad. For attacking mids, it's all about key passes and shot-creating actions, really (alongside goals and assists). With Emi, there's also the fact the plays in an almost hybrid role, as he does drop deeper quite often too. 

[wishywashy]

I know he's passionate and emotional, but he really needs to kick that habit of sometimes stropping around angrily when he loses the ball: especially when he wastes the opportunity to keep fighting for the ball. It's been far less common since when he first came in, but it happened a few times yesterday. 

[MWARLEY2]

57 minutes ago, Zatman said:

De Bruyne has 80.2 pass accuracy this season while Buendia has 79.8 accuracy

My favourite kind of posts from you. Pure facts. 

[DJBOB]

3 hours ago, Philosopher said:

Disagree! Look at Grealish, rarely gave the ball away for an attacker, but he was also the second highest creator in the league behind DeBruyne while at Villa. The best creators, know when to play penetrative passes and safe passes to retain possession. 

I'm not saying Buendia doesn't have his good points, but for a team aiming to retain possession, more than half the time he is a liability when it comes to keeping the ball.

Coutinho has the same physical limitations as Buendia, the difference is that he doesn't overplay it and makes better decisions. I'm convinced our attack would be better if Coutinho was in the team over Buendia. However the defensive contribution and workrate that Buendia gets through, is hard for Coutinho to match. Coutinho is fragile so that level of work leads to more injuries for him and his dodgy hamstrings.

If Jack Grealish was in this team instead I'd back us for top 4 next season regardless of summer signings. 

Haha I mean you’re comparing Buendia to the record breaking transfer. It’s hardly peanuts to peanuts. 
 
And I’m sorry - there’s no way Unai would pick Coutinho over Buendia. He didn’t when he was fit. For an attacking player, which is what Unai has him deployed as, Buendia is in the right place off the ball almost all the time which is a very difficult thing to find. 
 

[tinker]

His poor second half was down to Fulham pushing up the pitch and flooding the midfield, they had no choice.

This gave our midfield very little space to operate in, our defenders had to either hit it long for Ollie to hold up or pass it into a conjested  midfield. 

Moreno and Ramsey both took knocks which limited the outlet down the left. 

Buendia is a great player but just like Grealish had to learn, he needs to know when to pass the ball, when he's drew the opposition into him and made space for others, last night second half he held the ball to long and got caught out a couple of times when an earlier ball would have cut Fulham apart. Its very frustrating but it's only a very small problem and I'm sure Emery will be showing him the replays at some time today 

[brummybloke]

Am I the only one who saw vinicius punch him when they tangled on the floor ? I'm sure it was emi ?

[rbcuk]

As other have said about his petulance especially one instance in the 2nd half Watkins went to win a header which he did but as it didn’t land straight at buendia he threw his arms up having a strop, he gave it away a few times last night and didn’t even try and run back just arms in the air and walking back

[avfc1982am]

I do think his Napoleon syndrome is holding him back at times and him trying to prove to everyone how good he is means he can overdo the simple stuff. I think there is a middle ground Emi needs to find. I don't think writing him off is fair because he has been integral in most of the good this season and the middle ground he needs to find rests solely his decision making. If his decision making improves and he learns to release the ball(more often than not) before losing it, his game improves dramatically. The doubts of his credentials for an aspiring top 6 team disappear and he goes on to the next level.