Duarte Bernard

[am_yisrael_chai]

More excited about this than Leandro, of course that means it won't happen -

 

[sim0n]

Transfermarkt has him at 1.68. That's 5'6, so taller than AL

I may have been off a half inch

Full name​

Bernard Anício Caldeira Duarte

Date of birth​

8 September 1992 (age 20)

Place of birth​

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Height​

1.64 m (5 ft 4 1⁄2 in)

Playing position​

Attacking midfielder

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Anício_Caldeira_Duarte

 

[danielneeds]

Goddam I want this guy. I want him more than Jermain Defoe wants to get into the pants of a reality TV blonde.

 

[elDiablo]

I may have been off a half inch

Full name​

Bernard Anício Caldeira Duarte

Date of birth​

8 September 1992 (age 20)

Place of birth​

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Height​

1.64 m (5 ft 4 1⁄2 in)

Playing position​

Attacking midfielder

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Anício_Caldeira_Duarte[/quote]

Jeez, that's funny. He's so small you'd think he's below horizontal!!

 

[Hoddtastic72]

Thought he looked good when he came on against England. Personally not too bothered if we were to sign Damiao, but Bernard on the other hand, (apart from being a little unusual looking) would be a very exciting signing

 

[clipboard]

looked skillful and pacey in the little time he played against England

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

He looks good to me. We definitely need that type of player that come up with a moment of magic to break down a defence when it is packed. If we can find a way to turn a few of those draws against teams that just sit back against us, into wins then we'll really push on. That seemed to be where we struggled most this season, we just couldn't get through defences and had to rely on Bale just smashing a shot in and taking the defence out of the equation altogether. An alternative would be great.

 

[danielneeds]

He looks good to me. We definitely need that type of player that come up with a moment of magic to break down a defence when it is packed. If we can find a way to turn a few of those draws against teams that just sit back against us, into wins then we'll really push on. That seemed to be where we struggled most this season, we just couldn't get through defences and had to rely on Bale just smashing a shot in and taking the defence out of the equation altogether. An alternative would be great.

I think a player like him, who's more likely to come in at angles and play one-twos offers a nice balance on one side if you are going to have an out and our winger like Lennon on the other too. Maybe we would need a left back who's more comfortable overlapping than BAE though.

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

I think a player like him, who's more likely to come in at angles and play one-twos offers a nice balance on one side if you are going to have an out and our winger like Lennon on the other too. Maybe would never a left back who's more comfortable overlapping than BAE though.

Benny struggled this season, but I still think there is a player in there. When he was playing consistently and with Bale in front of him staying on the left a season or so back he was excellent. I think having an obvious outball helps him a lot and without it he tends to outfox himself going forward and then loses all sense of where he is at defensively. If we had a player like Bernard who was offering a consistent outlet from the left I think Benny would look much more comfortable. I also think a change to 4-3-3 with a true playmaker would help Benny a lot.

 

[danielneeds]

Benny struggled this season, but I still think there is a player in there. When he was playing consistently and with Bale in front of him staying on the left a season or so back he was excellent. I think having an obvious outball helps him a lot and without it he tends to outfox himself going forward and then loses all sense of where he is at defensively. If we had a player like Bernard who was offering a consistent outlet from the left I think Benny would look much more comfortable. I also think a change to 4-3-3 with a true playmaker would help Benny a lot.

But what I mean is that Bernard would be inclined to drift inside, leaving lots of space for the fullback to overlap into. Benny even at his best has never been consistent in the attacking third, his crosses haphazard, and his decision making poor.

If we can find someone who can contribute more in terms of chance creation at LB, it would be a massive improvement to the side.

 

[ItsBoris]

I think a player like him, who's more likely to come in at angles and play one-twos offers a nice balance on one side if you are going to have an out and our winger like Lennon on the other too. Maybe we would need a left back who's more comfortable overlapping than BAE though.

Bernard and Coentrao on our left side and Bale and Walker on our right.

 

[danielneeds]

Bernard and Coentrao on our left side and Bale and Walker on our right.

Bale's going to play as the number 10 next season if he's here, no doubt about that.

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

Bale's going to play as a number 10 next season if he's here, no doubt about that.

Plenty of doubt about it. I can definitely see us switching to a 433 next year if AVB can get the midfield playmaker that he wants. That would mean Sandro, Dembele and playmaker in the centre with no space for a number 10. Bale would effectively take the same role as Hulk did in the Porto side, starting on the right but ending up in the middle more often than not, which would need a box to box player who can get forward and occupy the space which I would imagine Dembele is more than capable of. We didn't have the players to play it last season but I can certainly imagine AVB trying to bring in players that will allow him to switch to 433.

 

[danielneeds]

Plenty of doubt about it. I can definitely see us switching to a 433 next year if AVB can get the midfield playmaker that he wants. That would mean Sandro, Dembele and playmaker in the centre with no space for a number 10. Bale would effectively take the same role as Hulk did in the Porto side, starting on the right but ending up in the middle more often than not, which would need a box to box player who can get forward and occupy the space which I would imagine Dembele is more than capable of. We didn't have the players to play it last season but I can certainly imagine AVB trying to bring in players that will allow him to switch to 433.

I really don't think so. I think it will be 4231. There is an element of politics to it too. Bale is happy with his new free role, we need to keep Bale happy, ergo, he will stay in the free role.

In the end, if Bale had played in the free role all of last season, he would have been on 30 goals. We'd be stupid to not play him there again.

I didn't see any likeness to the Porto 433 last season, and I think it just people putting 2+2 together and assuming AVB will try to recreate the same formula. I actually think he's becoming a better manager than that, having to implement only one idea wherever he goes.

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

There was no likeness because we played nothing like Porto last season. He's stated on more than one occassion about his preference for 433 and his ideal football style, there was a pretty lengthy discussion about it last year.

Bale switched out to the right quite often towards the end of the season and cutting in onto his left was still frighteningly good. If we get it right we'd be building our entire side around him.

For sure he is a better manager now and he'll mix things up depending on different opposition and how our squad is performing but i can't see us going into next season without having the players to play his prefered formation. If we do play it then Bale would be pencilled in on the right.

 

[danielneeds]

There was no likeness because we played nothing like Porto last season. He's stated on more than one occassion about his preference for 433 and his ideal football style, there was a pretty lengthy discussion about it last year.

Bale switched out to the right quite often towards the end of the season and cutting in onto his left was still frighteningly good. If we get it right we'd be building our entire side around him.

For sure he is a better manager now and he'll mix things up depending on different opposition and how our squad is performing but i can't see us going into next season without having the players to play his prefered formation. If we do play it then Bale would be pencilled in on the right.

I'd be willing to have a little wager that he starts the majority of games next season in the hole.

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

I'd be willing to have a little wager that he starts the majority of games next season in the hole.

And you might be right, I don't think it can be claimed without a doubt.

 

[danielneeds]

And you might be right, I don't think it can be claimed without a doubt.

Fair point.

 

[ItsBoris]

Bale's going to play as the number 10 next season if he's here, no doubt about that.

There's no doubt that he's going to be playing as a right forward next season.

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

Whether we play 4231 or 433 or a combination of both during the season, the position I expect to see him in the least is on the left and I don't think at the moment we have a player suitable to provide enough guile, invention, magic and end product from that position. Bernard (or PEA) would fit the bill allowing Bale to play elsewhere where he can get more license to shoot.