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A Quick Clarification on Bruno Fernandes’ Pass Completion Rate: Less Stats, More Explanation
A Quick Clarification on Bruno Fernandes’ Pass Completion Rate: Less Stats, More Explanation
Bruno Fernandes’ two highest pass completion rates this season have come against Chelsea (78.6%) and Man City (77.8%). In both games we had the least amount of possession — 41.19% and 30.62% respectively.
Fernandes knows how to retain possession when we are at a disadvantage.
Fernandes knows how to retain possession when we are at a disadvantage.
However, when we have had around 65% possession, Fernandes’ completion rate drops — the same happened with Sporting. This is because he knows the ball will continuously come back to him and that there is less ‘risk’ involved with losing possession due to weakness of opposition.
There are a few times wherein he tries difficult passes but these have value even if they are incomplete because when he gets the ball again the opposition defence always fears those passes and so it changes their behaviour which often leads to space due to them backtracking.
If a team does not fear any passes in behind their backline they will often not focus on verticality (i.e. dropping deeper). Rather, they do this almost all the time as they fear the passes Fernandes can make which are low risk high reward passes for the most part.
There is a notion that these passes are ‘high-risk’ passes but this is false. In a given game, each team is likely to have possession of the ball anywhere between 90 and 105 times. The majority of the possessions against us do not result in shots nor even final third positions.
So, Fernandes has a lot of leeway in making these passes which he, himself, restricts if he sees the risk as higher due to the opposition e.g. Man City/Chelsea.
It is fine to make mention of some of Fernandes’ incomplete passes for analysis but to utilise that as a basis to criticising him is ignorant. Some of the best creators in football have lower pass completion rates and this often occurs when their teams have possession dominance.
The same occurs with Fernandes and us. When we have possession dominance he is more willing to attempt difficult passes and when he fears losing possession due to the opposition he withdraws and plays easier passes.
This is not specific to Fernandes — all creators do this.
This is not specific to Fernandes — all creators do this.
So, can we drop this narrative about him? It truly isn't befitting for fans to praise the likes of De Bruyne, Di María, Müller and co. with regard to their assists and then criticise Fernandes for doing the same thing who has an almost identical completion rate.
