Ruben Neves

[Barnet Wolves]

We give him way too much credit. He needs to up his game. Right now he looks like a Southampton player at best. Not good enough.

He has potential but we aint really seeing it. What's up with that? Is it the formation? Is it that he's peaked already and the rest was hype? Is it the ennui of the epidemic we're all feeling? He is a dad now and that **** will play with your personal goals and ambitions.

I'm not saying something aint right, what I'm saying is I think this may be the very best of him and I'm declaring it aint good enough.

I'm developing a thick skin and I understand the thread title is provocative, I'm not apologizing for it. Either way, he aint doing it IMO.

 

[Skrilla]

I've had enough of Moutinho and Neves, bring back Kevin McDonald and Jack Price.

 

[JayStringer]

Let's not go overboard. He's had a poor couple of games. But in the second half of last season he was far and away one of our better players.

These guys haven't had a pre-season. We're not going to see them near their best for a few weeks. In the meantime we can get off their backs.

 

[dane]

Don't believe we're seeing the best out of him playing in a 2 with Moutinho. They're both fairly cultured mids who operate better further up the pitch, and while they CAN do the dirty work and get stuck in, it takes so much out of their game if they're constantly having to track back. Needs to be either one of them with a snotter beside them or play with 3 in the centre with someone else sitting.

 

[jim_boner]

Bizarre. We're blessed to have somebody of his quality.

Only Podence really distinguished himself in this game, and Ruben was one of those below his best. But there were a number of players who should be ahead of Neves in terms of wanting a thread dedicated to saying they're not good enough purely from that game.

Too many shandies on the sofa??

 

[BigSteve]

Don't believe we're seeing the best out of him playing in a 2 with Moutinho. They're both fairly cultured mids who operate better further up the pitch, and while they CAN do the dirty work and get stuck in, it takes so much out of their game if they're constantly having to track back. Needs to be either one of them with a snotter beside them or play with 3 in the centre with someone else sitting.

Moutinho is one of the top tacklers in the league. That doesn't detract from his strengths, it is one of his strengths. Big facts.

"Neves needs to play further up the pitch" is a myth that needs to die. He is a defensive midfielder in the mould of Pirlo (if we're being generous). I am sure he'll spend his career in this role. I think people only believe otherwise because he has a good shot.

 

[el gringo]

I only saw the second half but it seemed like he played further forward than usual. I think the commentators mentioned it. I thought he did well.

 

[dane]

Moutinho is one of the top tacklers in the league. That doesn't detract from his strengths, it is one of his strengths. Big facts.

"Neves needs to play further up the pitch" is a myth that needs to die. He is a defensive midfielder in the mould of Pirlo (if we're being generous). I am sure he'll spend his career in this role. I think people only believe otherwise because he has a good shot.

Pirlo wasn't a defensive mid, he was a deep lying playmaker who usually played with a holding mid behind him (Gattuso etc). He also got forward a fair amount.

I'm not suggesting for a minute Neves should be playing as an AM, but his best season for us was when he had N'Diaye alongside him which allowed him to play a bit further forward than he currently does (albeit in the division below).

 

[BigSteve]

Pirlo wasn't a defensive mid, he was a deep lying playmaker who usually played with a holding mid behind him (Gattuso etc). He also got forward a fair amount.

I'm not suggesting for a minute Neves should be playing as an AM, but his best season for us was when he had N'Diaye alongside him which allowed him to play a bit further forward than he currently does (albeit in the division below).

Deeply misguided post.

A myth perpetuated by people with the most superficial understanding of the game.

Don't bother responding.

 

[dane]

Deeply misguided post.

A myth perpetuated by people with the most superficial understanding of the game.

Don't bother responding.

Bloke who reckons Pirlo was a defensive mid questioning other peoples understanding of the game. Sure Jan

 

[Bill S Preston Esq.]

We give him way too much credit. He needs to up his game. Right now he looks like a Southampton player at best. Not good enough.

He has potential but we aint really seeing it. What's up with that? Is it the formation? Is it that he's peaked already and the rest was hype? Is it the ennui of the epidemic we're all feeling? He is a dad now and that **** will play with your personal goals and ambitions.

I'm not saying something aint right, what I'm saying is I think this may be the very best of him and I'm declaring it aint good enough.

I'm developing a thick skin and I understand the thread title is provocative, I'm not apologizing for it. Either way, he aint doing it IMO.

There's some *******s gets spoken on this forum when we lose. Bi-polar hissy fitting all over the shop.

 

[Barnet Wolves]

There's some *******s gets spoken on this forum when we lose. Bi-polar hissy fitting all over the shop.

I am guilty of this and I own up to it and deserve to be called out for my bull****

 

[Flea]

Ruben isn´t pulling up any trees of late,that is correct.
A central midfield consisting of just Neves and Moutinho lacks creativity and vitality and faces getting overrunned against most teams in the Premier League.
Neves often get´s too deep..I mean,playing from the lap of Coady against Stoke wasn´t exactly a revelation..and there is no denying that Moutinho starts to show his age in certain matches nowadays.

Our central midfield is a concern.It has to be..things would look differently on the pitch if it wasn´t.

 

[North West Wanderer]

Disagree with the OP. Far too early to be calling anyone out.

 

[reanswolf]

I think what we saw last night was the same as we saw against Seville and Olympiakos.
Its obvious to me and several others that our CM is not fluid and mobile enough, they are great players indivdiually, but against that standard of CM as City have, we will be outclassed.

 

[Royal wolf]

Neves shouldn’t be played further forward in a 10 or CAM role because he doesn’t have the quick feet or mobility. He does however need either a runner or a destroyer next to him (preferably both) he excelled playing with saiss albeit in the championship. I’ve said it many times but he and Moutinho should not start together in a 2 ever again

 

[Ponty]

Our two CMs were overrun last night and practically any two CMs in the world would have struggled. City pressed and pushed Rodri and Fernandinho right up giving us no space. Any team facing that needs the defenders and wide players to keep the ball better. They didn’t and as a result Neves and Moutinho were chasing shadows. Making an assessment of Neves based on this game is a little harsh as any player is dependant on the players around them. If you’d swapped KDB and Neves last night I guarantee you that Neves would have looked great and KDB would have been poor.

 

[Stafford]

He's literally had his best spell with us the end of last season. He played pretty well last night. Swear most of you just like mazy runners.

We already know the 2 deep lying midfielders works really well from the last 2 seasons.

When you play 5 at the back you are going to get overrun when your fullbacks are underperforming.

 

[Wolfman jack]

We were playing Citeh fhis. He’s not going to dominate the game. Get a grip. Where were we 3 years ago?

 

[Yamalroite]

We give him way too much credit. He needs to up his game. Right now he looks like a Southampton player at best. Not good enough.

He has potential but we aint really seeing it. What's up with that? Is it the formation? Is it that he's peaked already and the rest was hype? Is it the ennui of the epidemic we're all feeling? He is a dad now and that **** will play with your personal goals and ambitions.

I'm not saying something aint right, what I'm saying is I think this may be the very best of him and I'm declaring it aint good enough.

I'm developing a thick skin and I understand the thread title is provocative, I'm not apologizing for it. Either way, he aint doing it IMO.

Southampton Player? hahahaha

Southampton have an internationals in midfield, lets not get ahead of ourselves we were in league one a few seasons ago.

 

[Northampton_wolf]

Playing them together doesnt work as they are so similar , and both want to come back to get the ball and sit in the defence, there is a reason why the portgual national team doesnt play them together anymore, and fernandes or other midfielders join one of them.

Donck has to be played imo i think he makes us a better team, i think moutinho/neves play for one spot.

 

[CrazyCrane]

If that shot that fell on his left fell to his right foot then it's in the back of the net and he's the greatest we've ever seen. Good or bad Neves never hides.
Moutinho nearly cost us 2 goals last night with uncharacteristic wayward passed how come he hasn't got a thread?

 

[Mugwump]

 

[Newbridge Wolf]

It does puzzle me how they can play together for Portugal and win trophies, but here it just doesn’t seem to bring out the best in either player. Is it something Nuno does to play them differently? I won’t profess to be an expert on the Portuguese national side.

I wouldn’t say anything overly negative about Ruben, but it does feel like we’re not seeing the best of his potential.

 

[Northampton_wolf]

If that shot that fell on his left fell to his right foot then it's in the back of the net and he's the greatest we've ever seen. Good or bad Neves never hides.
Moutinho nearly cost us 2 goals last night with uncharacteristic wayward passed how come he hasn't got a thread?

Podence should have took that before neves, and fair play to neves he still hit the target, moutinho had possibly his worst game in the shirt, its to me more of an issue of them together and for the first real time for me moutinho showed his age in the prem, against quick powerful city midfielders/attakers.

 

[Stafford]

It does puzzle me how they can play together for Portugal and win trophies, but here it just doesn’t seem to bring out the best in either player. Is it something Nuno does to play them differently? I won’t profess to be an expert on the Portuguese national side.

They don't often play together for Portugal, normally one or the other.

 

[Northampton_wolf]

They don't often play together for Portugal, normally one or the other.

they have not played together for portugal for a long time now, because its been identified they are to similar or not complimenting each other

 

[Newbridge Wolf]

They don't often play together for Portugal, normally one or the other.

Just looked through their last few line ups. Interesting, would suggest we might want to look at different options. Makes the Paulinho signing interesting once he plays with Neves.

 

[hambaps]

I know I'm not allowed to say this but Neves has been carrying a sub-par Moutinho since the covid restart.

 

[Ned]

I don’t think the setup helps either of them. We defend too deep which means the midfield gets made bigger which therefore means they can get run off the park.

I think Nuno realises this which is why Neto started in front of them both last night, it didn’t work but I think he was trying to give them an easier pass option that was actually forward thinking.

Ruben was our best, or one of, player the second half of last season. He’s had a sluggish start but I think he stood out more than Moutinho last night and was miles better.

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

Must be mad . Thought he was one of the few players last night we have who wouldn’t look out of place in that city team .

 

[Wolfy McWolf-Face]

Deeply misguided post.

A myth perpetuated by people with the most superficial understanding of the game.

Don't bother responding.

Post of the century!!!

OK mate. Post on a public forum that you are correct beyond all argument and state that the guy shouldn't respond. Laughable. Why can't he respond? Might he unearth your **** poor understanding if the game?

Sure Pirlo played deep and could defend but he was not a defensive midfielder.

PERIOD. THE END. CLOSE THREAD. I AM LEGEND. BOW BEFORE ME.

 

[JOSWolf]

Love Neves but both him and Moutinho have been below par so far this season. Early stages though but both need to up their game in the coming weeks. Feel we need a different alternative in the middle to compliment them better.

 

[Sedgley Gold N Black]

A bit of perspective is needed, Neves was up against KDB, Fernandinho and Rodri in midfield last night.

We have to give City, a fantastic team, some credit for a brilliant first half where they worked so hard without the ball to win it back.

Second half we were much closer to them and we started to see the change Nuno is making, Neves was a big part of that in the middle by being higher than usual and second half showed a lot of promise all round against a brilliant side.

 

[Stafford]

Do people people believe that if we had a big strong ball carrying midfielder in the first team to play alongside one of Moutinho/ Neves in the same system over the last 2 seasons we'd have performed worse or better?

 

[Northampton_wolf]

I don’t think the setup helps either of them. We defend too deep which means the midfield gets made bigger which therefore means they can get run off the park.

I think Nuno realises this which is why Neto started in front of them both last night, it didn’t work but I think he was trying to give them an easier pass option that was actually forward thinking.

Ruben was our best, or one of, player the second half of last season. He’s had a sluggish start but I think he stood out more than Moutinho last night and was miles better.

I agree that neves played better than moutinho, my thoughts or points on this just elaborate to we need either a three or someone else partnering either of them, there are glimpes of amazing play ie the ball to podence from moutinho etc, but when you are against a team like city, with kdb. fernandinho and rodri we just cant go the way we did last night.

 

[Northampton_wolf]

Do people people believe that if we had a big strong ball carrying midfielder in the first team to play alongside one of Moutinho/ Neves in the same system over the last 2 seasons we'd have performed worse or better?

My opinion is we would have played better, it may have also dropped moutinho out of the team, with neves and said midfielder being first choice

 

[Taffywolf]

Give him time on the ball and he'll pick world class passes out all day. When teams press him quickly hes not so effective, sits very deep, but I guess that's where he's told to play. His strengths are his passing for sure his weakness is his lack of legs and pace.

 

[Miniwolf]

We give him way too much credit. He needs to up his game. Right now he looks like a Southampton player at best. Not good enough.

He has potential but we aint really seeing it. What's up with that? Is it the formation? Is it that he's peaked already and the rest was hype? Is it the ennui of the epidemic we're all feeling? He is a dad now and that **** will play with your personal goals and ambitions.

I'm not saying something aint right, what I'm saying is I think this may be the very best of him and I'm declaring it aint good enough.

I'm developing a thick skin and I understand the thread title is provocative, I'm not apologizing for it. Either way, he aint doing it IMO.

He's been a dad for 3 years so not sure why that should affect his ambitions. Put Neves in that City midfield or Liverpools and we would be envious of them having such a player. He and Moutinho were over run last night by city's numbers in midfield, its an issue we have with playing a back 3 and a front 3. To play 3 in midfield we either need to sacrifice a defender or an attacker or we need to find a different type of player to provide a better balance in a 2.

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

Neves is class. End of.