Why are you so adamant that Enzo should play ahead of him because hes done more in football, hes had barely any impact on games for us the majority of this season, "done more in football " is completely meaningless if your currently doing nothing.

4 hours ago, GarnachoCheese said:

So don't confidently state something untrue if you aren't going to back it up with experience.

We watch Enzo Fernandez week in week out spend the entire game with no defensive responsibility box crashing only for 90 mins and never have a goal scoring season as deep lying Santos LOL

I don’t watch french football matches, no.

I can back up everything, the stats and the actual goals/technique as that’s easy. You pounced on one aspect of the post, congrats to you, and thank you for the ‘terminology’-police audit.

Santos isn’t fully trusted by Maresca yet. The owners love him though so I wonder if that’s part of the “worst 48 hours” stuff.

I think he might end up at Man Utd next season if we were to sign Wharton as has been rumoured. I don’t think Santos will fulfil his potential under Maresca.

He is probably a player we would consider offers for in the summer. I’d absolutely keep him as I rate him highly. He needs a solid run of games though.

17 hours ago, Term_X said:

He can’t shoot a ball.

Even when you look at his league cup goal, it’s poor technique, his Strasbourg goals are mostly headers or inside the box, and again, technique isn’t there. He simply cannot shoot, and it’s a problem in a side lacking goals, you want your central mids to have a bit of a shot on them really, or at ‘least’ be capable, 7 shots so far this season, all so poorly hit.

58 shots for Strasbourg = 2 goals (that weren’t headers or tap-ins) and he was in a more advanced position there.

Maybe I just want another Essien, but it’s not ideal.

And yet ...

7 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

And yet ...

Forgive me for finding a new grievance. It’s reached the stage where Enzo is so bad, and so incompatible here, that it feels pointless to event vent about. Especially since the feelings are ‘more or less’ mutual amongst fans (at least online). He’s undroppable and untouchable, and now occupies the same space as the owners, in terms of immovable forces, just a case of dealing with it; which is insane player power, but here we are.

8 hours ago, dkw said:

Why are you so adamant that Enzo should play ahead of him because hes done more in football, hes had barely any impact on games for us the majority of this season, "done more in football " is completely meaningless if your currently doing nothing.

Just to be clear, I’m not saying I agree or disagree with it — I’m just pointing out how football dressing rooms usually work.

They’re weird places with hierarchies, egos, and unofficial leaders, and whether people like it or not, Enzo clearly feels like one of those guys. Didn’t he wear the armband a few times as well?

With that said, I still don’t really see what Santos brings that justifies a starting spot at this time.

Edited December 19, 2025Dec 19 by acaeus

The midfield is the least of our worries with Caicedo Enzo Reece Gusto Santos Essugo and Barco at Strasbourg waiting in the wings.

Caicedo and Reece are as good as it gets Enzo and Gusto have positive effects on games from time to time but arent popular with some. Santos Essugo ( and Barco ) dont look too shabby either.

10 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

And yet ...

The one statistic, that really gets on my tits about Enzo is the last one on that list, for a cm possession lost - 462!

It's not 462 times every game but it bloody feels like it sometimes... does he ever get hooked off for it?

No no no - he's one of my favorites ha ha ha - the bald clown strikes again - wish he'd foff to sh*tty City

Problem for Santos, and others with the same mentality e.g. Estavao, is they want to score goals and win games - play exciting football!

This, sadly, is not the Maresca way.

11 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

And yet ...

For that comparison to make any sense, Enzo would have to be playing for a smaller club in a smaller league.

Either the Premier League is the best league in the world — which I think it is — or it isn’t. You can’t have it both ways and then compare stats as if they’re facing the same level of opposition.

Enzo’s going up against players like Rice multiple times a season, not to mention Rodri and whoever the big clubs put in midfield. That context matters.

2 minutes ago, acaeus said:

For that comparison to make any sense, Enzo would have to be playing for a smaller club in a smaller league.

Either the Premier League is the best league in the world — which I think it is — or it isn’t. You can’t have it both ways and then compare stats as if they’re facing the same level of opposition.

Enzo’s going up against players like Rice multiple times a season, not to mention Rodri and whoever the big clubs put in midfield. That context matters.

I think you meant 'outplayed by' rather than 'going up against'

12 minutes ago, loz said:

I think you meant 'outplayed by' rather than 'going up against'

Does it matter? Maybe if Santos played the very same games Enzo played, against the same opposition, he would have had similar (or far worse) struggles. Guesswork it's my business and I'm old enough to be immune to the "guy sitting on the bench" fable.
I'd also point out that CMs don't play alone... It's a team sport after all.

Edited December 19, 2025Dec 19 by acaeus

1 hour ago, acaeus said:

I'd also point out that CMs don't play alone... It's a team sport after all.

I'm sure Caicedo has played enough games with Enzo as his partner now to very much disagree with you LOL

Just now, Sexyfootball said:

I'm sure Caicedo has played enough games with Enzo as his partner now to very much disagree with you LOL

I really don't follow that logic. They are different players with different characteristics and have different roles in the squad--not to mention different players around them (right left wingers. FBs, and CBs).
You talk as if Caicedo is this world beater... he's a very consistent ball winning player and likely very difficult to play against, but I'd be looking at different players to get me the 3 points.

Agree to disagree on this one; I just don't see this malignant figure in Enzo, nor do I see the Savior in the 21 Andrey Santos.

1 hour ago, acaeus said:

For that comparison to make any sense, Enzo would have to be playing for a smaller club in a smaller league.

Either the Premier League is the best league in the world — which I think it is — or it isn’t. You can’t have it both ways and then compare stats as if they’re facing the same level of opposition.

Enzo’s going up against players like Rice multiple times a season, not to mention Rodri and whoever the big clubs put in midfield. That context matters.

Ok let's compare the per 90s in the PL this season !

It's not really fair on Andrey as he has only scraps of disjointed minutes across multiple games, whereas Enzo has the rhythm from being a regular starter ... but I'm not going to make excuses for him ...

Oh, Santos is still better across most of the metrics LOL !

Amazing the extent that a couple of penalties and a couple of box-crashing goals have on player perception ! Enzo is basically sh*te at all the rest of what you typically want from a midfielder ... hence why I'd prefer someone like Santos to be given a run in the team instead of him. I know Enzo can't do it ... but Santos looks like he might, based on what we have seen of him in Strasbourg, and the handful of minutes he's had for us. so far.

For completion purposes, a comparison between Enzo at Benfica and Santos at Strasbourg, both leagues similarly poor although the French league might be a bit harder and Benfica is one of the top three teams in Portugal while Strasbourg is not one of the top teams in the French league.

13 minutes ago, RMH said:

For completion purposes, a comparison between Enzo at Benfica and Santos at Strasbourg, both leagues similarly poor although the French league might be a bit harder and Benfica is one of the top three teams in Portugal while Strasbourg is not one of the top teams in the French league

You'd better post the "Per 90" as well. Andrey played 568 more minutes than Enzo and our Santos detractor will surely point that out LOL.

22 minutes ago, RMH said:

For completion purposes, a comparison between Enzo at Benfica and Santos at Strasbourg, both leagues similarly poor although the French league might be a bit harder and Benfica is one of the top three teams in Portugal while Strasbourg is not one of the top teams in the French league.

Actually I think I remember why I didn't use Fernandez at Benfica for the compare now. The data isn't available in Squawka for the Portuguese league. This data set says it is for the Benfica Champions League campaign, so in theory a higher level of opposition, but something is off anyway as Benfica didn't play that many minutes in the CL that season.

Edited December 19, 2025Dec 19 by Sexyfootball

16 hours ago, acaeus said:

That does not matter does it?
Santos has to do a lot more than Enzo to break the hierarchy and take his spot in the team; that's how it works to my knowledge. Enzo is higher up in the pecking order -- you may not agree, but I think he has done more in football and earned that despite still being 24 himself.

I do think Santos will improve and may become an excellent mid in the future, but IMO he's not this wonderkid who will immediately improve the team if played.

This is exactly the point. Enzo is in the team on reputation, not merit. The same reason a past it Salah thinks he should be a guaranteed starter without giving anything back to the team.

22 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

Actually I think I remember why I didn't use Fernandez at Benfica for the compare now. The data isn't available in Squawka for the Portuguese league. This data set says it is for the Benfica Champions League campaign, so in theory a higher level of opposition, but something is off anyway as Benfica didn't play that many minutes in the CL that season.

Ok, I didn't check, just searched for Enzo and changed the team to Benfica, so I assumed it was the stats for his season there. I'll double check on the site.

3 hours ago, acaeus said:

I'd also point out that CMs don't play alone... It's a team sport after all.

Maybe you should tell that to Enzo because he loves to leave Caicedo to do the work of a two man midfield on his own.

41 minutes ago, GarnachoCheese said:

This is exactly the point. Enzo is in the team on reputation, not merit. The same reason a past it Salah thinks he should be a guaranteed starter without giving anything back to the team.

Exactly - he won the world cup.

Argentina vs France 2022

Lionel Messi - best player in the world...

Probably could have put Nicolas Jackson in that side and he'd have won it too!

Doesn’t look like they’re even using Santos enough to keep him in the shop window.

1 hour ago, Snedger said:

Doesn’t look like they’re even using Santos enough to keep him in the shop window.

Probably sold him already and stopping an injury from scuppering the deal !

He’s always been that one for me, I feel like the management and fans have no idea just how special he is.

He need minutes desperately, he can reach Caicedo’s level easily, not doing what Caicedo does, but with his passing and driving the attack forward, he is so good at it.

I pray the next manager will see it and make him a regular starter.