#17 | Kevin De Bruyne - 2020/21 Performances

[bluemoon32]

Quick to throw his hands up and blame other players but never see him apologise for overhit passes, poor shots when better options available and never encourages team mates when things almost come off.. Definitely not a captain

I wouldn't have him as captain either

 

[OrigamiNinja]

David is a massive loss. Just bloody massive.

Kevin is as part of the problem as anyone though. Gundogan is playing well so it must be Rodri, Torres, Foden, Sterling, Mahrez and Bernardo you are classing as 'mish mash of average/absolute turd around him now'.

Kevin is a senior player, as often as not Captain, he isn't paid his hansom salary + bonus to be frustrated. He is paid to contribute and provide leadership to the team. His current contribution falls way short of what he is capable of. Hence the criticism.

Gundogan is playing well by Gundogan standards, he is levels below Silva (17/18).

I just think that it stands to reason, that if you replace excellent players with lesser players, not only does the team suffer but the remaining excellent players (of which there are now very few) suffer too.

Leaders can be effective in different ways, some aren't doers themselves but they inspire others with words. For me, KDB is a doer rather than a talker and his leadership would come from producing moments of magic to get the team where they need to be. If Gundogan or Sterling put away the easy chances, created beautifully by KDB then for me he has done his job as a leader. The fact he gets frustrated shows he cares, I am not going to knock him for that, especially when I would question how much others in the side care.

KDB frustrated > Sterling smiling and laughing every time he messes up.

 

[Akira]

He needs someone else to take some of the offensive burden in midfield. If only we had used to have one of the most promising teenage midfielders in world football in the squad. Oh well, there's nothing we can do now. Better wait for the opportunity to throw money at the problem.

De Bruyne's been far from his best so far this season but I'm not going to have a go at him while he's still putting the effort in. Especially when almost the entire squad is out of form.

He deserves some of the stick but, for me, it's quite clearly a management issue.

Exactly. KdB needs more help in midfield.

Not even Messi could carry an entire team when the whole plan is "here, have the ball, try and do something with it, oh and nobody's gonna help you". (aka the Valverde years)

 

[bluethai]

He plays like it's a boring routine job. I think he needs a serious challenge to compete for his position just like Laporte atm.

 

[supercity88]

Like most of the team, out of form.

But he still delivered two cracking balls we should have scored from. Gundogan it was a great save, but how Sterling then did the exact same thing moments later I do not know. The whole goal gaping and they find the keeper.

Torres has to start every game for me. He's most likely to score at the moment and is such a threat. We've looked better in the CL when he has played. Gundogan played really well. Driving forwards, threading passes and playing with the guile we've lacked. De Bruyne's touch isn't great, his passing is generally predictable and anytime he does get a chance to shoot he blazes it over.

10 winnable games, 30pts. That was what we should have been taking. But drawing that one last night puts huge pressure on those next 9. December and January are going to be hectic for everyone. We have the best squad and have to make the most of it and go and take 28pts from those 10. We'll be top if we do that. But realistically we just aren't going to win the title unless something changes significantly, and quickly.

 

[Mr HJ]

His game is dependent on movement by our forwards and that ha stopped happening. Mahrez, Sterling & Jesus are not making clever runs anymore. I'm not saying they are totally static but they all seem to be running into positions where it is nearly impossible to find them. Partly confidence, partly coaching. We miss Sergio so much for that and also when Kev is under pressure there is no genius alongside (Merlin) who was the master at finding pockets of space. Pep needs a rethink of his lineup, just a tweak or two - Torres and Foden need a longer run of games to see if they are the answer not just in and out as Pep is currently doing.

Having said all of that Kev still produced two world class crosses that should have led to goals - we are missing the big characters, who in the recent past, always popped up with winners in games like yesterday. Jesus and Sterling in particular need far too many chances to convert to goals.

I really think Kev is taking these poor results harder than anyone and you can see he is the only one closing down the keeper and trying to put pressure on teams - perhaps he's trying too hard?

 

[domalino]

he is the only one closing down the keeper and trying to put pressure on teams - perhaps he's trying too hard?

Jesus closed down the keeper and pressed like a dog for 75 minutes, then got shifted to the left wing so KDB took over for the last 15.

I also think you're being far too generous excusing his performance based on the forwards. Twice after Aguero came on, KDB had good chances to play him in behind the defence but turned away from the pass, and at one point he chose to shoot at the near post from an impossible angle when Jesus and Sterling were wide open begging for the ball across the 6 yard box for a tap in.

His decision making is way off.

 

[Craig]

Needs to drop deeper it's plain to see as he's not suited to the number 10 position. He's currently doing an impression of Fernandes for the scum without the goals. That is basically giving the ball away and constantly breaking down attacks by forcing everything. Yes KDB has always taken plenty chances with his passing so would never have stats like Toure or Silva in terms of keeping possession but lately it's just looking like a one man team and isn't working.

 

[argyle]

Would make Dias captain.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

He hasn’t played well for a while now. I don’t really like the way he throws his hands up at other players, when something doesn’t come off.