#17 | Kevin De Bruyne - 2021/22 Performances

[FantasyIreland]

Surprised he started against West Ham , a bit early to be writing him off as a has been , every player is entitled to have a period of poor form , he's only 29 and will be back to his best and tearing the opposition apart soon enough.
He has set such a high standard that even an average KDB effects games with goals and assists , as long as he is back to his best at the business end of the season we have a few players to fill the void in the meantime. Panic not.

He's 30.

That 12 months makes a big difference with his lack of natural fitness and mounting injuries.

He needs a rest IMO,as playing him back to his best doesn't seem to be working.

 

[FantasyIreland]

This is an incredibly horrendous take. What is KDB's best ability? its his passing. His athletic ability might go away and he might not be the same KDB we know but he will still be world class. He will adapt his game to his body because he is a genius and any coach will love to have his ability on the team even when he is 35.

What is horrendous about believing KDB has peaked,and will never be the best midfielder in the world again,as he approaches the age of an injury hit 31?

Where have i stated he could no longer be world class?

 

[youngbob]

I think the club need to be honest with themselves about Kevin's condition now.

It's clear that the ankle injury he sustained (and then worsened) during the Euros has taken something out of him and it's now affecting other parts of his game. There was talk in the summer that Kevin might need surgery but then he played 20 minutes against Spurs on the opening day. That took three weeks for him to recover from and since coming back from that injury/rest, I think every week he's played has been his latest "worst game in a City shirt".

Pep talked last night about De Bruyne still needing to "get better each game", so maybe it's just a simple case of it taking longer than usual for him to play himself back into form, but if he does need surgery I'd rather they sent him away now so that he can be fit again for the latter stages of the Champions League and title race. It feels like we're hoping the problem with Kevin's ankle will just go away but it's clearly being stubborn.

 

[sir baconface]

He’s one player who would surely benefit from a month’s complete rest. We always seem to rush him, then over-use him when he’s unfit (which is so much of the time these days). It’s all too tempting because he can turn a match in the midst of a shite performance but should we go a bit easier on him?

I wish he’d play less for Belgium too but that’s not in our hands.

 

[balotelli's back pocket]

It's becoming really fucking worrying now. He's not just been poor, he's been totally abject pretty much all season. I can only think of the Wycombe game where he played well.

It may be that he isn't fit, but I just don't believe that we'd risk playing him if he was carrying an injury. Also, it's not just the fact that he's running in treacle. His decision making has been horrible and he keeps passing the ball straight to the opposition under no pressure. It's bizarre.

 

[waspish]

Think it’s concentration no one this good should be misplacing easy passes unless he ain’t on it.

 

[carlosthejackal]

Said it previously he’s had no pre season which at his age is a huge problem, only way he gets match fit is by playing but at a cost to the team , no idea what the solution is .

 

[Dazzle84]

yaya's passing was nowhere near KDB's. yaya's best skill was running with the ball and his physicality and shooting more than his passing.

Yaya's passing was incredible. He used to run the game for 70 mins and then turn the afterburners on after he'd exhausted the opposition. He might not have played as many killer balls as Kev, but he could run a game much better than Kev could

 

[Tricky_Trev]

Said it previously he’s had no pre season which at his age is a huge problem, only way he gets match fit is by playing but at a cost to the team , no idea what the solution is .

But he’s been playing and looks no better. Not even remotely. He’s playing like he’s over the hill, which many expected he would snap out of with game time. But he’s just the same, no different/better whatsoever.

 

[eversince 76]

3 reasons in no
Hardly or no preseason.
Two subsequently injuries.
Missing a CF that suits his game.

Maybe we should have some patience with the player? Just a suggestion instead of all te overreacting.

 

[Phil1]

You can forgive his overall poor shows when he still manages those moments of magic that win you games but when they stop then I’m afraid he offers nothing.
He’s not anywhere near our best 11 atm and I’d give him the next two weekends off and pull him out of the national team so he can get his head down and concentrate on getting 100% fit.
We can’t afford passengers in this team and Kev feels like one right now.

 

[Dadsupportedthem]

Seeing him not bothering to run and gesturing to other players to fill his space is a sad sight to see. He is obviously not fit and needs to focus on this and hopefully the rest will come.

 

[carlosthejackal]

But he’s been playing and looks no better. Not even remotely. He’s playing like he’s over the hill, which many expected he would snap out of with game time. But he’s just the same, no different/better whatsoever.

Which I believe goes back to having no pre season which at his age is a huge problem

 

[unexpected item]

It's like he's preoccupied with something.

Seen it with other players (eg Stones, Walker) when their personal life isn't going too well.

Hope we get the real Kev back soon.

 

[mccity]

Despite everything that's been said, he still did place a peach of a cross for Stones that forced a strong save from their keeper.

There's been a lot said about how the change in the way the team has played in the past 18 months may have impacted Sterling, and I'm starting to wonder if it's possible that De Bruyne is feeling it too.

 

[domalino]

Despite everything that's been said, he still did place a peach of a cross for Stones that forced a strong save from their keeper.

There's been a lot said about how the change in the way the team has played in the past 18 months may have impacted Sterling, and I'm starting to wonder if it's possible that De Bruyne is feeling it too.

Do you think we could start playing in a way that gets the best out of our players instead of making them worse?

I'm semi-joking but if another club had the likes of Sterling, De Bruyne, Mahrez all horrendously out of form you'd be looking at the manager and wondering what he was doing to make such good players bad. I think only 3 of the 9 players we have for the front 5 are in what I'd call very good form.

 

[twosips]

Do you think we could start playing in a way that gets the best out of our players instead of making them worse?

I'm semi-joking but if another club had the likes of Sterling, De Bruyne, Mahrez all horrendously out of form you'd be looking at the manager and wondering what he was doing to make such good players bad. I think only 3 of the 9 players we have for the front 5 are in what I'd call very good form.

Mahrez is Mahrez. He always sorta blows hot and cold if we're being honest for City. Got no doubts he'll have good spells at some point though. KDB is clearly injuries IMO. Not really on Pep that. Sterling is an odd one, but it's not uncommon for this kind of thing to happen. There will always be huge drop offs for some players for a million and ten different reasons. I do think Sterling's main problem is a lack of a striker.

 

[mccity]

Do you think we could start playing in a way that gets the best out of our players instead of making them worse?

I'm semi-joking but if another club had the likes of Sterling, De Bruyne, Mahrez all horrendously out of form you'd be looking at the manager and wondering what he was doing to make such good players bad. I think only 3 of the 9 players we have for the front 5 are in what I'd call very good form.

I mean really it's two. Mahrez has been consistently hot and cold throughout his tenure regardless of system.

Either way, has the current system not benefitted certain players in the squad too?

 

[domalino]

I mean really it's two. Mahrez has been consistently hot and cold throughout his tenure regardless of system.

Either way, has the current system not benefitted certain players in the squad too?

I'm not sure it's benefitting the squad overall. The stat about scoring 0 in 1/3 of our games and 0 or 1 in half is a very real concern.

And Leicester, Spurs, Southampton, West Ham are not exactly impregnable defences.

I think we're going to see another shake up and change from Pep like we did in December last season, I'm not convinced this current set up is going to go head to head with Chelsea and Liverpool for 38 games and win the CL.

 

[Akira]

Fitness issue IMO. I thought Kev was pretty transparent about it before. He was injured at Euros, took some injections iirc, kept playing, now it has probably taken its toll on him.