Wretched Vengeance
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Is there any other player that can strike the ball as clean, and with such power with their weaker foot.
#17 | Kevin De Bruyne - 2021/22 Performances
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I was discussing that before today on twitter.
Thing is that his xA per open play keypass this season is lower than the seasons before.
In 18/19 he had an xA per open play keypass of 0.21, in 19/20 it still was 0.20, in 20/21 it was 0.15, this season it is 0.11
That could be a problem of either different situations in the system he plays in or a problem of his timing. He still has the number of key passes but they do not have the big quality they had in some seasons before.
Yes, it still might be a conversion problem, too. If I look at his numbers in the last season at Wolfsburg he "only" had a 0.15 xA/per key pass - but it were a lot crosses to Bas Dost so he overperformed the cumultative xA for open play by approximately 50 % that season.
In comparison - Mahrez has an average of 0.14 per open play key pass (2 assists from open play for a cumultive 2.12) - Jesus has an average xA of 0.19 per open play keypass and that results in 7 assists out of a 3.79 cumultive open play xA.
Where can you find the xA per KP? Here is the Link to the Manchester City squad on understat.com here!!!
Click a player to get on his page. If you click on the tap situations you see a table for all of the seasons since 14/15 - choose just the season you want and you can see the value in the column xA/KP.
If you scroll the page down you will find a shot map of all the shots of the player, too. You can choose the season and situation, too.
Agueroooo9320
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the lower assist and creative numbers for KDB has been a direct result of changing our system last season. his best creative play has come from deeper when silva used to play more forward. now KDB instead plays mostly like a false 9. so it is natural he is more on the end of things rather than creating.
kaz7
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We don’t play with wingers going behind anymore, that has been KdBs biggest change to adapt.
The number of times he found Sane or Sterling behind a defensive line was comical.
Pep has changed us though, perhaps due to teams changing how they play against us and the loss of Sane, the wingers are now more involved as playmakers.
False 9 is probably his best position for how we play now, Silva and Gundogan are better suited as the 8s because of their control.
I’ve said before, but he kind of plays more like a striker nowadays and is the closest in physical build to a striker (similar to Kane). Perhaps this will extend his career a bit more in this new position like we saw with Ronaldo and Messi.
The number of times he found Sane or Sterling behind a defensive line was comical.
Pep has changed us though, perhaps due to teams changing how they play against us and the loss of Sane, the wingers are now more involved as playmakers.
False 9 is probably his best position for how we play now, Silva and Gundogan are better suited as the 8s because of their control.
I’ve said before, but he kind of plays more like a striker nowadays and is the closest in physical build to a striker (similar to Kane). Perhaps this will extend his career a bit more in this new position like we saw with Ronaldo and Messi.
jimmygrimblesboots
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KDB's fitness levels are the only concern , at 30 years old like most players a decline will set in , playing as a false nine will extend his career but even if he only plays seventy minutes he will cause more damage than other supposedly world class midfielders do, if they played a dozen 90 minute games.
city warrior
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Upwards trend. Two wonderful assists, a lot of energy, and he could even scored a goal. With Foden, the only offensive player that created anything.
FantasyIreland
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Miles better,and wonderful to have him available,but he will never be the player he was.And my biggest concern....He suffocates Bernardo,and takes away from others - it doesn't quite create a square peg/round hole situation but i am still of the opinion we have a better 11 when without him.
More simply, he has been a shadow of himself, he and his manager have all said the same.
He was clearly very unfit at the start of the season, mentally shattered and just as he was starting to look more like himself he got covid.
He is staring to look a player again but will he reach the levels of previous years?
bluemoon32
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Thought he worked really hard last night, especially the press.
Good to see
Good to see
Take your point but I’d probably say the line up at old Trafford with Kev false 9 is our strongest (with Sterling or Mahrez wide right).
100%
But I don't understand why Pep hasn't tried this formation at least once:
-----------------Rodri----------------------
---Bernardo----------------KDB-----------
What is wrong here ? Yep we miss KDBs crosses from the right wing, but isn't Cancelo
doing that for a months now and perfectly replacing him in terms of "crazy assists" ?
On the other hand, KDB can cut inside and shoot from the LCM and even dribble more. Remember
that goal against Arsenal in 2017 and many goals like that.
And what's funny, if you look at KDBs game - he moves on the pitch freely - isn't attached to exact
same position for the whole game. But Bernardo is always attached to that right wing and rarely moves
to the left..
That's why it's a mystery for me - why Pep hasn't even once tried to play them otherwise.
We always see KDB as RCM and Bernardo as LCM - when they play together, but in opposite - never.
WHY PEP WHY ?????
Said this in August and I stand by it.
Arsenal (H) | Post-Match Thread
He‘s right and wrong imo. Dunno why that pic. No, its a load of shit. Look at our first goal on the weekend, we actually struggled in the first 10 minutes to break their press. In steps Bernardo who picks the ball up from Ederson, twists and turns about 5 times waiting for our static players to...
forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk
kaz7
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Some wrote him off way too soon , bernie and him can play together if gundy is out
A special player who you always feel is going to do something vital.
Looking fitter than he has in ages and gradually moving back towards his best. It always takes him a while to come back from injuries, after he gets to be fit enough to play he still has weeks or even months where he's not quite sharp. I can only see those recovery periods increasing as he gets older so I'm hoping and expecting that the club is taking extremely good care of him to try to reduce the likelihood of injuries.
Some of his passing was a little off last night, but he's come on in leaps and bounds the past couple of weeks and I expect him to continue that progress into the new year.
Looking fitter than he has in ages and gradually moving back towards his best. It always takes him a while to come back from injuries, after he gets to be fit enough to play he still has weeks or even months where he's not quite sharp. I can only see those recovery periods increasing as he gets older so I'm hoping and expecting that the club is taking extremely good care of him to try to reduce the likelihood of injuries.
Some of his passing was a little off last night, but he's come on in leaps and bounds the past couple of weeks and I expect him to continue that progress into the new year.
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samarasra
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Imo you have answered your own question :
"he moves on the pitch freely - isn't attached to exact same position for the whole game." He can do that as a false 9 but it is defensively risky as a midfielder.
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