17 | Kevin De Bruyne - 2022/23 Performances

[The Fat el Hombre]

Looked far more intense tonight. Thought Pep got the timing of the sub bang on - let him play long enough to get minutes in his legs and as soon as he was knackered he was off. Hopefully he can kick on on Saturday

 

[Platt Lane 59]

Clearly the best creator at the club, which is why his passing accuracy is the lowest in the team, but I also wish he didn't lose the ball as much as he does. He seems to lead the team in this stat too.

Obviously, nobody (especially Pep) wants a City player to lose the ball. Keeping the ball is Pep's doctrine.
However KDB is the player who Pep encourages and "allows" to try the difficult, even audacious passes.
Football is thankfully, unpredictable. It's why every team has a chance and why major upsets can happen. Now City have the best starting eleven, some of our fans think we will/should win every match. This season will be a very difficult one to predict and I'd be amazed if the Champs get over 90 points.
I think Phil will be our next central, creative player. No doubt he too will have a relatively higher level of missed passes...

 

[Lauz9888]

Still not quite at his best but never gives up and can always be relied upon to make things happen. He'll keep growing into the season as he always does.

 

[WallyA]

Obviously, nobody (especially Pep) wants a City player to lose the ball. Keeping the ball is Pep's doctrine.
However KDB is the player who Pep encourages and "allows" to try the difficult, even audacious passes.
Football is thankfully, unpredictable. It's why every team has a chance and why major upsets can happen. Now City have the best starting eleven, some of our fans think we will/should win every match. This season will be a very difficult one to predict and I'd be amazed if the Champs get over 90 points.
I think Phil will be our next central, creative player. No doubt he too will have a relatively higher level of missed passes...

Ah I should be clearer, my original message wasn't.

I don't have a problem with him having a lower pass accuracy due to him trying to create.

When I refer to losing the ball, I'm not referring to him passing and giving it away, I mean when he get's dispossessed while having the ball. He tends to lose it or get it taken off him more than anybody else.

 

[Platt Lane 59]

Ah I should be clearer, my original message wasn't.

I don't have a problem with him having a lower pass accuracy due to him trying to create.

When I refer to losing the ball, I'm not referring to him passing and giving it away, I mean when he get's dispossessed while having the ball. He tends to lose it or get it taken off him more than anybody else.

It is obviously easier to dispossess a creative player than someone who players safe sideways/backwards passes.
KDB has to look up and hit the pinpoint pass. He seldom plays a hit and hope ball.
I feel we take him for granted. So many pundits and fans of other teams hold him in such high esteem.
He would get in everyone's Premier League eleven. Because of the media bias, there would not be many other shoe-ins from City, perhaps Cancelo ?

 

[WallyA]

It is obviously easier to dispossess a creative player than someone who players safe sideways/backwards passes.
KDB has to look up and hit the pinpoint pass. He seldom plays a hit and hope ball.
I feel we take him for granted. So many pundits and fans of other teams hold him in such high esteem.
He would get in everyone's Premier League eleven. Because of the media bias, there would not be many other shoe-ins from City, perhaps Cancelo ?

I rate him highly too, he'll probably be the best ever city player.

I still can want more from him.

 

[Shaffer92]

Thought he was subpar tbh.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Still convinced he doesn't allow us to be as cohesive as we can be,and infividualy Bernies game always suffers more than most.

Pep clearly believes the moments of genius outweigh the negatives.

 

[Bluewars]

Still convinced he doesn't allow us to be as cohesive as we can be,and infividualy Bernies game always suffers more than most.

Pep clearly believes the moments of genius outweigh the negatives.

Agreed, we set up in a 4-4-2 with Kdb as a second striker, imo he was poor by his standards yesterday, was suprised he played 80mins.

We are more cohesive as a team when Kdb plays #8 it will be interesting to see where he plays in big games.

 

[Shaffer92]

He was poor, again.. His effort was poor too, though everyones was. Needs to be better.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Lethargic and poor.

Looking like a player in his early 30's where fitness doesnt come naturally.
He'd be far better as an incredible impact player from the bench

 

[Mr HJ]

Lethargic and poor.

Looking like a player in his early 30's where fitness doesnt come naturally.
He'd be far better as an incredible impact player from the bench

Having watched the full game again I think you're being a tad harsh here fantasy - the entire balance of the side was wrong until the last 30 mins but even when we were struggling he was the only player who was trying to close them down. I thought he looked very fit last night.

Kev thrives on space and movement ahead of him - when the subs came on he was allowed to do what he does best. I believe sometimes he actually tries to do too much - when we have a balanced lineup Kev is the very least of our worries. I'd only be worried if he looked poor when we have our first choice team out there - ie on current form one including Kev, Bernie, Phil, Rodri, Haaland & Alvarez as the front six.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Lethargic and poor.

Looking like a player in his early 30's where fitness doesnt come naturally.
He'd be far better as an incredible impact player from the bench

You're not serious here, FI, surely? He's fit as a butcher's dog. He has games like that where nothing comes off. It comes with the territory because he's all about killer deliveries. But he's the first name on the teamsheet for every game unless he needs a rest. Cometh the hour cometh the man, and you can bet your bottom dollar that whenever we have a big game he's the best player on the pitch.

 

[kaz7]

Lethargic and poor.

Looking like a player in his early 30's where fitness doesnt come naturally.
He'd be far better as an incredible impact player from the bench

Where are you when he plays well ?

 

[youngbob]

Lethargic and poor.

Looking like a player in his early 30's where fitness doesnt come naturally.
He'd be far better as an incredible impact player from the bench

He was average last night but not because he was lethargic. If anything he was trying to force it too often. Think it's something we're going to have to get used to - he's got a striker to aim for again so he's going to look for passes that aren't on sometimes. Plus Dortmund were really well organised and he couldn't drift into those half spaces he likes to do. His form is fine, he's contributed to 7 goals in 9 games.

 

[eversince 76]

I just hope KdB doesn’t read his topic on BM. And I’m happy Pep is the manager. Many sound like the pundits who criticised City when we payed 50plus million for him.

KdB is by far the best player when it comes to assists and he can foresee things hardly anyone can. Most players around him understand his thinking and react accordingly. Haaland will be one of them too.

And although Dortmund made it hard and defended according to plan letting City have the ball, KdB was by no means our worst player. Nor was he lethargic. Dortmund made it very hard for KdB to develop his game. Still worked his socks of last night and that’s all you can expert from a player who is cleverly played out of his game.

 

[AirbagsOptionalTheReturn]

Kev suffers when he is not 100% on his game. When not on his game his simple passes suffer and then he forces it and looks even worse. He can still pull out something brilliant when playing like this but last night was not one of them. In fact I would say Kev is the least "Pep" player we have because he takes so many risks.

 

[freshie]

Lethargic and poor.

Looking like a player in his early 30's where fitness doesnt come naturally.
He'd be far better as an incredible impact player from the bench

Haha

 

[blue wang]

Kev suffers when he is not 100% on his game. When not on his game his simple passes suffer and then he forces it and looks even worse. He can still pull out something brilliant when playing like this but last night was not one of them. In fact I would say Kev is the least "Pep" player we have because he takes so many risks.

I would disagree, Kev's game is incisive and risky. Therefore the rest off the team risk propensity is reduced in order to facilitate Kev incisive and often risky passing thereby keeping the risk level at a level at a level that Pep accepts. Kev is the cutting edge where as the rest of the team bar Halaand take more pragmatic and often less glamours roles.

 

[eastmanc]

Having watched the full game again I think you're being a tad harsh here fantasy - the entire balance of the side was wrong until the last 30 mins but even when we were struggling he was the only player who was trying to close them down. I thought he looked very fit last night.

Kev thrives on space and movement ahead of him - when the subs came on he was allowed to do what he does best. I believe sometimes he actually tries to do too much - when we have a balanced lineup Kev is the very least of our worries. I'd only be worried if he looked poor when we have our first choice team out there - ie on current form one including Kev, Bernie, Phil, Rodri, Haaland & Alvarez as the front six.

I thought he was the only City player, in the first half, who was anything like. Second half he wasn't as good. He has been OK so far this season.