17 | Kevin De Bruyne - 2023/24

There are just few players in the world who can fits his playmaking arsenal , and we are not linked with any of these
 
Think the sun is finally starting to go down on what's been a glittering career. His intelligence, speed of thought, and execution of decisive passes (and shots) are all still there, but all the injuries he's had over the years are catching up with him a bit now. His body is just beginning to let him down when it comes to stamina, speed, and his ability to play every game. He's just not quite skipping away from players anymore, he doesn't quite build up a head of steam or go on lung-busting runs anymore, with defenders starting to catch up to him. He's doing his best work at the moment when he's using his head to buy himself time and space and get away from defenders before he even has the ball. He still has a big role to play next season but his minutes will have to be managed from here on out. He'll still rack up 30-40 matches next season (injuries permitting), and I expect Pep will start the season with him in the first XI just to see if he's just taking longer than usual to recover or if it really is the start of the end, but Kev himself has acknowledged that this is Foden's team to lead now and next summer might be the one where he leaves us. I can't believe we got all these years out of him and that he'll top 400 appearances by the time he's gone. What years they've been.
 
youngbob said:
Think the sun is finally starting to go down on what's been a glittering career. His intelligence, speed of thought, and execution of decisive passes (and shots) are all still there, but all the injuries he's had over the years are catching up with him a bit now. His body is just beginning to let him down when it comes to stamina, speed, and his ability to play every game. He's just not quite skipping away from players anymore, he doesn't quite build up a head of steam or go on lung-busting runs anymore, with defenders starting to catch up to him. He's doing his best work at the moment when he's using his head to buy himself time and space and get away from defenders before he even has the ball. He still has a big role to play next season but his minutes will have to be managed from here on out. He'll still rack up 30-40 matches next season (injuries permitting), and I expect Pep will start the season with him in the first XI just to see if he's just taking longer than usual to recover or if it really is the start of the end, but Kev himself has acknowledged that this is Foden's team to lead now and next summer might be the one where he leaves us. I can't believe we got all these years out of him and that he'll top 400 appearances by the time he's gone. What years they've been.
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Top post!

Really sums up the current situation with KDB.

I'm already concerned about the start of the season though.

If Belgium do their usual and over-use him, he'll struggle.
 
Given the injury hit season he's had, he is owed some time before we start claiming his legs are going. Maybe they are, i can see the indications that they may be, but lets just hold off calling that and give him an actual chance to fully recuperate from a major injury that hes not been used to.

Even if they are going, it's not the end. There's a reason why he's the greatest midfielder in premier league history, he will adapt and learn not to rely on his running as much. His intelligence above anything is what sets him apart, he'll use that intelligence to alter his game and still be effective.

he's got plenty left to give yet, let's give him some time before we're writing off one of if not the best player we've ever had.
 
manimanc said:
You're obviously just going off Saturday's match when everyone looked like their legs had gone as they all looked off it and put passes out of play or couldn't find their man with a 10 yard pass.

I think you've gone a little bit too early on kdb, he needs a good rest and next year will be firing again, he's only 32, you're going on like he's 82.
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Tbf to JewelZee KDB has been like this for weeks
 
Blu3m00n91 said:
We just need to manage his game time. I don’t want us to be a club who just throws players away the minute they slow down. I’d rather get 20 very good KDB games a season over him leaving. Foden is ready now for the main position.
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Called up for Belgium squad, he must feel fucked as most of our players are, players need a rest but never seem to get one……..
 
heslops barnet said:
Called up for Belgium squad, he must feel fucked as most of our players are, players need a rest but never seem to get one……..
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To be fair mate he could always say no, but a bit like Stones he will play probably get injured and miss the start of next season.

It's the old club or country debate.
 
MichaelBBack said:
Kevin was injured for ages this season, appeared in 18 Premier League games, and still nearly topped the assist charts with 10.

Come on now. He's far from finished.

Very poor game yesterday for sure, and he's absolutely lost some pace, sharpness, and ability to dictate games single-handedly. But he's still a colossal source of creativity, goals, and assists, and there's pretty much no one else in world football I'd rather have on the pitch when we need a moment of magic to turn a game around or make a goal out of nowhere. Even when he appears to be playing poorly, he can still put something out of nowhere, as we saw several times this year.

He just needs managing with a lot more care than before, and he needs another player or two to step up (as Phil has done this year) so there isn't as much pressure on his shoulders. He also needs to call it quits with Belgium, without a doubt, and I think he knows that.

It's up to Pep and the board now to firstly, bring in an overdue understudy that Kev can at least rely on to ease some of his burden, or even someone he can mentor and mould in his style, and secondly, to manage him with much more prudence next season.
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He's like an ageing genius who's still got it in spells but not with the same consistency as he used to as his peak. When he's on, he's absolutely on. But when he's off he does look a step slower than he used to be and it's noticeable.
Add to that the increasing number of injuries and we're certainly close to the last throes of Kevs career at the top with us. He's been awesome, really incredible. But nowadays he's just as likely to break down with injury as he is to lay a few on a plate for Haaland. Happens to the best of them eventually.
Hopefully one more season where he can turn back the clock when we really need him to but I do think next season will be his farewell to us. Let's hope he's enough in the locker to sign off for us in style
 
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