17 | Kevin De Bruyne - 2024/25

[Lavinda Past]

I think he will stay in league


United might offer him a good contract

He'd probably take it... Scruffy Jim is probably working on a fresh batch of redundancies as we speak

 

[ninjamonkey]

3 of his 6 league assists were against Ipswich across two fixtures we won 10-1 on aggregate. Aside from that, he got one in early December against Forest (a game in which he was excellent), one in a 4-1 win against West Ham, and one in the 2-2 draw with Brentford

He hasn't really affected any big games for us this season, and never looked like doing so yesterday

Everybody else has had to play ipswich too. We haven't been competitive in big games, we haven't been able to even get the ball into dangerous areas in those games and nobody else in a city shirt has done anything against them either. Kdb can still, has and will produce in the right environment, i.e giving him the ball in dangerous positions with targets to aim for.

 

[Damanino]

why not use him for last 20 mins, throw him on vs bit tired defence and midfield. he still has some pace going forward with the ball, but not the stamina to do all that is needed off the ball.

having said that based on his injury record he probably still will get injured causing him missing either the FA semis or the final if we get there.

 

[shemnel]

That's the thing that gets me. I can understand a players legs going but the ability to make a pass? You'd think that was the last thing he'd lose.

If something 'goes' in your hip, pelvic, glute, even hamstring area, at a certain age, everything goes skewed.

Obviously I'm coming from a position of ignorance on KdB but I wouldn't be surprised if in a few years he attributes this to a long standing injury.

I've got arthritis in one hip from 35 years of footy, it developed rapidly after a bad injury 3 years ago. Everything else is OK now but when I do get to play (once a fortnight), my ball striking has completely gone. I can run, chest, mark, follow a man, header etc etc but long passes and clean shots? Nope, never come back. It's like my body is cock eyed and never healed the same, so the same striking action (in my head) is yielding a different result.

I know I'm clutching at straws, but I am baffled that Kev is struggling to shoot or make sometimes easy passes. His crossing is a bit fucked too.

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

Everybody else has had to play ipswich too. We haven't been competitive in big games, we haven't been able to even get the ball into dangerous areas in those games and nobody else in a city shirt has done anything against them either. Kdb can still, has and will produce in the right environment, i.e giving him the ball in dangerous positions with targets to aim for.

I just haven’t seen much evidence of that being true. He received the ball in good areas a number of times yesterday and failed to execute with both through balls to Marmoush and with crosses into the box

 

[ninjamonkey]

I just haven’t seen much evidence of that being true. He received the ball in good areas a number of times yesterday and failed to execute with both through balls to Marmoush and with crosses into the box

I can think of 1 time he was in a good position with a reachable target that was when Nunes slide him in down the side, his ball wasn't good and was overhit, perhaps hes used to haaland who might have got on to it if we're being generous.

it wasn't an easy ball but it's a ball he's made many times before and I expected him to lay it on a plate for marmoush. That's the only time I recall him being in a position to supply yesterday though.

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

If something 'goes' in your hip, pelvic, glute, even hamstring area, at a certain age, everything goes skewed.

Obviously I'm coming from a position of ignorance on KdB but I wouldn't be surprised if in a few years he attributes this to a long standing injury.

I've got arthritis in one hip from 35 years of footy, it developed rapidly after a bad injury 3 years ago. Everything else is OK now but when I do get to play (once a fortnight), my ball striking has completely gone. I can run, chest, mark, follow a man, header etc etc but long passes and clean shots? Nope, never come back. It's like my body is cock eyed and never healed the same, so the same striking action (in my head) is yielding a different result.

I know I'm clutching at straws, but I am baffled that Kev is struggling to shoot or make sometimes easy passes. His crossing is a bit fucked too.

Interesting post, cheers mate.

 

[normskih]

If something 'goes' in your hip, pelvic, glute, even hamstring area, at a certain age, everything goes skewed.

Obviously I'm coming from a position of ignorance on KdB but I wouldn't be surprised if in a few years he attributes this to a long standing injury.

I've got arthritis in one hip from 35 years of footy, it developed rapidly after a bad injury 3 years ago. Everything else is OK now but when I do get to play (once a fortnight), my ball striking has completely gone. I can run, chest, mark, follow a man, header etc etc but long passes and clean shots? Nope, never come back. It's like my body is cock eyed and never healed the same, so the same striking action (in my head) is yielding a different result.

I know I'm clutching at straws, but I am baffled that Kev is struggling to shoot or make sometimes easy passes. His crossing is a bit fucked too.

He had a couple of shots yesterday that Onana gathered easily and I said out loud, five or six years ago, KDB would have hit that so sweetly, Onana would have been picking the ball out of the net. Right foot, left foot, it didn’t matter but he seems to have lost the explosive power in a shot. Injuries to the body, it has to be.

 

[super_city_si]

Sad we don't progress the ball quick enough or have enough movement in the box to get back to this. Hard to get the best out of KdB when we let the buses get parked and we don't take advantage of the space available after we defend counterattacks against us.

perfect chance yesterday, Kev had the ball on the right edge of the area and Marmoush was arriving in the that 'area of uncertainty'. Kev missed the pass he would have made with his eyes closed 2 years ago and kicked it out for a goal kick

 

[shemnel]

He had a couple of shots yesterday that Onana gathered easily and I said out loud, five or six years ago, KDB would have hit that so sweetly, Onana would have been picking the ball out of the net. Right foot, left foot, it didn’t matter but he seems to have lost the explosive power in a shot. Injuries to the body, it has to be.

Yep, it has to be, all the sweet connection - as you say - has disappeared. I have no memory of this being the case last season? It may have been and I wasn't paying it any mind, but it feels like a sudden onset. Like permanent yips caused by some injury in the core area.

Then again, he might just have lost it

 

[Coljj]

 

[Crooked_rain]

He had a couple of shots yesterday that Onana gathered easily and I said out loud, five or six years ago, KDB would have hit that so sweetly, Onana would have been picking the ball out of the net. Right foot, left foot, it didn’t matter but he seems to have lost the explosive power in a shot. Injuries to the body, it has to be.

Of course it is

I had disagreements on here last season because I said after his long injury that you'll never see the old KDB again. You can't get that kind of injury approaching mid 30s and be the same player again.

Some said getting him back fully fit will be like a new signing. A lot of wishful thinking not based in reality.

He's shot to bits at the very top level. You can't be great forever, that's the life of an athlete, no matter how phenomenal you once were or what sport it is.

 

[sir baconface]

The puzzling thing is the likes of Pirlo could still pick a wonderful pass even when reduced to walking pace. KDB is/was at least as good as him. My take is he’s run into a patch of shit form, on top of the fitness and abeing issues, possibly aggravated by worries about his and his family’s future.

With a proper break and reset, plus judicious game management, he can probably do a decent but limited job for someone again. I think the club has made the right decision to let that happen in a new environment.

 

[Brightwell Bros.]

Of course it is

I had disagreements on here last season because I said after his long injury that you'll never see the old KDB again. You can't get that kind of injury approaching mid 30s and be the same player again.

Some said getting him back fully fit will be like a new signing. A lot of wishful thinking not based in reality.

He's shot to bits at the very top level. You can't be great forever, that's the life of an athlete, no matter how phenomenal you once were or what sport it is.

Still blows my mind that Vinnie went out with a domestic treble and one of the all time great premier league goals. Talk about storybook. It's just not how 99.9% of any sportspeople finish their careers.

 

[Crooked_rain]

Still blows my mind that Vinnie went out with a domestic treble and one of the all time great premier league goals. Talk about storybook. It's just not how 99.9% of any sportspeople finish their careers.

Yep, most just fade out.

I get it, they want to keep going but their body just won't. Plus the fact many are on contracts that won't be equalled anywhere else at that stage of a career, except maybe Saudi, so they stay despite not really being able to perform the same anymore.


Last season there was talks about Saudi but I think he wanted one more to see if he still has it and it's evident he doesn't and he'll know it more than anyone and that's why he's leaving.

Seems the kind of fella that would rather keep his pride intact instead of going on and on , looking like he's a shell of the player he was.

 

[hallsteve62]

If something 'goes' in your hip, pelvic, glute, even hamstring area, at a certain age, everything goes skewed.

Obviously I'm coming from a position of ignorance on KdB but I wouldn't be surprised if in a few years he attributes this to a long standing injury.

I've got arthritis in one hip from 35 years of footy, it developed rapidly after a bad injury 3 years ago. Everything else is OK now but when I do get to play (once a fortnight), my ball striking has completely gone. I can run, chest, mark, follow a man, header etc etc but long passes and clean shots? Nope, never come back. It's like my body is cock eyed and never healed the same, so the same striking action (in my head) is yielding a different result.

I know I'm clutching at straws, but I am baffled that Kev is struggling to shoot or make sometimes easy passes. His crossing is a bit fucked too.

Are you available for Saturday?

 

[thomas1307]

gene kelly stand

here you go

 

[thegoatsthegoat]

I was hoping the news of him leaving might have inspired a performance, even ran on adrenalin. It wasn't to be and he shouldn't be starting games now, he is a passenger and I don't like seeing it. The best we have had.

 

[super_city_si]

The puzzling thing is the likes of Pirlo could still pick a wonderful pass even when reduced to walking pace. KDB is/was at least as good as him. My take is he’s run into a patch of shit form, on top of the fitness and abeing issues, possibly aggravated by worries about his and his family’s future.

With a proper break and reset, plus judicious game management, he can probably do a decent but limited job for someone again. I think the club has made the right decision to let that happen in a new environment.

Agree mate, this is what baffles me. He was the purest striker of the ball. He made it do exactly what he wanted. Not being able to run the 100 in 13 seconds or be quick over 30 yards should remove that ability. Its a weird one.

 

[King Jay]

The puzzling thing is the likes of Pirlo could still pick a wonderful pass even when reduced to walking pace. KDB is/was at least as good as him. My take is he’s run into a patch of shit form, on top of the fitness and abeing issues, possibly aggravated by worries about his and his family’s future.

With a proper break and reset, plus judicious game management, he can probably do a decent but limited job for someone again. I think the club has made the right decision to let that happen in a new environment.

Difference is that Pirlo always played walking football while kdb did everything in motion. Yes, there is a difference