De Bruyne injury - Back in Training (p89)

[FantasyIreland]

There is a trend amongst City fans to assume that a deep lying midfielder has to be a hard tackling De Jong like player or a player with an engine like Fern or Milner but it could be a technical player like De Bruyne. Guardiola played in that position. Players like Alonso and Javi Martinez played a deep midfield role for Bayern so I could see De Bruyne playing there.

I prefer him using his running power and passing in danger areas but when you have players like B.Silva, David Silva etc in advanced positions, it might make sense to use him in a deeper role.

Spot on Marv.

 

[FlemishDuck]

I think this misses the point of the original post which was how to get KDB and the two Silvas into the same lineup.

Ah ok, well yeah my error i must admit.

The only way to do that without disrupting our front 3 is to play KDB as the only DM player

I guess there are still "theoretical options", like a 3-4-3 (i know, theoretical) as obviously one would need to take a defender away to have Fern and the 6 attacking players you mentioned on the pitch. Theoreticly you might be able to play all those players with 3 at the back and wingback positions taken by Bernardo and KDB but yeah that would seem a waste. Though admittingly if you play against a team that doesn't create much trough the flanks then it actually might work rather well.

Not nessecary though. As it is we have 5 relative defensive profiles and 5 relative attacking profiles, i wouldn't take a defender away to put an attacker on defend duty safe for perhaps when we play really weak teams that do nothing but park the bus.

Players like Alonso and Javi Martinez played a deep midfield role for Bayern so I could see De Bruyne playing there.

Were these players about at the same "relative mediocre" level of defending of KDB and withought support of a dedicated Ball winning midfielder?

My impression with Deep lying playmakers is that more often they tend to be either playmakers that are rather skilled at defense allowing to simply orchestrate play from the back or they are of a more attacking kind at which point they are typically supported by a ball winning midfielder.

A midfield 3 of 2 Silva's and KDB seems relative soft on the defensive side imho, if you get my gist.

 

[Shaelumstash]

There is a trend amongst City fans to assume that a deep lying midfielder has to be a hard tackling De Jong like player or a player with an engine like Fern or Milner but it could be a technical player like De Bruyne. Guardiola played in that position. Players like Alonso and Javi Martinez played a deep midfield role for Bayern so I could see De Bruyne playing there.

I prefer him using his running power and passing in danger areas but when you have players like B.Silva, David Silva etc in advanced positions, it might make sense to use him in a deeper role.

Spot on.

Pirlo and Scholes couldn't defend for shit, they didn't do too badly in that position later on in their careers.

DeBruyne's vision and delivery of an early pass is so good, he could be devastating in that role. He's dropped back there late on in games for us and looked excellent.

And before people say he looked stunted there for Belgium, he needs runners. Sterling and Sané racing down the wing looking to be put in early, is a rather different prospect to Nacer Chadli playing wing back.

 

[supercity88]

There is a trend amongst City fans to assume that a deep lying midfielder has to be a hard tackling De Jong like player or a player with an engine like Fern or Milner but it could be a technical player like De Bruyne. Guardiola played in that position. Players like Alonso and Javi Martinez played a deep midfield role for Bayern so I could see De Bruyne playing there.

I prefer him using his running power and passing in danger areas but when you have players like B.Silva, David Silva etc in advanced positions, it might make sense to use him in a deeper role.

Great post. He is the best long range passer we have and has the most pace of any other midfield players in central areas. Fernandinho reads the game so well but De Bruyne has the ability to do that defensively. In home games where we dominate he could easily be in the pivot allowing Bernardo and Silva to find space and keep the wingers out wide and running into the box late. I think it would work really well as he would have the pace to cover any counter even if he didn't read the situation right at the time. His shooting ability from long range would make him a real threat too. A chance to rest Ferny without losing too much defensive cover.

 

[FlemishDuck]

Do note that i also agree that KDB can be great from the DM position as a roaming playmaker and i don't feel that the DM position must be held by a ball winning midfielder per se, however my argument was that there must remain a ball winning midfielder somewhere in the midfield if KDB is going to start from the DM position with the freedom to roam and move forward. Someone must plug that hole when attackers are on the attack and preferably not someone who's quality's is primarily on the attacking half.

Marvin might be right although i'm not sure to who he adresses himself too but i do wonder wether he would accept the requirement for having atleast 1 ball wining midfielder of a more defensive profile. I will take it as obvious that even a ball winning midfielder must be technicly gifted enough to fit the passing style of our team and that we always have the money to get just that if needed. I also would argue that we need to have a player of a similar profile to Fernandinho to rotate with him and as an option for Fern's eventual retirement. I wouldn't play a midfield 3 of KDB and 2 Silva's in our current setup.

 

[OntarioBlue]

We cant drop Bernardo on Kevs return so do we employ him slightly deeper and as a replacement for Dinho?

Walker---Laporte---Stones---Delph
--------------KDB--------------
--------Silva-------Silva-------
----Sterling--Aguero--Sane-----

I was thinking as I was watching the game on Sunday how comfortable Bernie looked playing alongside Ferna in a slightly deeper role. He is such an enormous talent he could play anywhere. I wonder how he would fare as the deep man in the middle of a three with KDB and Merlin either side. Ferna is going to need some rest eventually. I think this could work.

 

[balotelli's back pocket]

How about this

Ederson
Walker Stones Laporte Mendy
Silva
Bernardo KDB
Sterling Aguero Sane

Could Silva play deeper with Kevin and Bernardo helping him out?

 

[Rolee]

Something I think worth noting in this debate is Fernandinho's aerial ability, I don't think any of the options suggested come anywhere close to him in this regard and it's an important factor as the hoofballers will target that area for their knock down headers.

DeBruyne needs to be utilised in his best position, not at pivot where he'll be playing with one hand tied behind his back.

 

[citymad]

There is a trend amongst City fans to assume that a deep lying midfielder has to be a hard tackling De Jong like player or a player with an engine like Fern or Milner but it could be a technical player like De Bruyne. Guardiola played in that position. Players like Alonso and Javi Martinez played a deep midfield role for Bayern so I could see De Bruyne playing there.

I prefer him using his running power and passing in danger areas but when you have players like B.Silva, David Silva etc in advanced positions, it might make sense to use him in a deeper role.

Great post. I just wouldn't want him too deep that he doesn't get a chance to use his shooting boots.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Fern will be fine until January, will give us everything he's got.

That way, the set-up can be to rest Dave, and complete the midfield with Bernardo and Kev.

Personally, when he's got a bit more meat on him, I think Foden could do an amazing job there.

I decided to watch a bit more of this lad Ndombele. He's perfect for us in many ways.