De Bruyne?

[MasterOfKnees]

De Bruyne did start his career on the left side, he's only in the middle for Wolfsburg because he's the center of all their creative play, they'd be too imbalanced in attack if he was placed out wide.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Nasri isn't going anywhere for sure. Really Fernando is the odd man out in my mind.

If you take our team at the start of last season and add and subtract:
Sterling replaces Milner
Debruyne replaces Jovetic
Bony (mid season purchase) Replaces Dzeko
Pogba replaces Lampard
Delph replaces ?

I think Fernando is the answ

Delph replaces fresh air, as we have a space in the hg list.

Not sure. Fernando is the only def mid we have who is likely to win a few headers & truly plays as a defender. If we sign DeBruyne, I don't see where Navas fits in, especially with so many pacy, skillful, attacking kids knocking around the squad.

 

[leighton]

Do you think we need 1 more mate?

I think right now with the players we added and if we get De Brunye I would be happy with what we got and think we would be battling it out for the title this season. IF we get Pogba then 1 will go and I be thinking it be Fernadhino than Fernando. I think with at least 2 of Delph and the Ferns we will be a lot more stable defensively both in Europe and in the league. With the wide men we have to call on in Sterling and KDB if he signs I be just letting them attack and support Kun. Just behind him for me would be Silva with Yaya being the odd 1 out and either he plays in the holding 2 or becomes a impact sub for me. I aint a coach but with the business done so far I am happy be delighted if we get KDB too but so far so good.

 

[RichardDunneOwnGoal]

Can't see him behind the striker mate. Doesn't have the ball retention of Silva and his left foot is something that he actively tries to avoid. If we're playing with a man behind the striker and then two lads cutting in then obviously it is extremely beneficial to be comfortable with both feet.

He doesn't run into blind alleys like Navas and sees the game better than him (and just to be clear, this is literally from watching some of those "every touch" videos on YT so others will know better), but he needs a bit of work. Quite a few times I was surprised by his first touch aswell, not so much from normal play but when controlling high balls coming into him.

He looks a very good counter attacking style winger who could probably decimate full backs every now and again but he's not a behind the striker type for me

One thing I'd just like to add to this as well, is I watched De Bruyne closely for Belgium against Wales, and he did struggle to create much in congested spaces.

Once Wales took the lead and sat back, he struggled to find that killer pass. He certainly doesn't quite have the subtlety that David does to his game (then again, who does?).

Much more of a direct wide player who thrives on running into space and moving the ball quickly and intelligently, than a trequartista type like David.

It's certainly something he could go on to improve on. But at present his greatest strengths are his delivery from wide areas and awareness of when and where to release the ball. Has a good strike on him too.

 

[Clevers]

Isco had his chance.

Totally agree. Had a chance blew it.

 

[Dax777]

I'm with Damo on this. He hasn't really wow'd me based on what I've consumed online from various clips. Feel like I'm missing something. He's a good player, clearly, but I don't get the mental delirium over him based on what I've seen. Someone tell me what I'm missing? Few nice long balls. Couple of great strikes and some decent driving runs is all I've seen so far. Some good crosses too. But nothing exceptional. Correct me if I'm wrong! Just expected more!

There are some players who video clips don't do justice to: Mueller, Reus Vidal and Debruyne to name a few. There technique (excluding Mueller who's technique is fabulous) are just okay, they don't fancy dribble, or run at defenders like Hazzard or Sterling, but they are efficient in movement, speed of decision making and aggressiveness. These qualities are not easy to document in highlight clips: but Debruyne like Reus and Mueller has this in spades. Watch the clips of his passing, he doesn't have Silva's exquisite touch,but he gets the ball to the next guy quickly and moves dangerously. I have always argued no one in the league moves off the ball like Nasri in an attacking position, by this kid will give Nasri' movement a run for its money and he is more aggressive.

 

[KDBsmum]

There are some players who video clips don't do justice to: Mueller, Reus Vidal and Debruyne to name a few. There technique (excluding Mueller who's technique is fabulous) are just okay, they don't fancy dribble, or run at defenders like Hazzard or Sterling, but they are efficient in movement, speed of decision making and aggressiveness. These qualities are not easy to document in highlight clips: but Debruyne like Reus and Mueller has this in spades. Watch the clips of his passing, he doesn't have Silva's exquisite touch,but he gets the ball to the next guy quickly and moves dangerously. I have always argued no one in the league moves off the ball like Nasri in an attacking position, by this kid will give Nasri' movement a run for its money and he is more aggressive.

Exactly. De Bruyne's quality comes from his directness, runs at defenders, doesn't hesitate, goes for the decisive pass/shot. He's not a player that dribbles 2 or 3 players and then passes the ball backwards without any threat (like Hazard can do from time to time)

 

[Dax777]

disagree. This year pellers is clearly planning on playing 3 in the middle rather than the doomed 4-4-2. If anything we are 1 man short. Fernando will have a part to play and I think he will do just fine.

Yes, but remember we already have Delph and Dihno for that. By the way my position assumes the signing of both Debruyne and Pogba. Which leaves us with 5 guys for 2 positions. Hence Fernando out. Unless you presume Dihno is the one who will lose out. Which is possible. I've seen Pelegrini leave out Dihno in favor of Nando before, sobit wouldn't surprise me. But on talent, Fernando is the odd man out.

 

[nellyonthewing]

This Thread started 449 pages ago in Decemeber 2014 when we were lining up a £20 million move ..So what now makes him a £40 million player.?

 

[Neville Kneville]

Can't see him behind the striker mate. Doesn't have the ball retention of Silva and his left foot is something that he actively tries to avoid. If we're playing with a man behind the striker and then two lads cutting in then obviously it is extremely beneficial to be comfortable with both feet.

He doesn't run into blind alleys like Navas and sees the game better than him (and just to be clear, this is literally from watching some of those "every touch" videos on YT so others will know better), but he needs a bit of work. Quite a few times I was surprised by his first touch aswell, not so much from normal play but when controlling high balls coming into him.

He looks a very good counter attacking style winger who could probably decimate full backs every now and again but he's not a behind the striker type for me

He is great on his weaker foot. He isn't about ball retention full stop & will certainly not be upto our standard re that unless he changes his style, thus I was not in favour of this originally, at all, but I thought about it & look at what we lack badly in this team, which the rags, Chelsea, even Spurs have consistently done better than us: delivery of the ball.

You can see him in all 3 areas here. Then look how Cilty lined up v Roma & imagine some of these passes feeding Aguero, Sterling or Bony, or Silva feeding DeBruyne. It's frightening.