He played as a forward in a counterattacking 442 most part of the game. This role suits him fine, but I'm not sure we'll see it again under Guardiola.How about that game against a genuinely smart pressing team in Barcelona?
Probably, but one can find numerous examples from other games when our mids were tightly marked. I've questioned KdB's suitability as No8 at the start of the season, and his performances hasn't convinced me since then. I think if we'll eventually get high-level player of Silva's or Gundogan's type with enough press-resistance ability, KdB will be moved further upfield, probably as RM/RCM. Couple him with a marauding fullback like Walker, and it will hide Kev's lack of speed and technique. Kev's right-footed crosses are imperious, and when our team loses the ball he can move centrally to press and prepare for counters.
Pep is already trying such formation (Southampton and Arsenal before Silva's injury) at the expense of benching Sterling. The reason why he couldn't do it earlier is, IMO, the absence of suitable RB before Navas' convertion and shortage of creative CMs after Gundogan's injury.
By 'lack of technique' I mean obvious lack of press-resistance and ability to operate in tight spaces. KdB doesn't have such qualities (and specific intelligence) to successfully play in the middle for JdP team, he can't safely execute short passing game under heavy pressure. But he's quite effective higher up the pitch having space, especially in 'transitional' situations. To put it simply, he's a deadly counterattacking weapon that needs to hide its deficiencies when the team builds up slowly.Er… am I reading the words in bold right? I must be suffering from incipient dyslexia. I'd be curious to know what you understand by “technique”. He's not slow, either, by the way, once he gets fully into his stride. David Silva has always been significantly slower.
Im curious as to why pep would play kdb deeper and silva more advanced when both their skill sets are better suited to being switched, especially when it was that way in the beginning of the season when we were doing so well and where kdb single handedly took united apart in that more advanced role.I think the free 8 roles are a bit of a fallacy. We have 2 CMs ahead of the DM, but their roles are always very different.
In the beginning of the season, Debryune was the "Free 8" playing closer to the striker and Silva was the one playing closer to the DM. But of late, Silva has played more like a 2nd Striker and Debryune the one closer to the DM.
Its less a function of formation, and more a function of tactics. The tactics of late pushed Silva closer to Aguero and Debryune more towards Yaya.
Frankly, the role Aguero played in the game he got injured, was the role Debryne was mostly playing early on in the season and what Silva had been playing the last few months.
This cannot be happenstance, Pep must have consciously made that choice.
Rather than "Free 8s" I see a clear distinction, there is the "Advanced 8" and the "Central 8".
Or what historically was your regular 8 and 10.
Im curious as to why pep would play kdb deeper and silva more advanced when both their skill sets are better suited to being switched, especially when it was that way in the beginning of the season when we were doing so well and where kdb single handedly took united apart in that more advanced role.
Great post. I think it also influences what we fans perceive as 'form'. Whoever plays in 10 looks better.I think the free 8 roles are a bit of a fallacy. We have 2 CMs ahead of the DM, but their roles are always very different.
In the beginning of the season, Debryune was the "Free 8" playing closer to the striker and Silva was the one playing closer to the DM. But of late, Silva has played more like a 2nd Striker and Debryune the one closer to the DM.
Its less a function of formation, and more a function of tactics. The tactics of late pushed Silva closer to Aguero and Debryune more towards Yaya.
Frankly, the role Aguero played in the game he got injured, was the role Debryne was mostly playing early on in the season and what Silva had been playing the last few months.
This cannot be happenstance, Pep must have consciously made that choice.
Rather than "Free 8s" I see a clear distinction, there is the "Advanced 8" and the "Central 8".
Or what historically was your regular 8 and 10.
Pep is wrong to play him there.yaya and dave it should beHe doesn't merit a place in our side when deployed in a deeper role.