Kevin De Bruyne - 2016/17 performances

[Chrisdunk]

The new Nasri.

You know you are a fraud when Hazard shows more bite to a 50/50 than you.

Turns up when he feels like it. Passenger.

Do you reckon it's a mentality thing or he lacks the ability?

He goes missing far too frequently in big/away games for my liking. He also has a habit of only playing well when the rest of the team does when World Class players should probably be playing even better when everyone else is poor.

 

[RayCTID]

All top players have a shit season and then come back stronger in the following, De Bruyne isn't any different.

 

[purplenose]

He has been underwhelming this season, he should one of the players letting a few shots from outside the area go. More so when as like tonight when pinging it around and trying to walk the bastard in doesnt work.

 

[Sudkurvv]

Again wouldn't be surprised to see him get Gotzed under pep. Supremely talented player but he's not the type of player that will thrive in Peps possession heavy, space devoid style. He's a counter attacking number 10 adept at playing in transition, anticipation and long balls.

told u guise back in August.

 

[Dax777]

told u guise back in August.

Fantastic analysis.

 

[cucumberman]

The new Nasri.

You know you are a fraud when Hazard shows more bite to a 50/50 than you.

Turns up when he feels like it. Passenger.

I can't recall Nasri playing this bad. Today's KdB was very poor. Lost the ball a few times, couldn't pick a pass, couldn't beat his man. Even more strange considering how good he was before. Now we hardly hear the Oooo Kevin de Bruyne song at all. He is a passenger at the moment but I don't think it's from lack of trying this new deeper role. Call it confidence, concentration, clouded mind, I don't know what it is but he's been missing.

Hazard is to me this season's player of the year. Very industrious and unpredictable, pacey. Hardly the same player last season when he sulked and stopped caring he was not even half of what KdB was last season. Shows how much a new manager and new role can change a player.

 

[bluethai]

pace, strength, precision, concentration, are all gone. Need to sit for a few games to get hungry again imo, i.e. Aguero previously.

 

[Thaksinssoldier]

Do you reckon it's a mentality thing or he lacks the ability?

He goes missing far too frequently in big/away games for my liking. He also has a habit of only playing well when the rest of the team does when World Class players should probably be playing even better when everyone else is poor.

A little from column a, a little from column b by the look of it. On his day he's up there with the top 5 in the world, but those days are becoming less and less. He's still getting assists, but his overall performances have been terrible lately.

I can't recall Nasri playing this bad. Today's KdB was very poor. Lost the ball a few times, couldn't pick a pass, couldn't beat his man. Even more strange considering how good he was before. Now we hardly hear the Oooo Kevin de Bruyne song at all. He is a passenger at the moment but I don't think it's from lack of trying this new deeper role. Call it confidence, concentration, clouded mind, I don't know what it is but he's been missing.

Hazard is to me this season's player of the year. Very industrious and unpredictable, pacey. Hardly the same player last season when he sulked and stopped caring he was not even half of what KdB was last season. Shows how much a new manager and new role can change a player.

Nasri was just as bad tbh. We've basically traded like for like in terms of inconsistency.

People will jump on those criticising him and highlight a wonderful assist, but right now he's going missing for at least 50 minutes of every game. Last night he spend huge chunks of the game playing too advanced and taking himself out of the game, he made it very easy for Chelsea. He came deep for a bit and started to really get into the game, then crept right back up into covered areas. It's either him or Pep making that happen.

 

[Tom_mcfc]

Not been good for some time now

 

[The slaughtered lamb]

Kev's a difference maker. He should be competing with Sterling, Sane and Silva for any one of their positions. His speed of thought and execution in those positions, where risks can be taken, is a real asset. But his short passing is shite and as such he should be kept away from the deeper positions. I'm not sure that was ever the plan for him but was probably forced by the injury to Gundogan.

 

[blueinsa]

Useless in the deeper role and needs to play up top centrally behind the striker.

Pep has to decide what it is he wants from him.

 

[Blue Smarties]

Can't remember his last good game.

 

[Blueband Brother]

My stance or diagnosis of De Bruyne issue hasn't changed. He is obviously suffering mentally but I see his inconsistencies as a sort of subconscious protest of his new deeper role as he always seems to come to life when moved to the right or in more advanced positions. Guardiola will eventually find the way to get the best out of him but he also needs to become mentally consistent.

 

[kaz7]

Useless in the deeper role and needs to play up top centrally behind the striker.

Pep has to decide what it is he wants from him.

Beat me too it,play dav or yaya deep but not kev,no point people getting on his back when he is clearly in the wrong position

Quite what pep is doing to him,sergio and dinho i don't know

 

[Dr Jacoby]

Unless we are playing at home against a weak side, I am not convinced we can accommodate De Bruyne, Silva, Sterling and Sane in the same line-up. I believe Sterling and De Bruyne should be competing for the final spot. Sane and Silva offer more on a consistent basis.

 

[Walking on the blue moon]

Useless in the deeper role and needs to play up top centrally behind the striker.

Pep has to decide what it is he wants from him.

He didn't play deep last night. The performance was better than in the previous few games, but still a little bit disappointing. He's in a bad patch no matter where he plays, that's it. I think he's understandably knackered both mentally and physically given the injury to Gundogan, and it affects his game which relies hugely on his own movement. Worse still, Pep will not rest him unless he learns to trust players like Delph and Fernando.

Don't understand the comparisons of his mentality to the likes of Robinho though. On his day there is no doubt that he's a world-class player, and imo his determination, intelligence and hard work has more to do with what he has achieved than natural talent alone.

 

[hcblue95]

I think we should sell him because he will never fit into Peps team, he gives the ball away far to much to play deep and he is too slow and can't beat a man to play further forward. I don't doubt he is an unbelievable player, one of the best in the league but someone like Isco would be more suited to us and we could get a lot of money for Kev.

 

[kaz7]

I think we should sell him because he will never fit into Peps team, he gives the ball away far to much to play deep and he is too slow and can't beat a man to play further forward. I don't doubt he is an unbelievable player, one of the best in the league but someone like Isco would be more suited to us and we could get a lot of money for Kev.

Unbelievable,pep is the problem not him,he is not a deep lying playmaker

 

[Mr HJ]

Kevin is one of those players that looks unbelievable in a set system - a well oiled machine if you will. For me there is no doubt he has the best passing range in the squad and yes, sometimes it looks bad when he tries to play tough through balls and they don't come off. But there is the rub, I for one want a player who takes risks, 41 assists in three seasons is some feat and we surely must learn to accept odd dips in form. Better that than fill a team with workmanlike sideways passers who take easy options. For next season Pep needs to buy a replacement for Yaya, someone who can create space, give the opposition something to worry about and also be able to get back and tackle. Granted there are not many in that category but once Pep puts his type of players into our team you will see KDB return to being up there with the best. Last night showed that we have two main problems, fullbacks and a deep lying powerhouse midfielder - fix those and we will be back to winning the league - we are not that far off and Pep knows what he needs and he knows KDB has a big role to play. Gundogan, Koke(or similar) behind our front four would be pretty good.

 

[simon23]

I think Kdb needs to be dropped.

If Ilky was fit he wouldn't be getting in the team right now.

Long term KDB has an issue...does he fit into a pep team? Silva has proved many wrong in that he has shown he fits perfectly but KDB doesn't at present and with Sane and Sterling being better out wide there are just no spaces for him at present.

For me our best team at present is one with KDB not in it