Kevin De Bruyne - 2016/17 performances

[Scaring Europe to Death]

Perhaps tries too hard to find a killer pass, occasionally leaving his team mates wrong footed. Great set piece delivery.

 

[ono]

Thought he had a mixed game again. His set piece delivery was unreal. Impossible to defend against. I thought he was pretty quiet but he is spending more of the game deeper. Felt he got better as the game wore on because more space opened up. Think he might be more effective outwide in this system personally.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

Thought he had a mixed game again. His set piece delivery was unreal. Impossible to defend against. I thought he was pretty quiet but he is spending more of the game deeper. Felt he got better as the game wore on because more space opened up. Think he might be more effective outwide in this system personally.

I've said this for a while now. He's not so much an orchestrator as he is an improviser. The differences between him and Silva could possibly lead to a promising partnership in the middle but, at the moment at least, he's far more effective at forcing defenders into action than he is at dictating the flow of the game. In my opinion, he'll get far more opportunities to make an impact from the wing.

 

[cleavers]

I've said this for a while now. He's not so much an orchestrator as he is an improviser. The differences between him and Silva could possibly lead to a promising partnership in the middle but, at the moment at least, he's far more effective at forcing defenders into action than he is at dictating the flow of the game. In my opinion, he'll get far more opportunities to make an impact from the wing.

I think that as they get used to playing Pep's way, they will all become more fluid, and interchange positions more. Pep likes fixed positions in a game, but that doesn't mean that from game to game they won't move about. So far I think he's been our least effective forward player, and still doesn't seem to know his role fully, but it will come because he's too bright a player for it not to. Nasri's involvement is an added complication I didn't expect, and his introduction yesterday gave us back control.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

I think that as they get used to playing Pep's way, they will all become more fluid, and interchange positions more. Pep likes fixed positions in a game, but that doesn't mean that from game to game they won't move about. So far I think he's been our least effective forward player, and still doesn't seem to know his role fully, but it will come because he's too bright a player for it not to. Nasri's involvement is an added complication I didn't expect, and his introduction yesterday gave us back control.

Never had any doubt about Nasri's ability to fit in our new system. What I found surprising was that he was pushed up in positions I'd like to see De Bruyne in. When Aguero went off Samir seemed to be given a free role up front and was causing them all sorts of problems.

Out of the two, I'd say that Kevin is by far the more direct player and I think it would be really interesting to bring Nasri back to play alongside Silva and push Kevin into a role anywhere along that front three. I suppose the issue there is that Samir's less likely to be able to sustain a high press and Kevin doesn't typically put in as much of a shift on the wing as Sterling or Nolito.

Oh what problems we have nowadays!

 

[ono]

I've said this for a while now. He's not so much an orchestrator as he is an improviser. The differences between him and Silva could possibly lead to a promising partnership in the middle but, at the moment at least, he's far more effective at forcing defenders into action than he is at dictating the flow of the game. In my opinion, he'll get far more opportunities to make an impact from the wing.

Yes I agree. I think Nasri is more suited to playing the position of De Bruyne's current role. I actually think a Gundogan, Silva and Nasri 3 could operate in a similar way to Busquets, Iniesta and Xavi. Maybe not as good but in terms of technical ability and style similarity, I think it's close enough to be brilliantly effective. De Bruyne is an incisive player who effects games with one pass, not the type of player to control games with 61 passes.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Yes I agree. I think Nasri is more suited to playing the position of De Bruyne's current role. I actually think a Gundogan, Silva and Nasri 3 could operate in a similar way to Busquets, Iniesta and Xavi. Maybe not as good but in terms of technical ability and style similarity, I think it's close enough to be brilliantly effective. De Bruyne is an incisive player who effects games with one pass, not the type of player to control games with 61 passes.

DeBruyne is brilliant wherever he plays & was on Sunday.

Not everything he tries will come off. If he had scored the chance he missed & his free kick had gone in, then he would have been overwhelmingly the man of the match & all the other good stuff he did, highlighted. Because those didn't go in, people are looking at the bits that went wrong, rather than all the stuff which went right.

 

[greasedupdeafguy]

Yes I agree. I think Nasri is more suited to playing the position of De Bruyne's current role. I actually think a Gundogan, Silva and Nasri 3 could operate in a similar way to Busquets, Iniesta and Xavi. Maybe not as good but in terms of technical ability and style similarity, I think it's close enough to be brilliantly effective. De Bruyne is an incisive player who effects games with one pass, not the type of player to control games with 61 passes.

yeah it would be interesting to see how Nasri would fare in the position kdb has played so far this season. Feel Nasri has been slightly wasted playing outwide since he joined five years ago.

 

[Armaan]

Doesn't have the dribbling not the close control to play in that silva role. His final ball at times is world class and he gets at least one of those in every game.

 

[Armaan]

yeah it would be interesting to see how Nasri would fare in the position kdb has played so far this season. Feel Nasri has been slightly wasted playing outwide since he joined five years ago.

Only silva is on Nasris level intelligence wise, them two are on another level.

 

[ono]

DeBruyne is brilliant wherever he plays & was on Sunday.

Not everything he tries will come off. If he had scored the chance he missed & his free kick had gone in, then he would have been overwhelmingly the man of the match & all the other good stuff he did, highlighted. Because those didn't go in, people are looking at the bits that went wrong, rather than all the stuff which went right.

I agree it's amazing how a goal changes people's perception of a performance. But I still feel we get more from him when he is further forward. I think Nasri is more suited in a deeper role purely because I think he retains the ball better is better at creating angles

 

[Tugay One Cup]

DeBruyne is brilliant wherever he plays & was on Sunday.

Not everything he tries will come off. If he had scored the chance he missed & his free kick had gone in, then he would have been overwhelmingly the man of the match & all the other good stuff he did, highlighted. Because those didn't go in, people are looking at the bits that went wrong, rather than all the stuff which went right.

Not at all, he didn't influence the game anywhere near as effectively as Silva yesterday. People aren't necessarily looking at the bits he did wrong, it's just that the bits he got right were fewer than the bloke playing next to him who looked far more natural in the role.

He definitely can play in the middle and there's no shame in being overshadowed by anyone, it doesn't mean you've played badly. But ultimately, I agree with Ono:

De Bruyne is an incisive player who effects games with one pass, not the type of player to control games with 61 passes.

That doesn't mean he had a bad game, it means that he might possibly have a better one in a role with different responsibilities.

 

[ono]

Never had any doubt about Nasri's ability to fit in our new system. What I found surprising was that he was pushed up in positions I'd like to see De Bruyne in. When Aguero went off Samir seemed to be given a free role up front and was causing them all sorts of problems.

Out of the two, I'd say that Kevin is by far the more direct player and I think it would be really interesting to bring Nasri back to play alongside Silva and push Kevin into a role anywhere along that front three. I suppose the issue there is that Samir's less likely to be able to sustain a high press and Kevin doesn't typically put in as much of a shift on the wing as Sterling or Nolito.

Oh what problems we have nowadays!

I also think we will see a difference in Nasri's work rate and desire once he knows a manager like Pep trusts him. I think he downs tools when it's clear he's an after thought, but I think Pep can get that extra bit of intensity from him.

 

[Marvin]

Will have to step his game up with Gundogan and Sane getting close to debuts. Good at set-pieces but not influencing the game enough. This was the exact same problem we had last season when Silva was in the side, and the same issue Belgium had with him and Hazard. He's effective but operating at 70% at moment. may in part be down to lack of fitness

 

[teddykgb]

While KDB's work rate is not necessarily perfect he's a manager's type of player in that he follows instructions. De Bruyne worked back a lot more yesterday than people recognize and was playing the actual role of CM quite responsibly. It's fine to want Nasri in that role but it'll take a lot more than a 10 minute cameo with no defensive responsibility for me to trust him as an actual #8.

 

[ono]

Not at all, he didn't influence the game anywhere near as effectively as Silva yesterday. People aren't necessarily looking at the bits he did wrong, it's just that the bits he got right were fewer than the bloke playing next to him who looked far more natural in the role.

He definitely can play in the middle and there's no shame in being overshadowed by anyone, it doesn't mean you've played badly. But ultimately, I agree with Ono:


That doesn't mean he had a bad game, it means that he might possibly have a better one in a role with different responsibilities.

I never said he had a bad game. I said he had a mixed one where he had brilliant moments, went a little bit quiet (as did the team) and then finished strongly.

 

[Neville Kneville]

yeah it would be interesting to see how Nasri would fare in the position kdb has played so far this season. Feel Nasri has been slightly wasted playing outwide since he joined five years ago.

Nasri has suffered because of Silva imo. He has always been 2nd fiddle.

When Silva has been out & Nasri become the focal point he has sometimes become our best player imo. Then Silva comes back & Nasri is back on the wing or something & Silva plays a couple of blinders, everyone forgets Nasri & he becomes a 2nd fiddle, so so, bogus wide man.

 

[Harvster]

Bit in and out at the moment, but even then still a magical player. His free kicks are phenomenal in terms of pace and accuracy. When he truly kicks-in will be unplayable

 

[Neville Kneville]

Not at all, he didn't influence the game anywhere near as effectively as Silva yesterday. People aren't necessarily looking at the bits he did wrong, it's just that the bits he got right were fewer than the bloke playing next to him who looked far more natural in the role.

He definitely can play in the middle and there's no shame in being overshadowed by anyone, it doesn't mean you've played badly. But ultimately, I agree with Ono:


That doesn't mean he had a bad game, it means that he might possibly have a better one in a role with different responsibilities.

He did actually influence the game as much as Silva but not as obviously.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

I never said he had a bad game. I said he had a mixed one where he had brilliant moments, went a little bit quiet (as did the team) and then finished strongly.

No I didn't mean you said he had a bad game, I haven't seen anyone say that to be honest. What I meant is that when people like you and I say he might possibly be suited to another position, that is not necessarily a complaint about his performance in his current one.