Kevin De Bruyne 2016/17

[adr2.8i]

ive got to honest here ive only watched Belgium 3 times recently, the 2 games v Wales and last night, and to be honest, they flatter to deceive dont they. On paper they have a wonderful squad but on the pitch, from what ive seen, they just dont seem to gel 100%? whether its down to team selection and tactics or a lack of belief i dont know, im not an expert.

they seem very similar to the Spain sides in the 80's and 90's, full of wonderful players but probably wont win any major tournaments.

 

[BlueAnorak]

I'm really surprised by your post, mate. We all want City players to do well at the Euro's, and I'm sure DeBruyne will be back to his best and having great games again soon.

But I can't for the life of me figure out how you could have watched that game and thought he played well? The commentator, Martin Keown, Richard Dunne, and some of his biggest fans on here, all thought he had a stinker tonight.

Unless you think all of those people are " so completely removed from reality it's untrue"?

He put in a great cross for Origi and played a decent first time ball for Lukaku, but did little else over the 90 minutes. He gave the ball away cheaply and was completely anonymous for long periods. He's capable of so much more.

I'll agree he's capable of so much more, but really, he had a reasonable game and Belgium should have scored at least twice from his promptings and with a bit if luck 4 or 5 times. To criticise him for not being superman every game stuns me to be honnest.

 

[Phil1]

He needs people running into space, and no one seemed to be doing that yesterday., I thought.

He looked sluggish to me in the first half, like he wasn't quite with the pace of the game. That said the ball spent more time over by Hazards side than it did Kevs. The movement in general by Belguim wasn't sharp enough, the game became too narrow and there were no gaps opening for Belguim to exploit. I thought they were poor overall and bar Kevs couple of assists (or what should have been) they looked short of ideas in the final third.
Hopefully Kev will grow into the competition and a goal or assist in their next game will set him on his way to showing the world what he's capable of.

 

[Marvin]

He looked sluggish to me in the first half, like he wasn't quite with the pace of the game. That said the ball spent more time over by Hazards side than it did Kevs. The movement in general by Belguim wasn't sharp enough, the game became too narrow and there were no gaps opening for Belguim to exploit. I thought they were poor overall and bar Kevs couple of assists (or what should have been) they looked short of ideas in the final third.
Hopefully Kev will grow into the competition and a goal or assist in their next game will set him on his way to showing the world what he's capable of.

I thought so too. You could see almost straight away he was off the pace of the game. He's clearly Belgium's most dangerous forward player, because even playing so poorly, his few moments of quality should have led to goals. Lukaku and Origi were very poor too.

He needs to address the inability to impose himself on the game. Eas it down to him, or because hazard was at the centre of the team, and KDB on the periphery?

 

[cleavers]

The fact that fellaini played in his position for most of the first hour didn't help him. He wasn't great, but he was probably still Belgium's best player, and they certainly should have scored at least one of the chances he created.

Typical of City fans these days, everything is either brilliant or shit, and there doesn't appear to be anything in between.

 

[Marvin]

The fact that fellaini played in his position for most of the first hour didn't help him. He wasn't great, but he was probably still Belgium's best player, and they certainly should have scored at least one of the chances he created.

Typical of City fans these days, everything is either brilliant or shit, and there doesn't appear to be anything in between.

If you read back, you'll find plenty of blues saying exactly the same thing as you about KDB's performance.

There's plenty of interesting things about KDB's performance. I think we maybe saw a reason there why Chelsea let him go....he doesn't do well when a player like Hazard hangs on to the ball and runs around in circles slowing the attack down. Hazard has fantastic dribbling ability. Probably the best in world football, but despite being on form last night, and getting the ball repeatedly he did less than an off-form KDB who was often on the periphery.

We still have to sort out KDB's role within the team. I think Belgium would be better off playing Hazard as a 2nd striker, and moving KDB more central.

As for City, can we have two playmakers in Silva and KDB? They didn't click.

 

[Phil1]

The fact that fellaini played in his position for most of the first hour didn't help him. He wasn't great, but he was probably still Belgium's best player, and they certainly should have scored at least one of the chances he created.

Typical of City fans these days, everything is either brilliant or shit, and there doesn't appear to be anything in between.

The very fine lines of football at the highest level right there mate. Had somebody been able to finish the chances he created and Belguim gone onto win then I imagine he'd have been a contender for MoTM.

 

[Marvin]

ive got to honest here ive only watched Belgium 3 times recently, the 2 games v Wales and last night, and to be honest, they flatter to deceive dont they. On paper they have a wonderful squad but on the pitch, from what ive seen, they just dont seem to gel 100%? whether its down to team selection and tactics or a lack of belief i dont know, im not an expert.

they seem very similar to the Spain sides in the 80's and 90's, full of wonderful players but probably wont win any major tournaments.

Lukaku is a funny player. He can be absolute garbage some days, and other days unplayable. Maybe when he comes up against physically strong opponents, he struggles. The sub Origi was no better.

I wonder how they will react to this defeat.

Italy looked very good. Best performance to date

 

[cleavers]

As for City, can we have two playmakers in Silva and KDB? They didn't click.

With Pep ? Yes I would imagine we can.

 

[Marvin]

With Pep ? Yes I would imagine we can.

KDB is best in a free role. Pigeon-holed onto the right wing, occasionally flipping wings he looked lost and not part of the game. He wasn't central to the game in the way hazard was and yet his good moments amounted to all the good moment of Belgium. The conclusion is put KDB central and play Hazard in a different role.

But don't we get a similar effect when Silva and KDB played together. Silva typically plays the No.10 role for us, collecting the ball, twisting and turning one-twos etc until he can find a way to play a forward pass. KDB is direct. Not sure they are compatible.

If Pep plays Aguero as part of 3 wide strikers, then where do Silva and KDB feature?