Player Topic: Kevin De Bruyne (2015/16)

[Bluekiwi]

De Bruyne was very poor in that game. He scored an absolutely terrific, important goal. But his all round play for 89 minute was poor. But I'm sure you couldn't tell that from the Youtube clips.

I wasn't at the game (bit difficult living in NZ) but on the 2 minute video clip on the OS I saw Yaya play the ball out to Kev on the left, he beat a man and then put in a lovely cross into the box which somehow Yaya missed and it went through to Bony who shot straight at the goalie. Are you being a bit harsh on the lad because he wasn't as visible for the whole game as in previous games?

 

[Shaelumstash]

I wasn't at the game (bit difficult living in NZ) but on the 2 minute video clip on the OS I saw Yaya play the ball out to Kev on the left, he beat a man and then put in a lovely cross into the box which somehow Yaya missed and it went through to Bony who shot straight at the goalie. Are you being a bit harsh on the lad because he wasn't as visible for the whole game as in previous games?

I'm not sure if your post was meant as a joke, but if it wasn't, you couldn't have summed up my point any more clearly! :-)

 

[cleavers]

You did offer some games, but as soon as I saw Sevilla, I stopped taking you seriously. De Bruyne was very poor in that game. He scored an absolutely terrific, important goal. But his all round play for 89 minute was poor.

I didn't think he had his best game for us, and said so in the post match thread, but "his all round play for 89 minutes was poor" makes me wonder if you went to the game either, because its rubbish. A number of outlets praised him as our best player, though I'd disagree, as he was behind Navas, who had one of his best games for us, Mangala, who was solid for much of the game bar a couple of minutes around their goal, and probably Fernandhino, who was pulled from pillar to post filling in holes created by those who weren't playing well.

 

[Wonderboy Z]

Some thoughts on this.

First. It might be the case that his game vs Seville wasn't all that great. However. If you score the winning goal in the dying minutes, you are the fucking hero that decided the game and that's the end of that. Especially if that goal was that kind of goal (Even Pellegrini was in awe of that goal in his pre-derby press conference, to put it in that tight corner with two defenders and a goalkeeper in between to beat is the mark of a "different" player, as Pellers called him). So to downplay the kind of player he is because City didn't play all that well the rest of the game is irrelevant.

Second. Silva is a majestic player. As is De Bruyne. The main reason that people speak in terms of De Bruyne surpassing Silva in "greatness" is because of his output. How many times has Silva scored for City in the dying minutes in a hugely important game in his 5 years at City? And not just scored, but scored a great goal that not many other players would have scored? Right.

So, while I can totally understand that people find it disrespectful to Silva to already rate De Bruyne higher, it is also not totally absurd. I know people in England often like to think that the EPL is the only league in the world that matters, that is of course not the case. De Bruyne has been performing like this for a while (basically his whole career, bar some Mourinho idiocy that cost him half a season).

There are many ways to understand that De Bruyne is the 'best player ever' for City. Ofc he can't have made the biggest contribution to City any player has ever done, that's impossible since he's only played 7 games and they haven't won a trophy yet. But if Messi were to sign for City, even after one game, you could easily say he'd the best player that ever played for City. And with the second meaning, I think there's a case for De Bruyne. Not the most clear cut case of course, but definitely a case.

 

[LoveCity]

Half of Ronaldo's career games have involved him doing very little then assisting or scoring a goal. And he is considered one of the best players to ever live because of the incredible end product he brings. KDB is similar, he is not a 90 minute 'presence' like Silva who runs the game himself, but has an incredible impact so doesn't need to make 100 passes or anything like that. So you can't judge KDB by that criteria or else you're putting down some really good players.

I agree with Dax that no player in the post-takeover era has debuted with such an impact as KDB. It doesn't make him better than Silva or Aguero (time will tell), but the signs are good. If he maintains this level, he will continue to be (as he was last season in the BuLi) one of the most productive players on the planet and considered as one of the world's best. And IMO, he is the sort of player who can and it looks like already is helping us a lot in Europe where our revered spine has not been as effective as they have domestically in 4 attempts at going far in the competition. I think 2014-15 De Bruyne is better than Gareth Bale in the same timeframe and is the sort of player who will scare teams in Europe because he can come up with an end product at any moment.

 

[The slaughtered lamb]

Great post LC, especially re Kev/Ronaldo,Bale.

Only City fans could do this. Have 2 great players such as Silva and de Bruyne and turn it into a shit fight as to who is best.

Go on then, I'll join in. As good as Kev is at the moment, and he's fuckin brilliant, he's got a hell of a lot to do before he can be compared to Dave.

 

[sam663]

The only debate about the Ballon d'Or is who will finish third.


Kevin De Bruyne, Wolfsburg/Manchester City and Belgium

Of all the players on this list, De Bruyne has been the most consistent. He was the Bundesliga’s best player last season – no mean feat considering Bayern’s dominance – helping Wolfsburg to second place, and a German Cup victory too, when he scored the crucial second goal in a 3-1 win over Dortmund.

His assist figures have been absolutely staggering – he led the way in Europe’s major five leagues last season – and since moving to Manchester City, he’s recorded five goals and five assists in just eight matches. His efficiency is quite incredible, and he’s capable of producing at crucial moments too.

De Bruyne suffers, though, from not being as high-profile as others on this list. He was playing in the Europa League at the start of this calendar year, for example, and few will have watched him consistently with Belgium. He should be close to pipping Lewandowski for third place, but in reality will probably finish well down the voting.
http://www.freebets.org.uk/blog/ballon-dor-the-race-for-third-place

 

[Dax777]

I didn't think he had his best game for us, and said so in the post match thread, but "his all round play for 89 minutes was poor" makes me wonder if you went to the game either, because its rubbish. A number of outlets praised him as our best player, though I'd disagree, as he was behind Navas, who had one of his best games for us, Mangala, who was solid for much of the game bar a couple of minutes around their goal, and probably Fernandhino, who was pulled from pillar to post filling in holes created by those who weren't playing well.

I laughed when Sheal claimed he stopped taking me seriously when I claimed he played well against Sevilla. I guy wins us a game many felt we didn't deserve to, and then someone goes besides winning the game for us, he was shit. It's a laughable claim. This is not to mention he was pretty good during the game. 2nd best to Navas at that point, but overall seeing has he pretty much grabbed the neck of the game and won it, I'd say that puts him over the top.

This is how you know he was good. Ask yourself who did you want the ball to go too in Sevilla's half. Personally, I can't count how many times my heart sank a little when it didn't go to him or Navas. They were a cut above everyone else. I wanted it to be on Yaya or Mendi's foot in our half, and Debryune or Navas's in the attacking 3rd. And I wanted Dihno closing players down in their half. Whenever that was the case we were on the front foot.

Debryune was good before he went on and put the game to bed. The putting it to bed, when he did, and how he did is the first steps tads greatness.

And let's be clear, I never claimed he was better than Silva, it's the emotional Silva lovers ( of which I am one) who are reading this into my comment.

Again I repeat, I said he has had the best start to his City career, and if he continues on this trajectory, he'd be vying for Balon dor. Seriously how can that be confusing? 8 games 5 goals, 5 assist. Assuming he plays 50 games and continues at this pace that will put him at about 25 goals and 25 assists. I don't know about you guys, but if he puts up numbers, he'd walk the Prem player of the season, and probably nick the Balon dor to boot.

Shael's claims that I think he is already better than Silva is just in his head. He read what he wanted to read.

 

[pudge]

De Bruyne was one of the very few players actually pressing in the Sevilla game. The prime example being how he wins the ball back to start the attack for the equalizer. He didn't stop running from what I saw.

Also, off the top of my head he sent two good crosses in one of which Bony and Yaya ought to have done better and the other in the second half when nobody gambled and got in the 6 yard box; Sergio would have been licking his chops.

Then of course he scored the winner. He was very, very far from being "very poor".

 

[rnblade]

Balon D'or will never come to a City player. The bias/corrupt cunts in Europe would never allow it.