Player Topic: Kevin De Bruyne (2015/16)

[Shaelumstash]

If he keeps racking up the goals and assist can anyone claim he's playing poorly though? That's like a striker banging in 30 goals a season but his all round play being poor... does it really matter? I get what you mean. There's room for improvement but it's largely down to gelling with the squad. I don't think Bony is quite on his wavelength as Sterling and Aguero seemed to be. What he will add to the side is that cutting edge and confidence to take on a shot from distance that we've often lacked. He's only young and has room to improve but as long as he keeps scoring and creating chances no one can complain too much - he's just joined the club and his stats are already incredible. He needs a rest tomorrow in my opinion.

I totally understand where you are coming from mate. Your point reminds me of what me and my pals used to say about Shaun Goater - it's like playing with 10 men but with a one goal head start.

Personally I think it's slightly different with a centre forward than a midfield player. You can afford to carry a poor centre forward if he is banging in the goals. A midfield player knits the team together though, keeps possession, sets the pattern of play. There's been two or three times already where De Bruyne giving the ball away has led directly to us conceding a goal for example. You don't have the same risk with a forward player.

Again, I want to stress, I rate De Bruyne, I'm very happy he's at City. But again, talk of him being City's best ever player after 8 games is quite frankly absurd.

 

[BillyShears]

He was not as influential Sunday as he has been. And saying things like " I think the goals and assists cloud judgement" sort of misses the point that the entire point of the sport is to score and assist goals.

I think crack cocaine clouds judgement. Goals and assists bring joy to the world. Especially when they're City goals and assists.

Another funny one from earlier was "he's a MOTD player". Yep. Nailed it. He's a player who scores goals and is always involved in decisive moments in a match. Again, this is something which apparently isn't good.

 

[supercity88]

I totally understand where you are coming from mate. Your point reminds me of what me and my pals used to say about Shaun Goater - it's like playing with 10 men but with a one goal head start.

Personally I think it's slightly different with a centre forward than a midfield player. You can afford to carry a poor centre forward if he is banging in the goals. A midfield player knits the team together though, keeps possession, sets the pattern of play. There's been two or three times already where De Bruyne giving the ball away has led directly to us conceding a goal for example. You don't have the same risk with a forward player.

Again, I want to stress, I rate De Bruyne, I'm very happy he's at City. But again, talk of him being City's best ever player after 8 games is quite frankly absurd.

He shouldn't be being talked about as one of our best yet, but it's typical fan reaction to a good start. Fernando and Mangala criticised to the point where they're regarded as players of non-league ability, De Bruyne hyped up as a genuine World Player of the Year contender in the future.

He's a way to go before he's that good and we still need him to adapt to our style of play before he will truly meet his potential. He's not our best option as a no.10 and arguably goes for the jugular too often and will have to learn when to keep hold of the ball and when to play more directly but also make sure he doesn't lose his natural game by doing so.

If he's to excel in the wide role he'll have to also adapt his game. Like you say, the way he plays on the front foot, and most of our team does means one poor pass to lose possession and the whole team is out of position. Navas against Barca is an example - he decided to take Barca on, was tackled (possibly a free kick!) and then we were carved open because the defence and midfield had all stepped up in anticipation.

It's something Sterling will also need to develop, and again we want to make sure that they don't let one poor pass affect them to the extent they decide to play it safe too often.

Looking longer term I see him as filling that no.10 role more than being a winger and playing with Silva will only improve his awareness of the role. I'm excited to see how both Sterling and De Bruyne grow in our side as the talent and ability is there for all to see.

 

[Shaelumstash]

He shouldn't be being talked about as one of our best yet, but it's typical fan reaction to a good start. Fernando and Mangala criticised to the point where they're regarded as players of non-league ability, De Bruyne hyped up as a genuine World Player of the Year contender in the future.

He's a way to go before he's that good and we still need him to adapt to our style of play before he will truly meet his potential. He's not our best option as a no.10 and arguably goes for the jugular too often and will have to learn when to keep hold of the ball and when to play more directly but also make sure he doesn't lose his natural game by doing so.

If he's to excel in the wide role he'll have to also adapt his game. Like you say, the way he plays on the front foot, and most of our team does means one poor pass to lose possession and the whole team is out of position. Navas against Barca is an example - he decided to take Barca on, was tackled (possibly a free kick!) and then we were carved open because the defence and midfield had all stepped up in anticipation.

It's something Sterling will also need to develop, and again we want to make sure that they don't let one poor pass affect them to the extent they decide to play it safe too often.

Looking longer term I see him as filling that no.10 role more than being a winger and playing with Silva will only improve his awareness of the role. I'm excited to see how both Sterling and De Bruyne grow in our side as the talent and ability is there for all to see.

Great post mate, and I agree almost entirely with what you say.

I agree that he's not fitted in to the number 10 role for us so far. He's too direct, looking to get in behind the opposition with his first touch. Sometimes it takes 3 or 4 passes to break a team down, and De Bruyne always seems to want to do it in one.

Silva is the master of knowing when to play a penetrating pass and when to play a more simple one. A master of getting in to dangerous positions off the ball, and finding players in space. It's this work off the ball that truly sets him apart, and you can only really appreciate that from being at the game. You can't get that appreciation of the game while watching from a stream in Antwerp or from a bar in Paris or wherever.

De Bruyne's best stuff for us so far has been when he's played on the left, the second half against Newcastle in particular, he was absolutely brilliant. Perhaps he will eventually play number 10 for us, but the first half against Newcastle was evidence enough for me that he should never play there while Silva is still at the club.

He's shown great promise, and he will be involved in some crucial, decisive moments this season, I've got no doubt about that. He'll have games where he is unplayable and teams won't be able to live with him.

But his all round game, his retaining possession, when to take risks, when to speed up play, when to slow it down,when to tuck in and cover for a team mate, when to exploit space, it all has room for improvement, and I'm sure it will improve. It's the stream watchers, the FIFA players, the children, that think football is only about assists and goals. There's a lot more to football than that.

 

[Pablo ZZZ Peroni]

"But his all round game, his retaining possession, when to take risks, when to speed up play, when to slow it down,when to tuck in and cover for a team mate, when to exploit space, it all has room for improvement, and I'm sure it will improve. It's the stream watchers, the FIFA players, the children, that think football is only about assists and goals. There's a lot more to football than that."

You make him sound like an 18 year old rooky. He was German player of the year FFS and is nominated as one of the best 23 in the world.

Perhaps Pardew is the man to bring the best out him eh?

 

[bobom]

A lot of truth spoken on here. Let's hope, with time and hard work, he might become a second Nasri.

 

[Shaelumstash]

"But his all round game, his retaining possession, when to take risks, when to speed up play, when to slow it down,when to tuck in and cover for a team mate, when to exploit space, it all has room for improvement, and I'm sure it will improve. It's the stream watchers, the FIFA players, the children, that think football is only about assists and goals. There's a lot more to football than that."

You make him sound like an 18 year old rooky. He was German player of the year FFS and is nominated as one of the best 23 in the world.

Perhaps Pardew is the man to bring the best out him eh?

He does all of the things I mentioned, Bud, but there's plenty of room for him to improve on certain aspects. He's only 24, not even at his peak yet.

The comment was aimed at an earlier poster who suggested that assists and goals are all that matters in football. I have a different view. Football is played over 90 odd minutes, not just the 5 seconds before a goal. But that's the YouTube generation for you, no appreciation of the subtleties of the game.

It's great that he won German POTY, great that he's in the 23 man shortlist for the Balon D'Or. He's an excellent player now, but I think he's got the potential to be even better. If you think it's impossible for him to improve, good for you, but I don't agree.

 

[abellwillring]

What did you think to De Bruyne's performance today mate? Honest opinion.

I thought the game vs United was his worst yet at City and Rojo did a nice job marking him. He was trying to force it but that was down to the fact that City really lacked much in the way of positive movement with or away from the ball. His pass into Yaya should have been a goal or something far closer to one than it was. Overall, he was our most effective attacking player which didn't mean much in that game.

 

[BillyShears]

"But his all round game, his retaining possession, when to take risks, when to speed up play, when to slow it down,when to tuck in and cover for a team mate, when to exploit space, it all has room for improvement, and I'm sure it will improve. It's the stream watchers, the FIFA players, the children, that think football is only about assists and goals. There's a lot more to football than that."

You make him sound like an 18 year old rooky. He was German player of the year FFS and is nominated as one of the best 23 in the world.

Perhaps Pardew is the man to bring the best out him eh?

Yes mate. Pardew is the benchmark. Once again our resident muppet is suggesting that one of the best footballers on earth in the last 18 months is somehow being overrated for starting his premier league career as well as someone like Alexis Sanchez. A player who the resident muppet derided our DoF for not signing 12 months ago. Anyone would think he's not even a Blue judging by the way he chats shit and accentuates the negative with his own unique brand of inanity.

 

[The blue phantom]

Great post mate, and I agree almost entirely with what you say.

I agree that he's not fitted in to the number 10 role for us so far. He's too direct, looking to get in behind the opposition with his first touch. Sometimes it takes 3 or 4 passes to break a team down, and De Bruyne always seems to want to do it in one.

Silva is the master of knowing when to play a penetrating pass and when to play a more simple one. A master of getting in to dangerous positions off the ball, and finding players in space. It's this work off the ball that truly sets him apart, and you can only really appreciate that from being at the game. You can't get that appreciation of the game while watching from a stream in Antwerp or from a bar in Paris or wherever.

De Bruyne's best stuff for us so far has been when he's played on the left, the second half against Newcastle in particular, he was absolutely brilliant. Perhaps he will eventually play number 10 for us, but the first half against Newcastle was evidence enough for me that he should never play there while Silva is still at the club.

He's shown great promise, and he will be involved in some crucial, decisive moments this season, I've got no doubt about that. He'll have games where he is unplayable and teams won't be able to live with him.

But his all round game, his retaining possession, when to take risks, when to speed up play, when to slow it down,when to tuck in and cover for a team mate, when to exploit space, it all has room for improvement, and I'm sure it will improve. It's the stream watchers, the FIFA players, the children, that think football is only about assists and goals. There's a lot more to football than that.

Great post pal.