Pogba vs De Bruyne: who is the better passer?

Fortitude

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Strikes me every time I watch either of them that given enough time, either one of them can make practically any pass a forward requires with any amount of spin on the ball that is required. They both seem to be able to do it with either foot, too.

For passing range and ability to manipulate the ball they appear to be pretty evenly matched, but if you had to say which of the two was better, who would you choose, and outside of club loyalty, why?
 
De Bruyne's weight of passing is what makes him so good. The ball is rarely every over or under hit, almost as good as Messi.
 
De Bruyne has a claim to being the best attacking passer in football. Pogba doesn't.

Perhaps Pogba is a better passer over a whole football pitch but then KDB never really has to concern himself with things that Pogba does. If he did, he'd probably be better everywhere else too.
 
Skills said:
De Bruyne's weight of passing is what makes him so good. The ball is rarely every over or under hit, almost as good as Messi.
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Whereas Pogba has the better range, from anywhere on the pitch.
 
As much as it pains me, I think De Bruyne is probably better. Some of his passes this season have been just ridiculous. You could maybe argue that Pogba has better range though.
 
I do however think that Pogba still has an immense scope of improvement.
 
De bruyne is responsible for the attacking passes. Fernandinho took the other responsibility to spread the pass from defense.

Pogba is responsible to pass from every where, to open up the game. Basically he is the main creator up and down the field. Matic's behind him to cover his mistakes.

Both are good, but both are also different roles. I'd say Pogba is slightly harder to do as a job.
 
UnrelatedPsuedo said:
De Bruyne has a claim to being the best attacking passer in football. Pogba doesn't.

Perhaps Pogba is a better passer over a whole football pitch but then KDB never really has to concern himself with things that Pogba does. If he did, he'd probably be better everywhere else too.
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Kin hell. Hyperbole much.

De Bruyne is like Beckham, so damn efficient with his passing. Pogba definitely has the greater range, kinda like Scholes over Beckham, and as I say, De Bruyne really does have Beckham-esque efficiency. Only other player in the Prem with similar efficiency is Eriksen.
 
Regulus Arcturus Black said:
Kin hell. Hyperbole much.

De Bruyne is like Beckham, so damn efficient with his passing. Pogba definitely has the greater range, kinda like Scholes over Beckham, and as I say, De Bruyne really does have Beckham-esque efficiency. Only other player in the Prem with similar efficiency is Eriksen.
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It's not Hyperbole. De Bruyne would be a Becks clone if he only did it from out wide. Becks never had the range that the Belgian does. He's a magic player.

If he was forced to play any deeper ad Pogba does at times, I have no doubt that he'd be able to pass as Pogba does. Perhaps a question mark over truly long passes but I don't watch all of City games.

The one point of difference with Pogba is that he's always shrugging off a challenge for many of his passes. He's immense under pressure. His ability to hold off a player, turn and pass is something you'll rarely see KDB do. I wouldn't suggest that he couldn't though.
 
Regulus Arcturus Black said:
Kin hell. Hyperbole much.

De Bruyne is like Beckham, so damn efficient with his passing. Pogba definitely has the greater range, kinda like Scholes over Beckham, and as I say, De Bruyne really does have Beckham-esque efficiency. Only other player in the Prem with similar efficiency is Eriksen.
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No other player in the history of the EPL has been as efficient when it comes to the final ball. Basically, KDB has been in a class of his own.



Pogba has other qualities which KDB doesn't and may well become a better player eventually. Passing and decision making is where KDB excells though and it is hard to beat them in these regards.
 
Treble said:
Pogba has other qualities which KDB doesn't and may well become a better player eventually. Passing and decision making is where KDB excells though and it is hard to beat them in these regards.
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Passing doesn't mean just final passes which leads to the goals though, if so I don't think Iniesta and Xavi's passing would have been rated as among the best ever.

KdB is better passer in the final third but passing range and from deep Pogba is better.
 
UnrelatedPsuedo said:
De Bruyne has a claim to being the best attacking passer in football. Pogba doesn't.

Perhaps Pogba is a better passer over a whole football pitch but then KDB never really has to concern himself with things that Pogba does. If he did, he'd probably be better everywhere else too.
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Totally disagree. De Bruyne is a guy who has mastered the basics. Pogba plays with a creative flair few players have.
 
roonster09 said:
Passing doesn't mean just final passes which leads to the goals though, if so I don't think Iniesta and Xavi's passing would have been rated as among the best ever.

KdB is better passer in the final third but passing range and from deep Pogba is better.
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I replied to a post that highlighted KDB's efficiency. This is why I cited assist stats.

Btw, Xavi had one season 30+ assists. Iniesta has had many assists too. And it is not only about assists. KDB has often had the so called second assists. He's very good at creating openings. As regards passing from deep, City do not do it often because they and in particular KDB are most of the time in the final third. I don't see why he would struggle to pass from deep. Lack of technique? Pogba's passing range is great though. That's pefectly true.
 
Regulus Arcturus Black said:
Kin hell. Hyperbole much.

De Bruyne is like Beckham, so damn efficient with his passing. Pogba definitely has the greater range, kinda like Scholes over Beckham, and as I say, De Bruyne really does have Beckham-esque efficiency. Only other player in the Prem with similar efficiency is Eriksen.
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Correct. KDB is Beckham with dribbling skills. Whilst Pogba is an ultraattacking Vieira.
 
Treble said:
No other player in the history of the EPL has been as efficient when it comes to the final ball. Basically, KDB has been in a class of his own.



Pogba has other qualities which KDB doesn't and may well become a better player eventually. Passing and decision making is where KDB excells though and it is hard to beat them in these regards.
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I hope you see the flaws in assessing things in that manner? Aiming for one or two targets, like a lot of those on that list had to do, is different to having a swarm of bodies eager to get on the end of everything like KDB has. What were his numbers like pre-Pep?
 
De Bruyne. He is more consistent than Pogba. I also dont think it is easy to compare them, since they have different roles and positions. Pogba has a better range, because he also has too, while De Bruyne at City can focus more on the final ball and let Silva do the rest
 
Classical Mechanic said:
Totally disagree. De Bruyne is a guy who has mastered the basics. Pogba plays with a creative flair few players have.
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Is there a professional footballer who happens to be a midfielder at a top club and who hasn't mastered the basics?
 
Fortitude said:
I hope you see the flaws in assessing things in that manner? Aiming for one or two targets, like a lot of those on that list had to do, is different to having a swarm of bodies eager to get on the end of everything like KDB has. What were his numbers like pre-Pep?
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Best in Europe. He had 20 assists in the Bundesliga. In one season.
 
De Bruyne can see a pass very few other players in the world can, he is a tremendous footballer. His vision is something else

Pogba can pick a pass, but tends to loft it up to the forwards on times, making them work hard to control the ball etc. Pogba is more about his workrate, energy, power, running from deep. De Bruyne is a different player

They play different areas, have different roles for a comparison.

Pobga does the sideways easy stuff more so than De Bruyne because of the area of the pitch he plays in.

Both extremely good at what they do, but De Bruyne all day long for me (and I'm a utd fan)
 
Classical Mechanic said:
Totally disagree. De Bruyne is a guy who has mastered the basics. Pogba plays with a creative flair few players have.
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Aye. Pogba seems to be able to pass the ball with grace and unerring accuracy no matter how difficult the pass is to complete. How many times have we seen him play 30 yard passes with the outside of the boot? Or half volleys while off balance. His passing technique could rival anyone's in history.
 
De Bruyne is great at those diagonal passes but anything else I think Pogba can match him.
 
Two quality passers.

Who would you pick for your starting XI though. Id probably go Pogba just because of his dribbling and ability to keep the ball. His overall game just pips De Bruyne for me. Not that theres much in it.
 
When it comes to crossing KDB wins it hands down. He is the best crosser of the ball I have seen since Beckham. Precision personified. His final passes are bang on too.
However, when it comes to running the game from deep, passing range, dribbling - Pogba is better.

Both can easily co-exist in the same team. What a team that would be though!
 
Treble said:
Best in Europe. He had 20 assists in the Bundesliga. In one season.
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I did mean in our league as you've got him listed in comparison to PL players. Those stats look impressive for sure, but the team he plays for his ultra attacking and the amount of people who can latch onto a pass are numerous in comparison to having one or two men in the box to pick from that some of the others had most of the time.

That's going to skew the numbers.
 
Fortitude said:
I did mean in our league as you've got him listed in comparison to PL players. Those stats look impressive for sure, but the team he plays for his ultra attacking and the amount of people who can latch onto a pass are numerous in comparison to having one or two men in the box to pick from that some of the others had most of the time.

That's going to skew the numbers.
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Their attack was 3rd in the league last season. And he was assisting at a similar rate. And his Wolfsburg numbers are astonishing. They weren't skewed by say him being at Bayern.

Over the last 5 years he has made most assists in the big 5 leagues. It hasn't much to do with Guardiola but with him being quite good at it.
 
Treble said:
Doesn't make much sense.

But even if it were true, still many midfielders in "the best league in the world" have mastered the basics. And are nowhere near KDB.
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He is like Eriksen. He does the simple things to the very highest standard. Pass, shoot, cross. There is no magic from him, no otherworldly ability, just a man who has mastered the basics.

There are other players near him too. He isn't Messi or Ronaldo tier. He isn't even my PL player of the season so far.

Are you a Man City fan BTW or just a Guardiola acolyte?
 
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Treble said:
Their attack was 3rd in the league last season. And he was assisting at a similar rate. And his Wolfsburg numbers are astonishing. They weren't skewed by say him being at Bayern.

Over the last 5 years he has made most assists in the big 5 leagues. It hasn't much to do with Guardiola but with him being quite good at it.
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The intent and bodies to aim for were still there though. It makes assisting infinitely easier than if you've got to aim for fewer with each pass or cross.

Not disputing KDB's being good at what he does (otherwise I'd not have made a thread about him and another player) but lists like that aren't issued with context, which can paint a picture of all things being equal and him then being another stratosphere.
 
Classical Mechanic said:
He is like Eriksen. He does the simple things to the very highest standard. Pass, shoot, cross. There is no magic from him, no otherworldly ability, just a man who has mastered the basics.

There are other players near him too. He isn't Messi or Ronaldo tier.

Are you a Man City fan BTW or just a Guardiola acolyte?
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To be fair no one is Messi or Ronaldo tier (hell Ronaldo isn't even Messi tier).

Saying KDB just mastered the basics is either grossly underrating him or saying virtually no one in world football has mastered the basics. He's simply an amazing player and him playing for a tea I loathe makes that annoying, but not any less true.
 
Classical Mechanic said:
He is like Eriksen. He does the simple things to the very highest standard. Pass, shoot, cross. There is no magic from him, no otherworldly ability, just a man who has mastered the basics.

There are other players near him too. He isn't Messi or Ronaldo tier.

Are you a Man City fan BTW or just a Guardiola acolyte?
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You are talking nonsense CM. And you are trying to defend it by suggesting agenda.

This is not Pogba vs KDB as players, it's just about their passing. Pogba has wonderful qualities which can make him the best in the world in 2-3 years. His passing range might tbe better. But overall he isn't quite there yet, IMO.

I dislike tribalism, especially after Brexit, and I'm not going to say stupid things about opposition players and managers just because they are at City or Liverpool.
 
KDB is the best in the league at the perfectly weighted final ball.

Pogba is the best in the league at using a range of different passes.
 
Fortitude said:
The intent and bodies to aim for were still there though. It makes assisting infinitely easier than if you've got to aim for fewer with each pass or cross.

Not disputing KDB's being good at what he does (otherwise I'd not have made a thread about him and another player) but lists like that aren't issued with context, which can paint a picture of all things being equal and him then being another stratosphere.
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Sometmes it is much easier to assist golas when you counter attack and much more difficult when the opposition defends with many bodies in the box. Chelsea outscored City last season without committing many players in attack.
 
Treble said:
Sometmes it is much easier to assist golas when you counter attack and much more difficult when the opposition defends with many bodies in the box. Chelsea outscored City last season without committing many players in attack.
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Do you think his numbers would be the same in a Mourinho team?
 
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