Kevin De Bruyne

[Abraxas]

He had an average to poor game, especially second half.

Every time somebody has a good or poor game a few people crawl out from beneath their rocks as if one game or a handful of games justifies some exaggerated and usually ridiculous position they hold. Knee jerk twaddle.

 

[Bastian]

I think him and Fernandes could not play in the same team, not sure who I think is better but we need what Fernandes offers far more.

I was just making a point. But out of the two, I'd pick de Bruyne any day. Not sure how suitable a team with both him and Bruno would be, but probably more balanced than Bruno and Pogba.

 

[OverratedOpinion]

I was just making a point. But out of the two, I'd pick de Bruyne any day. Not sure how suitable a team with both him and Bruno would be, but probably more balanced than Bruno and Pogba.

To be fair, even if that is true. Improving this United team probably isn't a guaranteed barometer of being unquestionably world class surely?

I think someone like Moutinho would improve us hugely for example.

 

[TheMagicFoolBus]

Most key passes, most chances created, second most ground covered, 89% pass accuracy and got dropped so they could play a 3 man midfield. He was then brought on and again made the most chances in that game with less than a half of the game left. He was fine, if he was a random Portugal player he was quite good but due to his level I would say he was fine.

He got dropped and the team played probably their best match of the 4 at the tournament? You can't use counting stats like that over a 4 game sample mate, especially when the quality of opposition and game state are so varied. Portugal's best performance of the tournament by a country mile was against France and yet when Bruno came on in that match he was an unmitigated disaster - yes he was better against Belgium but passing it about in front of a low block is hardly impressive is it?

 

[OverratedOpinion]

He got dropped and the team played probably their best match of the 4 at the tournament? You can't use counting stats like that over a 4 game sample mate, especially when the quality of opposition and game state are so varied. Portugal's best performance of the tournament by a country mile was against France and yet when Bruno came on in that match he was an unmitigated disaster - yes he was better against Belgium but passing it about in front of a low block is hardly impressive is it?

I personally think stats are overused but in this context it is impossible to ignore when people are using hyperbole like "beyond awful" and "appalling".

I can use them over a 4 game sample as those 4 games were literally the only games we are talking about!

 

[TheMagicFoolBus]

I personally think stats are overused but in this context it is impossible to ignore when people are using hyperbole like "beyond awful" and "appalling".

I can use them over a 4 game sample as those 4 games were literally the only games we are talking about!

Dunno how those stats are meant to override the simple fact that he got benched and the team improved? Over a 4 game sample, that's far more meaningful especially when the second pair of matches was against better opposition. For a world class player, that is simply down to appalling performances.

 

[GledTheRed]

Neymar and De Bruyne are both overrated. Someone having a big reputation does not make them infallible.

 

[OverratedOpinion]

Dunno how those stats are meant to override the simple fact that he got benched and the team improved? Over a 4 game sample, that's far more meaningful especially when the second pair of matches was against better opposition. For a world class player, that is simply down to appalling performances.

Your opinion mate, the truth is that when he did start he played absolutely fine. Zidane at his best would not always be the best fit for a specific team in a specific game and players putting in worse individual performances may help the team perform better overall if they play in a totally different way.

He is a top class player (step below world class imo) so maybe fine is not good enough. I disagree with the use of the word appalling but all good.

 

[El Jefe]

In KDB's case it's a natural reaction to him being held up as the beacon of quality and consistency, where in reality he had a mediocre season by his standards.

I mean the guy just won a POTY award based on nothing really, safe to say he's not in danger of being underrated.

Since KDB joined the PL in 2016, he's been as consistent as anyone during that time. He is very much a beacon of quality and consistency. This season I admit he wasn't as consistent as he usually is but no one really stood out for the whole season, he won it by process of elimination.

Neymar and De Bruyne are both overrated. Someone having a big reputation does not make them infallible.

Overrated in what sense. Nobody other than Messi has successfully carried the creative and scoring burden of a team as well as Neymar since he came to Europe. Again, outside of Messi, KDB has been the most creative player of the last 5/6 years.

Overrated is a nonsense word just thrown about loosely now.

 

[TheMagicFoolBus]

Your opinion mate, the truth is that when he did start he played absolutely fine. He is a top class player (step below world class imo) so maybe fine is not good enough. I disagree with the use of the word appalling but all good.

Fair enough mate! Given my personal stakes (i.e. Portuguese wife), have been probably unfairly critical of the side as a whole! Happy to agree to disagree

 

[OverratedOpinion]

Overrated in what sense. Nobody other than Messi has successfully carried the creative and scoring burden of a team as well as Neymar since he came to Europe. Again, outside of Messi, KDB has been the most creative player of the last 5/6 years.

Overrated is a nonsense word just thrown about loosely now.

Overrated in that every season I think a number of players who are not rated as highly perform better than them.

To be fair I think your first sentence about Neymar pretty much sums up what I mean by overrated.

 

[RooneyLegend]

KDB was obviously not fully fit and the KDB we are used to. Its been a long season and clearly alot of players are runnin on vapour.

He looked fine from a fitness standpoint. He was running up and down with great vigour. Things just weren't coming off for them including himself. Italy are a very good side. He's not really a playmaker and without the complex City system that most teams have zero hope of figuring out some of these performances are to be expected.

Messi and Ronaldo's consistency has given fans an irrational expectation of continued excellence.

Lets not act like Messi and Ronaldo have given us consistency on the international stage.

 

[El Jefe]

Overrated in that every season I think a number of players who are not rated as highly perform better than them.

To be fair I think your first sentence about Neymar pretty much sums up what I mean by overrated.

Name them.

 

[OverratedOpinion]

Name them.

Neymar or De Bruyne? Which season?

 

[El Jefe]

Neymar or De Bruyne? Which season?

Ok let's make this a bit easier, for them to be overrated there must be players that you feel do what they do better than them. So who are the players you'd choose ahead of them that play in their positions?

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

Overrated in that every season I think a number of players who are not rated as highly perform better than them.

To be fair I think your first sentence about Neymar pretty much sums up what I mean by overrated.

That sentence about Neymar is true though.

He is the closest thing to Messi and statistics(besides goals) support it heavily.

 

[Hulksmash]

Of course he was off yesterday, he place with a fractured knee. He might need surgery now , maybe out for 6 months

This shouldn't be allowed , he literally put his health and career at risk

 

[DWelbz19]

Let’s not bunch Neymar down with De Bruyne, please.

 

[Adisa]

Like Bruno, his bottom level is through the floor.

 

[Scarecrow]

Of course he was off yesterday, he place with a fractured knee. He might need surgery now , maybe out for 6 months

This shouldn't be allowed , he literally put his health and career at risk

He confirmed it was an ankle ligaments tear. He’ll be fine within a month.

 

[Suedesi]

How many Euros and World cups did the likes of Scholes win?

Granted CL yes but you dont win Euros and World cups on your own

Its a bit silly to rate a player based solely on winning International trophies. Club football is where the real measure is

Ok Cass - things have changed a tad in the last decade where Bayern, Juventus, PSG etc have so much domestic supremacy or where Barcelona can win a domestic double and fail the CL to Madrid and Madrid are generally considered to have had the more successful season. CL it’s where it’s at, and the World Cup / Euros are the absolute pinnacle of a player’s achievement. I don’t care how much SKY hypes the domestic competition, there’s just no comparison in prestige, interest, viewership numbers globally to the others that I mentioned

 

[Brown Toothpick]

He was injured. People like to throw the word overrated a lot.

 

[Zen86]

It’s great and all pointing to your own injuries after a bad performance, but if he was that injured then he shouldn’t have been on the pitch to begin with.

 

[VorZakone]

It’s great and all pointing to your own injuries after a bad performance, but if he was that injured then he shouldn’t have been on the pitch to begin with.

Agreed although I can understand that it was a calculated risk.

 

[Varun]

It’s great and all pointing to your own injuries after a bad performance, but if he was that injured then he shouldn’t have been on the pitch to begin with.

Fairly obvious why he was on the pitch, no? It's Belgium, not Man City or England.

 

[bosnian_red]

He still created plenty and had a few good shots, and laid one on a plate for Lukaku... even injured he plays a key role for them. Really don't get the criticism other than people reaching for anything as he plays for City and people desperate to counter balance the Pogba criticisms.

 

[Sandikan]

Of course he was off yesterday, he place with a fractured knee. He might need surgery now , maybe out for 6 months

This shouldn't be allowed , he literally put his health and career at risk

Fractured knee? You think he played with a fractured knee

 

[Sandikan]

I've torn ankle ligaments and you can't even walk properly.
Must have been a very mild "tear" to be able to have an injection to get through it.

 

[Zen86]

Fairly obvious why he was on the pitch, no? It's Belgium, not Man City or England.

It’s not really that obvious when he didn’t play very well and made excuses for his performance afterwards. The most obvious thing is just how conscious he was of his injury.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Ok Cass - things have changed a tad in the last decade where Bayern, Juventus, PSG etc have so much domestic supremacy or where Barcelona can win a domestic double and fail the CL to Madrid and Madrid are generally considered to have had the more successful season. CL it’s where it’s at, and the World Cup / Euros are the absolute pinnacle of a player’s achievement. I don’t care how much SKY hypes the domestic competition, there’s just no comparison in prestige, interest, viewership numbers globally to the others that I mentioned

Scouts don’t judge players on international football. Few clubs are stupid enough to buy out of tournaments these days. International football does have huge prestige and the viewership that you say but when it comes to the people putting the big money down for players they look at club performances to judge quality.

 

[Varun]

It’s not really that obvious when he didn’t play very well and made excuses for his performance afterwards. The most obvious thing is just how conscious he was of his injury.

It's a Euros QF and there's a significant drop from KDB to whoever the back up is and both him and their coach understandably were happy for him to play even when he wasnt 100% because the odds of him performing better than his fully fit backup was high. It's not an "excuse" to say he was injured either, it's just a fact which would have obviously hampered his performance.

It's pretty bizarre to not understand why the Belgium NT setup preferred a not fully fit KDB playing the QF of the Euros and very simplistic to say "oh, he should have just not played then". The same KDB was inches away from a goal and a assist in the game and the narrative would be very different if that happens and they go on to the SF. That's how fine the margins are and goes to show the risk was not unwarranted.

 

[Cassidy]

Ok Cass - things have changed a tad in the last decade where Bayern, Juventus, PSG etc have so much domestic supremacy or where Barcelona can win a domestic double and fail the CL to Madrid and Madrid are generally considered to have had the more successful season. CL it’s where it’s at, and the World Cup / Euros are the absolute pinnacle of a player’s achievement. I don’t care how much SKY hypes the domestic competition, there’s just no comparison in prestige, interest, viewership numbers globally to the others that I mentioned

Like Lewandoski right, hasnt won a WC or Euro. Must not be great then

 

[Pow]

It’s great and all pointing to your own injuries after a bad performance, but if he was that injured then he shouldn’t have been on the pitch to begin with.

Even injured he made things happen and gave lukaku a sitter.

 

[JJ12]

Dunno how those stats are meant to override the simple fact that he got benched and the team improved? Over a 4 game sample, that's far more meaningful especially when the second pair of matches was against better opposition. For a world class player, that is simply down to appalling performances.

What a biased load of shite

 

[Brwned]

He was injured. People like to throw the word overrated a lot.

That performance from him was not at all out of character, though. He frequently has games where he becomes sloppy and the build up play becomes a bit desperate, and it barely gets a mention, it’s just expected that high risk players have off games, and those off games are more common in tightly fought games against equal opposition. That wouldn’t get a mention if the same principle was applied equally but it’s fairly obvious that isn’t the case.

 

[Zen86]

It's a Euros QF and there's a significant drop from KDB to whoever the back up is and both him and their coach understandably were happy for him to play even when he wasnt 100% because the odds of him performing better than his fully fit backup was high. It's not an "excuse" to say he was injured either, it's just a fact which would have obviously hampered his performance.

It's pretty bizarre to not understand why the Belgium NT setup preferred a not fully fit KDB playing the QF of the Euros and very simplistic to say "oh, he should have just not played then". The same KDB was inches away from a goal and a assist in the game and the narrative would be very different if that happens and they go on to the SF. That's how fine the margins are and goes to show the risk was not unwarranted.

Calculated risk is fine. Just own it though, don’t cry about your injury and absolve yourself of blame after a poor performance. It’s a miracle I played , get the violins out.

 

[Suedesi]

Like Lewandoski right, hasnt won a WC or Euro. Must not be great then

Did you miss the CL part?

 

[Suedesi]

Scouts don’t judge players on international football. Few clubs are stupid enough to buy out of tournaments these days. International football does have huge prestige and the viewership that you say but when it comes to the people putting the big money down for players they look at club performances to judge quality.

It's an entire proposition altogether. We're discussing top player legacies, scouts are interested in finding young, unheard of talent for a reasonable price

 

[Cassidy]

Did you miss the CL part?

No I did not. How many teams win the UCL?

 

[Nou_Camp99]

Best midfielder in the world for me by far. Clearly wasn't totally fit yesterday but Belgium and KDB himself obviously thought it was worth the risk in a knockout scenario. I thought he looked awesome too first half however he did fade badly in the second.

He'd walk into any team in the world and if you don't think this then footy isn't for you. He has everything in his game.