Kevin de Bruyne

[Wiillowhobo 28]

They really are not. 2/3 of all teams in the bundesliga are championship level ...just with less money.

I strongly doubt he will be one of the best in the world. he will be a really good footballer. But what position will he become the best in the world ? CM? surely not, does not have the defensive abilites at all. Wing? Too slow. CAM? Not even close to being as creative as Mata or Oscar...

I'm not going to get into the De Bruyne vs. Oscar discussion (time will tell) but I do want to say that quite a lot of people here underestimate the strength of the bundesliga and overestimate the EPL quite a bit. I'm definitely with Stingray on this one. "2/3 of all teams in the bundesliga are championship level"....I mean....championship right? Seriously? That sounds really unworldly.

[mediator 2,026]

We saw during the last champions league final, Bundesliga is weak...

[Chelsea? 892]

Hazard.xxx.Mata

That middle will be between Oscar and KDB I think. When you think about it, Mata spent most of his time on the right.

[Gilvorak 3,734]

Bundesliga is a joke outside 3/4 teams. Compared to the quality of the PL anyway.

[didierforever 7,349]

true, but I can't remember ever seeing a team with 2 #10s that worked out. It'll be interesting to see how Mata and KDB/Oscar play together.

the possibilities are mind-boggling... but all we have to do is trust JOSE.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Haven't people learnt from Marin just last season that you should not take pre season too seriously? Now I'm not saying that KDB is on Marin's level or anything, he's obviously far more talented, but people need to chill. Personally, I've seen nothing that surprises me from Kevin because I watched him play quite a bit in the Bundesliga - it seems that the people who haven't really seen him before are the ones that are overreacting.

Just chill. Pre season against very poor opposition should not be taken so seriously. It is not a direct indicator of how well a player will do over the course if the season.

Personally I'm looking more forward to the American pre season as we will face quality teams there but even then I won't draw serious conclusions.

It's not just KDB though mind. It's the likes of Essien (who people suddenly want as our starting DM because he put in two solid appearances against poor opposition) as well.

[Magic Lamps 11,457]

I'm not going to get into the De Bruyne vs. Oscar discussion (time will tell) but I do want to say that quite a lot of people here underestimate the strength of the bundesliga and overestimate the EPL quite a bit. I'm definitely with Stingray on this one. "2/3 of all teams in the bundesliga are championship level"....I mean....championship right? Seriously? That sounds really unworldly.

Bundesliga has Bayern, one of the best teams in the world due to unique advantages due to corruption, then there is a big gap to Dortmund and then there is a huuuuuuuuge gap to Leverkusen and Schalke and maybe Stuttgart and then there is an even huger gap to all other teams. Teams like Hoffenheim, Freiburg, Augsuburg, Fürth, Bochum, Köln and whatever shit are just unworldly underwhelming. They do not even try. It is a mircale BAyern fuck it up every other season even though their squad and their budget is 100 times that of most teams in the league. The bundesliga apart form its top teams, just like La liga is utter shit. that is mainly because Bundesliga does not even get a fraction of the TV money English clubs get. The richer German clubs compete with English bottom5 clubs for players on the transfer market. As long as this stays so, Bundesliga will never have consistent success. BVB adn Bayern were great last season, but that was an unique situation with them being lucky BArcelona were out of form and without Messi and REal and Mourinho fucked it up. Won't happen again.

[Barbara 15,149]

Yeah i take that point. But I don't want this to become an oscar vs KDB thing. They are both great players which we are very lucky to have.

If mata is moved to the right (which doesn't make great sense to me, but i trust Mourinho's judgement and he knows far better than me), then yes I would probably slot oscar into the CAM role right now.

But if he doesn't move mata which I definitely wouldn't of then, KDB imo is the best option we have for the right hand side, Becuase of the reasons I mentioned (right footed, great delivery, set pieces, can still cut inside to link up with mata, work-rate etc.)

Whatever happens it's a good problem to have.

Yeah, but Mourinho already said he prefers wrong-footed players in the wings. So he wants a leftie in the right wing - which is why he's thinking of moving Mata there as he's the only leftie in the five

I agree the comparison doesn't make sense. To play the amount of matches we do and also the different kind of opposition is amazing to have two guys that are amazing and promising playing as attacking midfielders, but bringing completely two different games. It's win-win. Some matches will fit more Kevin others Oscar. Even matches can become tough and changing the style and formation could solve.

So I don't mind if Kevin starts more often, or if Oscar does, if they're on top of their form they will probably play other matches, being subbed or coming from the bench and maybe together at the same time in the team.

I don't see either threatening Mata though, not only because of style, but mainly because how can the arguably best player last season (as many considered Hazard the best) just leave the team for a guy that hasn't played one official Chelsea match in EPL or CL?

I think Mourinho is lucky for having so many alternatives, but I also wouldn't like to be on his shoes, because choosing between those guys is going to be difficult, supposing they will live their potential - all things considered such as adaptation, possibility of injuries, etc..

I still think Hazard will be the guy this season - but that definitely doesn't come from his two matches in the pre-season. He was far from what I expect. But then again this is pre-season and Eden is a lot like myself. Friendlies aren't his thing

But I welcome Kevin's maturity and he alternative he offers.

[Chelsea? 892]

Bundesliga has Bayern, one of the best teams in the world due to unique advantages due to corruption, then there is a big gap to Dortmund and then there is a huuuuuuuuge gap to Leverkusen and Schalke and maybe Stuttgart and then there is an even huger gap to all other teams. Teams like Hoffenheim, Freiburg, Augsuburg, Fürth, Bochum, Köln and whatever shit are just unworldly underwhelming. They do not even try. It is a mircale BAyern fuck it up every other season even though their squad and their budget is 100 times that of most teams in the league. The bundesliga apart form its top teams, just like La liga is utter shit. that is mainly because Bundesliga does not even get a fraction of the TV money English clubs get. The richer German clubs compete with English bottom5 clubs for players on the transfer market. As long as this stays so, Bundesliga will never have consistent success. BVB adn Bayern were great last season, but that was an unique situation with them being lucky BArcelona were out of form and without Messi and REal and Mourinho fucked it up. Won't happen again.

how are bayern corrupt? And even with messi, barca had no chance.

[Magic Lamps 11,457]

how are bayern corrupt? And even with messi, barca had no chance.

messi was injured and/or out of form

And it is common knowledge Bayern's dominance is built on 40 years of tax dodging and illegal donations (mostly by the Bavarian government). Of all federal countries Bavaria enjoy the most sovereignity and they think they are better than other federal countries. Hence FC bayern has been a prestige project of the government, making it as easy for them as possible. Bavarian MPs such as Strauß, Stoiber and Seehofer have had a personal attachment to FC BAyern, too, funding them with official events financed by public money. As much as the Spanish government funds Reals and BArcas success with this crazy tax rule, Bavaria funds BAyern, with the difference being they actually can afford it.

[Chelsea? 892]

messi was injured and/or out of form

And it is common knowledge Bayern's dominance is built on 40 years of tax dodging and illegal donations (mostly by the Bavarian government). Of all federal countries Bavaria enjoy the most sovereignity and they think they are better than other federal countries. Hence FC bayern has been a prestige project of the government, making it as easy for them as possible. Bavarian MPs such as Strauß, Stoiber and Seehofer have had a personal attachment to FC BAyern, too, funding them with official events financed by public money. As much as the Spanish government funds Reals and BArcas success with this crazy tax rule, Bavaria funds BAyern, with the difference being they actually can afford it.

oh, so they have money, that not really corruption we should worry about. It's not like Bayern spend more money than any other top team.

[Magic Lamps 11,457]

oh, so they have money, that not really corruption we should worry about. It's not like Bayern spend more money than any other top team.

They got a competitive advantage due to corruption. Also you never know if s.o. is prepared to take black money, they may also be prepared to spend it to buy the refs/uefa, who are corrupt as well.

[Mouri_Matic 560]

So a thread about one of our best player this pre-season has turned into a politic thread.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

ANYWAY, BACK TO DE BRUYNE...

I don't think we'll see him again on this tour. A couple of weeks of light rehab and he should be fine for the start of the new season though. Thank God.

[SykikJV 146]

Calm down guys. He looks amazing and has been THE star of the preseason so far. But he still has not played vs decent oppositions week in week out. You really can't expect his form against some crappy Singapur and Malaysia sides to hold in the EPL forever. Still amazing goal. He is really a sublime footballer.

You can't expect him to be the star for the rest of the season, that's true. That's something for players like Hazard and Mata with more experience at that level.

That being said, De Bruyne will get his chance and after seeing him grow at Genk (seen every game) and his progression at Werder Bremen, I couldn't be more convinced that he will take it. He combines technical ability, vision, passing and shooting with lots of workrate, stamina and determination. You can see in the last few games that he's a bit of a natural leader on the pitch, because he is so determined to put pressure on the opposition, always asks for the ball, takes set-pieces,... He's also perfect for Mourinho's game with his direct style of passing. Give him the ball and he will always try to play the ball forward. Other players tend to hold up the ball, play it back to midfielders or defenders, but De Bruyne's got great tempo in his playing-style, which is a great advantage against organised "smaller" teams.

These matches were indeed against "crappy" opposition, but he has proved that he can perform against top-players with the national team. Against Serbia he played against Ivanovic en Kolarov and outplayed them in both games.

[Tiwaz 539]

Someone put KDB's face on this:

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

Close enough

[Hazardinho 88]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59MoJZx7CQE

This guy has to play! I'm not saying this because I'm Belgian, but he is ready to be in the first eleven.

Lukaku is not even close to what KDB can mean to Chelsea at this moment.

My team:

Cech

Azpi Terry Luiz Cole

New signing
Oscar Mata

De Bruyne Hazard

New signing

[KamikazeBlue 337]

KABOOOM!!