Kevin de Bruyne

[Stingray 9,441]

I think its time Mour tried him in the pivot

Yeah, me too

[Sidzeret 2,257]

Yeah, me too

Hm he needs to be improve defensively. i think his work rate against Hull and all his other games we're good and he certainly deserve more gametime.

[yuvala 2,167]

Although he would probably do good as a CM, it's just not a good idea to waste his marvelous crosses from the wing. He's been so crucial with them for the NT this last year, he kind of took everyone by surprise. A year ago he was a decent substitute, now he's practically one of the first names on the teamsheet together with Courtois, Kompany and Witsel.

Well its not like there's anyone worth crossing to ...

[nadavTKL 1,787]

As I said the letdown is their passing and vision, but for as long as Oscar drops to help, it's worked around with.

I can't disagree more. It doesn't work at all, our build up is stupidly slow, creative passes just doesn't come from central midfield unless Luiz is saying "fuck it, I'm going forword", or Oscar is going deep, which not happend a lot this season the way I saw it. There's Mikel/Lamps/Rami, and then defenders, and then Oscar and the others. That's what happend against Basel and Fulham. It supposed to look like that, but the problem is we don't have a CM who can move the ball forword and control our game.

If Jose doesn't have a solution for that in the squad, I don't know what he was thinking all summer. Going from Alonso/Modric as DLP's to that is very wierd from him.

[LukakutoStamford 779]

I am confident he will get at least 10-15 starts and about as much appearances off the bench and that is if (hopefully) Oscar manages to stay fit all season. Kevin is quality, and you don't fear for players that have quality because eventually it will show.

If that's the case I hope everyone continues to enjoy the the style of play that has been seen in the last few games because without KDB Chelsea has zero width to its games. How the best crosser on the team by a vast margin can't get games when the team is compeltely incapable of creating anything wide is beyond me.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Except you don't remember correctly. I don't have positional data in his season, but I can look at his 4 CL games and in every single one, he played on the left hand side as an attacking midfielder/winger. Not one single game in the centre. I doubt that was done only for the CL either. If you can find data that shows him playing central midfield that year, I'd love to see it. I do believe he played some central midfield the year before but

1) That was 3 years ago in the Belgian league.

2) His best play has come as an attacking midfielder. It's where he was productive for Bremen, it's where he plays for Belgium. It's where he's played for Chelsea. The reason he's at Chelsea is his play at attacking midfield, not what he did at central midfield on a few occasions a few years back.

3) He is an awful defensive player who had a passing percentage of under 80% last season. That simply does not translate into a good central midfield player. His best attributes are setting up scoring chances and crossing which would be wasted in the centre anyway.

As I said, De Bruyne as a central midfielder is a fantasy by people who want to force a starting XI with the players they want in the lineup. .

No, I distinctively remember correctly that in his last year at Genk (in the January we loaned him back, which was actually a year and a half ago) that he was getting rave reviews for his performances in CM, he was consecutively playing there. I watched him in a few games; so it isn't a fantasy. Sure, he's played more out wide and behind the striker but to say he's not able to play CM isn't true because he's played well there before, ignoring that it is for Genk and that Chelsea is obviously a much bigger step up.

I disagree that he'd be wasted in the pivot because he has the potential to be a midfield controller - he can set the tempo of a game and find a pass from almost anywhere;

However to play in the pivot for us he'd have to work immensely hard on his defensive game. Apart from his defensive game (which is very important in this role) he has all the attributes to play there but it really depends on what Mourinho will develop him as. He has enough time to develop into a pivot player but like you said, I agree that his probable future lies further up the pitch.

[Gorando 184]

He even played as a DM in 2 or 3 games. Pirlo-style

[CHOULO19 24,332]

If that's the case I hope everyone continues to enjoy the the style of play that has been seen in the last few games because without KDB Chelsea has zero width to its games. How the best crosser on the team by a vast margin can't get games when the team is compeltely incapable of creating anything wide is beyond me.

Our performances depend on the team, not individuals. Players that come on play a predetermined system, they don't have the offensive freedom to do whatever they want. I like Kevin very much, but he can't single-handedly change our style of play.

Besides, we want width to stretch the opponents, not to actually cross. Who do you want Kevin to cross to? Eto'o who is stuck between Hangeland and Amorebieta?

[Mouri_Matic 560]

So now Kevin in the pivot hahahaha. Next might as well move Willian there as well?

So now that is Kevin and Oscar the people are saying should be moved there.

[Stingray 9,441]

No, I distinctively remember correctly that in his last year at Genk (in the January we loaned him back, which was actually a year and a half ago) that he was getting rave reviews for his performances in CM, he was consecutively playing there. I watched him in a few games; so it isn't a fantasy. Sure, he's played more out wide and behind the striker but to say he's not able to play CM isn't true because he's played well there before, ignoring that it is for Genk and that Chelsea is obviously a much bigger step up.

I disagree that he'd be wasted in the pivot because he has the potential to be a midfield controller - he can set the tempo of a game and find a pass from almost anywhere;

However to play in the pivot for us he'd have to work immensely hard on his defensive game. Apart from his defensive game (which is very important in this role) he has all the attributes to play there but it really depends on what Mourinho will develop him as. He has enough time to develop into a pivot player but like you said, I agree that his probable future lies further up the pitch.

This . Very true, we have a few Genk guys on here that have already confirmed this + i do remember it as well. He was praised for it in the media as well btw.

So now Kevin in the pivot hahahaha. Next might as well move Willian there as well?

So now that is Kevin and Oscar the people are saying should be moved there.

Dude. He played there, was good there + his crossing is wasted on the flank anyway right now. Why could he not fill a rotation spot with Lamps for games like tonight. Lamps is played in the more offensive cm pivot role anyway - not really the dcm spot. It is as if people in the pivot should be two dcm's.

Nobody is talking about Oscar really.

[Barbara 15,149]

I can't disagree more. It doesn't work at all, our build up is stupidly slow, creative passes just doesn't come from central midfield unless Luiz is saying "fuck it, I'm going forword", or Oscar is going deep, which not happend a lot this season the way I saw it. There's Mikel/Lamps/Rami, and then defenders, and then Oscar and the others. That's what happend against Basel and Fulham. It supposed to look like that, but the problem is we don't have a CM who can move the ball forword and control our game.

If Jose doesn't have a solution for that in the squad, I don't know what he was thinking all summer. Going from Alonso/Modric as DLP's to that is very wierd from him.

then first, I don't know which matches have you been seeing if you haven't seen Oscar going even behind the midfield to get the ball. Second let's continue to handle real life football like FIFA and FM and have all players in all positions and build a perfect squad something Real Madrid, Bayern, Barcelona, Dortmund, any other team England (or in the world for that matter) don't have, but that we should. And while we are at it, let's do it in one month because that's the reasonable time a manager should fix all problems in the squad and work with the players to improve. Also just to keep business going on as usual around here, let's stuff all our AM in CM positions... Kev and Oscar for the double pivot, Willian, Mata and Hazard in AM and André ahead them all as the ST. Except André and Willian aren't that popular around here and you don't see all kind of suggestions to make them do it in the starting XI as long as fans faves have their spot assured.

[nadavTKL 1,787]

then first, I don't know which matches have you been seeing if you haven't seen Oscar going even behind the midfield to get the ball. Second let's continue to handle real life football like FIFA and FM and have all players in all positions and build a perfect squad something Real Madrid, Bayern, Barcelona, Dortmund, any other team England (or in the world for that matter) don't have, but that we should. And while we are at it, let's do it in one month because that's the reasonable time a manager should fix all problems in the squad and work with the players to improve. Also just to keep business going on as usual around here, let's stuff all our AM in CM positions... Kev and Oscar for the double pivot, Willian, Mata and Hazard in AM and André ahead them all as the ST. Except André and Willian aren't that popular around here and you don't see all kind of suggestions to make them do it in the starting XI as long as fans faves have their spot assured.

First of all, i dont get the attitude... people who have other opinions than yours surly shouldnt get this semi-angry talk backs. Its all cool, just talking football.

like i said earlier, i saw Oscar doing that a nubmer of times (moving deep to get the ball), but he isnt doing that "enough" so we could say: "yeah, it fixes Ramires's and Mikel's problem with their lack of vision". It doesnt imo. Oscar for the very biggest part of the game places himself in the #10 spot, (where he should play in our formation) which leaves Rami and Mikel with the ball.

Mourinho definitely had the time. I dont think there's a question about that. Mou talks about watching us when he wasnt here, saying he didnt like things, and this lack of vision in CM was a big problem for us the all previous season and even the season before. Dont know if you were here in the transfer window a year before, but this forum was full of "new DLP" topics and begging for this kind of player. Mou got players in, he wanted a striker - Rooney/Eto'o and he got one, he wanted Van Ginkel and he got him, which realy makes it even more annoying because he did brought a CM but who's clearly not ready. Mou could have got a DLP or a creative CDM like Witzel if he would have wanted. He didnt even tried. For some reason, he thought what we had is enough, thats what kills me because its so far from truth, we certainly dont have enough in those roles. Im the first to make excuses for Jose because i love the guy so much, but in this subject he have non imo.

Me and others putting those suggestions of KDB or Oscar in the pivot simply because we want it to change already and we saw enough of our limited CM, and i personally also try to find the logic in Mourinho's desicion to no get a DLP. I dont get that - the man had Alonso who was so important for him and he even got Modric last season, so im hoping he had plans for KDB in this role... Its more of a wishful thinking thing than anything else realy.

You said: "...a manager should fix all problems in the squad"

The thing is that i thought and still think it is THE main problem in our squad. And he didnt take care of that which is very disappointing.

[Bir_CFC 3,455]

No way can he play in the pivot. He's a little too aggressive with his passing to play in the pivot. It's fine to loose possession looking for that killer pass when you're in the attacking midfield but you have to be able to control possession if you're in the pivot. Maybe he can do that but thats asking him to be something he's not.

I'm not even going to bring up the defensive side of the game because he won't be of any help there.

Oscar is the only attacker that has the qualities to play deeper and be effective on a consistent basis.

[Barbara 15,149]

First of all, i dont get the attitude... people who have other opinions than yours surly shouldnt get this semi-angry talk backs. Its all cool, just talking football.

like i said earlier, i saw Oscar doing that a nubmer of times (moving deep to get the ball), but he isnt doing that "enough" so we could say: "yeah, it fixes Ramires's and Mikel's problem with their lack of vision". It doesnt imo. Oscar for the very biggest part of the game places himself in the #10 spot, (where he should play in our formation) which leaves Rami and Mikel with the ball.

Mourinho definitely had the time. I dont think there's a question about that. Mou talks about watching us when he wasnt here, saying he didnt like things, and this lack of vision in CM was a big problem for us the all previous season and even the season before. Dont know if you were here in the transfer window a year before, but this forum was full of "new DLP" topics and begging for this kind of player. Mou got players in, he wanted a striker - Rooney/Eto'o and he got one, he wanted Van Ginkel and he got him, which realy makes it even more annoying because he did brought a CM but who's clearly not ready. Mou could have got a DLP or a creative CDM like Witzel if he would have wanted. He didnt even tried. For some reason, he thought what we had is enough, thats what kills me because its so far from truth, we certainly dont have enough in those roles. Im the first to make excuses for Jose because i love the guy so much, but in this subject he have non imo.

Me and others putting those suggestions of KDB or Oscar in the pivot simply because we want it to change already and we saw enough of our limited CM, and i personally also try to find the logic in Mourinho's desicion to no get a DLP. I dont get that - the man had Alonso who was so important for him and he even got Modric last season, so im hoping he had plans for KDB in this role... Its more of a wishful thinking thing than anything else realy.

You said: "...a manager should fix all problems in the squad"

The thing is that i thought and still think it is THE main problem in our squad. And he didnt take care of that which is very disappointing.

Now some of the names suggested by people during the transfer talk (Cabaye, Khedira, some guys I don't even remember now) wouldn't really improve it much imo. De Rossi and Roma's president made it clear that he wouldn't ever leave the team. Alonso has said many times about his love and respect for Liverpool - supposing RM would ever allow him to leave (don't think they would) and if he decided to play EPL again, I don't see him going anywhere else other than Liverpool. In one interview last year he said he would like to play there again before his retirement. Who else? Schweinsteiger? Busquets? As if that was going to happen. Most names suggested either weren't realistic or were guys that would at most slightly improve our pivot.

And I don't get people wanting to move AM's - one that has good defending skills for a AM but never for a CM and another guy who doesn't even have those skills - to a zone in the field that should be more than anything else about giving the whole team stability, safety and assurance. You want your pivot to protect your defense, to be able to hold the ball, control the match and the tempo, to be fierce and solid, to make a smooth transition into the attacking midfield or maybe even straight to the attack. But only the latter seem important when you see names such as Oscar and Kevin being thrown there just to waste their talent (that should be in the attacking midfield) and probably exposing the team when a heavier and stronger midfield faces us. Because Mikel + any of our AMs is an extremely light and unbalanced pivot and if you replace Mikel for Ramires or worse Lampard then you're begging us to be raped in the EPL and A and B teams in Europe.

But I don't mind reading the suggestions because after all each of us will have a different take on football. Each of us will prefer a certain formation. What really gets tiring and entitles the attitude is that people are still complaining about the transfer window (players we sign, players we didn't sign), people more often than not show they don't trust what the manager (or the board) is doing and are just unbelievably impatient. It must be cultural, it must be different in England/Europe, but in Brazil for things to get like this and fans overreact to this extent teams would have be closing in the relegation zone or making capital mistakes that cost the title - but even then that only happens very close to the end of the league 3-4 rounds from the end.

I'm happy the petty scrabbles are things of the past and the forum is much more civil these days, but the tone continues to be of a constant moaning surrounding the team. As I said it must be cultural and I'm not used to it, so forgive me if I think the whole thing is tiring and annoying and I keep reacting to it. It's a wild experience and more often than not I can't believe I read certain things... Latinos approach the sport in a much more carefree, happier, festive way - although we do criticize things as well, but not as much, not nearly as much. It's a reality shock for me - not a good one. So forgive me if I'm still getting used to the constant moaning and being irritated by it. It may also have something to do with the age (my age) and the lack of patience towards certain things. I'm just absolutely surprised about the overreaction everywhere about a team that is "under construction" and going through a complete change of identity. I get frustrated when the team is playing, but it's still a foreign concept to me to come to the board hours or days later and the sourness to be constant...

[Stingray 9,441]

I wonder why people deliberatly misread.

KDB in the pivot?

1. Only if it is the attacking metronome role - yes people, pivots can hold two different roles. Also attacking ones where positioning is crucial, not tackling.

2. Forcing an AM in there? Although people claim we have memory brainfarts pretty much every bemgian that saw him play for season at Genk knows this is a place he knows well - dito NT and he had instances at Bremen (yes in a 433). Saying it cannot be done and it is forcing is just ... Premature as a virgin boy with a pornstar.

3. THE people thy want to drop Oscar and KDB in the pivot .... This is a category that doesn't exist. Two different debates.

4. We will get raped in the EPL. Well, thanks madame and mister Soleil for your crystal ball wisdom

I find the 'he can never do it' argument so thin, there is simply no data to suggest this while there is data to support the claim he can. You might not WANT him there, but that's a whole different ball game.

[nadavTKL 1,787]

I'm happy the petty scrabbles are things of the past and the forum is much more civil these days, but the tone continues to be of a constant moaning surrounding the team. As I said it must be cultural and I'm not used to it, so forgive me if I think the whole thing is tiring and annoying and I keep reacting to it. It's a wild experience and more often than not I can't believe I read certain things... Latinos approach the sport in a much more carefree, happier, festive way - although we do criticize things as well, but not as much, not nearly as much. It's a reality shock for me - not a good one. So forgive me if I'm still getting used to the constant moaning and being irritated by it. It may also have something to do with the age (my age) and the lack of patience towards certain things. I'm just absolutely surprised about the overreaction everywhere about a team that is "under construction" and going through a complete change of identity. I get frustrated when the team is playing, but it's still a foreign concept to me to come to the board hours or days later and the sourness to be constant...

Believe it or not but i completely gets you. I hate to enter the site after bad games becuase of the reaction of some fans, sometimes i just dont do it and forget about the game. my approach to football is alot more "carefree" like you said than alot of others here and more like you i think. I hate to see people moaning on everything (like Eto'o who havent scored yet, and people saying he's shit already after 3 games), im always trying to look at things at the bright way and in an optimistic way (like- maybe we do have the solution in the squad, thats a part of it), so if im moan about something in this team it got to realy piss me off.

Our double pivot situation pisses me off becuase (not like you) i think we could have easily find over the summer some better solutions than what we have, and becuase we all see the hugh problem there but for some reason the manager continue to trust the same players who havent produced in the past. We could have got Hernanes, Pjanic, Witzel, and there are so much others who would make a better double pivot together with Ramires. Even Cabaye, or Paulinho that Spurs got, i think they all could have make us much stronger. Off course my fantasy is someone like Gundogan or a younger Alonso, but those players would have make a difference im sure. i think the situation is that bad that any midfielder with an ability of running a midfield+energy+descent defending would do. Mikel and Ramires are clueless when you talk about building a football game in the top top level. When we'll face some serious teams in Europe it would show even more.

I wont moan about that the all season, but now - when im realizing theres nothing new from last season - im disappointed. When im writing an explained post and not just cry "why mou why not buying", i think its ok.

[Fastrobbie 26]

Expecting so much more of De Bruyne. Performance against Swindon was flat.

Compared to the things he has shown previous season at Bremen, this is not even worth discussing about.

Come on, KDB, don't let Mou and the pressure get to you. Do your thing! I believe in you!

[The_Flash 1,144]

Have seen him play better but hopefully was just a blip.