Kevin De Bruyne

RedRonaldo

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Yeah that's his fault, the scrub.

I don't blame you. I blame this culture of assessing players by trophies
He scored more goals than Kane, and more assists. There's no way Kane is a tier higher than Salah, doesn't make any sense at all in whatever angle you look at, except Kane is English.
 

Ramos

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He is really highly rated on here. Maybe even higher than Hazard. Don't feel like making a poll, but he could probably win it.
 

ThatsGreat

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Current PL tiers:

Tier 1: KDB, VVD
Tier 2: Aguero, Sterling, Mané, Kane, Robertson, Bernardo Silva
Tier 3: Salah, TAA, Firmino, Walker, Son, Aubameyang
Robertson in a higher tier than Aubameyang, okay.
 

adexkola

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Current PL tiers:

Tier 1: KDB, VVD
Tier 2: Aguero, Sterling, Mané, Kane, Robertson, Bernardo Silva
Tier 3: Salah, TAA, Firmino, Walker, Son, Aubameyang
I hate people who criticize shit without offering alternatives. So

Tier 1: KDB, VVD, Aguero, Kane, Salah
Tier 2: Sterling, Mané, Auba, Silva the Younger
Tier 3: TAA, Firmino, Walker, Son
 

adexkola

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He scored more goals than Kane, and more assists. There's no way Kane is a tier higher than Salah, doesn't make any sense at all in whatever angle you look at, except Kane is English.
I just disagree with you using trophies as a benchmark. Salah was better in a year where Liverpool won feck all.
 

RedRonaldo

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I just disagree with you using trophies as a benchmark. Salah was better in a year where Liverpool won feck all.
If you go back and read my original post, I am primarily using goals as benchmark as both of them play forward and their main role in the team is to score goals.
Trophies is reflection of how successful their team was, which means the players are doing the right thing. Its one of the factor I would consider too (more like secondary factor), but was not my emphasis. You are taking this abit out of context.
 

AndersB

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I hope you’re joking.
Why would I be joking?

I guess Aguero could have his own tier, below the top 2 but above the rest

Guess Walker may be too high. The Liverpook fullbacks are really good, hard to find a better pair almost anywhere.

Robertson in a higher tier than Aubameyang, okay.
Robertson is one of the very best left backs in Europe. Not sure you can say the same for Auba in his position.

Edit: I forgot Kante. Would put him tier 2 too I guess. Don't think Salah and Kane are as good as VVD, KDB and Aguero, not for a while at least. But sure, Salah is probs tier 2 if disregarding the last couple of months
 

Tostao_80

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A proper player.

When on form he's the best player in the league. It's refreshing in modern football to see a player produce world class performances on the pitch and still live a quiet life off it. Why we never went for him I'll never know.

He's also levels above Pogba in talent and application. Pogba could do with watching De Bruyne as he would learn a thing or two. Problem is Pogba is too busy planning his next stupid fecking haircut.
Hes not levels above Pogba in talent, infact, a case could be made that Pogba is more naturally gifted. However, application, football iq, theyre on a different plane. De Bruyne is the perfect example of a player maxing their abilities to their full potential. A truly great player.
 

Kush

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This just popped into my recommendations, such an amazing passer of the ball.
 

Fridge chutney

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I hate people who criticize shit without offering alternatives. So

Tier 1: KDB, VVD, Aguero, Kane, Salah
Tier 2: Sterling, Mané, Auba, Silva the Younger
Tier 3: TAA, Firmino, Walker, Son
I agree with this with one minor adjustment: I'd have Sterling in Tier 1.
 

ThatsGreat

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I hate people who criticize shit without offering alternatives. So

Tier 1: KDB, VVD, Aguero, Kane, Salah
Tier 2: Sterling, Mané, Auba, Silva the Younger
Tier 3: TAA, Firmino, Walker, Son
Pogba is at least tier 2. Talent wise he's tier 1, but I don't think we'll get to see his best form at Utd. When he decides to turn it up, he's world class.
 

adexkola

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BlueMoonOutcast

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Hes not levels above Pogba in talent, infact, a case could be made that Pogba is more naturally gifted
Naturally gifted at what? Can someone explain this to me like I'm five years old because I don't see anything that Pogba does that De Bruyne can't. Maybe Pogba is a little faster.
 

Jimmy_Bond

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I hate people who criticize shit without offering alternatives. So

Tier 1: KDB, VVD, Aguero, Kane, Salah
Tier 2: Sterling, Mané, Auba, Silva the Younger
Tier 3: TAA, Firmino, Walker, Son
I was about to say "how on earth can you put Aubamayang on a par with Mane, Sterling and Bernardo?," then I saw you were an Arsenal fan.
 

BridgeBanter

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Why would I be joking?

I guess Aguero could have his own tier, below the top 2 but above the rest

Guess Walker may be too high. The Liverpook fullbacks are really good, hard to find a better pair almost anywhere.



Robertson is one of the very best left backs in Europe. Not sure you can say the same for Auba in his position.

Edit: I forgot Kante. Would put him tier 2 too I guess. Don't think Salah and Kane are as good as VVD, KDB and Aguero, not for a while at least. But sure, Salah is probs tier 2 if disregarding the last couple of months
Kante tier 1 surely?
 

He'sRaldo

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All that's happening is his strengths are being emphasized and weaknesses minimized. Which Pep is an expert at.


For instance, I doubt he would be receiving the same amount of plaudits if he was playing as a DM week in, week out, as that would put focus on parts of his game that are weaker than others.


I think the same goes for most Pep players, we've seen the same thing happen everywhere he goes.
 

Stadjer

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KDB would look like a mid-table player at this dysfunctional ambition-less United too, make no mistake.
He wouldnt look as good as he does now but if KdB played behind a striker or as attacking midfielder he would still look good. Steven Gerrard looked good in bad Liverpool teams from that position because you can still assist/score from there and have some nice highlights. Pogba is playing further away from the goal so it is a bit harder to do something special from his position.

KdB his amount of assists would take a massive dive when Rashford is the one who has to finish his passes/crosses though...
 

kaiser1

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I hate people who criticize shit without offering alternatives. So

Tier 1: KDB, VVD, Aguero, Kane, Salah
Tier 2: Sterling, Mané, Auba, Silva the Younger
Tier 3: TAA, Firmino, Walker, Son
A little adjustment

Tier 1: KdB, Salah Aguero Kante
Tier 2: Robertson Sterling Mane, Fabinho, Bernardo, Laporte VVD, Kane, Alisson, Pogba
Tier 3: Son TAA Matip, David Silva, Auba

He wouldnt look as good as he does now but if KdB played behind a striker or as attacking midfielder he would still look good. Steven Gerrard looked good in bad Liverpool teams from that position because you can still assist/score from there and have some nice highlights. Pogba is playing further away from the goal so it is a bit harder to do something special from his position.

KdB his amount of assists would take a massive dive when Rashford is the one who has to finish his passes/crosses though...
KdB topped Bundesliga when Bas Dost and Bendtner were finishing

For instance, I doubt he would be receiving the same amount of plaudits if he was playing as a DM week in, week out, as that would put focus on parts of his game that are weaker than others.
Why would he play DM? Kante will not get as much plaudits if he was playing as AM or on the wings
 
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He'sRaldo

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Why would he play DM? Kante will not get as much plaudits if he was playing as AM or on the wings
If he were to sign for United I wouldn't put it past us to play him there.


And yeah definitely that's the point. Now imagine a whole team of very good players put in their best positions and roles, and managed by Pep Guardiola. Of course the best player on that team will look like the best in the world! It's such a good environment to thrive in.


Most world-class players are usually only as good as their circumstances; Kante playing AM under Sarri is a good example.
 

MrPooni

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I don't think so, not the same level as those two. Especially when considering the last year (partly Sarri's fault though). At his best he could be on that "Tier 1b" level with Aguero
Kante has comfortably been the best player in his favoured position for years now but you do you.
 

Aouer-United

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There's no doubt KDB is better than Pogba, he's easily most efficient player when it comes to through pass, set pieces and crosses where he excelled excellently at, the system played to his strength, we see the same thing every game, he spammed cross in the same spot and has many movements he knew could pass to. On the other hands, Pogba doesn't have his own system where he can apply to his game every game and imposed himself against others, that's why many of his chances were ridiculously that come out from nothing.
 

espnluk

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So this is how it felt for you lot back in the day when we had Scholes and Giggs at their peak and you guys had Ireland and Dickov.

P. S. Is he really that good, or is it because of the Pep effect?
He was voted Bundesliga's Player of the Season right before he left for City. I don't bother checking, but if you want you could look up what kind of players Bayern had at that time.
 

BobbyManc

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For instance, I doubt he would be receiving the same amount of plaudits if he was playing as a DM week in, week out, as that would put focus on parts of his game that are weaker than others.

I think the same goes for most Pep players, we've seen the same thing happen everywhere he goes.
Your point is that de Bruyne would not look as good as if he was played out of position? That applies to everyone. That's a strange point to raise. It's like handing Messi the Balon D'or but qualifying it with the statement that you doubt he'd have won the award if he was played as a centre back.
 

sullydnl

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All that's happening is his strengths are being emphasized and weaknesses minimized. Which Pep is an expert at.


For instance, I doubt he would be receiving the same amount of plaudits if he was playing as a DM week in, week out, as that would put focus on parts of his game that are weaker than others.


I think the same goes for most Pep players, we've seen the same thing happen everywhere he goes.
As an out and out DM? Obviously not, that isn't his position.

However he did play in a much deeper role the season before last and was a POTY contender from there too.
 

He'sRaldo

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Your point is that de Bruyne would not look as good as if he was played out of position? That applies to everyone. That's a strange point to raise. It's like handing Messi the Balon D'or but qualifying it with the statement that you doubt he'd have won the award if he was played as a centre back.
True, but then again a lot of players don't have those ideal conditions that your players enjoy, so you have to admit it's something to take into consideration.

For instance, one of the world's best defensive midfielders, Kante, was asked to play AM for all of last season and wasn't at his best at all. Another good example is Pogba this season. Such scenarios are not really all that uncommon.

Who knew for instance how good Salah would become when playing his right striker role instead of being an out and out right winger? Such ideal conditions are very important for players, provided the quality is there of course.
 
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