In 25 years, when the name of Kevin de Bruyne arrives in Manchester City’s conversations, they will talk about him as one of their greatest players of all time and an important part of the success of the years of glory.
I think he was the best midfielder in the Premier League for good good years. Over time, supporters will think about him saying, “You should have seen him play”.
He underwent an initial withdrawal to Chelsea when Jose Mourinho sold him to Wolfsburg. He had the talent but Jose obviously felt that he did not have the mentality but, when he returned to England, Manchester City saw a player who had everything.
Forgive me, but as a former midfielder, I believe that as long as you have the right balance in the middle of your field, you will not win anything.
In recent years, Manchester City has had truly exceptional world class fields in Fernandinho, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Bernardo Silva and now Rodri but De Bruyne is perhaps the best of all.
For me, it was world class. He could have played for Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Paris St Germain or any other team you want to appoint.
Kevin de Bruyne will leave Manchester City as legend – and one of the best in the Premier League
He had the gift of presenting himself on special occasions, and his eye for passes and shots is a dream
City has had brilliant fields over the years, but it could well fill them all
A great, extremely dynamic athlete, he had an eye for a pass, an eye for a goal. He had to be a dream of having around the place.
Pep Guardiola would have realized very quickly when he crossed the doors of the Etihad how lucky he was to have him.
A constant memory for me is from Bruyne whipping the ball in the first time in the space between the six -meter box and the nearby post for Sergio Aguero attack. He would cross his defender and mark. Like all the “worlds”, Aguero instinctively knew what Bruyne regions would deliver, and he did it with infallible precision. Sometimes unstoppable.
The signs of DE Bruyne’s decline in intensity were there last year. There are only 18 Premier League games only last season when he made a fairly long injuries, everything was normal for a man who is now 33 years old.
Large players do not lose their technique, but they can lose this half-meter of intensity.
The city has been a large scalp to take in the Premier League, for several years, they are the most important. Each team considers them as their cup final and everyone wants to hurt them when they play the city. It is very easy to forget all the hard sites that these super talented players must do every week to fight against this, but that catches up with everyone – possibly.
You no longer have elasticity in your muscles, and you are more subject to injuries. Whether it is small bad guys or serious muscle tears.
He was full of beans last week in Bournemouth, but unfortunately at his age, this intensity cannot be reached every week now. How many times can we say that he has made the difference for Manchester City with his kindness of the pass or a spectacular lens?
One of my constant memories will be of his partnership with Sergio Aguero, and his ability to stick a pass to the nearby post for him
He lost a certain intensity, but the great players have never dropped their exceptional technique
The Belgian suffered a backhand when Jose Mourinho sold him from Chelsea to Wolfsburg
But he turned out to be a player not only of immense talent, but also of an elite mentality
He will always be called a “worldie” for years to come in a league after leaving Etihad
He will leave City, will go to a league, because nowhere is as demanding as ours and, whether for MLS or Saudi Arabia, he will always be a star. For two or three more years, they will declare it a “worldie”.
Whatever he does, he certainly left his mark on our game. I only have admiration for him.
As difficult as this decisive conversation was for PEP, I am sure that de Bruyne would have made the task easier.
You do not become this player level without first being honest with yourself. When this is not going well, the best of the players always looks in the mirror first and that is what De Bruyne did again.
Tarkowski deserved a red – but it is not a criminal
If you’ve looked up and down, you would find it difficult to find an ex-professional who has not seen James Tarkowski’s challenge on Alexis Mac Allister as something other than a red card. The fact that it is a yellow is once again due to arbitration standards, without understanding what constitutes a dangerous game in front of them.
I actually think that Tarkowski is an honest player. He is tall, he is powerful and aggressive. The one you would like in the trenches with you.
He found himself the hero in the last derby match in Goodison so that you can imagine that he was full of emotion, full of passion, for the night in Anfield.
It was not a criminal offense and fortunately Mac Allister was not seriously injured, but Tarkowski exceeded the brand and can count his blessings.
I am the last person to judge because I have been taken in challenges like this in many derby games. Whether you like it or not, the supporters always appreciate the physical side of the game and that “will never change” in the derbies of Merseyside.
The resulting threats to Tarkowski and his wife we hear about are unfortunately, the disadvantage of modern society. You do not want to give him antenna time, but social media are part of the life of a footballer who he only has to face these days.
On a positive note, you could see what Arn Slot value had placed on a derby victory. David Moyes has been raised from Everton lately and they have felt a vulnerability to Liverpool after their defeats against PSG and Newcastle United. Mikel Arteta would have watched hoping for the same thing, but this victory was a blow in his eyes for him and Arsenal.
It will be interesting if Everton can find the same intensity to leave and be of service to Liverpool against Arsenal on Saturday.
James Tarkowski definitely deserved a red card for his fault on Alexis Mac Allister
The abuse that he and his wife have suffered is regrettable, but the players only have to face these days
We talked about the season of the Liverpool season after its release in the Champions League and the final defeat of the Carabao Cup, but we should never lose sight of the league is the ultimate price.
The teams can be lucky and winning cuts, but a League title is the price of nine months of the loss of form, injury, disappointments and tests of character. You don’t win him luckily. Winning this trophy is an appropriate test of a team. It is never a consolation price and, without a doubt, the most important trophy you can win.
Southampton to themselves to blame
If Southampton was relegated by Tottenham on Sunday, it will be the start of what seems inevitable: the three sides that were promoted last summer, go back to the championship.
The quality gap, the difference in financial number is quite obvious. In the past two seasons, we have seen teams such as Southampton and, before, Burnley insists on playing only one way. In this way, Burnley has relegated and it seems that it will also be for Southampton.
This style is the best teams better than you. A team that comes from the lower league must be more adaptable and not only stick to an obvious match plan.
If you manage one of these sides and on Friday, call Arne Slot, Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta or Unai Emery to ask “How do you want us to play tomorrow?” They would say, “Can you please play back because we are really good to press so we can steal your ball and score goals.
You don’t say “happy to force”. You must be more unpredictable. Can Southampton be happy that these principles have earned them 10 points of the Premier League?
Maybe they will be encouraged to believe that the total could increase against the Spurs. There is no way to dress that it was a very disappointing season for Angel Postcoglou. It is on a descending spiral which is difficult to get out. When you start to fall with the unconditional support that moves to look at you, it’s always a dangerous game.
Can Southampton be proud to stick to their principles when they only amasted 10 points?
They remain a chance against Tottenham – It was a miserable year for Angel Postocoglou
Arne Slot (left) is the only man who deserves the manager of the season above Nuno Espirito Santo
The Dutchman played in Liverpool, but I also like to see his hot side
My choice for the season manager
Nuno Espirito Santo has done a fabulous job this season and I understand that he is named manager of the season, but I am firmly convinced that the man who wins the main trophy should be acclaimed the best manager and I hope it is Arne Slot (as I mentioned above).
The Nottingham Forest is a pragmatic outfit that makes life difficult for all those they are confronted with. The competition on Saturday with Aston Villa will be intriguing, especially since Unai Emery knows that with Paris St Germain to come, the qualification for the Champions League could be better served via the first five of the Premier League.
He will have to get the most out of his talented team on these completely different challenges in the next two games. The Nuno forest will be held on their way first and Unai will be more than aware that they can dig large results away from home.
But for me, Arne Slot will deserve the best distinction of manager if Liverpool remains on the point.
I said he entered a dream job last summer. Inherited from a Liverpool team that just needed refining, he learned it very well and played it cool.
But what I really like to see is that, like all of us who have succeeded, there are now two machines at Arne. Cool head when everything is going well and the aggressive competitor with an angry head.