Donny Van de Beek

Bruni categorically is not playing any deeper than Rashford or Greenwood.

The very heat maps Sat Nav linked to demonstrate that. He’s playing at least as high up as Rashford, and, again, according to the SofaScore and WhoScored maps, actually higher up than Greenwood.

He just isn’t playing as a midfielder. His role is not in midfield

I don’t think we should sign this lad, look at the trouble he’s caused already

comment by rosso - for your protection, we’ve installed this camera (U17054)
posted 12 minutes ago
Bruni categorically is not playing any deeper than Rashford or Greenwood.

The very heat maps Sat Nav linked to demonstrate that. He’s playing at least as high up as Rashford, and, again, according to the SofaScore and WhoScored maps, actually higher up than Greenwood.

He just isn’t playing as a midfielder. His role is not in midfield
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OK Rosso, you win. He’s not a midfielder despite every profile of the player stating that he is. (Insert juvenile smiley face)

Why are DVB’s defensive abilities irrelevant? A comment from you from which is where this all spawned .

comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 10 minutes ago
comment by rosso - for your protection, we’ve installed this camera (U17054)
posted 12 minutes ago
Bruni categorically is not playing any deeper than Rashford or Greenwood.

The very heat maps Sat Nav linked to demonstrate that. He’s playing at least as high up as Rashford, and, again, according to the SofaScore and WhoScored maps, actually higher up than Greenwood.

He just isn’t playing as a midfielder. His role is not in midfield
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OK Rosso, you win. He’s not a midfielder despite every profile of the player stating that he is. (Insert juvenile smiley face)

Why are DVB’s defensive abilities irrelevant? A comment from you from which is where this all spawned .
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I didn’t say his defensive attributes are irrelevant.

I said that it’s irrelevant that he can play in a midfield three, because we don’t, and we won’t be.

His defensive attributes will be useful whether Ole deploys him in Bruno’s role, or whether he plays him in midfield with Pogba or Matic.

comment by rosso - for your protection, we’ve installed this camera (U17054)
posted 13 minutes ago
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 10 minutes ago
comment by rosso - for your protection, we’ve installed this camera (U17054)
posted 12 minutes ago
Bruni categorically is not playing any deeper than Rashford or Greenwood.

The very heat maps Sat Nav linked to demonstrate that. He’s playing at least as high up as Rashford, and, again, according to the SofaScore and WhoScored maps, actually higher up than Greenwood.

He just isn’t playing as a midfielder. His role is not in midfield
----------------------------------------------------------------------
OK Rosso, you win. He’s not a midfielder despite every profile of the player stating that he is. (Insert juvenile smiley face)

Why are DVB’s defensive abilities irrelevant? A comment from you from which is where this all spawned .
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I didn’t say his defensive attributes are irrelevant.

I said that it’s irrelevant that he can play in a midfield three, because we don’t, and we won’t be.

His defensive attributes will be useful whether Ole deploys him in Bruno’s role, or whether he plays him in midfield with Pogba or Matic.
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Well if you don’t define a midfielder as a midfielder then I guess it’s highly unlikely that we’ll ever play a 3 man midfield.

Anyway, I think it’s fair to say that we’re all happy to be signing him and look forward to watching him play in whatever position.

Liverpool play with a midfield three, as do City (most often).

We did infrequently under Mourinho, and have even under Ole when he’s used the diamond.

But generally speaking, we simply don’t play with three midfield roles.

Don’t you yourself say we play 4231? The 3 can be labelled midfielder or attackers, they operate that space in between, nothing wrong with calling it 433 imo.

comment by rosso - for your protection, we’ve installed this camera (U17054)
posted 9 minutes ago
Liverpool play with a midfield three, as do City (most often).

We did infrequently under Mourinho, and have even under Ole when he’s used the diamond.

But generally speaking, we simply don’t play with three midfield roles.
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We’re going round in circles mate.

If you look back at those heat maps you’ll see Bruno’s activity in our half versus Greenwood & Rashford. Ie. He plays all over the pitch/in our half more than they do. His focus is clearly in the attacking areas, of course. Which is why he’s a CAM. Hit hottest spots form a U shape around the centre circle and is generally spread throughout the pitch more than those you say he plays ahead of.

Literally every profile labels him a midfielder or attacking midfielder, they can’t all be wrong and you know better surely?

He’s not far from a Cantona or a Sheringham I get why you mentioned Eric but he’s more involved in the deeper areas than they were which is why I lean towards CAM.

He is a midfielder that doesn’t mean he has to play like Liverpool’s midfielders.

When playing a diamond, the tip of the diamond is a midfielder, no? Location-wise that’s pretty much where Bruno operates.

But a CAM does more typical midfield work than a SS does and Bruno does that for us as you can see from the heat map. His best work in done in advanced positions no-one is denying that nor that it is his focus but you can’t ignore that he goes further back more than any of those you think he is ahead of.

He does it all the little legend!!

More so I think the journalists point was that IF we wanted to he (Donny) has the ability to sit behind, so if we’re chasing but in control we could do him behind Pogba and Bruno as he has some defensive abilities in his locker.

comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 39 seconds ago
Don’t you yourself say we play 4231? The 3 can be labelled midfielder or attackers, they operate that space in between, nothing wrong with calling it 433 imo.
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There’s very little difference when actually playing a game as the players are tied to one 20 yard square and cannot move from there. But Bruno is 100% a midfielder as are Pogba and Matic. Just because they play different roles within the midfield doesn’t stop them being midfielders; hence having CM, CDM, RCM, LCM and CAM.
Matic is a CDM
Pogba is a CM/LCM
Bruno is a CAM

Let’s see where Donny sits, at 23 his position will likely change over the years. I’m quite excited by it, hope it all works out.