Player Review
99 - TOTS
My luck this season has been generally incredible, highlighted by somehow pulling KDB tradeable from one of the 100 packs I saved for EPL TOTSSF. This left me with a big decision to make: sell him for 3.5 mill and rebuild the entire squad, or keep him and experience what it's like to play with one of the best cards in the game. I'm not the greatest at FIFA nor usually the luckiest with packs, so I figured I'd take this one and only chance to try out a best-in-class player.
My review below is broken into two phases. In the first phase I needed a CAM, so that's where I played him, but I can tell you now that to really unlock the magic of this card you need to shift him further back on the pitch. I played him at CDM in the 2nd phase.
First Phase (CAM, 4-2-3-1)
It's impossible not to notice his pace and shot power. KDB scores two goals on his debut and guides me to a best-ever finish in WL (Gold 2). Every chance I create for him, he puts away.
The problem is: it's not that easy to create chances for him. His pace is incredible, but his agility and acceleration are not. My two other CAMs, birthday Ozil and PIM Laudrup from swaps, are much better at snaking past opposition defenders. I find that I'm using him more to bust a gut up and down the pitch, tracking back, harrying, winning the ball and then carrying it back to the opposition box, which gives me the idea to shift him into an aggressive box-to-box role.
Second Phase (CDM, 4-2-3-1)
In the time before KDB, I played with both CDMs on Stay Back and would trigger their runs manually. I found that was the only way of getting enough security through the middle against the overused 4-1-2-1-2.
However, I decided to push De Brunye into one of these CDM slots and changed his instructions to Get Forward. This proved to be the best decision I've made this year in FIFA.
I discovered that what ties all of KDB's attributes together is his neverending STAMINA. The guy is literally everywhere. When the opponent looks to play a long ball over the top, I close him down with KDB, confident in the knowledge that the AI will bring him back to my box before any of the opposition's supporting attackers due in part to his high defensive work rate. If your Neymars, Mbappes, or Ben Yedders manage to get past him, KDB is able to make up the yards due to his exceptional pace. But the reason this card is absolutely elite is after winning the ball back, he can carry it halfway across the pitch, shield, lay off to an attacker, and stay involved with forward play.
He is a complete, perfect, central midfielder. He simply does not tire. Give him attacking and defensive responsibilities and watch as he does the job of two or three normal players.
Never-ending stamina
Finishing from distance
5* weak foot
Dribbling is not good enough to beat decent defenders at this stage of the game