As any keen follower of Manchester City will know, Pep Guardiola regularly talks about rhythm.
It's a topic that often comes up when City don't win, as was the case following a 2-1 defeat to RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
"In the first half we lacked rhythm and they have a really good team", Guardiola said after his much-changed team lost for the first time in seven games.
Rhythm was also the reason why Ilkay Gundogan and Kyle Walker were not rested when both at times looked like they could have done with a night off.
The manager said that both needed to play for their rhythm, having missed last week's win at Aston Villa.
Walker was sent off after lashing out in frustration at Leipzig's matchwinner Andre Silva and Gundogan failed to have much impact on the contest - only adding to the frustration of youth team standouts James McAtee and Cole Palmer getting three minutes between them.
But if Walker in particular represented the bad side of that approach, then Kevin De Bruyne was the good. While clearly far from his best, the Belgian midfielder showed glimpses of quality on his first start since recovering from COVID-19.
"He needs rhythm", Guardiola said - he does love a theme - when De Bruyne returned after 10 days of self-isolation, the timing of which came just as the midfielder was starting to return to his usual brilliant self following injury.
Against Leipzig he more than justified Guardiola's logic by registering five shots and creating three chances, more than any other City player.
With potentially tricky encounters with Wolves and Leeds coming up in the next week, it's just as well that De Bruyne enjoyed an encouraging outing.
This season City have mastered the art of dominating teams that sit deep, toying with them and starving them of possession until they crack and open themselves to ruthless exploitation.
In those kind of games, City's best midfield trio has been Rodri, Gundogan and Bernardo Silva. However, in the Champions League things have been a little different. Teams don't tend to sit deep, rather they attack City and create more dynamic, open contests.
City can expect those kind of games against both Wolves and Leeds. Neither are likely to sit and employ a low block, meaning the games could suit De Bruyne's ability to ruthlessly capitalise with surging runs and killer balls in moments of transition.
Of the few positives to take from a strange evening in Germany, De Bruyne's performance is the stand out. It will serve himself and City well in the packed schedule that is to come.
Will Kevin De Bruyne play an important role in City's upcoming games? Follow our City Is Ours writer Alex Brotherton on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
