Guardian's Top 100 Footballers - 2014

Invictus said:
Rather unsurprisingly - the captain, spiritual leader and rock in the midfield of arguably the second best team in Europe in 2013/ 2014, Gabi Fernández has been completely omitted from another top individual players list. Yet somehow the likes of a subpar Pique and Alves find themselves in the mix. Quite staggering really and makes one question the criteria used by the decision-making panel.
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I was expecting him to be on top 10. If he isn't there (which means that he has been ommited entirely from the list) then that would be by far the worst thing of the list.

Saying that, I think that Modric was the best midfielder in the world last season, so he should have been on top 10. And agree with others who say that Pogba on 20 is just stupid.

Edit: Looking again, there is no place for him on top 10. I guess that these will be there:
Ronaldo, Messi, Robben, Aguero, Suarez, Neymar, Lahm, Neuer, Bale and Ramos.
 
Invictus said:
Rather unsurprisingly - the captain, spiritual leader and rock in the midfield of arguably the second best team in Europe in 2013/ 2014, Gabi Fernández has been completely omitted from another top individual players list. Yet somehow the likes of a subpar Pique and Alves find themselves in the mix. Quite staggering really and makes one question the criteria used by the decision-making panel.
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Not to mention the continued ridiculous undervalueing of Diego Godín... nada recognition at the LFP awards, nada at UEFA awards and FIFA BdO... it's hard for a centre-back to have a better season and calendar year than he's had... and looking at some of the names ahead of him it's a crying shame. For example I honestly don't know what Iniesta needs to do for people to see that he's been extremely average for the past 2 years even.
 
Skorenzy said:
Not to mention the continued ridiculous undervalueing of Diego Godín... nada recognition at the LFP awards, nada at UEFA awards and FIFA BdO... it's hard for a centre-back to have a better season and calendar year than he's had... and looking at some of the names ahead of him it's a crying shame. For example I honestly don't know what Iniesta needs to do for people to see that he's been extremely average for the past 2 years even.
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Yup, unfortunately the likes of Godin and Gabi and players from smaller or less fashionable clubs ala Atletico are largely under-represented in these kind of lists because they don't have a flamboyant playing style or aren't marketable enough or don't the same sexy cache attached with their names. There's no other rational explanation for the continued selection of the likes of Iniesta as you mentioned, or Casillas or Pique or Alves at the expense of other, more deserving candidates. I'd argue Diego deserves to be a Top 15-20 lock at the very least, over Thiago Silva by a considerable margin on the evidence of this calender year.
 
Giving preference to World Cup performances is like giving preference to the League Cup over the league. The World Cup is, in my opinion, an exercise every four years in hype and mediocrity. Spain were good in 2010, but that was about it. The Champions League is a much higher level.
 
Not too bad a list. Gerrard might seem daft, but it's worth remembering that he played pretty well for Liverpool last season and was a key player in their title challenge. Not too ridiculous for him to be in the top 100.

It'll still be Ronaldo or Messi as number 1. Wouldn't surprise me if they gave it to Ronaldo for this year, although Messi having a decent WC may help him edge it.
 
Mciahel Goodman said:
Giving preference to World Cup performances is like giving preference to the League Cup over the league. The World Cup is, in my opinion, an exercise every four years in hype and mediocrity. Spain were good in 2010, but that was about it. The Champions League is a much higher level.
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It's not at all. I don't agree with giving it too much attention since it's effectively a small group of games, but it's close to the highest level of football considering the majority of top players are in the tournament.
 
Cheesy said:
It's not at all. I don't agree with giving it too much attention since it's effectively a small group of games, but it's close to the highest level of football considering the majority of top players are in the tournament.
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I disagree. An average round of 16 CL game will usually beat the shite out of a World Cup game. Club sides spend a far superior amount of time together and gel more cohesively than any national side. Spain came close, but mainly because they resembled Barcelona so much.
 
Mciahel Goodman said:
I disagree. An average round of 16 CL game will usually beat the shite out of a World Cup game. Club sides spend a far superior amount of time together and gel more cohesively than any national side. Spain came close, but mainly because they resembled Barcelona so much.
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I agree largely, although I still think you're doing the WC a slightly disservice there. Germany were superb this time round, for example.
 
Mciahel Goodman said:
I disagree. An average round of 16 CL game will usually beat the shite out of a World Cup game. Club sides spend a far superior amount of time together and gel more cohesively than any national side. Spain came close, but mainly because they resembled Barcelona so much.
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Well the man-for-man quality of the Spain squad at their best was superior to everyone bar Barcelona. But you're right that there are around half a dozen club sides whose resources are so vast that they can bring together more powerful XIs than the majority of the top international sides. But equally as they become stronger the rest of the clubs become relatively weaker in losing their best players to the small handful of big boys. And then that's the beauty of the World Cup in the way it presents a unique test for the top players who, usually surrounded by flawless squads, have to deal with such a competitive and challenging environment. It also comes around once every four years which adds to its grandeur but importantly means that you only got a couple of shots of it, rather than challenging for the Champions League numerous times during a career.
 
Sammyjunn said:
Rooney far from his best is still a mile better than Pogba, he is as inconsistent as it gets. This list is literally saying that Pogba has been Juventus' best player this season, above Tevez, Pirlo, Vidal, it's just laughable.
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No its not because for one it includes last season, and I would have put Pirlo and Vidal above Rooney in the list based on 2014. Not 100% sure about Tevez, so that conclusion isn't justifiable at all.
 
Cassidy said:
No its not because for one it includes last season, and I would have put Pirlo and Vidal above Rooney in the list based on 2014. Not 100% sure about Tevez, so that conclusion isn't justifiable at all.
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That doesnt bother me, what botters me is that this list so laughable that it puts Pogba above all those players, Pogba wasnt the best player at Juve in 2014.
 
gofelx said:
How is Kroos overrated? :wenger:
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Based on this list he's massively overrated.

Zero chance he's better than Di Maria, Hazard, Sanchez, David Silva, Yaya, or Fabregas. That's just to name a few.

He's not even better than his midfield partner Modric.
 
Costa is average. Controversial but I'll stand by it.

A bigger yellow card threat than goal threat. Creates little and his finishing is crap.

Incoming barrage of ":lol:" and ":wenger:"?
 
Pink Moon said:
Costa is average. Controversial but I'll stand by it.

A bigger yellow card threat than goal threat. Creates little and his finishing is crap.

Incoming barrage of ":lol:" and ":wenger:"?
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Well, he was statistically the most efficient finisher in Europe last season while scoring 35+ goals so...

:wenger:
 
Some bizarre placings there but its too be expected from these sorta things.
 
Pink Moon said:
Costa is average. Controversial but I'll stand by it.

A bigger yellow card threat than goal threat. Creates little and his finishing is crap.

Incoming barrage of ":lol:" and ":wenger:"?
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Scores a lot of goals for someone whose finishing is crap, doesn't he? Not like he's playing for the most attacking teams on the planet either. In fact I'm pretty sure his finishing is statistically excellent.

He's only just turned 26 as well so is still improving and has adapted instantly to the PL as the current second highest scorer in the league. Not sure how you think he's average with all that in mind.....
 
All the pl players mentioned so far.

West Ham - Valencia 94 (rw)
Arsenal - Wilshere 91 (cm), Ramsey 75 (cm), Ozil 54 (am)
Chelsea - Azpilicueta 90 (lb), Terry 69 (cb), Ivanovic 53 (rb), Mati 48 (dm), Oscar 46 (am), Fabregas 36 (cm), Courtois 17 (gk), Hazard 16 (lw), Costa 12 (st
Man Utd - Blind 89 (dm), Falcao 63 (st), De Gea 55 (gk), Van Persie 45 (st), Rooney 43 (st), Di Maria 14 (CM)
Liverpool - Gerrard 80 (cm), Sterling 52 (lw), Sturridge 51 (st)
Spurs- Lloris 76 (gk)
Swansea - Bony 67 (st)
Man City - Dzeko 66 (st), Zabaleta 59 (rb), Kompany 37 (cb), Silva 35 (am), Toure 18 (cm)

Chelsea - 9
United - 6
City - 5 (6 with Aguero)
Liverpool - 3
Arsenal - 3
Swansea - 1
West Ham - 1

29 players out of 100 isn't so bad for the league. DDG is too low, Carrick should be on it ahead of Gerrard.
 
Ok what i've learned today in the Caf is that Costa is average and Daehli is in the top 5 most technical players bracket in the premier league (better than Hazard). No wonder some posters are making Merson look like a genius in this forum.
 
Courtois, Ivanovic, Blind, Kompany, Azpilicueta, Toure, Fabregas, Di Maria, Hazard, Silva, Costa. Fabregas being removed for Aguero.



----------Aguero-Costa
-Silva---------------------Hazard
----------Toure-Di Maria
Azpilicueta-Blind-Kompany-Ivanovic
---------------Courtois

Would be our best team
 
Revan said:
Edit: Looking again, there is no place for him on top 10. I guess that these will be there:
Ronaldo, Messi, Robben, Aguero, Suarez, Neymar, Lahm, Neuer, Bale and Ramos.
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Müller instead of Ramos, the other 9 should be correct.
 
Balu said:
Müller instead of Ramos, the other 9 should be correct.
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No idea how I missed him, considering that he is one of the players I like most. I guess that Ramos is somewhere lower on the list, right?
 
Revan said:
No idea how I missed him, considering that he is one of the players I like most. I guess that Ramos is somewhere lower on the list, right?
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Somewhere in the 30's, he's the 2nd best centerback in the list if I'm not mistaken after Thiago Silva, with Godin the 3rd best close behind.
 
James is not the 15th best player in the world, nor is Tevez better than Rooney and RvP. Carrick should be on it, and Gerrard shouldn't. Costa is too high.
 
jakec said:
All the pl players mentioned so far.

West Ham - Valencia 94 (rw)
Arsenal - Wilshere 91 (cm), Ramsey 75 (cm), Ozil 54 (am)
Chelsea - Azpilicueta 90 (lb), Terry 69 (cb), Ivanovic 53 (rb), Mati 48 (dm), Oscar 46 (am), Fabregas 36 (cm), Courtois 17 (gk), Hazard 16 (lw), Costa 12 (st
Man Utd - Blind 89 (dm), Falcao 63 (st), De Gea 55 (gk), Van Persie 45 (st), Rooney 43 (st), Di Maria 14 (CM)
Liverpool - Gerrard 80 (cm), Sterling 52 (lw), Sturridge 51 (st)
Spurs- Lloris 76 (gk)
Swansea - Bony 67 (st)
Man City - Dzeko 66 (st), Zabaleta 59 (rb), Kompany 37 (cb), Silva 35 (am), Toure 18 (cm)

Chelsea - 9
United - 6
City - 5 (6 with Aguero)
Liverpool - 3
Arsenal - 3
Swansea - 1
West Ham - 1

29 players out of 100 isn't so bad for the league. DDG is too low, Carrick should be on it ahead of Gerrard.
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You've left out Sanchez.
 
Some of the positions are iffy to say the least. I really don't see why Thiago Silva is rated higher than Kompany.
 
Pogba better than Schweinsteiger, Modric and Silva(just to name a few) is laughable.

Silva should be top 10 imo, ridiculously talented player.
 
Rykker_4united said:
James is not the 15th best player in the world, nor is Tevez better than Rooney and RvP. Carrick should be on it, and Gerrard shouldn't. Costa is too high.
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Tevez has surely been better than RVP on this year.

Carrick wasn't good last season and then was injured until a month ago. So, he can't be on the list having been great for only one month on 2014, while being either injured or average (like most of the team last season) for the rest of the year.

Gerrard was very good last season (bar the Chelsea game) but he has been so bad this season so I agree that he shouldn't be on the list.

I also was surprised to see Falcao there. Has he started even as low as 10 games on 2014?
 
ottosec said:
Pogba better than Schweinsteiger, Modric and Silva(just to name a few) is laughable.

Silva should be top 10 imo, ridiculously talented player.
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Schweinsteiger was very absent this season. He had that World Cup final - but that was it. I do not think he should be higher than his 24 - and I am a fan. Boateng on 57 is more you can complain about.
 
Coleman should be on it. I am shocked Howard isn't on it either after the hype went crazy after the WC
 
Pink Moon said:
Costa is average. Controversial but I'll stand by it.

A bigger yellow card threat than goal threat. Creates little and his finishing is crap.

Incoming barrage of ":lol:" and ":wenger:"?
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I'm pretty sure he has more goals this year than yellow cards.
 
Impossible to make a list of top 100 footballers. Its all a matter of opinion.
 
James rodriguez in 15???
 
Neymar in the top 10 is a joke. He was massively off form last season for a Barca team that didn't win anything, and for Brazil he was good, but that side had a mare.
 
Lynk said:
Neymar in the top 10 is a joke. He was massively off form last season for a Barca team that didn't win anything, and for Brazil he was good, but that side had a mare.
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This list looks like it's based a lot on hype and World Cup performances. James at 15 is laughable.
 
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