Iniesta - Is there another? | Announces retirement

WeasteDevil said:
I disagree, more talented in what way?



Does not compute mate. Is Iniesta a better dribbler of the ball?

Iniesta and Xavi are in their prime, they are not as good as Scholes and Keane were in theirs.
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In the sense that he that he has everything in his locker that Scholes had and more. He's like Scholes but with the dribbling/ close control to match the best, and a great burst of pace. He almost glides on the pitch.


In terms of talent he has more IMO. I think he can be the best footballer in the world and in the eyes of many already is. Whether he's as good right now is debateable because his overall passing isnt the same as Scholsey and his finishing is nothing on Scholes'.
 
Ekeke said:
I think Ever Banega can become something similar. Somewhere between a Xavi and an Iniesta. Probably more of a Xavi than an Iniesta though due to not having as much mobility as Iniesta, so perhaps you wouldnt be able to play him on the wing like Iniesta.

Still has a lot to prove and a long way to go, but he's made of talent and his distribution and skill are top class. Also Argentine, so he has that low centre of gravity they are all born with.
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Banega is a Xavi clone.
 
Ekeke said:
He's not though. He too has the ability to dribble and take multiple players on. He just doesnt have Iniesta's speed, so you wouldnt be able to play him off the wing like Iniesta does.

He's like a young Xavi, but with that ability to go past players.
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Xavi in his earlier days used to beat people too. It's just as he matured he started to prefer to let the ball do all the work. So the same might happen to Banega, though I really hope not. For dribbling good passers of the ball are a rarity in midfield.
 
Since when is Iniesta the best in the world, gets in to any team, but the best no way, no doubt in my mind, 3-4 players were better at Barca this year that says it all, about him possibly being the best in the world and the fact that Barca are the best team in the world atm
 
Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber said:
Xavi in his earlier days used to beat people too. It's just as he matured he started to prefer to let the ball do all the work. So the same might happen to Banega, though I really hope not. For dribbling good passers of the ball are a rarity in midfield.
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Hmm. Well to be honest I didnt see Xavi in his earliest days. Or rather, I probably did on a few occasions but I dont remember exactly how he played back then. Furthest back I can remember is about when he was 25-26 and I have to say that Banega dribbles more like Iniesta than he does Xavi from that age to now. He really can go past players with ease, but he's still a bit of a rough diamond in terms of what else he offers other than class distribution and the ability to go past players (like defending of course) and hasnt started as many games as he should have this season.

But yes, I definately think he can become a similar player to Iniesta in the middle of the pitch with regards to being a pass-master who can glide past players. Just never at the same speed Iniesta or Anderson or someone might do it.
 
Ekeke said:
Hmm. Well to be honest I didnt see Xavi in his earliest days. Or rather, I probably did on a few occasions but I dont remember exactly how he played back then. Furthest back I can remember is about when he was 25-26 and I have to say that Banega dribbles more like Iniesta than he does Xavi from that age to now.
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Fair enough. It's just in his earlier days when he had just broken through, Xavi was far more adventurous than he has been for the last 5 years. He can still beat people with ease if it's ever required. But now seeing him do that is rare indeed.

Ekeke said:
He really can go past players with ease, but he's still a bit of a rough diamond in terms of what else he offers other than class distribution and the ability to go past players (like defending of course) and hasnt started as many games as he should have this season.

But yes, I definately think he can become a similar player to Iniesta in the middle of the pitch with regards to being a pass-master who can glide past players. Just never at the same speed Iniesta or Anderson or someone might do it.
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True that.
 
WeasteDevil said:
Iniesta and Xavi are in their prime, they are not as good as Scholes and Keane were in theirs.
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Have to disagree. If they maintain their current level of performance for another couple of years, they could well be the best central midfielders in a generation.
 
Moutinho is one to consider as well. He can go on to become a similar player to Iniesta.

So there are a few out there.
 
be fair modeic is that kind of player. It's just that it's hard to judge him in that spurs team. He has good technique and is a very good passer and likes to control the tempo like all these midfielders do. Don't think he has the same composite, strength and close control like iniesta though. Looks like a poor mans iniesta but as I said hard judge him INS team like spurs
 
Alex said:
Since when is Iniesta the best in the world, gets in to any team, but the best no way, no doubt in my mind, 3-4 players were better at Barca this year that says it all, about him possibly being the best in the world and the fact that Barca are the best team in the world atm
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It says he's been injured, twice. Even 17 days out without a game, he came into the CL final and produced a man of the match performance, outshining even Messi. When he's played I think he's been Barca's second best player behind Messi and during the latter stages of the season he's been Barca's best player and has outperformed Messi.

His performances have lead to Eto'o coming out and saying that Iniesta is the best in the world. It says a lot when Eto'o trains with someone like Lionel Messi to give even higher praise to Iniesta. His performances have lead to Guardiola coming out and saying that Iniesta is the best player he's ever seen, which once again says a lot when he gets to see Messi play all the time. Xavi has came out and said Iniesta is Spain's best player easily because he can do things with a ball that no other in the team can do.
 
Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber said:
Xavi in his earlier days used to beat people too. It's just as he matured he started to prefer to let the ball do all the work. So the same might happen to Banega, though I really hope not. For dribbling good passers of the ball are a rarity in midfield.
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Xavi in his early days was never really considered to have the potential to be a truly fantastic player. In fact, nobody in their right mind would ever have bet on him becoming the player he is today. I remember one point when he was nearly forced out of Barca and was being included as part of the 'things that needed change' group.
 
Spammy said:
Xavi in his early days was never really considered to have the potential to be a truly fantastic player. In fact, nobody in their right mind would ever have bet on him becoming the player he is today. I remember one point when he was nearly forced out of Barca and was being included as part of the 'things that needed change' group.
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IIRC, he was touted as the new Guardiola from very early on and quite hyped. Stagnated quite a bit over the next few years and looked more likely to be the new De La Pena than the new Guardiola until Rijkjard came in. Most remember Ronaldinho and Davids as the main men in their dramatic turnaround in his first season, but Xavi really stepped up that season and matured into a superb midfielder after being moved out of the [guardiola-]holding role he had mostly played before.
 
B9 from YAWN said:
IIRC, he was touted as the new Guardiola from very early on and quite hyped. Stagnated quite a bit over the next few years and looked more likely to be the new De La Pena than the new Guardiola until Rijkjard came in. Most remember Ronaldinho and Davids as the main men in their dramatic turnaround in his first season, but Xavi really stepped up that season and matured into a superb midfielder after being moved out of the [guardiola-]holding role he had mostly played before.
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Yeah I definitely remember the decline after his initial break through. Can't remember the other young spaniards he broke through with.
 
Spammy said:
Yeah I definitely remember the decline after his initial break through. Can't remember the other young spaniards he broke through with.
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IIRC, he was part of the Van Gaal crop that included Gabri, Puyol, Oscar Lopez and Pepe Reina (to think they they later then stuck with fecking Valdes). Gerard Lopez and Arteta were part of the same crop although they never played for the first team before being moved on.
 
B9 from YAWN said:
IIRC, he was touted as the new Guardiola from very early on and quite hyped. Stagnated quite a bit over the next few years and looked more likely to be the new De La Pena than the new Guardiola until Rijkjard came in. Most remember Ronaldinho and Davids as the main men in their dramatic turnaround in his first season, but Xavi really stepped up that season and matured into a superb midfielder after being moved out of the [guardiola-]holding role he had mostly played before.
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Correct
 
I really rated Hleb when he was at Arsenal and thought he'd fit in at Barca very easily, with his close ball control and passing and after the toughening up he had to do in England etc

but he hasnt cut it in spain at all, sure his chances havent been great but when he was given playing time he has been frankly poor. He went from being one of the best at Arsenal to one of the last names in a match day squad at Barcelona.

It's very surprising because you would think he would have been more suited to spain than england but he looks ordinary in spain so far and looked very good in england.
 
Hleb was a great mover with the ball at Arsenal. Hard to tackle. He wasnt at all productive though. When I've seen him for Barcelona this season, even his dribbling hasnt looked impressive.
 
kouroux said:
Come on Chief.
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Seriously, to be honest at Arsenal he looked great. Especially when played centrally. It just occurred to me he could be available for very cheap. His woes in Spain a truly a mystery to me,as that football was supposed to suit him best. Slo I'm interested in what fellas on here think of him.
 
Where would he play or who could he replace because I'm sure the guy would wanna be at a club with some chance of playing regularly and at United he wouldn't get that much chances
 
If he was at United he'd be first choice on the left wing for me.

And in times of need he could fill the Giggs role in a midfield three well.
 
Lawman said:
Fabregas
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he's much more like Xavi than Iniesta, imo, if you're gonna make the comparison

Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber said:
Seriously, to be honest at Arsenal he looked great. Especially when played centrally. It just occurred to me he could be available for very cheap. His woes in Spain a truly a mystery to me,as that football was supposed to suit him best. Slo I'm interested in what fellas on here think of him.
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I was actually thinking that, of the players I know, Hleb is most like Iniesta. (Iniesta even has some reluctance shooting the ball, though nothing compared to Hleb's neurosis.) No idea what happened to him at Barca -- though he was never going to get past any of their starters -- but he really was brilliant last season at Arsenal. (I think in part that's a testimony to how important developing an understanding can be -- he, Cesc, and Flamini were all very much on the same wavelength.)

And, now that ya mention it, Rosicky and Nasri are Iniesta-like in their own way.

It all goes to show that Barcelona and Arsenal go after similar players and play a similar way. (It also goes to show how much better the players are at Barca, but we don't need to dwell on that.)
 

2.45. 99% of footballers would've probably shot there, very unselfish and great vision to pick out the player. He may not score that many goals, but when he does things like that, he doesn't need to. I know it will be criticised by "walking the ball into the net" but I admire Iniesta for how unselfish he is.
 
Still think Xavi's better than him, as was Scholes in his prime.

Might be down to personal preference more than anything though.
 
AttackingFlair said:
2.45. 99% of footballers would've probably shot there, very unselfish and great vision to pick out the player. He may not score that many goals, but when he does things like that, he doesn't need to. I know it will be criticised by "walking the ball into the net" but I admire Iniesta for how unselfish he is.
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Nani might have passed too. He does the unexpected.
Anyway, if you can get Iniesta's brain, put it into Nani's cranium, what will we get?
All a big fat joke.
 
Another bald Nani?


You talk like Nani doesnt have a brain at all. He obviously does, just doesn't use it often, that's all.
 
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