Overrated Players

I find it astonishing that some are listing Foden as overrated. He’s a phenomenal player.
 
United edition:

Patrice Evra and David De Gea are the most overrated United players.

I already hoped in 2015 that De Gea’s Real move would have gone through. I don’t think they’d have won half of those trophies the following years if they signed De Gea in 2015, he’s always been limited, and mentally and physically soft.

Evra was good for three seasons and still not the best in his position in the league. He had good technique but he was never as good as top FBs defensively or offensively. He was a liability between 2011-2014, always carelessly jogging out of position and incapable of putting in a decent cross. I was disappointed that we only signed Alex Büttner instead of some serious competition for Evra. Evra’s fitness and superior team-mates are the only things he has over Luke Shaw.


Others:

Memphis

One of those players who has much bigger ego than ability. Pales miserably in comparison with all the Dutch attackers of previous generation.

Zlatan


Great player, but his peak was not close to Henry or Suarez, let alone Messi or Ronaldo. His god complex media persona has boosted his reputation.

Victor Valdes

Barcelona could have won even more with a better goalkeeper.

Berbatov

Very cool footballer, but our attack was never as fluid and dynamic after him, his signing was a big mistake that kind of started the decline of our football with many other things (especially lack of young, ambitious signings).

Everyone agrees witht his.. Literally everyone...

There are a lot of fans here stating he is absolute shit, because of his underwhelming stint here.. There are also a lot of people saying he has developed into a good player, but I havent heard anyone saying he is worldclass or comes close to being the player RVP, Van Basten, Bergkamp, RVN were... (saying his numbers are better for the NT are just facts, nothing to argue about or mentioning that is not implying he was better than those mentioned)...

By who is he overrated according to you then? By only Memphis himself? Sounds like you are merely mentioning him here because you dislike his character..
 
Veratti is overrated and Kovacic is underrated. They are essentially the same player. If you did a Veratti to Chelsea and Kovacic to PSG swap no one would notice any difference.

Well, Kovacic is a lot more of a short range player in general than Verratti.. Without arguing terms of quality, they offer different things to a team..

Besides that, you could argue Kovacic is underrated (which I think I agree), but that doesnt necessarily mean Veratti is overrated right?
 
Everyone agrees witht his.. Literally everyone...

There are a lot of fans here stating he is absolute shit, because of his underwhelming stint here.. There are also a lot of people saying he has developed into a good player, but I havent heard anyone saying he is worldclass or comes close to being the player RVP, Van Basten, Bergkamp, RVN were... (saying his numbers are better for the NT are just facts, nothing to argue about or mentioning that is not implying he was better than those mentioned)...

By who is he overrated according to you then? By only Memphis himself? Sounds like you are merely mentioning him here because you dislike his character..
Maybe that sentence was not the best way to describe him being overrated. I think there are United fans on this forum who would take him back, while he is seriously one of the most hopeless attacking players we’ve ever had. That is overrating, because he hasn’t developed as a player.
 
Oh man here we go….

Before I say this name I just want to preface and say I still think he was a very good player.

David Beckham- Felt he was overrated but he was always lifted due to 1. Being English 2. Insane free kick taker 3. Insane good looks

Now In terms of underrated I’m just going to quickly say Joao Moutinho. He’s a rat feck but he could have played in almost any team of his era and especially during his time at Porto not many can control the tempo of a game like he can. Never injured and over 100 caps for Portugal while also being one of the most consistent performers.
 
Raul is a tough one because he would be an awkward fit on most teams now that most everyone plays one up top. Would he have become an attacking midfielder or just play as a wide forward off the right in the half space? Or as a 9 who drops deep a ton?
In a 4-3-3 I reckon he'd have played through the middle as a false 9, although younger / quicker Raul could have played on either side as a wide forward. He was pretty hot as a 9 / 9.5 / 10 for Real and showed the sort of qualities that have become more prized in the modern game.
 
The winning goal for the 2002 world cup by Ronaldo was a tap in after a Kahn spill. Tap ins require the player to anticipate and be there to tap in

And some just land straight to you on a plate.
 
Page 8 and we've seen Drogba, Scholes, VDS, Vieira mentioned, but not Nani, absolute insanity.

Nani was fantastic individually, but so inconsistent and low football iq that he was one of the worst team players i've seen. The most overrated United player by a good margin.
 
Maybe that sentence was not the best way to describe him being overrated. I think there are United fans on this forum who would take him back, while he is seriously one of the most hopeless attacking players we’ve ever had. That is overrating, because he hasn’t developed as a player.

This is a truly ridiculous statement..
 
Can we just establish that overrate does not mean bad? I feel like people, myself included, see the word overrated and automatically assume the person thinks the player they're talking about is terrible or bang average. It's possible to simultaneously think a player was absolutely world class and a tad overrated at the same time, hence why you see a lot of legendary names posted here.
 
This is a truly ridiculous statement..
Obviously he’s had some decent goalscoring seasons in Ligue1, but based on the hype he had during early days with PSV, his career has been quite underwhelming. And outside his stats, he often fails the eye test.

If he were to come back to Premier League, I don’t think he would score ten league goals or make a big impact. Because he hasn’t developed enough to stand out in such a competitive league.
 
Obviously he’s had some decent goalscoring seasons in Ligue1, but based on the hype he had during early days with PSV, his career has been quite underwhelming. And outside his stats, he often fails the eye test.

If he were to come back to Premier League, I don’t think he would score ten league goals or make a big impact. Because he hasn’t developed enough to stand out in such a competitive league.

This - arguing that you think he hasnt developed enough to make it here - is already a lot more nuanced that stating that he 'hasnt developed as a player since he left United - haha.
 
Obviously he’s had some decent goalscoring seasons in Ligue1, but based on the hype he had during early days with PSV, his career has been quite underwhelming. And outside his stats, he often fails the eye test.

If he were to come back to Premier League, I don’t think he would score ten league goals or make a big impact. Because he hasn’t developed enough to stand out in such a competitive league.
He's only scored 23 and assisted 10 in his last 24 matches for Holland as well......so overrated.
 
Zidane, Iniesta, Beckham and Scholes were not overrated. If anything they were underrated.
Foden is also a brilliant player. Slightly overrated? Maybe, but not more than any club and nation does with their own promising or talented (young) players.
 
I think most current players are overrated. I don’t see anyone in the league of Ronaldinho, Zidane, Messi, the Ronaldo’s, Maradona etc
As a teamsport football continues to rise but individually it is hard for me to get really excited by anyone.
 
I disagree with people saying Memphis, because who actually overrates him? I think he's properly rated. Nobody thinks he's world class.
 
I think most current players are overrated. I don’t see anyone in the league of Ronaldinho, Zidane, Messi, the Ronaldo’s, Maradona etc
As a teamsport football continues to rise but individually it is hard for me to get really excited by anyone.

Maybe it is then the time to rate players because of abilities and skills they have that make them better adapt to the modern game...

Intelligence, abilities to create space for others, fast awareness of situations, runs without the ball, ability to read when to press and not to press, being able to command and motivate other players are very important in the modern game - but never really rated as high as dribbling...
 
Can we just establish that overrate does not mean bad? I feel like people, myself included, see the word overrated and automatically assume the person thinks the player they're talking about is terrible or bang average. It's possible to simultaneously think a player was absolutely world class and a tad overrated at the same time, hence why you see a lot of legendary names posted here.

Exactly. I don't think Drogba was the Chelsea version of Darren Bent. I just think he's closer to a Torres or a Dwight Yorke than he is to the greatest strikers the league has ever seen. He doesn't have the ability or goal scoring record IMO to be up there and people's perceptions of him are tinted by his big game goal scoring record. For some reason Henry gets hailed as not being a big game player even though he scored plenty in Europe and against the top sides in the country. He didn't even play in as many finals for us as Drogba did for Chelsea, I count three. Torres had the technical ability he but flamed out pretty quickly and didn't really score that much overall. I'd put Suarez ahead of Drogba as well.
 
Exactly. I don't think Drogba was the Chelsea version of Darren Bent. I just think he's closer to a Torres or a Dwight Yorke than he is to the greatest strikers the league has ever seen. He doesn't have the ability or goal scoring record IMO to be up there and people's perceptions of him are tinted by his big game goal scoring record. For some reason Henry gets hailed as not being a big game player even though he scored plenty in Europe and against the top sides in the country. He didn't even play in as many finals for us as Drogba did for Chelsea, I count three. Torres had the technical ability he but flamed out pretty quickly and didn't really score that much overall. I'd put Suarez ahead of Drogba as well.

Yeah I think a lot of us are getting hung on the word instead of the argument. I still massively disagree with your assessment of Drogba. I think you undersold his technical ability quite a bit in your opening post, and I don't think just reading his goal scoring stats is a good way to judge his overall impact. I think, while not on the same level as Henry, he was levels above Torres and Yorke in terms of ability, influence and impact, even though Torres and Yorke were excellent strikers in their own right
 
How you pick the best CM of all time saying this nonsense.?

If you really think that you couldn't replace Xavi with any other world class midfield operator of the past or present within that Barca triumverate under Guardiola and it wouldn't have been as effective, fair enough. I strongly disagree though. Even a guy like Verratti (who has not done enough to be considered a legend) does everything that Xavi did and a lot more besides. Hence how he has consistently stood out in a largely dysfunctional PSG side all of his career against top European opposition whereas Xavi was only seen as a "good" player prior to the age of 28 and the arrival of Pep.
 
If you really think that you couldn't replace Xavi with any other world class midfield operator of the past or present within that Barca triumverate under Guardiola and it wouldn't have been as effective, fair enough. I strongly disagree though. Even a guy like Verratti (who has not done enough to be considered a legend) does everything that Xavi did and a lot more besides. Hence how he has consistently stood out in a largely dysfunctional PSG side all of his career against top European opposition whereas Xavi was only seen as a "good" player prior to the age of 28 and the arrival of Pep.
So why did Spain fall off when he retired???? They still had Iniesta, Thiago, Xabi Alonso etc but hey!
PSG has done nout in European competition getting knocked out by lesser teams. Verratti is overrated
 
No, Iniesta is the one overrated. Never the main guy, always the sidekick. Xavi was the one who ran games. Zidane was talismanic and had a star quality Iniesta never possessed.
Zidane won the ballon d'or simply for his 2 headed goals in the 1998 final. His only good game in the 2006 world cup was vs Brazil and the only reason why he was voted Pott at 2006 wc. His only great moment in the ucl was the goal vs Leverkusen. In short, his career has been about great moments without any consistency.

Iniesta was much more consistent through his career plus also had great moments like goals vs Netherlands in 2010 final, goal vs Chelsea in 2009 ucl semi final etc. Xavi was a central midfielder with Iniesta was an attacking mid, 2 different positions.
 
I actually think the opposite.
Think Zidane is fairly rated, he was a superstar and was at one point the best player in the world.
I think Iniesta is slightly overrated. I think Xavi was the star midfielder. Xavi was fantastic prior to Pep's arrival, whilst Iniesta was on the fringes. I believe that being able to play off of Xavi led to Iniesta being regarded as being better than he actually was.
If Iniesta played for most other teams, I don't think he would be as recognized as he currently is. His game relies too heavily on factors that not every team has. Where Xavi creates the setting, I feel that Iniesta requires the setting to perform. I don't think you can ever make that statement about Zidane.
See response to @TenonTen
 
I'll start

Didier Drogba- He scored a few cup final goals and people compare him to the best premier league strikers at all times. Not a chance. He never had the technique or goal scoring record to hang up there with Aguero, Henry & Shearer, even Rooney was better.

Go.

Go sit down
 
Ruud van Nistelrooy. Great finisher, poor overall player. Both United and Madrid were better before and after he was there.

But he's still no winner of this award. This trophy can clearly only go to one player. Obviously Paul Pogba. Incredibly overhyped since he was a United youth player. Always portrayed as the next best player of the world. During his whole carreer all the hype and stardom around him. In reality Paul Pogba is a slightly above average player, who occassionally plays a very good match but his regular performances are not exceeding the mediocre level. I have never seen so much overhyping in my life.

Seriously - 150 goals in 219 matches for a United-team that at times was quite average is overrated ?

The reason United improved after he left had nothing to do with Nistelrooys abilities - it had to do with
a) United signed Carrick the summer he left - he made a massive impact. In Ruuds last season we had Scholes who missed half the season through injury, Keane left after playing 4 games, Darren Fletcher before he became the brilliant Fletcher a few seasons later and Ryan Giggs - that was our central midfield.
b) Rooney and Ronaldo were 20 years old - and Ronaldo had not developed into the much more mature monster he became a few seasons later
c) Ronaldo and Nistelrooy didn't get along - and Nistelrooy leaving guaranted helped Ronaldo blossom. But it had nothing to do with Nistelrooy being overrated.

Nistelrooy is the most prolific striker I have seen ever - not the best striker, but the most prolific.
 
First you mention Zlatan and I nod. Then you mention Benzema and I'm like finally someone who realizes how crap he was for years at Madrid.

... And then you ruined it with Scholes. Completely.

It is no coincidence Scholes is synonymous with the success of Man United across two decades. Pirlo is not even in the same class as Scholes.

He was absolutely vital for us. The guy was our general, metronome whatever you may call it. So many attacks would just start with him. Shame more complex stats didn't exist back then.

Benzema was never crap - he had 1-2 seasons he was poor, he had 3-4 seasons he was just good - and 4-5 seasons where he was world-class - to call someone overrated when they score 20+ goals in the league 4 seasons running - well.....
 
Some of the players mentioned like Lampard, Scholes, Irwin, Drogba, Viera, Van Nistelrooy, Iniesta is embarrassing. They were world class. I say the posters mentioning them their mothers were still wiping their arse when these legends were playing. Why are people mentioning Memphis? He has always been shit.
 
David Beckham- Felt he was overrated but he was always lifted due to 1. Being English 2. Insane free kick taker 3. Insane good looks

He was a dish wasn't he? ;)

I actually feel he is slightly underrated as a footballer these days because the first thing people think of when they think of him is the celebrity and not the player.

He was a beautiful passer of the ball, struck the ball incredibly cleanly, best crosser in my lifetime and had an absolutely top level work rate. Overall he is probably widely looked at as the 4th best player in the 4 man midfield he played in and he definitely wasn't at the time.
 
Overall he is probably widely looked at as the 4th best player in the 4 man midfield he played in and he definitely wasn't at the time.

Yeah for the 96-02 period I’d have him second best in that midfield after Keane.
 
Pogba, Toure, Rice, Henderson, Thiago Alcantara, Lloris

Pogba - great technique, can't be arsed for more than a few games a season - feels like has been on vacation for 6-7 years and has been dining on that WC win in Russia for 4 yrs now
Toure - great physique and technique, but he was spoken in the same vein as Xavi + Iniesta which was ridiculous. Got dominated by every decent midfield in Europe and achieved FALL at the top top level
Rice - ridiculously overrated and overpriced. In Germany he'd be a 30-40 million player for example
Henderson - people were going about like he was player of the season for what I feel is a very limited player. Somehow the media tend to overrate hustle and bustle players and he's a prime example of that (another example is Ander Herrera a nothing player who somehow established a cult following among media and fans alike)
Thiago - he makes a 5 yard pass and the media waxes lyrical about "class" and other guff like that. My friend, a die-hard Bayern ticketholder was not at all worried when he left and he's proven correct
 
Neymar - i just don't see it with him, the way people talked him up like he would take over from Messi and Ronaldo.
 
Yeah for the 96-02 period I’d have him second best in that midfield after Keane.
Absolutely. Giggs and Scholes may get ahead due to longevity but for me when they were all here only Keane was better than Becks.