RM were weaker at that point.
So where is Modric rated in best CM’s of all time ?
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Real Madrid were weaker in 14/15 than 10/11? Seriously?
Yes.
They were a level above the 10/11 side. Only really stopped by injuries sadly
Doesn't change the fact it was a top 3 side in the world, and atletico were a top 5 side in the world. The 3rd best spanish side in 10/11 was maybe like the 10th best team in the world
I think the opposite way around, though Atletico were better in 14/15.
2010/11 Real Madrid team wasn't weaker. They just couldn't beat Barcelona. You guys scored more goals than Barcelona, it is just that after 5-0 humiliation Mou realised that the only way to tackle that Barcelona team is by doing more than just football. Hence you succeed to draw two, win one and just lose one during those Super Classico series.
I don't agree.
2014/15 was stronger, had more quality players in all lines, more team cohesion and was a way more experienced side especially against strong opposition. It was also more adaptable to different scenarios.
2010/11 was a team playing their first semifinal out of 10 in 12 years for the club. They were very inexperienced as compared to subsequent teams.
I wonder how kind history will be to Modric.
I remember watching this at the time and thinking it’s up there with Zidane 2006 QF vs Brazil in terms of peak midfielder performances. Just an unreal player.
Now I have a look at it, it was very unlucky for Croatia to be in the same group as the two finalists.
Funny how his rep took a bit of a hit in 2012/13 when Mourinho benched him a lot if I recall correctly. Since then he has firmly established his name.
It's been of little service to Franco so why don't you look for other sources of kindness ffs
He admitted he was off form because he did not have a proper pre-season in 2012/13 but I always felt he played much better than the media and their prejudices said. Embarrassing misjudgment from them.
Franco, general Franco?
What does he have to do with modric?
Behind Bryan Robson
Am surprised to see so little mention of Patrick Vieira in this thread and more defence-minded midfielders in general. He could be a real pain for opposing teams.
A little too much focus on these playmaking midfielders in this thread i think. But Modric is probably within the 10 best CM's in the last 20 years for me.
A little too much focus on these playmaking midfielders in this thread i think. But Modric is probably within the 10 best CM's in the last 20 years for me.
Yeah, and reminder that this is from a time when Xavi and Iniesta were "just" entering the conversation for some of best midfielders, they weren't the first names that came to mind at the time, yet here we are with both having basically retired for close to a decade, meanwhile Modric still bossing it.
Modric's longevity at the top is equal to Xavi and Iniesta combined.
Xavi and Iniesta were better players so it doesn't matter.
Iniesta has not been 'basically retired for close to a decade.'
They were not, not to mention that they aged like milk.
Half a decade in Iniesta's case.
One of the all time greats. My favourite player playing right now
Another reason to dislike Mourinho. They're stacking up
Ball playing central midfielders who can also carry the ball at pace are the sexiest thing in football. That is where guys like Modric and Iniesta clearly trump Scholes.
Gotta disagree with that. Xavi and Iniesta were at the top of their game at the time and the best two midfielders on the planet in many people’s eyes. It was either one of them for the 3rd Ballon d’Or place in 2010, 2011, 2012. Iniesta could’ve credibly won it one of these years.
They were, and who cares how they aged? Maradona was done by 30, he's still arguably the GOAT. That's not to downplay Mod, he's an all time great, but most would have Xavi and Iniesta ahead of him, even now.
Could also have been meant as some form of encouragement tbfIf that's true that must have been savage to witness.
Definitely. I’m not sure he is among top 5.
Whats the definition of a CM? Most of the worlds best gets the freedom to play more freely higher up the pitch.
Maradona, Cruyff, arguably Pelé, Messi could all play in Iniestas role. Maradona, Cruyff and Messi in Modrics.
Beckenbauer in Busquets, maybe Cruyff to if he could bother to be diciplined enough.
They are all better.
Laudrup, Zico, Zidane, Di Stefáno, Charlton.
Maradona, Cruyff, arguably Pelé, Messi could all play in Iniestas role. Maradona, Cruyff and Messi in Modrics.
Beckenbauer in Busquets, maybe Cruyff to if he could bother to be diciplined enough.
They are all better.
Laudrup, Zico, Zidane, Di Stefáno, Charlton.
Early years Scholes was actually decent at this and quite nippy admittedly in a more advanced role, issue for him is he's over a decade older than Modric and most on the caf probably only saw him as a deep sitting CM with sat nav passing and comical tackling.
From his rough age group, I'd probably put Modric top now. Seen him be class in a relatively weak team in Spurs, seem him be class under multiple RM managers and systems, seen him be class in a good and a shit national team, seen him be class with a comparatively weaker RM side. Doesn't really have a weakness from what we've seen over the years and has the longevity of consistency others don't.
He's in that conversation with Xavi and Iniesta as the best midfielder of his time. His style and fluidity puts him in a handful of players who are not only irreplaceable as a piece of a system, but more than that, whose reading of the game and style, coupled with physicality and mobility (how tempting to ignore this) define how the entire team plays and take it to a higher level.
That was about 2008 group stage games mate, at the time they were good CMs, not best in the world, or anything like that.
They were not. Modric is more complete than either of them.
Yeah seems more like that. A friendly commiseration more than trash talking.
Define complete in this context. Both Xavi and Iniesta were better passers, better playmakers and better string pullers than Modric. Iniesta was also a better dribbler. Yes Mod got around more with his great engine, is also a top playmaker, and he lasted longer but when you're talking about pure skill, the Spaniards are ahead of him.
For all our decade-long incompetence in the transfer market, there's only really three no-brainer signings that looked realistic and bug me to this day.
Chronologically: Robben (feckin' Kenyon), Modric and Fabinho.
Royally pisses me off every time I see him: Modric
How exactly did we cock that one up? I know, Levy yadda yadda, but we got Carrick, we got Berbatov, and it's criminal we didn't get Modric. No, not Bale, Modric.
Chronologically: Robben (feckin' Kenyon), Modric and Fabinho.
Royally pisses me off every time I see him: Modric
How exactly did we cock that one up? I know, Levy yadda yadda, but we got Carrick, we got Berbatov, and it's criminal we didn't get Modric. No, not Bale, Modric.
Modric is a better passer than Iniesta, can get past his man better than Xavi, is as press resistant as either, has better engine than both, and is head and shoulders above either of them defensively. He can do it all, with no weaknesses.
Xavi and to a lesser extent Iniesta need a particular system, the right coach, the right setup etc. (imagine Xavi at Chelsea, Inter, Real, or even pre-Pep Barca or pre-Aragones Spain, he wouldn't be a good fit), Modric on the other hand, can be as effective in any team, no matter the environment, due to his versatility and flexibility, which is second to none.
My recollection is that Fergie was not comfortable spending 35 million on a player. It seemed like 30 million or so was his absolute limit. I don't think it was anything to do with the club's fiancial situation, he just had a certain impression of the value of money and likely felt that these kinds of fees were disgusting and possibly an insult to working class people who supported the club. That's just me, though.
Iniesta was never a better passer or string puller than Modric. He was flashier at times with his assists but he was never consistent enough to be the engine. Modric was and remarkably still is an engine and has done it in a system (Real) which has been way more improvisation heavy in the last decade than the ridiculous well oiled possession machine that Barca was during their peak.
Iniesta was very good at a lot of things, but his one defining trait at which he was basically unrivaled (save arguably Messi), was his close control. Had he had Luka's brain (discipline, vision, and then the lungs to carry it all through) and a better killer instinct he'd probably be a part of many GOAT conversations. Xavi is much more similar to Modric, and they are both 10/10 generational CMs. Nuances here and there, but accolades and honestly just plain old eye test tell me they belong in the best midfielders of all time category, without need to put one over the other.