European Football - who's best?

Remove all ads!

I consider Henry to be one of the most overrated, together with Totti, Ljungberg, Raul, Del Piero, and the winner of the MOPotCC*, Beckham.


IMHO, Andrei should win it.

*Most Overrated Player of the Century Contest

 

Alright footbal then. Trying to be thoughtful of the americans here...

 

What are you basing that on?
Henry: Scorer of unbelievable goals and a great amount of them. At all levels. And probably gets more assists than he does goals...

Beckham: Most assists at Man Utd for around 5 consecutive seasons. Most assists at Real. Starts every match for Real. Has a decent strike rate aswell from midfield at both Man Utd and Real. Most assists for England and a good strike rate at international level aswell. My only gripe is that he draws too much attention to himself by the media and that occasionally detracts from his football. But his stats are very, very good.

I could probably get factual stats aswell if you like.

I'll tell you 2 players who are overrated. Cristiano Ronaldo and Francesco Totti.

 

Yeah, in the Premier League. How about some goals in the real games, please?

For Real Madrid, winner of the MOTotMC*.

With what? One goal every fourth or fifth game? Even Marcus Allbäck have better goals, who scores goals every 45th minute he plays, and I bet you haven't even heard of him.

Bingo. Not everything is statistics, morale, which he lowers regurarly, is quite important too. Look at Italy.

*Most Overrated Team of the Millenium Contest

 

Henry is the 3rd highest scorer ever in the Champions League, behind Raul and RvN. He is France's 5th highest scorer ever. He is still only 26.

Oh come off it, Real play every week in what some people might regard as the worlds most technical superior league. Or at least the 2nd. He always plays every game in the Champions League.

Allback is a striker, Beckham is a midfielder, played wide out on the right for England. Name me a right winger who has scored more goals at both international level and club level than Mr Beckham. While your at that, name me a player who has scored more goals from set pieces.

I concede this point, to a degree. Morale plays a factor in a teams performance. But, are you trying to blame Beckham for Real Madrids short-comings this season? Please. I don't think that Beckham getting excessive media attention plays that big a part on the morale of a team. Please explain how it can be a big factor? Surely a bigger factor is a crap defence, spending loads of money on big name ego's (other than Beckham ) and a team that will never gel. Also, changing manager every 6 months is the biggest factor. There's just no continuity at Real, which is the big problem. You can't blame Beckham for that, jesus.
He has been hammered a bit at international level recently, but that's because of Mr Eriksson. He picks him to play even when he is not fully fit, or simply not on form. I'm losing faith in Eriksson, big time. It has been good what he has done for the side, but it's getting towards a time for a needed change.

 

I would say the competition is between Ronaldinho and Henry. Both means extremely much for respective team. I do think Ronaldinho is a bit more consistent but Henry in ace form is amazing to see. My vote would go to Dinho though if only because he seems to have a bit more morale and fighting spirit than ballet dancer Henry.

I do think that Stjevtjenko is a real contendor though, the man is a complete striker. He has it all. Sadly he is Ukrainian and I dont think he will ever get the recognition he deserves, no kids run around in Stjevtjenko jerseys even if he would score 20 champions league goals in one seasons. He only get the recognition he deserves from real football buffs, I guess it is better than the opposite like Beckam. Being worshipped by kids and talked down by football buffs.

 

Ronaldinho is a brilliant player and well worthy of 2nd or 3rd place in these rankings. But Henry has to get it, surely? He contributes so much to a team.

Shevchenko, when we are honest, is probably the most complete striker in the world at the moment. He just has no weaknesses. Just give him a sniff of net, and it's in. Every single mistake by the defence is punished harshly.
He might get 30 goals every season in all competitions. That's just brilliant.
But, Henry will get 35 goals every seasons in all competitions (admittently in a more 'free-scoring league). But the fact remains that Henry has scored more Champions League goals in a weaker European side, that Shev. That's fact.

And Beckham is NOT crap! Christ, how many facts, figures and arguments does it take to drill that into your heads? Facts speak for themselves. Beckhams media attention and style has brought him a legion of fans, most of which are young girls who know nothing about football! That and all his silly marketing, detract people from his football skills. But his skills are still very good! You just can't deny it! People irritate me when they jump onto the 'Beckham sucks' bandwagon. I mean, don't get me wrong, the vast majority of his fans know nothing about football, that point is solid. But all 'football buffs' don't bash him. Only the 'Beckham bashing crew'. He is not Real Madrids or England best player, but he is still a brilliant player.

 

I never said he was crap, I just think he is overrated. A player can be overrated without being crap. The man has saved England more times than I can bothered to count and he has a magical touch with his foot. That said he is not one of the top ten players in the world or even in Europe.

 

Henry is certainly the best player in the premiership - and has been for the last 3 seasons. Shevchenko may be regarded as the same in Italy... but I don't rate serie A as high as the premiership - there just isn't the same depth of quality. As a supporter I'd rather my team face Schevchenko for 90 minutes than Henry.

I do think Ronaldiniho is perhaps the man to take Zidane's crown as the most naturally talented player in the world. Its difficult to call who will win though the world player award - I would personally go for the Brazillian over Henry.

I know a fair amount about Allback - he played around 10-15 games for Villa - so to Calebs reckoning he should have scored 20-30 goals. He weighed in with 2 or was it 3?

 

I actually think the scored more than five goals for Villa. That said Allbäck is a freaking mystery, the man sucks by all accounts but everytime he gets a chance in the national team because of injury or something he scores. He is on the bench in Rostock, a team which is dead last in Bundesliga and he got to play for Sweden due to injury and of course he scores! He always scores for Sweden. Players like that are strange.

Zidane suffered from a similar syndrome albeit on a whole other level, he was never as amazing in his club teams as he was with France. He was great in Juventus and Real but he was out of this world in France.

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/SPORT/football/12/09/world.poll.reut/index.html

My vote helped it seems.

 

Zidane, Donadoni, Pelé's companion in the 70's, don't remember his name.

Sorry, I ment in the international games, not in the leagues. See Joacqin's post to see what I am talking about.

 

Ermmm, in todays game please. And don't use Zidane as an example for comparison with Beckham. Zidane is a central mid who ghosts into the box at every opportunity. One could play him just behind the strikers, a lá a Rooney type of role. Beckham is a winger. AND I doubt he has as many assists or goals as Beckham anyway.

No, I wouldn't put him in the top 10 players in the World, not by a long shot. Who would? You say he is overrated, but who actually overrates him? Nobody in England fools themselves into thinking he is one of the best players in the world. Also, I would say he probably does just miss out on the Europe top 10. I could probably name 10 better players than him now. But that's by the by. Again, not many English people fool themselves into thinking that. So I don't know where all this overrating comes from because it certainly isn't England. That said, he is still an absolutely fantastic player and the most dangerous player in the world with a set piece.

No serious gripe about Ronaldinho winning that thing though. Although I personally don't think he deserved it ahead of Henry, he is still a brilliantly fantastic player. If only Man Utd weren't such skint flints and just got him signed... watching him week in, week out in the Prem would've been a joy.
I tell you what, as a side note. How tasty is the Brazilian side looking? Especially for the future: They've already got Ronaldhino, Ronaldo, Juninhio, Kaká, Adriano and Emerson who are all amazing. But they've got Baptista, Robinho, Diego, Fabiano, Vagner Love all coming through.

It's scary.

 

It's also becoming a bit boring. Having to wait 4 years for another worldcup tournament, only to find out Brazil is gonna walk away with the trophy once again.

God ....i hate these guys.

 

Especially since they rarely play any dazzling football in the great tournaments, but then again, which team does? They do look great though but I have some questions about their defence. For once they have a great keeper in Dida and there are some superb centre backs like Lucio but Cafu and Carlos are getting old and Carlos especially seems to have completely given up on the defensive. He has always been a liability in the defence but never a security risk and he made up for it by amazing offence. He still has a decent offence but seems to ignore defence all together and that just doesnt cut it for a wing back.

Barmy, Beckham gets overrated simply by the media coverage he gets. The fact that he is seen everywhere all the time makes people who know nothing of football believe that he is the greatest player who has ever lived. I actually had got a bit of respect for him before the EC, he had been England's best player for several games and almost singlehandedly given them a place in the tournament and in my opinion he was the only Real player who was half way decent during the spring. Then he went and blew it all during the championship.

 

Lucio isn't actually that old for a centre back. He still has 4 or 5 years left in him at least. But yes, the 2 wing backs are just way too old. Cafu's great strength has always been his strong running and ability to take people on. He's losing that. And lets be honest, mr Carlos seems to have got the face on as he is no longer the main free-kick taker at Real. He's also lost his pace and determination. He doesn't look bothered now when he plays. Although there are no 'big names' really in their prime in the Brazilian defence, I'm sure if they dip into the Brazilian leagues they can find defenders who can at least do a job.

Beckham was never fully fit for that tournament and even admitted it himself. He should never have played. England has other players that can deputise on that right wing. Bad management by Mr Eriksson again, just like the tactics he chose to utilize. He has some of the worlds best attacking talent and chooses to sit back on a deep defence and invite teams on. Yeah.
As far as the 'overrating' goes. So maybe he is hero worshipped by children. These children know nothing about football. How can they judge his football skills? He gets media attention but that doesn't mean his skills are overrated. Perhaps the only people who overrate him are those kinds of people. You are going to take these people seriously? David Beckham is a world class player. Sven just needs to know when NOT to play him. To play him when he is, A) carrying an injury, or B) not fully fit, is not constructive for the side, or either of their reputations.
I think that Mr Eriksson should move on. There are plenty of very talented English managers knocking about. Give one of them a go I say. The kind of managers who doesn't pick a side on reputation. I say it's a toss up between, Big Sam Allardyce or Steve McClaren.

 

The FA cant afford to sack Svennis. He is milking them of obscene amounts of money and to be honest to him his results are no worse than the latest five English managers and better than most. He also seems to ahve strong support by the players.