World class players who you thought were pants/overated

[Misfit]

A.Cole is the one who I hope Walker watches and learns from. Not that Walker may ever reach the same heights obviously but A.Cole was gash defensively. That WC it all changed for him. He went from being a good attacking option out wide and a liability defensively to effing brilliant. In one tourney.

 

[EJWTartanSpur]

Prepared to cop a few negs for this, but........

LOL at all this Ibra nonsense. Only scored against crap opposition ? He has scored against every top team in every league he has played in. He has scored unique unbelievable goals, has topped goal charts, scored free kicks regularly, scored goals in clutch situations that have won leagues on the last day, penalties, tap ins, the works, and in addition, is also a creator and assister of goals.

He has scored in international tournaments whilst playing for a very average side ( plenty of goals across Euro 08 and 12 ) and scored plenty of goals in Europe. Just because he has had a handful of quiet games against top PL opposition ( playing for sides who simply didn't match the PL teams in physique or tempo ) and has struggled to always impact a game when faced with top level international opposition, doesn't make him overrated or inconsistent. Messi did nothing in two games against Celtic this season, and they are SHIT, plus almost nothing in two games against Chelsea last season.

He is a scorer of great goals, but he is also a pretty great goalscorer. 524 games, 262 goals and 102 assists in club career. Better than 1 in 2 from Inter to currently at PSG. 39 in 86 for country.

Simply don't understand the Ibra thing. Nobody thinks he is as all round good as Ronaldo and Messi, but he has always clearly been in that small grouping on the next tier.

 

[DubSpurs]

Pato, Neymar, Gerrard, Terry and oh yeah........Adebayor

 

[Shadydan]

Baffles me why people call Ibra over-rated, it's complete nonesense.

Has anyone actually watched the guy play football, absolutely outstanding footballer.

 

[absolute bobbins]

I used to thing Paul Scholes was overrated, I now agree with Xavi Hernandez...The boy could play

 

[KentuckyYid]

Niklas Bendtner. He's rubbish.

 

[DubSpurs]

Niklas Bendtner. He's rubbish.

I don't think even Niklas Bendtner thinks Niklas Bendtner is worldclass

Coming to think of it.....

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

Carlos Puyol. I've heard him called the best defender in the world on a few occassions and regularly makes lists for awards but I honestly think if Barcelona weren't so good and didn't have so much of the possession he'd get shown up. He just looks wreckless and doesn't ever look like he is particularly comfortable. Best job in football, Barcelona centre back.

 

[$hoguN]

Buffon.... He was World Class at his peak but I keep getting told by people that He and Casillas are still better than Neuer and Lloris.

 

[worcestersauce]

Carlos Puyol. I've heard him called the best defender in the world on a few occassions and regularly makes lists for awards but I honestly think if Barcelona weren't so good and didn't have so much of the possession he'd get shown up. He just looks wreckless and doesn't ever look like he is particularly comfortable. Best job in football, Barcelona centre back.

I agree with this absolutely except I'd change the name to Gerard Pique not Puyol.

 

[tobi]

Gareth Bale, one good season doesn't make him world class.

 

[ethanedwards]

Carlos Puyol. I've heard him called the best defender in the world on a few occassions and regularly makes lists for awards but I honestly think if Barcelona weren't so good and didn't have so much of the possession he'd get shown up. He just looks wreckless and doesn't ever look like he is particularly comfortable. Best job in football, Barcelona centre back.

Seriously good CV though, with a World Cup, European Championship, 3 x ECL's , 5 x La Ligas etc . most as captain. If he isn't entitled to be called world class, then we have a problem.

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

Seriously good CV though, with a World Cup, European Championship, 3 x ECL's , 5 x La Ligas etc . most as captain. If he isn't entitled to be called world class, then we have a problem.

I know he does, and he is considered world class but I just don't think he is a great player. Victor valdes has won a lot too and nobody suggests he is a good player. John O'Shea also has a great cv but doesn't mean he is a better player than someone who has won nothing.

He is captain because of his personality but I think if you dropped him into our side we'd all be having kittens with his defending.

 

[Danners9]

Totti when he was a bit younger and Zlatan when in Italy with Juve. In the games i'd see they would do nothing, yet would end the season with amazing goal scoring stats. It must have been in the games I didn't see that they played well!

No doubt both are excellent, just that I never saw it. Zlatan's teams have won the league something like 8 out of the last 9 years.

 

[RichieS]

Beckham
Gerrard

Golden generation my arse.

 

[Luka Van der Bale]

Has anyone said Kaka yet?

Kaka in his prime was a sensational player.

 

[kcmei]

Taarabt...only because he thinks he is world class

 

[ethanedwards]

I know he does, and he is considered world class but I just don't think he is a great player. Victor valdes has won a lot too and nobody suggests he is a good player. John O'Shea also has a great cv but doesn't mean he is a better player than someone who has won nothing.

He is captain because of his personality but I think if you dropped him into our side we'd all be having kittens with his defending.

John O'Shea cannot be compared to Puyol. Puyol has been nominated in the best world 11 numerous times, won lots of personal accolades , you don't get voted the world's best defender by playing like a donkey.

 

[mattdefoe]

Ibrahimovich.

Good player, not a great on. Never seen him do much against English teams in the CL. Scored lots of goals against crap opposition.

Gerrard.

Meh. Overrated athlete with poor footballing skills and brain.

who cares about the english team thing load of rubbish, he does it against all the others. Scores loads every season and wins loads.

 

[RichSpur58]

John O'Shea cannot be compared to Puyol. Puyol has been nominated in the best world 11 numerous times, won lots of personal accolades , you don't get voted the world's best defender by playing like a donkey.

I think he was exaggerating to prove a point. I agree, I dont think Puyol is all that tbh.