166 (Up 7)

Jeremy Menez - France - Roma

Attacking midfielder/Winger

It's not always been an easy time for Menez at Roma and it can be argued he is still being misused in their hierarchy where ideally he should play a larger part.

We'll see what effect new owners and a very interesting unorthodox debut-Serie A coach (coming from Barcelona) Luis Enrique will have, but now they must risk losing him surely:

But at least he has improved over the years and his team-work is pretty good for a skilled attacking midfielder type of player.

Then with his fine ball control he is a very dynamic player with the ball.

165 (Up 91)

Jan Vertonghen - Belgium - Ajax

Defender/Midfielder

Do everything kind of player who will do a high quality job just about everywhere in midfield or defense.

Is he a a great defender or defensive midfielder? I don't know but certainly think he is good enough to play in one of the stronger leagues, and his fantastic all-around ability making him comfortable at these different positions should be credited. Done!

164 (+6)

Ezequiel Lavezzi - Argentina - Napoli

Forward

Lavezzi could still improve without the ball, that would lead to more goals as well, but this was still his most consistent season and he put together some gigantic efforts in helping Napoli to Champions League qualification.

163:(+8)

Alvaro Negredo - Spain - Sevilla

Striker

In between me putting him on my lists Negredo has had a lot of ups and downs in his Sevilla career and I was sort of settling on the negatives when I learned he had apparently had another upswing and shown good form the last parts of the season.

Very talented striker who at his best has both strength and the silkiest of touches when finishing.

162: (Down 8)

Joaquin - Spain - Valencia

Winger

He broke through so early (this is a 2002 World Cup star we're talking about) that it's sort of expected that he would be fading.

It really looked like it for a while too (or was it just getting used to him not being what he once was?) and there were even signs of him losing his starting place to upstart Pablo.

But Joaquin has rebounded nicely the last year or so and is actually very consistent performer with his on-ball speed, good passing and generally typical creation of chances winger-style.

161 (Down 15)

James Milner - England - Manchester City

Midfielder/Winger

Just re-read and liked my previously updated writeup on Milner which is still pretty relevant I think:

Unless I'm mistaken Milner did indeed start playing more central as the season went on.

Results were pretty up and down, and though I may have glimpsed improvements, they were so small I should really keep quiet and it could easily just be some skilled passers around him making him look better, but overall, for a top team only looking to get even more stacked when it comes to attacking talent, what Milner brings on the wing just isn't high quality enough, even if there weren't style problems with the stars, and his best hope instead is all-around, something of everything, solid displays from central midfield.

160 (Down 70)

Miralem Pjanic - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Lyon

Attacking midfielder/Winger

I'm still a great believer in Pjanic all-around ability which puts most players to shame, but this season for various reasons, he didn't get to show it, so he moves down the list.

I can't say that he is blameless (or very guilty for that matter) but I wouldn't like to drop him much further. All his talents remain.

159 ( Down 73)

Mario Balotelli - Italy - Manchester City

Forward

Way too early to give up on him, but overall a disappointing season for Mario.

I don't know if I expected him to have a big impact early. Injuries ruined that anyway. But the lack of improvements, persistence of all the same problems are worrying.

Mancini I felt, was even generous with his playing time, while Balotelli kept offering very little, and he will have to hope it's something that will pay dividends starting early next season, because from what we've seen so far (apart from the FA Cup final basically) just hasn't been good enough.

I find it almost amazing that with his physical gifts he is still not finding space better without the ball or that he still isn't better in the penalty area.

Looking down the list I see so many players you could kind of make a case for over Balotelli, so unless he starts putting all (or just some, that's how messy his play remains) of his great gifts together soon, he could drop even further.

Some quicker ones before I take a break:

158 (Up 5)

Elano - Brazil - Santos

Midfielder/Winger

Since Elano never seems to get much acclaim it remains a weird feeling every time I get to him on my lists and I really do try to move him down but then when I think of his qualities I always have to stop...

Now I'm more and more starting to feel that he is just quite the under appreciated player. Something which is likely to continue at Santos surrounded by exciting young stars.

His right-foot can basically do everything whether it's amazing long range shots, ranged passing or effective deliveries from out wide.

Decent team work too.

157 (NEW)

Alessandro Matri - Italy - Juventus

Forward

I really regret not putting him on the list the last time around when he had already shown a high level for Cagliari, I was close to doing it, instead he will be one of the higher new entries, but that's okay I guess.

One of the few bright spots for Juventus after he joined.

Great movement off the ball across the final third. Watch and learn Balotelli, and with the ball he is capable of some chance creating really sharp turns.

His technique otherwise strangely is a little inconsistent. In fact his passing completion rate is so bad I'm thinking it's a mistake. But he does have a very direct playing style where in dangerous positions, that he has done well to earn, he goes for everything whether it's passing or dribbling.

But attacking movement, work-rate, pace, and let's say intriguing technical skills, aggressiveness. Matri played striker at a high level this season.

156 (Down 3)

Jefferson Farfan - Peru - Schalke 04

Winger/Forward

155 (Down 45)

Antonio Cassano - Italy - Milan

Forward

Not sure I have much to add when it comes to Cassano.

Brilliant fantasia at his best creating goals with his skills and creativity, but so many other (well known) problems and I thought it was pretty pathetic that after his big move he never even managed to get in shape to play full games.

154 (Down 53)

Carlos Puyol - Spain - Barcelona

Defender

Physical issues are starting to pile up when it comes to Puyol and for the first time I think on my list he'll be behind his central defender partner.

I still think he is a very good defender though and with all his leadership qualities there is no way he can be behind someone like Cassano...

Getting up at 6 AM on a Sunday to continue posting the list, now that's dedication right there.

That WAS dedication then I messed it up by not returning from what was meant to be a short break...

Oh well. About to start again and there is something about the ordering between now (140ish) and quite a few of the 110 to 130 ranked players that doesn't seem quite right.

Re-ordering just takes way too much time though but might do a final edit there before posting the final version.

I really guess i'm guilty of overrating Lennon and underrating Valencia (unless his injury has kept him off the list)

153 (Down 50)

John Terry - England - Chelsea

Centreback

I don't know that he is a that much better defender than several lower ranks (Cahill for starters) and many defenders missing the list. Him slipping down the list is probably a reflection of thata and it's not unlikely to continue. He is more proven of course than many which speaks in his favor. Consistent too, even amidst scandals and hate, and then he is pretty underrated with the ball where he definitely isn't the donkey that I think he's getting portrayed as sometimes.


152 (Up 41)

Simon Rolfes - Germany - Bayer Leverkusen

Central midfielder

Quality player that seems to be doing most things right whether it's his great team work, stamina, movements or his quick smooth passing game.

Leverkusen remain very crowded when it comes to midfielders (even midfield bosses) but coming back this season from serious injury setbacks Rolfes still made a very positive impact.

151 (Down 63)

Michel Bastos - Brazil - Lyon

Winger/Midfielder/Left-back

Maybe I've been ranking him too high all along.

What at least looked like good teamwork + creating and scoring goals sometimes will do that. Then there is all the useful versatility to consider.

See, now writing that, I kind of wants to put him higher again. But the suspicion of previously overrating (any) defensive impact coming from Bastos and the impression of him offensively not being able to be much of a difference maker this season, make the fall stay as it is.

Well I used to have Lennon pretty high (around Valencia I guess) and his big fall could easily be too drastic.

But Valencia when it comes to physicality is just on a whole other level compared to Lennon.

150 (NEW)

Sandro - Brazil - Tottenham

Defensive midfielder

Quite simply a defensive BEAST like few others.

The combination of being a powerful tackling machine that also has very good reading of the game makes him one of the highest new entries.

M'Villa perhaps somewhat comparable looks to have the more polished game, like on the ball where Sandro could improve, (if we are comparing high rising DMs) but Sandro's displays against top opposition puts him ahead.

149: (Down 57)

Marouane Fellaini - Belgium - Everton

Midfielder

An injury plagued beast unfortunately.

His strength and stamina are still extremely impressive but it seems there were much less good two-way play this season and more outright defensive contributions.

That could easily be something tactical having to do with other things than Fellaini, but it shines a light on Fellaini despite the gigantic efforts, thrown into tackles (maybe too many of those actually) perhaps isn't all that great tactical himself when it comes to positioning, and then technically when locked in midfield you could also wish for a more reliable and resourceful ball distributor.

Hopefully if he can stay healthy, the box-to-box beast will be unleashed once again.

Of course Lennon has no shot when it comes to physicality.

Will watch the two closely over the course of the season, really hope Lennon has developed a left footed cross or shot over summer. Probably wishful thinking.

148 (Down 22)

Claudio Marchisio - Italy - Juventus

Midfielder

Just a very solid all-around player who is pretty good at everything whether it's something physical, technical or mental. You name it, Marchisio has ability when it comes to everything.

Of course you could wish there was more he was great at, but that's why he is just inside the 150 rather than the top 50.

Hopefully he'll be on a very good team someday (and hopefully that will be Juventus though the Azzurri more likely) because he is really someone who would complement everyone and make them even better.

147: (Down 38)

Toni Kroos - Germany - Bayern München

Midfielder

Not a good season from Kroos who just wasn't able to be the repeat the impact he had created for Leverkusen at Bayern, but his talents when it comes to doing things with a football still keeps him ahead of the players just behind him.

It looks like central midfield will be the future for Kroos and there are certain things in his game (good things) that could easily go missing there. Like creating goals with his wonderful ability.

But there is no doubt he has the potential to become a very good central midfielder with both physical upside (put into better defensive play) and the skills to pass and dictate the ball from further back, but both, especially the first, needs to improve quite a lot still.

146 (Down 4)

Dejan Stankovic - Serbia - Inter

Central midfielder

Not much to add really from the old writeups.

Stankovic is still a good all-around player with a remaining great mentality for winning through battle, but I think slowly but surely he has been slipping in the he is able to make contributions both ways.

145 (Down 29)

Marko Marin - Germany - Werder Bremen

Winger



Werder had a very bad season and I guess it's mostly that resulting in Marin dropping.

From the updated writeup:

I didn't watch a lot of Bremen later in the season but no reason at all to believe Marin is suddenly a worse player and that the entertaining non-stop dribbling force with low center of gravity capable of wizardry and crispy deliveries doesn't remain fully intact.

144 (Up 19)

Lass Diarra - France - Real Madrid

Midfielder

I'm always right on the verge of dropping Diarra big time but then I usually find that he is comparing favorably to various rival players.

Even in La Liga games where sometimes little physical play is tolerated, and sometimes an absurd number of Diarra's interventions are ruled as freekicks, he still makes defensive contributions at a high level winning the ball back and/or preventing opposing attack with pressing or good positioning.

And then Diarra is just a very smooth fotballer. More so than a lot of defensive midfielders and he is generally on very friendly terms with the football when it comes to control and smooth secure short passing.

Marin had kind of a bad season in a bad Bremen team (still managed 11 assists wtf) but I expect him to be stronger again next season.

I think stankovic has you fooled.

His flopping around maybe makes every game he is in look like a battle for him, but in reality he is just a diving faking bitch.

I'm not a fan.

143 (Down 19)

Tim Cahill - Australia - Everton

Central midfielder

With his aggressive physical play and notorious aerial ability Cahill is kind of a Premier League specialist and maybe I'm overrating his consistent success there too much with this ranking.

But he is also a smart player with very good positioning and reading of the game in general. Off the ball stuff in general actually.

Other keywords: Work-rate, enough skills to get by, goal scorer.

142 (Up 29)

Andre Ayew - Ghana - Marseille

Winger/Midfielder/Forward

Son of Abedi Pele, the technical skills from Ayew has been there pretty much from day one and with the pace to go along he is an attacking force.

But he has now also become a more complete player with good team-work and a lot of effort put into his defensive work.

I don't know if there is any great upside, but an impressive player already for sure.

141 (New)

Nene - Brazil - PSG

Winger/Attacking midfielder

PSG is probably the team that I have actually wanted to watch that I've missed the most. I'm not sure why exactly (other than the obvious flawed Ligue 1 coverage here) but it continues to such an extent that there are still a few remaining players on the team that I may guess could be on the list but also that I'm still too unsure about to feel confident in ranking.

Nene has been a victim of that as well earlier, even earlier at Monaco he never made that great of an impression other than here is yet another typically skilled Brazilian in Europe, but now having by all accounts just had a great season creating and scoring goals "en masse" there is just no stopping him entering the list. If it's too high an entry and the only way now is down, we shall see I guess.

But top class Brazilian skillset when it comes to dribbling, shooting and set pieces.

no idea how i confused Stankovic with Pandev

They do kind of look alike I guess. Especially from a distance!

And definitely agree about Pandev flopping around. I should have mentioned that when he came up earlier.
Not that many can compete with him there now that I think about it.

I also completely messed up this sentence in the Stankovic entry:

I meant:

Slowly but surely he has been slipping in the contributions that he is able to make both ways.

And with that it's time for a break, but definitely plan to return later today.

marin is THE prototype of a "fair weather player" , when his teams rapes (as bremen often does) 5:0 he is all over the place, but once there is some resistance (like this seasons) he sucks ass.

no way is he better than kroos and rolfes

I wouldn't say that, two seasons ago when Marin was one of the main performers for Bremen he carried them through a bad spell when Özil was out of form. He was also very good for Gladbach and they certainly didn't rape anyone.

can you at least pretend to have any clue about what you are talking?

marins best season was 07/08 in bundesliga2 where gladbach was without doubt the best team with most wins,most goals, least loses etc. im pretty sure we can call this raping.

his second best year was like you said 2 years ago, where bremen finished third in their usual style of shooting a lot of goals but conceding as much.

this year it was his first season where his team is struggling (maybe because of özil) and he totally failed to fill his spot.

I'm sorry, I must have imagined a world where he had 4 goals and 13 assists (that's no less than 17 scorepoints) in the Bundesliga (3rd best that season behind Misimovic and Özil in assists) on a team that had Rob Friend as their best scorer with 7 goals and scored an amazing 39 goals all season.

And that's not even addressing the point that he carried Bremen when Özil struggled, but I'm sure that wasn't the case either.