Alonso up there with best footballers i have seen, top player.

9 (+10)

Arjen Robben - Netherlands - Bayern München

Winger/Forward

Everyone knows what he will do once he gets the ball out wide right, but they still can't stop him and through, pace, balance, underrated strength and a great left foot he creates danger almost at will.

When healthy he was dominating last season and if healthier he could go even higher.

Even if right now there is a slight worry (but hey it's only two games) that Bayern's very slow play currently isn't exactly helping him out of the triple-double teams that he is seeing.

And even for Robben 3-Bundesliga defenders marking him may just be one too many.

The new guy behind, with Lahm being moved to the left, Rafinha could also turn out to be a disaster. He was exactly that at Genoa last season anyway, with no resemblance at all to the competent standard Brazil attacking-right-back that you may have remembered seeing a few years ago for Schalke. But let's see. It's still early of course.

Suarez is quite high.

8 (no change)

Samuel Eto'o - Cameroun - Inter to Anzhi Makhachkala?

Forward

Not taking anything away from his great qualities and consistently excellent form, I still feel his ranking the last time around had at least something to do with other people's various struggles or questionmarks, so I'm kinda surprised myself that he is holding on to a top 10 spot here.

It's only just holding on though. If Robben could only play some more games. Had Ibrahimovic had a better finish to the season, they would have passed him and then there are the younger people like Özil, Aguero or Suarez where passing Eto'o seems like it's only a matter of time (OR A MOVE TO FREAKIN DAGESTAN!) away.

Instaban from RAWK.

7 (-2)

Cesc Fabregas - Spain - Arsenal to Barcelona

Central midfielder

The endless Cesc Fabregas transfer-saga, robbery or hostage situation, depending on who you listen to is finally over and he is now officially a Barcelona player.

His form and health didn't really seriously improve since the last time around, so he drops a few spots, and it definitely remains a concern, even if it's not unlikely, that a let's call it lighter workload for his new team and the depth it possesses, could improve matters.

He is the rare player who has the extraordinary ability to lift the passing game of an entire team and even though he's moved further forward in recent years (where he is a dangerous scoring threat) that's something that remains.

Even though he isn't particular fast, he rather uniquely still manages to be a dynamic player with the fine control, intelligence and necessary tricks to fool defenders while on the move.

Overall there are only a select few who can rival Fabregas when it comes to passing, there is Xavi's amazing ball-retention for starters and then there are those with the great ranges, deep or diagonal, but I wonder if there really is a better through-ball on the ground, splitting defenses, than the one Fabregas is capable of?

It speaks volumes about the former Arsenal captain's vision and ability.

indeed. has henderson been mentioned yet, or is he still to come?

/RAWK

Disappointed there were no pictures of that 17 year old prostitute with Ribery

Wow it's getting late. Might post more at the same time and eventual arguments getting saved for tomorrow.

Next up a couple of guys playing in the same city.

Rooney + Tevez?

Gotta be

Really enjoying the fast pace of these write ups bjorn!

I'm expecting Rooney at 5 so....probably!

nope, Messi, Xavi and Iniesta imo.

nah it's Bendtner & Crouch, ldo

but in what order?

Messi will be number 1. With Xavi and Iniesta probably being 3 + 4 behind Ronaldo.*

6 (+1)

Carlos Tevez - Argentina - Manchester City and staying?

Forward

The constant unrest surrounding him doesn't exactly improve his ranking and he saw a re-vitalized Rooney jump ahead in the last minute, even if there is no doubt Tevez had the better individual season over the full course.

Individual is something of a key word here, and yes few can match his individual qualities that are more than good enough to lift his team.

But it is starting to become more apparent to me that he is kinda playing in his own little world, like for an example tactically where he just does his own thing, rather than necessarily his team's, and even if the "Tevez-thing" is something almost guaranteeing excellent quality, no matter how annoying he gets outside the pitch, this part of the list has great enough players that it could end up hurting his ranking just a little bit the next time around.

For starters Rooney has jumped ahead, who is more of a team-player.

But having said that, I won't take too much away from Tevez who is a very strong, very skilled incredibly hard working, dynamic player who will create for himself or others anywhere in the final third.

5 (+7)



Wayne Rooney - England - Manchester United

Forward/Attacking Midfielder

He is back.

The months leading up to the previous list had seen the worst performances of his career following his injury against Bayern, but just in time he was showing enough signs of life to stop the slide and even making me consider ranking him higher than the 12 spot which was where he ended up.

Ever since, mostly playing in a role behind and around an outright striker, he has been excellent.

I don't know if his work-rate is quite as intense as a few years back, but he still does quality work with his versatile movement when his team is in possession making him difficult to mark, and he is of course also more than capable of being a good contributor in United's defensive game, whether it's ball-pressure or getting solid position deeper behind the ball.

With the ball there is plenty of ability and he can create goals both for others with his passing and football-intelligence or on his own with pace, power, excellent touches and finishes.

He is back.

those are two scary faces. i would say tevez's is worse i guess, just cuz he is actually smiling in it and its still that bad.

There will indeed be a change within the top 4, I finally decided upon.

I'll group them together.

Did Rooney's hair transplant have anything to do with moving him up?

O RLY?

but seriously, Ronaldo might, just might lose his spot based on some recent comments by Bjorn plus the promised controversy doesnt seem to have come yet.

How could he possibly lose his spot after that season?

if he isn't number 2 we have all been wasting our time with this list, including bjorn lol.

Doesn't seem right, I agree.

Although the added value from Modric's ability to play in a two man central midfield probably makes it closer than it seems.

I don't understand what you are getting at here.