FIFA World Cup 2014: General Discussion
06-27-2014
, 12:14 PM
Quote:
I don't know if this can turn into a team of the group stages or something but my best players so far:
The stars:
Neymar often with little help so far looks amazing and just has another gear than everyone else this tournament. His performances actually reminds me of Messi 4 years ago who was such a vertical threat almost whenever the ball was at his feet. Neymar isn't quite at that complete high level of playmaking for his team but no one (not named Robben in transition) is a bigger threat this World Cup in parts because physically there is no doubt he is capable of more faster, more stronger, longer than Messi and what I would call more amazing spurts of his.
Hector Herrera and his almost unreal lift in quality currently is just fantastic. He's been a physical two-way beast right from the start a few years ago but cleverness tactically and to some extent creatively as well and the seemingly dramatic rise in his technique that has come along with it looks extraordinary. He is playing that right-central midfield spot defending and attacking out of his mind right now fully set at a high level that I thought, if he would ever reach it, were years away. Hopefully he can keep it up.
Vidal is still more high-level versatile with his ability to play all kinds of midfield roles great but what Herrera is doing at his particular spot currently isn't even a bad comparison.
Probably my favorite performer so far.
Ochoa with his heroics obviously has a case for best goalkeeper performer.
Robben goes without saying. At his best he has a valid argument for being the best transition player in the world and he looks to be at his best right now.
Alexis Sanchez also has to be mentioned. He has been in inspired form for most of the tournament which is always fantastic to watch. Skill with the ball, change of pace and directions relentlessly + all that hard Chile style physical work.
Tim Cahill I don't like very much but at least for a few games he was the often uncontrollable penalty-area threat, not least in the air, the nastiness naturally being part of his arsenal that used to make him one of the better players in England for a number of years.
Manolos young greek defender has been close to immense. I don't think that can be said about a lot of defenders in this tournament.
Both him and partner Sokratis has looked very solid and Greece in years past at their shut-down defensive best/most ugly I don't think ever had two centrebacks this good individually.
Manolos is fast for a centreback, looks like a decent footballer and I haven't seen anything wrong with marking, helping or positioning in general. On the contrary it has simply been great positives all-around.
When I've been doing my rankings the last couple of years whenever I'd get to James Rodriguez I always said that what separated him from an otherwise impressive wave of new winger-types was his high degree of creativity and skill going into playmaking central of the pitch in the smallest of spaces. Yeah, he's also pacy. Has an impact foot going for him. But there is even more to him than that and it's really a treat watching him being the number 10 wearing man leading his national team. He is a star.
Cuadrado also have to be named. He just continues to be attacking chaos personified coming at poor defenders. Not long ago there was still some questions if he could transform his staggering success (winning dribbling in Serie A every year) at mostly wing-back pn to the attacking midfielder right-wing as well but sure enough in this role also for a while now, featuring more decisions to get right more often, it hasn't slowed him down at all and he just continues to perform his thing terrorizing defenders not least 1v1 one.
Messi has been very good.
Now if he is pacing himself somewhat can he really lift himself to something at least close to his own goatish-level nearing Maradona 86 epicness or will it just be the current path which is really more Maradona 90 moments of magic lifting his team through the rounds only to fall short eventually because neither he or his team are at their peaks.
Very good performers:
Thiago Silva isn't playing unreal great so far but there are still too few centreback rivals to seriously challenge him so he can't be ignored.
Miguel Layún is delivering all you could ask for and sometimes more as a wing-back.
Other Mexico: Vasques I haven't watched closely enough to determine just how good he really but I suspect very good, very important and therefore fear for his absence against Holland.
The three defenders, especially the vets cuz they need it, Marquez and Maza look so much better when they're three and Guardado who basically haven't been good at club level for 4 years straight with his particular characteristics looks like a great match both attacking and defending in that system.
Perisic: Sizable, athletic kind of old school winger who is strong enough to also play and thrive in old school 442s. Yeah I think he is one of those players who could actually be more of a hit in England than in Germany. Not for the very best teams but there are definitely teams where he could be extremely useful.
Van Persie also up there as one of the best forwards in transition. What a boost it is for a not so impressive looking Dutch side to have Van Gaal cover weaknesses and all out play to his team's elite strengths.
Charles Aránguiz Not the Chile midfielder I most expected to perform the best. But I like the Chile midfielders. Even Chile midfielders not getting playing time or not even in the squad. Even with Vidal struggling it's a good bunch.
Carlos Sánchez has easily been one of the best defensive midfielders of the tournament. Performing very strong physical and intelligent defensive clean up duties and also well capable of starting the well oiled Colombia transition.
Sokratis: Not as outstanding as his talented partner but very solid and strong nonetheless.
Serge Aurier when I first saw him some years back it was the athleticism and the problems it gave his matchups that caught my eye but in the meantime he looks very polished at 21. Dare I say, almost Sagna-polished?
The Costa Rica defenders! I'm not sure who to single out but as a unit they haven't missed a beat whether neutralizing opponents protecting a low-block or being more aggressive higher up making the Italy-attack look like a joke 90 pct of the match.
Keylor Navas:Impressive athletic goalkeeper.
Diego Godin should probably have been included among the stars but I was being very selective. He's just relentlessly coming through winning defensive sequence after sequence.
Benzema: There will be tougher tests to come but step one is looking in top condition and that he does. Such a complete striker.
Matuidi He provides his teams with so much useful quality work and it never stops.
Shaqiri is a little borderline here but even though it's more on and off I suppose he is doing a mini-James Rodriguez being the man lifting his team's attack.
Di Maria He just never stops in his midfield role constantly putting opponents to the test with the aggressiveness and quality in actions. Not least his strong skillful running.
Emmanuel Emenike is a very strong and highly capable striker. I could see him at a top club.
Thomas Müller can't be ignored. Likely the best winger/attacking midfielder anticipating and attacking the inside of the box off-ball. He does that so good he will also guarantee goals as a striker. However I do think Müller and his teams are even better if it's not all relied upon him solely trying to do it.
USA: who to single out? Dempsey has delivered which was a must but Jones with his overall midfield work is my first thought as their best player so far.
Bradley seems like he is being asked/trying to do more than ever and his output has been inconsistent.
Fabian Johnson has been dynamic taken effectively advantage of space not least against the disaster that was the Portugal left side. The centre-backs seems to have been pretty solid but not sure who to single out or if they would be deserving at all.
William Carvalho was very brief and he doesn't really deserve to be mentioned but holy **** it does look like the hype is real and this is the most physically imposing young defensive midfielder I can remember seeing in a while. The rest looked good too.
Algeria is another team where I'm not sure who to single out if any. Feghouli who I've never liked much is the easy answer and I do like him more here than about 80 pct of the time for Valancia. Maybe Bentaleb and his influence is the smart answer though while players like Brahimi and Slimani have been surprisingly impactful.
Eden Hazard and I don't think it's a great thing that the only other Belgian player who might be in contention happens to be Fellaini.
Ok Kompany is also mentionable I guess.
I'm probably forgetting some and there seems to be a drastic enough shortage of left and right-backs to prevent a team getting made.
The stars:
Neymar often with little help so far looks amazing and just has another gear than everyone else this tournament. His performances actually reminds me of Messi 4 years ago who was such a vertical threat almost whenever the ball was at his feet. Neymar isn't quite at that complete high level of playmaking for his team but no one (not named Robben in transition) is a bigger threat this World Cup in parts because physically there is no doubt he is capable of more faster, more stronger, longer than Messi and what I would call more amazing spurts of his.
Hector Herrera and his almost unreal lift in quality currently is just fantastic. He's been a physical two-way beast right from the start a few years ago but cleverness tactically and to some extent creatively as well and the seemingly dramatic rise in his technique that has come along with it looks extraordinary. He is playing that right-central midfield spot defending and attacking out of his mind right now fully set at a high level that I thought, if he would ever reach it, were years away. Hopefully he can keep it up.
Vidal is still more high-level versatile with his ability to play all kinds of midfield roles great but what Herrera is doing at his particular spot currently isn't even a bad comparison.
Probably my favorite performer so far.
Ochoa with his heroics obviously has a case for best goalkeeper performer.
Robben goes without saying. At his best he has a valid argument for being the best transition player in the world and he looks to be at his best right now.
Alexis Sanchez also has to be mentioned. He has been in inspired form for most of the tournament which is always fantastic to watch. Skill with the ball, change of pace and directions relentlessly + all that hard Chile style physical work.
Tim Cahill I don't like very much but at least for a few games he was the often uncontrollable penalty-area threat, not least in the air, the nastiness naturally being part of his arsenal that used to make him one of the better players in England for a number of years.
Manolos young greek defender has been close to immense. I don't think that can be said about a lot of defenders in this tournament.
Both him and partner Sokratis has looked very solid and Greece in years past at their shut-down defensive best/most ugly I don't think ever had two centrebacks this good individually.
Manolos is fast for a centreback, looks like a decent footballer and I haven't seen anything wrong with marking, helping or positioning in general. On the contrary it has simply been great positives all-around.
When I've been doing my rankings the last couple of years whenever I'd get to James Rodriguez I always said that what separated him from an otherwise impressive wave of new winger-types was his high degree of creativity and skill going into playmaking central of the pitch in the smallest of spaces. Yeah, he's also pacy. Has an impact foot going for him. But there is even more to him than that and it's really a treat watching him being the number 10 wearing man leading his national team. He is a star.
Cuadrado also have to be named. He just continues to be attacking chaos personified coming at poor defenders. Not long ago there was still some questions if he could transform his staggering success (winning dribbling in Serie A every year) at mostly wing-back pn to the attacking midfielder right-wing as well but sure enough in this role also for a while now, featuring more decisions to get right more often, it hasn't slowed him down at all and he just continues to perform his thing terrorizing defenders not least 1v1 one.
Messi has been very good.
Now if he is pacing himself somewhat can he really lift himself to something at least close to his own goatish-level nearing Maradona 86 epicness or will it just be the current path which is really more Maradona 90 moments of magic lifting his team through the rounds only to fall short eventually because neither he or his team are at their peaks.
Very good performers:
Thiago Silva isn't playing unreal great so far but there are still too few centreback rivals to seriously challenge him so he can't be ignored.
Miguel Layún is delivering all you could ask for and sometimes more as a wing-back.
Other Mexico: Vasques I haven't watched closely enough to determine just how good he really but I suspect very good, very important and therefore fear for his absence against Holland.
The three defenders, especially the vets cuz they need it, Marquez and Maza look so much better when they're three and Guardado who basically haven't been good at club level for 4 years straight with his particular characteristics looks like a great match both attacking and defending in that system.
Perisic: Sizable, athletic kind of old school winger who is strong enough to also play and thrive in old school 442s. Yeah I think he is one of those players who could actually be more of a hit in England than in Germany. Not for the very best teams but there are definitely teams where he could be extremely useful.
Van Persie also up there as one of the best forwards in transition. What a boost it is for a not so impressive looking Dutch side to have Van Gaal cover weaknesses and all out play to his team's elite strengths.
Charles Aránguiz Not the Chile midfielder I most expected to perform the best. But I like the Chile midfielders. Even Chile midfielders not getting playing time or not even in the squad. Even with Vidal struggling it's a good bunch.
Carlos Sánchez has easily been one of the best defensive midfielders of the tournament. Performing very strong physical and intelligent defensive clean up duties and also well capable of starting the well oiled Colombia transition.
Sokratis: Not as outstanding as his talented partner but very solid and strong nonetheless.
Serge Aurier when I first saw him some years back it was the athleticism and the problems it gave his matchups that caught my eye but in the meantime he looks very polished at 21. Dare I say, almost Sagna-polished?
The Costa Rica defenders! I'm not sure who to single out but as a unit they haven't missed a beat whether neutralizing opponents protecting a low-block or being more aggressive higher up making the Italy-attack look like a joke 90 pct of the match.
Keylor Navas:Impressive athletic goalkeeper.
Diego Godin should probably have been included among the stars but I was being very selective. He's just relentlessly coming through winning defensive sequence after sequence.
Benzema: There will be tougher tests to come but step one is looking in top condition and that he does. Such a complete striker.
Matuidi He provides his teams with so much useful quality work and it never stops.
Shaqiri is a little borderline here but even though it's more on and off I suppose he is doing a mini-James Rodriguez being the man lifting his team's attack.
Di Maria He just never stops in his midfield role constantly putting opponents to the test with the aggressiveness and quality in actions. Not least his strong skillful running.
Emmanuel Emenike is a very strong and highly capable striker. I could see him at a top club.
Thomas Müller can't be ignored. Likely the best winger/attacking midfielder anticipating and attacking the inside of the box off-ball. He does that so good he will also guarantee goals as a striker. However I do think Müller and his teams are even better if it's not all relied upon him solely trying to do it.
USA: who to single out? Dempsey has delivered which was a must but Jones with his overall midfield work is my first thought as their best player so far.
Bradley seems like he is being asked/trying to do more than ever and his output has been inconsistent.
Fabian Johnson has been dynamic taken effectively advantage of space not least against the disaster that was the Portugal left side. The centre-backs seems to have been pretty solid but not sure who to single out or if they would be deserving at all.
William Carvalho was very brief and he doesn't really deserve to be mentioned but holy **** it does look like the hype is real and this is the most physically imposing young defensive midfielder I can remember seeing in a while. The rest looked good too.
Algeria is another team where I'm not sure who to single out if any. Feghouli who I've never liked much is the easy answer and I do like him more here than about 80 pct of the time for Valancia. Maybe Bentaleb and his influence is the smart answer though while players like Brahimi and Slimani have been surprisingly impactful.
Eden Hazard and I don't think it's a great thing that the only other Belgian player who might be in contention happens to be Fellaini.
Ok Kompany is also mentionable I guess.
I'm probably forgetting some and there seems to be a drastic enough shortage of left and right-backs to prevent a team getting made.
06-27-2014
, 12:15 PM
06-27-2014
, 01:36 PM
06-27-2014
, 01:47 PM
06-27-2014
, 01:49 PM
06-27-2014
, 02:02 PM
06-27-2014
, 02:22 PM
Quote:
great post as always, Bjørn 
the one who in particular kept making standout plays for me was Junior Diaz, who i think they've been playing at left back. 30yo now and at Mainz (but only played 2 games last season), really seems to be giving people trouble in this tournament with his athleticism and aggressiveness.
but yeah as a group they've done very well, obviously.
the one who in particular kept making standout plays for me was Junior Diaz, who i think they've been playing at left back. 30yo now and at Mainz (but only played 2 games last season), really seems to be giving people trouble in this tournament with his athleticism and aggressiveness.
but yeah as a group they've done very well, obviously.
Add Oviedo to their back line and Saborio to their forward stable and CR is an even GOATer Coast than they already are.
06-27-2014
, 02:52 PM
