Liverpool FC Forum

by **ConnO'var** » Tue May 05, 2009 2:15 am

Theres been a lot of online chatter about the possibility of Xabi makin a move this summer. Many points have been debated but one persistent point is that he would be hard to replace.... and of that there can be no doubt. It has also been bandied around that Xabi is in the Top 5 or Top 10 central midfielders currently playing.... and it got me thinking. In a completely hypothetical situation, which players would you have in your ideal LFC central midfield 2 or 3 (whichever is your preffered formation)?

Doesn't take into account how much they would cost, availability and all other intangibles.

I've listed down a little list and would be interested in knowing wh0 you guys would choose on current form. The list is by no means exhaustive and in no way reflects my choice in any particular order....and feel free to add in any other names you may have.

1. Kaka
2. Gerrard
3. Lampard
4. Ballack
5. Essien
6. Viera
7. Fabregas
8. Alonso
9. Xavi
10. Iniesta
11. Yahya Toure
12. Mascherano
13. Gattuso
14. Jon Obi Mikel
15. Marc Van Bommel
16. Deco
17. Arshavin
18. Carrick
19 Scholes
20. Pirlo

by **aCe'** » Tue May 05, 2009 2:39 am

Just a few points here...

I dont think hes very hard to replace..
I dont think he'd make a top5 or top10 list even if you're going to consider attacking and defensive midfielders in such a list...
John Obi Mikel being in that list is a crime...
John Obi Mikel being 5 places above Scholes in that list is a crime..

anyways...
ill give you my top10 central midfielders list...

1. Gerrard
2. Kaka
3. Xavi
4. Essien
5. Lampard
6. Fabregas
7. Scholes
8. Seedorf
9. Ballack
10. Iniesta

The likes of Ronaldinho, Giggs, Deco and Pirlo deserve and honourable mention and would be somewhere in a more expanded list i guess if only for what they've achieved in their careers... but for the top 10 in the world today imo its hard to see past this bunch...

by **Bad Bob** » Tue May 05, 2009 3:09 am

aCe' wrote:Just a few points here...

I dont think hes very hard to replace..
I dont think he'd make a top5 or top10 list even if you're going to consider attacking and defensive midfielders in such a list...
John Obi Mikel being in that list is a crime...
John Obi Mikel being 5 places above Scholes in that list is a crime..

anyways...
ill give you my top10 central midfielders list...

1. Gerrard
2. Kaka
3. Xavi
4. Essien
5. Lampard
6. Fabregas
7. Scholes
8. Seedorf
9. Ballack
10. Iniesta

The likes of Ronaldinho, Giggs, Deco and Pirlo deserve and honourable mention and would be somewhere in a more expanded list i guess if only for what they've achieved in their careers... but for the top 10 in the world today imo its hard to see past this bunch...

I don't watch enough football from other leagues to comment but Ballack? Seriously? He's shown glimpses of what he's capable of at Chelsea but, IMO, he's not worth a place in the top ten. I'd definitely have Alonso ahead of the German, that's for sure.

by **Reg** » Tue May 05, 2009 3:15 am

If there are 3 englishmen in the top 7 why are england so cr@p?..........

by **Well Red** » Tue May 05, 2009 3:25 am

[quote="ConnO'var"][/quote]
I think Gerrard is the complete midfielder and if I could have any midfield four in a diamond I'd have him as the attacking mid, Essien as the defensive mid, and then Xavi and Schwiensteiger as the pair of central mids making it tick.

NB. shouldn't this topic be in the "Football World Wide - General Discussion" sub-forum rather than the Liverpool FC one? Or does no one want to ruin the fact there are currently 666 threads in that? :devil:

by **Madmax** » Tue May 05, 2009 3:35 am

Reg wrote:If there are 3 englishmen in the top 7 why are england so cr@p?..........

Good question by the way!!!

by **JoeTerp** » Tue May 05, 2009 4:21 am

Iniesta has got to be in the top 6, he is playing incredible in la liga this season.

by **aCe'** » Tue May 05, 2009 6:47 am

Bad Bob wrote:
aCe' wrote:Just a few points here...

I dont think hes very hard to replace..
I dont think he'd make a top5 or top10 list even if you're going to consider attacking and defensive midfielders in such a list...
John Obi Mikel being in that list is a crime...
John Obi Mikel being 5 places above Scholes in that list is a crime..

anyways...
ill give you my top10 central midfielders list...

1. Gerrard
2. Kaka
3. Xavi
4. Essien
5. Lampard
6. Fabregas
7. Scholes
8. Seedorf
9. Ballack
10. Iniesta

The likes of Ronaldinho, Giggs, Deco and Pirlo deserve and honourable mention and would be somewhere in a more expanded list i guess if only for what they've achieved in their careers... but for the top 10 in the world today imo its hard to see past this bunch...

I don't watch enough football from other leagues to comment but Ballack? Seriously? He's shown glimpses of what he's capable of at Chelsea but, IMO, he's not worth a place in the top ten. I'd definitely have Alonso ahead of the German, that's for sure.

Gotta agree with you there... Ballack hasnt looked all that good ever since his move to Chelsea despite his obvious talent.. I think it has more to do with how and where hes being asked to play rather than him turning into a crrappy player all of a sudden...
anyways perhaps iniesta should take his place which would mean Pirlo who im not a big fan of rounds off the top 10... but if i was to pick 10 central midfielders to have in a squad id still have Ballack in there i guess...

by **Festy** » Tue May 05, 2009 6:58 am

Just a few points here...

I think he's (Alonso) very hard to replace..
I think he'd (Alonso) make a top5 or top10 list even if you're going to consider attacking and defensive midfielders in such a list...
John Obi Mikel being in that list is a crime...
John Obi Mikel being 5 places above Scholes in that list on the current situation is not a crime..

anyways...
ill give you my top10 central midfielders list...

1. Gerrard
2. Alonso
3. Kaka
4. Xavi
5. Essien
6. Lampard
7. Fabregas
8. Scholes
9. Seedorf
10. Iniesta

The likes of Ronaldinho, Giggs, Deco and Pirlo deserve and honourable mention and would be somewhere in a more expanded list i guess if only for what they've achieved in their careers... but for the top 10 in the world today imo its hard to see past this bunch...

by **DanAn** » Tue May 05, 2009 9:01 am

I'd have Alonso on that list at about 9 or so.

My choice would be
Essien Xavi
Gerrard

Best distributer in the world is Xavi
Best defensive mid in the world is Essien
Best Attacking mid in the world is Gerrard

Guys like Kaka, Iniesta and Lampard are probably seen as better players in terms of ability when compared to Essien but in terms of team balance Essien gets the nod.

by **Owzat** » Tue May 05, 2009 10:25 am

Reg wrote:If there are 3 englishmen in the top 7 why are england so cr@p?..........

Because English media/pundits etc tend to over-rate English players
Because English midfielders have foreign team-mates to make them look good in the Premiership
Because those are CMs only and a midfield has wingers - English wingers are cr ap.

Why haven't you asked how come there are SEVEN Premiership or ex-Premiership players in the top eight?

There has been talk of the "six plus five" restriction on foreign players and how it will impact the bigger clubs. But seriously how many teams in the Premiership have lots of English players that do well and field them all the time? How many Premiership clubs' best three players are all English? villa may boast their English contingent, but aren't Friedel (USA), Petrov (BUL), Carew (NOR) and Laursen (DEN) key players? bitters likewise boast Howard (USA), Yakubu (NIG), Cahill (AUS), Saha (FRA), Fellaini (BEL), Pienaar (SAF) and Arteta (SPA) as key players. Even Hull, WBA and Newcastle boast plenty of foreign players to boost their teams, unsuccessfully in those cases. The fact that Arsenal have played poorly this season and tied up 4th with three games to go, ahead of the aforementioned villa and bitters shows how limiting having English players is - and Pratini knows it.

by **Festy** » Tue May 05, 2009 10:37 am

Owzat wrote:
Reg wrote:If there are 3 englishmen in the top 7 why are england so cr@p?..........

Because English media/pundits etc tend to over-rate English players
Because English midfielders have foreign team-mates to make them look good in the Premiership
Because those are CMs only and a midfield has wingers - English wingers are cr ap.

Why haven't you asked how come there are SEVEN Premiership or ex-Premiership players in the top eight?

There has been talk of the "six plus five" restriction on foreign players and how it will impact the bigger clubs. But seriously how many teams in the Premiership have lots of English players that do well and field them all the time? How many Premiership clubs' best three players are all English? villa may boast their English contingent, but aren't Friedel (USA), Petrov (BUL), Carew (NOR) and Laursen (DEN) key players? bitters likewise boast Howard (USA), Yakubu (NIG), Cahill (AUS), Saha (FRA), Fellaini (BEL), Pienaar (SAF) and Arteta (SPA) as key players. Even Hull, WBA and Newcastle boast plenty of foreign players to boost their teams, unsuccessfully in those cases. The fact that Arsenal have played poorly this season and tied up 4th with three games to go, ahead of the aforementioned villa and bitters shows how limiting having English players is - and Pratini knows it.

What a fantastic post. :bowdown

Completely agree with everything and I couldn't have explained it any better. :nod

by **Bad Bob** » Tue May 05, 2009 12:10 pm

aCe' wrote:
Bad Bob wrote:
aCe' wrote:Just a few points here...

I dont think hes very hard to replace..
I dont think he'd make a top5 or top10 list even if you're going to consider attacking and defensive midfielders in such a list...
John Obi Mikel being in that list is a crime...
John Obi Mikel being 5 places above Scholes in that list is a crime..

anyways...
ill give you my top10 central midfielders list...

1. Gerrard
2. Kaka
3. Xavi
4. Essien
5. Lampard
6. Fabregas
7. Scholes
8. Seedorf
9. Ballack
10. Iniesta

The likes of Ronaldinho, Giggs, Deco and Pirlo deserve and honourable mention and would be somewhere in a more expanded list i guess if only for what they've achieved in their careers... but for the top 10 in the world today imo its hard to see past this bunch...

I don't watch enough football from other leagues to comment but Ballack? Seriously? He's shown glimpses of what he's capable of at Chelsea but, IMO, he's not worth a place in the top ten. I'd definitely have Alonso ahead of the German, that's for sure.

Gotta agree with you there... Ballack hasnt looked all that good ever since his move to Chelsea despite his obvious talent.. I think it has more to do with how and where hes being asked to play rather than him turning into a crrappy player all of a sudden...
anyways perhaps iniesta should take his place which would mean Pirlo who im not a big fan of rounds off the top 10... but if i was to pick 10 central midfielders to have in a squad id still have Ballack in there i guess...

It's a strange one, aCe', as he's obviously a top midfielder. It looked like he was coming good for Chelsea during the run-in last year. I still remember that game last April with the Mancs where he was everywhere, scored two goals, and got into it with Drogba over who would take a FK.

I thought, oh sh!t, Ballack's settling in. But, he hasn't really kicked on. I think you're right that Chelsea's formation doesn't necessarily get the best out of him.

by **supersub** » Tue May 05, 2009 12:21 pm

aCe' wrote:Just a few points here...

I dont think hes very hard to replace..
I dont think he'd make a top5 or top10 list even if you're going to consider attacking and defensive midfielders in such a list...
John Obi Mikel being in that list is a crime...
John Obi Mikel being 5 places above Scholes in that list is a crime..

anyways...
ill give you my top10 central midfielders list...

1. Gerrard
2. Kaka
3. Xavi
4. Essien
5. Lampard
6. Fabregas
7. Scholes
8. Seedorf
9. Ballack
10. Iniesta

The likes of Ronaldinho, Giggs, Deco and Pirlo deserve and honourable mention and would be somewhere in a more expanded list i guess if only for what they've achieved in their careers... but for the top 10 in the world today imo its hard to see past this bunch...

scholes, seedorf and ballack in your top ten after those comments :no

by **JC_81** » Tue May 05, 2009 8:37 pm

My top 10 midfielders:

1 - Gerrard
2 - Xavi
3 - Essien
4 - Iniesta
5 - Fabregas
6 - Alonso
7 - Lampard
8 - Zanetti
9 - Pirlo
10 - Scholes

I don't count Kaka as a midfielder. Even if Gerrard plays in a similar position, he's still played most of his career in midfield.

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