In form Anderson top10 midfielder in the premier league midfielder?

[R_9-Ronaldo]

Who here agrees? he can play a box to box midfielder or he can play an attacking midfielder like his time at Porto, he can do a good defensive job as well like when he shut down Fabregas and Gerrard in those important games, what do you think, Anderson top player?

[revelationx]

He has had a really poor second season.

Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano, Fabregas, Carrick, Arteta, Cahill, Modric, Nasri, Essien, Ballack, Lampard, Mikel, Kranjcar, Ireland, Barry are all miles better than Anderson. So the answer has to be no.

I am not even including attacking midfield players such as Arshavin, Young, Riera, Benayoun, Petrov, Milner, Downing, Dempsey, Walcott, Lennon and Bentley!

He had one or two decent games initially but has had about 40 rubbish games since then. He has potential but has hardly come close to justifying the hype or his fee. Considering in his last match, against Barca, he was subbed off at half-time for being completing ineffective, it seems a strange time to post such a topic thread.

[wtj3]

Gonna have to answer "no". He does not score goals and IMO is not a top 10 mid in the EPL at the present time. Of course, all of this could change as he grows and matures, and I certainly hope he does.

[Harry Boulton]

Anderson is a player with the world at his feet. He could be one of many types of players, but at the moment he's a jack-of-all-trades rather than a specialist in a certain role and, until he settles into a role, he cannot develop into the player he has the ability to become. He's strong, tenacious, has a good eye for a pass and a good work rate. He's deceptively fast as well and has an ability to glide past an opponent at will sometimes.

He's very one-footed though which limits his game and his shooting is, at best, absolutely terrible. He got lost in the CL final against Barcelona but then the whole team had a stinker and, at 21, he could hardl;y be ecpected the live with that midfield, especially when his team mates were just as guilty of lacking direction.

Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano, Fabregas, Carrick, Arteta, Cahill, Modric, Nasri, Essien, Ballack, Lampard, Mikel, Kranjcar, Ireland, Barry are all miles better than Anderson. So the answer has to be no.

I wouldn't go so far as to say they were MILES better but they're certainly to be classed in the category above him in terms of maturity and influence throughout games. I'm not sure Nasri would be considered better either. Nasri's first season in English football was very hit'n'miss where as Andersons was one of promise and impressive performances in the big games against Arsenal and Liverpool. His second season was interupted by injmury and loss of form though. And until he sorts out his Elmer Fudd style shooting, he's never destined to score a goal in his life.

I am not even including attacking midfield players such as Arshavin, Young, Riera, Benayoun, Petrov, Milner, Downing, Dempsey, Walcott, Lennon and Bentley!

Downing, Bentley, Petrov, Lennon and Walcott all had miserable seasons last year, by and large. Bentley was clearly the worst of all last summers signings especially for £17m. The others were just as hit'n'miss in my opinion. Walcott was badly interupted with injury, Petrov found himself on the fringes of first team football for long stretches of the season whilst Lennon and Downing only shone of bried patches, for me.

Riera had a good consistant season though and Young, for me, was the best wide player in the country until Christmas, give or take Ronaldo's flashes of magic. However, are we going to include wingers in this? They're more auxoliary forwards than midfielders in the EPL.

Still, he has the potential to be world class, but he's some way short of that just yet, in my opinion. I've seen him play the likes of Gerrard, Alonso, and Fabregas off the pitch in his debut season which tells me he has the ability to play at the top, but as with all young players, consistancy is his biggest flaw at present.

[revelationx]

Anderson is a player with the world at his feet. He could be one of many types of players, but at the moment he's a jack-of-all-trades rather than a specialist in a certain role and, until he settles into a role, he cannot develop into the player he has the ability to become. He's strong, tenacious, has a good eye for a pass and a good work rate. He's deceptively fast as well and has an ability to glide past an opponent at will sometimes.

He's very one-footed though which limits his game and his shooting is, at best, absolutely terrible. He got lost in the CL final against Barcelona but then the whole team had a stinker and, at 21, he could hardl;y be ecpected the live with that midfield, especially when his team mates were just as guilty of lacking direction.



I wouldn't go so far as to say they were MILES better but they're certainly to be classed in the category above him in terms of maturity and influence throughout games. I'm not sure Nasri would be considered better either. Nasri's first season in English football was very hit'n'miss where as Andersons was one of promise and impressive performances in the big games against Arsenal and Liverpool. His second season was interupted by injmury and loss of form though. And until he sorts out his Elmer Fudd style shooting, he's never destined to score a goal in his life.



Downing, Bentley, Petrov, Lennon and Walcott all had miserable seasons last year, by and large. Bentley was clearly the worst of all last summers signings especially for £17m. The others were just as hit'n'miss in my opinion. Walcott was badly interupted with injury, Petrov found himself on the fringes of first team football for long stretches of the season whilst Lennon and Downing only shone of bried patches, for me.

Riera had a good consistant season though and Young, for me, was the best wide player in the country until Christmas, give or take Ronaldo's flashes of magic. However, are we going to include wingers in this? They're more auxoliary forwards than midfielders in the EPL.

Still, he has the potential to be world class, but he's some way short of that just yet, in my opinion. I've seen him play the likes of Gerrard, Alonso, and Fabregas off the pitch in his debut season which tells me he has the ability to play at the top, but as with all young players, consistancy is his biggest flaw at present.

Well actually Lennon had some very good months last season.

Anderson has potential but he is no way a current top 10 midfielder in the Prem based on his form so far. He did not play Gerrard, Alonso off the park at all. He merely prevented Gerrard from scoring in one match. Since then in subsequent matches last season he has been owned completely by Aurelio, Lucas, Mascherano, Gerrard and Alonso. It seems strange to cite a good game or two from 18 months ago as evidence of his quality when he has spent the time subsequently completely underwhelming fans. Man U fans at BS have claimed that Anderson cannot play centrally in a 4-4-2. This assessment is based solely on him performing extremely poorly in such a role.

You cite Bentley as having a bad season last year - completely true. However Bentley had a good game against Arsenal. And Bentley has certainly had more impressive games than Anderson over the last 2 seasons. Bentley's poor season was unexpected. His recent form has been very poor and so it would be surprising to see someone opening a thread asking if Bentley was in the Top 10 mids in the Prem. Similarly this thread about Anderson is timed wrong. Surely it should be started after Anderson has displayed a period of good form rather than the opposite.

[Harry Boulton]

He did not play Gerrard, Alonso off the park at all. He merely prevented Gerrard from scoring in one match

Him and Hargreaves played them both off the park. It was the one highlight of an otherwise fairly dull encounter and by far the best he's played since he signed for us, give or take. His passing was incissive, his positioning and closing down were excellent and his work rate was top notch. I'm not saying he's better than either because he's not obviously, but the fact that, in his debut season at 19, and in one of the biggest games of our season he put in such a good performance against such opposition is proof that the talent is there. He just doesn't apply as consistantly as you'd like.

I'm not going to get into a d!ck swinging contest about who the better player is because we all know who that is. But in that game, Anderson was THE stand-out performer of the day and that was the only point I sought to make.


It seems strange to cite a good game or two from 18 months ago as evidence of his quality when he has spent the time subsequently completely underwhelming fans.


I didn't cite one game at all. I referred to the Arsenal game as well as another example of where he played a player who is universally acknowledged as being one of the best on the planet but he was in no way out of his depth.

He's had plenty of good games for us against decent opposition. Against Porto last year he was excellent and he's played plenty of impressive games in his time with us both in Europe and domestically. Last season was a poor one for him though, in general. Fleeting glimpses of ability were over shadowed by games where he was poor in posession, poor positionally and his shooting was embarassing. He took a step backards which is why I don't think he's in the top 10 midfielders in the league, but I certainly think he has the ability to be become one. Whether or not he will remains to be seen but this season, as with Nani, could make or break him. I do think he has a little more good grace than Nani though. That is a player toeing the line, if you believe what you read in some outlets.

[revelationx]

Him and Hargreaves played them both off the park. It was the one highlight of an otherwise fairly dull encounter and by far the best he's played since he signed for us, give or take. His passing was incissive, his positioning and closing down were excellent and his work rate was top notch. I'm not saying he's better than either because he's not obviously, but the fact that, in his debut season at 19, and in one of the biggest games of our season he put in such a good performance against such opposition is proof that the talent is there. He just doesn't apply as consistantly as you'd like.

I'm not going to get into a d!ck swinging contest about who the better player is because we all know who that is. But in that game, Anderson was THE stand-out performer of the day and that was the only point I sought to make.



I didn't cite one game at all. I referred to the Arsenal game as well as another example of where he played a player who is universally acknowledged as being one of the best on the planet but he was in no way out of his depth.

He's had plenty of good games for us against decent opposition. Against Porto last year he was excellent and he's played plenty of impressive games in his time with us both in Europe and domestically. Last season was a poor one for him though, in general. Fleeting glimpses of ability were over shadowed by games where he was poor in posession, poor positionally and his shooting was embarassing. He took a step backards which is why I don't think he's in the top 10 midfielders in the league, but I certainly think he has the ability to be become one. Whether or not he will remains to be seen but this season, as with Nani, could make or break him. I do think he has a little more good grace than Nani though. That is a player toeing the line, if you believe what you read in some outlets.

I appreciate your response. I also do not expect us to agree with our assessments of players - as we often diverge on this issue. You say that Anderson has potential to be Top 10 midfielder, I would not dispute that. I think at this time, though the answer to the question would have to no.

I reiterate - I thank you for your reply. I understand we have had disputes of opinion in the past but I appreciate you reading my post(s) and providing a reply. I value your input at BS even if I may disagree with some of your conclusions.

[Harry Boulton]

I think at this time, though the answer to the question would have to no.


Well, we're in agreement then.

I do not think Anderson is a top midfield player. You named a number of players better than him. He's not even the best at his club. Hargreaves, Fletcher, Scholes, Carrick and Fletcher are all better, more mature players at present.

[bluewolverine]

Well, we're in agreement then.

I do not think Anderson is a top midfield player. You named a number of players better than him. He's not even the best at his club. Hargreaves, Fletcher, Scholes, Carrick and Fletcher are all better, more mature players at present.

Not sure that I'd take Scholes, but I'd certainly take Park Ji-Sung over Anderson... at least for 75 minutes...

Anderson just isn't currently in the same class with my top 10 of Gerrard, Lampard, Arteta, Arshavin, Fabregas, Cahill, Mikel, Kranjcar, Ireland, or Barry. I'd put him in a second tier that includes Modric, Alonso, Downing, Ashley Young, Michael Carrick and a few others.

[Dear_Claudio]

I like Anderson and think he'll have his first good season in England, but atm he isn't fit to shine Mikel's boots (most underrated player in the Prem probably).

[Harry Boulton]

Not sure that I'd take Scholes, but I'd certainly take Park Ji-Sung over Anderson... at least for 75 minutes...

Anderson just isn't currently in the same class with my top 10 of Gerrard, Lampard, Arteta, Arshavin, Fabregas, Cahill, Mikel, Kranjcar, Ireland, or Barry. I'd put him in a second tier that includes Modric, Alonso, Downing, Ashley Young, Michael Carrick and a few others.

Everton fan by any chance?

You've got Cahill and Arteta ahead of Alonso and personally I'd take Alonso over both. In fact, I'd take Alonso over almost every midfielder in the league with the possible exceptions of Gerrard and Lampard and even then I wouldn't be happy.

Stil, each man to his own. Whaqt is plain to see is that Anderson, whilst talented and promising, is not in the top 10 midfielders in the league.

[bluewolverine]

Everton fan by any chance?

You've got Cahill and Arteta ahead of Alonso and personally I'd take Alonso over both. In fact, I'd take Alonso over almost every midfielder in the league with the possible exceptions of Gerrard and Lampard and even then I wouldn't be happy.

Stil, each man to his own. Whaqt is plain to see is that Anderson, whilst talented and promising, is not in the top 10 midfielders in the league.

On reflection, my real error was listing Jon Obi Mikel instead of Michael Essien.

And yes, I'm more blue than red, although I don't think anyone can argue that Arteta and Cahill don't deserve to be on that list.

[SpursHearts]

The others were just as hit'n'miss in my opinion. Walcott was badly interupted with injury, Petrov found himself on the fringes of first team football for long stretches of the season whilst Lennon and Downing only shone of bried patches, for me.
I thought Lennon had a much improved season in 08/09. His crossing became decent and his runs down the flank stopped being aimless as a result. In a vacuum of positional needs, I think you'd be hard pressed to find many a manager or DoF who would swap Lennon for Anderson straight up right now.

[wellz]

If he can keep up his good preseason form and continue to score amazing free kicks then anything is possible I suppose.

[Harry Boulton]

I thought Lennon had a much improved season in 08/09. His crossing became decent and his runs down the flank stopped being aimless as a result. In a vacuum of positional needs, I think you'd be hard pressed to find many a manager or DoF who would swap Lennon for Anderson straight up right now.


We are, here, comparing two playes who are vastly different though, aren't we? Both are young and have obvious flaws in their play. Both are inconsistant, both are still very young.

I'm loathe to add wingers to the mix because they play a very different role within the side. For any fair comparison it really ought to be central players only.

Still, Lennon did have a good season, but I still think he needs more consistancy which will no doubt come with age. I do think, however, that technically he needs to be better. At the moment he relies far too much on his pace and when that leaves him he'll cease to be a top player.

[nurspec]

so we are considering attacking an defensive mids in this thread.

top ten are.
1.essien

after that i don't know how to rank the other i would have in a top ten.

Cesc
Lampard
Gerrard
Palacios
Mikel
Ireland
Pienaar
Young
parker

Arshavin looks handy ,but i'm not going to be the reactionary and call him god after half a season in the premiership. I'm hoping he's as good as he looked in that short period of time.