Which players always deliver?

[Dark Savante]

Have you ever recommended a player to a friend who doesn't watch much football only to have your friend watch the player a few times and in said games he looks poor, only to come good the second your friend stops watching him again?

Or that player who has been highly touted but the times you yourself watch him he looked nothing special?

My question is: which player's can you rely on for a high (consistant top level)level of performance throughout a campaign?

I don't neccesarily mean the best player's. Like for example Zidane and Ronaldo can often look poor on the field of play only to turn it on and win the game in a moment, but overall in the game they won you could easily say they were poor. If you get what I mean?

Over a season who do you find to be the most consistant performers?

If I were to tell a friend who doesn't watch football which player's to watch over a league campaign I'd go with:

Casillias
Vicente
Henry (in the EPL)
Robben (apparently)
Shevchenko
Ronaldinho
Xavi
Nesta

Who would you go with?

Nite: this is more about those player's who seemingly play at their very highest level week in and week out. Not those who can give more whenever they feel like it or when the mood takes them.

[nicephoras]

I completely disagree with Ronaldinho's inclusion. I have no doubts of his ability as a player, but especially at PSG he was, ah, mercurial at best.

[comme]

Also with Nesta, who can forget that Fergie sent his scouts to watch him only for Nesta to have an absolute shocker in the Rome derby.

[Dark Savante]

Also with Nesta, who can forget that Fergie sent his scouts to watch him only for Nesta to have an absolute shocker in the Rome derby.
I've been told a few times Nesta did that on purpose. Is that true?

[Teso Dos Bichos]

I would add a fit Ruud Van Nistelrooy to that list.

[Dark Savante]

I completely disagree with Ronaldinho's inclusion. I have no doubts of his ability as a player, but especially at PSG he was, ah, mercurial at best.
I'm talking about the Barca Ronaldinho. He always does his tricks and stuff and generally delivers like I expect him to. I wish he'd take over that team more though. He could score much more goals if he wanted to.

[Real Ray]

Although skill wise Henry is better, I would switch him for Steven Gerrard. I know he's had up/down periods. But he is the heart and soul of that team and I think it comes through the TV.

And although he has shown some signs of slipping, Oliver Kahn has shown stretches in his career where he carries his club on his back. I always have a hard time rooting for Bayern, but Kahn is another player I would tell a newbie to watch with interest.

[Teso Dos Bichos]

By your own admission, both are inconsistant and therefore do not merit inclusion in this thread.

[DuffFutureofIreland]

Although skill wise Henry is better, I would switch him for Steven Gerrard. I know he's had up/down periods. But he is the heart and soul of that team and I think it comes through the TV.

And although he has shown some signs of slipping, Oliver Kahn has shown stretches in his career where he carries his club on his back. I always have a hard time rooting for Bayern, but Kahn is another player I would tell a newbie to watch with interest.

No way, Gerrard is way too inconsistent, He played a couple crackers lately when the media were all over him but he's not always that good...

[ferreirajl]

Frank Lampard probably won't feature in any Nike commercials but his influence his huge in every game I saw from Chelsea.

[DuffFutureofIreland]

Frank Lampard probably won't feature in any Nike commercials but his influence his huge in every game I saw from Chelsea.

I think John Terry is more influencial. Best defender i have seen this year...

[Real Ray]

By your own admission, both are inconsistant and therefore do not merit inclusion in this thread.
No player, "always delivers." :rolleyes:

So it's a matter of probablity over the course of a season. And that being the case, I'll stick to my choices, thank you very much.

[ferreirajl]

I think John Terry is more influencial. Best defender i have seen this year...

Yes he's a another superb player.
It's just a matter of preference, really.

[DuffFutureofIreland]

Yes he's a another superb player.
It's just a matter of preference, really.

Ye i know, I think Lampard is 1 of the best midfielders in Europe at the moment, cracking...

[Teso Dos Bichos]

No player, "always delivers." :rolleyes:

So it's a matter of probablity over the course of a season. And that being the case, I'll stick to my choices, thank you very much.

The two players that you have selected have had long spells of poor play. Don't take things personally, it is a message board after all... :rolleyes:

[nicephoras]

Also with Nesta, who can forget that Fergie sent his scouts to watch him only for Nesta to have an absolute shocker in the Rome derby.

I believe he was just coming off the injury. I always remember that game, as it was one of the nadir's in the club's recent history. That's the only real bad game I've ever seen him play. Not a happy moment.

I've been told a few times Nesta did that on purpose. Is that true?

I believe it was the injury. I have a hard time believing that Nesta, who still speaks fondly of Lazio and was even a member of the Lazio board as well as the captain from an early age, would blow the most passionate Italian derby on purpose.
I don't believe that to be true at all.

[nicephoras]

I'm talking about the Barca Ronaldinho. He always does his tricks and stuff and generally delivers like I expect him to. I wish he'd take over that team more though. He could score much more goals if he wanted to.

I've seen some games where he was practically non-existent. He's definitely not a player like that. In the game against Mallorca two weeks ago, there were times I wondered if he was on the pitch.

[dna77054]

Javier Zanetti, very consistent at a high level.

[Real Ray]

Not taking it personally.


Gerrard is open to debate-I noted he has dips in form. But all players do.

Kahn is not.

[655321]

Jamie Carragher.