Best players of 18/19 season

Discussion in 'The Beautiful Game' started by AD78, Mar 15, 2019.

  1. AD78

    AD78 Member+

    Jul 17, 2013
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    I have started this thread on a few seasons (along with others) and was wondering what peoples thoughts were.

    My high level thoughts are the top handful of players has not been that clear, not like a Salah season of last year to put him up there.

    Two definites I would say are Messi who has again had a very strong season in La Liga and also Mbappe, Ronaldo had a slow start in Serie A but has burst into life and had a huge performance versus Atletico in the week so is moving up. I do feel though I am struggling to see people in La Liga, Serie A, and Ligue 1 jump out other than those three.

    In the Bundesliga too no one has been a stand out player, Reus had a great start, Sancho in patches but I fear Dortmund may be running out of steam, has a player in the Bayern machine stood out? I don;t see one.

    In the PL a similar season, although I may be doing a disservice to Van Dijk as it is harder to grab headlines as a defender, but it is pretty unanimous amongst every pundit I have heard he is their player of the year. Aguero has had stronger second half of the season but is patchy but could hit another hot streak before the season os over, Silva had a great start to season but has dropped a lot recently, Pogba has been re-rejuvenated since Mourinho left but shocking first half of the season, Hazard has been in an out, Kane the same, a long way of last year for those two, De Bruyne has struggled with injuries massively.

    I think the business end of the season will be key with close out of and interesting CL, maybe if there are lack of stand out attackers / big moments for attackers, some of the defenders will get the credit they deserve, like Van Dijk I mentioned but also Bonucci or Chiellini for example.

    Interested to hear others views
     
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  2. Edhardy

    Edhardy Member+

    Sep 4, 2013
    Nairobi, Kenya
    Club:
    Juventus FC
    La Liga: Messi
    PL: Van Dijk, Sterling
    Serie A: Ronaldo, Quagliarella
    Ligue 1: Mbappe, Pepe
    Bundesliga: No standouts, probably Luka Jovic
     
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  3. comme

    comme Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 21, 2003
    Van Dijk has been excellent obviously.

    I actually think this might have been Hazard's best season yet, it's just the rest of the Chelsea side have been relatively poor. In his previous seasons when he was this good (2014-5 and 2016-7) the other Chelsea players were excellent.

    Sterling has been great, Fernandinho pivotal to everything City do,Bernardo has been very influential and I also think Laporte has been outstanding. His passing from centre-back is exceptional.
     
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  4. AD78

    AD78 Member+

    Jul 17, 2013
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Good shout re Sterling, completely forgot about him for some reason. Re Hazard, he had an amazing start and may have hit his highest heights but I do not think he has been consistent as the to PL winning seasons, agree team level has been much lower but I have watched a few Chelsea games where he has not been at the same level as earlier in the season.
     
  5. PuckVanHeel

    PuckVanHeel Member+

    Oct 4, 2011
    Club:
    Feyenoord
    #5 PuckVanHeel, Mar 15, 2019
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2019
    It would be ridiculous to say Ronaldo has been 'bad' but as you say he had a slow start (29 shots without a goal wasn't it?), then a very good phase with a slightly better overall play as in his final Real Madrid seasons, then after that he became the more 'limited' striker again. Other Serie A players for worse teams keep up with him in terms of scoring and Ronaldo is still below his 'expected goals' (source: understat). He's also taking the production away of a Dybala or Pjanic.

    From what I've seen/gathered Quagliarella, Piatek, Chiellini (has been better as ~ 3 years ago), Suso, Insigne, Ilicic have been very good too. Internazionale placed #4 hasn't one who is really playing well (with no player above 10 goals + assists). Maybe Handanovic, Brozovic, De Vrij.

    edit: will try the other leagues later.
     
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  6. AD78

    AD78 Member+

    Jul 17, 2013
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    ... will add Mane to the mix after a great recent run and brilliant performance vs Bayern, Salah has been stuttering a bit but Mane has more than stepped up.
     
  7. comme

    comme Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 21, 2003
    Whenever I've seen Pique he's been very good this year. Might be having his best season yet (or at least for a number of years). Lenglet has also been very good alongside him in the absence of Umtiti.
     
  8. carlito86

    carlito86 Member+

    Jan 11, 2016
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    #8 carlito86, Mar 15, 2019
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2019
    08/09 was pique at his best
    Post WC 2010 he has never been the same despite sporadic periods of good form here and there
     
  9. PuckVanHeel

    PuckVanHeel Member+

    Oct 4, 2011
    Club:
    Feyenoord
    Trying my best, bit sketchy;


    Bundesliga:

    Haven't seen a lot this year (Bundesliga is on a different channel as EPL, La Liga, CL, Serie A). Probably Thiago, Reus, Witsel, Lewandowski (who has been more all-round, leads in through-balls per game). From smaller teams maybe Haller, Thorgan Hazard, Jovic, Volland. Hummels, no (defensive liability). Kimmich, no (nice for riding along if it all goes well but that's it).


    Ligue 1:

    Competition for PSG has been weaker as the past three years, with also some dubious coaches at places as Lyon. This is reflected in the WS ratings:

    https://www.whoscored.com/Regions/7...348/PlayerStatistics/France-Ligue-1-2018-2019

    Mbappe and Pepe are locks, but after that it's really thin imho. Someone like Thauvin but also the Lyon boys were better past season/year. Neymar is injured (and inconsistent at crucial matches??), Cavani and Di Maria have been better in the past.


    La Liga:

    Ter Stegen, Pique, Busquets, Messi, Suarez.

    Griezmann is the best player outside Barcelona, had some nice scenes in the bigger matches, but has been better before.


    Premier League:

    Van Dijk has an almost Bergkamp-esque effect on his team. Next to all the individual statistics (0 clear cut errors, 0 times dribbled past etc.) it's telling Liverpool failed to win any of the three matches he missed. Big winning assists or goals against teams like Germany, PSG, Everton, Bayern too.

    http://www.espn.com/fantasy/story/_...k-most-valuable-premier-league-fantasy-player

    Hazard is fantastic in most big matches I have seen. The League Cup final but also other of the big match-ups. It would be a shame if he never manages it to make an impact in the Champions League (only 8 goals, including 4 penalties). For the first time in his career he's above 20 league goals + assists. Is the best dribbler in the league and also one of the best through-ballers.

    Bernardo Silva, Son, Sterling, Kane and Pogba can get my appreciation too. Eriksen has been on and off. Aubameyang is carrying another sub-standard Arsenal team.

    Have not seen too much of City outside the big matches (I should boycot this prestige project of a torture regime but that's another topic...).
     
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  10. PuckVanHeel

    PuckVanHeel Member+

    Oct 4, 2011
    Club:
    Feyenoord
  11. PuckVanHeel

    PuckVanHeel Member+

    Oct 4, 2011
    Club:
    Feyenoord
    As last thing, maybe honorable mentions to Frenkie de Jong and Ziyech.

    De Jong was very good against France, Germany, Bayern, Benfica, Real Madrid. Also the six qualifying matches (the CL as a closed shop...) which can be very tricky for a team as Ajax. Had weaker matches against PSV and Feyenoord though (+ one strong in the cup). Griezmann named him a month ago the "most difficult opponent" he played against.

    Ziyech had his goals and moments in the CL too. A pity that he has chosen to play for Morocco rather than the country where he is born and raised.
     
  12. carlito86

    carlito86 Member+

    Jan 11, 2016
    Club:
    Real Madrid

    Best winger in the world on current form
    Never believed he had the potential to become this type of player
     
  13. annoyedbyneedoflogin

    Juventus Football Clube Ajax Mineiro de Deportes
    Jun 11, 2012
    Adding
    Moussa Marega
    Edin Dzeko
    Dusan Tadic
     
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  14. PuckVanHeel

    PuckVanHeel Member+

    Oct 4, 2011
    Club:
    Feyenoord
    From today:

    [​IMG]
     
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  15. victorcalello38

    Feb 28, 2017
    Club:
    Montevideo Wanderers FC
    FOR ME:

    TERSTEGEN
    WALKER PIQUE VANDIJK ALBA
    POGBA BUSQUETS
    MBAPPE MESSI STERLING
    CR7

    ALISSON
    CANCELO DELIGT LAPORTE ZINCHENKO
    DEJONG PJANIC
    TADIC HAZARD MANÉ
    SUAREZ

    TOP FIVE:
    1. MESSI
    2. MBAPPE
    3. RONALDO
    4. STERLING
    5. VANDIJK
     
  16. Tropeiro

    Tropeiro Member+

    Jun 1, 2018
    Neymar was the most consistent PSG player vs the biggest opponents (not only Liverpool 2 or Napoles but also the best French teams he faced) not inconsistent whatsoever, he was more consistent than in 17/18 btw - something normal since he took his time in his team and league, he wasn't better than 17/18 just more impactful - and Mbappe was better than Neymar just against weak opponents and that's all... place him as second best player in this season is outrageous.

    Btw,
     
  17. PuckVanHeel

    PuckVanHeel Member+

    Oct 4, 2011
    Club:
    Feyenoord
    He had always the speed and agility. He has significantly improved his dribble success rate, movement, body position, and also his shot conversion. At the same time, he still has a tendency to screw up open goal chances (wrong decisions, over-elaborate, tunnel vision) and his passing and crossing still doesn't blow me away - is kind of sub-par for an elite winger (as shown by 20% crossing accuracy and only 2 accurate through-balls all season).
     
  18. carlito86

    carlito86 Member+

    Jan 11, 2016
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    I don’t understand this(the outrage)
    So you believe Neymar is the best performer this season in ligue 1 or in the whole of Europe?
     
  19. PuckVanHeel

    PuckVanHeel Member+

    Oct 4, 2011
    Club:
    Feyenoord

    Maybe 'inconsistency' is the wrong word and probably I exaggerated a little.

    It is however wrong to think he was good against Liverpool in the away match. L'Equipe gave him a 4, France Football a 3 and the favorable WhoScored only a 7.0 (SofaScore 6.9, below Mbappe etc.). Despite his assist it doesn't pass the test of scrutiny. It just doesn't hold.

    Jonathan Wilson phrased it in a better way than 'inconsistency':

    It probably helped that Neymar was missing. The Brazilian is, of course, a supremely gifted footballer, but he is also a master of self-indulgence who keeps on costing his teams trophies. When he is there, there is no guarantee of tactical coherence and while teams packed with gifted players can get away with that – as Real Madrid keep proving in Europe – it is a major hindrance.

    [...]

    What’s your opinion about the huge importance that is being given to tactic in modern football? Do you think that the game is being analysed in excess?

    That is a danger, of course, and I think the boom (in English at least) of amateur blogs about tactics is a little weird, especially as they so often don’t conform to anything coaches say. And it’s clearly true that certain players can become frustrated by being asked always to be thinking tactically. But then that itself is part of tactics: you look at somebody like Eden Hazard, who needs a certain freedom to play at his best, and a good coach accommodates the rest of his team to that. But then you have Neymar who is such a liability tactically that he becomes a problem for his team.



    If all goes well then Neymar is (still) a better player than Mbappe I believe, despite Mbappe now having 12 more G+A in the league and 3 more in the CL. Neymar is overall more technical and has a more well-rounded job.

    I'd say Neymar is number two or number three of his league, even though he had limited opportunities to really show it (not entirely his fault). As said, Ligue 1 is also demonstrably weaker as the previous years.

    Brazil is just also not the first country in the row that gets 'underrated'. They are the most successful football country in history. Everyone knows that.

    If you look at Peru FC his 2000s list, it's clear he systematically snubs Holland for example (a country that's #3 in the Elo for that decade, and had in many years a locked starter in the Champions League final, with a few quite technical players too in their position). On top of his knock downs of the more historical figures.

    Neymar is 'always' one of the first figures people think about and have in their mind for these things, and after him there will be another Brazilian be ready-made for the job etc.
     
  20. comme

    comme Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 21, 2003
    Walker has arguably been City’s worst player this year.
     
  21. Tropeiro

    Tropeiro Member+

    Jun 1, 2018
    Yes, in Ligue 1 of course, he was again the best PSG player this year specially when you are looking vs the thougher and 'qualified' opponents. Mbappe wasn't nothing better than him in those matches (in fact probably not the second best PSG player too) and both Neymar and Mbappe, talking generally, are miles away from any other. Pepe etc must be a joke, not even close.
    He still stand as the best Ligue 1 player easily and the best PSG player.

    About others I don't know, but I just think Premier is the best European Liga by a secure margin, the others ligas (except maybe Dortmund in the Bundesliga) don't offer minimum competition for their best team (Barcelona, PSG, Juventus, Bayern), the English TOP6 is pretty much hard games for anyone.


    PD: Mbappe may never reach the Neymar's current level.
     
  22. PuckVanHeel

    PuckVanHeel Member+

    Oct 4, 2011
    Club:
    Feyenoord
  23. Tropeiro

    Tropeiro Member+

    Jun 1, 2018
    #23 Tropeiro, Mar 16, 2019
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2019
    Perhaps Mbappe had better grades in general (not that I really care), but against the more qualified opponents even in the French Ligue and in the UCL Neymar was much better and more significant than Mbappe, except against Liverpool away where the they were both subpar equally... and like I said I think Neymar was better in these type of games than in his first season with PSG despite being worse player overall and Mbappe seemed to be better and more accurate with him playing too.

    Btw, I don't have access to these ratings from L'Equipe.
     
  24. AD78

    AD78 Member+

    Jul 17, 2013
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    I am not denying how good Hazard has been in patches but that these were done in a smaller number of games and streaks, for example in the last 10 league games he has had 3 goals, 2 assists... but in a purple patches earlier in season he scored 7 goals in 6 league games, later on 5 assists in 4 games i.e nearly half his assists and goals in a small number of games.

    That yields overall impressive yields and high numbers but the above does not show consistency (also re successful dribbles, he tops that every year anyway as clearly the best dribbler in the league). Admittedly this could be do with the teams level of performance to but I do not feel he has the consistency of 14/15 or 16/17 which is why he is not being touted as a PoY this season, unlike Van Dijk, Son, Sterling, Mane mentioned on sky today, Aguero (king of the hot streaks I know!).
     
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  25. PuckVanHeel

    PuckVanHeel Member+

    Oct 4, 2011
    Club:
    Feyenoord
    Yes I understand that and don't disagree with those points.

    It's however not only the dribbles (and fouls won). It's also he's #2 in the league in through-balls, key passes (from open play - see below), assists and some more things like that.

    [​IMG]

    You're right his end product has come in streaks and patches, but it is my impression his good games against the great opponents have been spread well. For example a pretty great game against Manchester City in december and one more recently at the end of february. There have been matches too where he's average like against Manchester United recently, I agree yes.
     
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