Top Ten Overrated players

[18-5]

10 - Steven Taylor

While he's not exactly viewed as a world-beater away from St James' Park, Taylor is held in higher regard by those of us who don't have to watch him every week than is probably justified. It was mildly baffling to see the number of reports linking him with the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool the last time his contract was being renegotiated, but it was hardly surprising that nobody snapped him up after Newcastle's relegation in 2009. It's also significant that United have done just fine with Taylor making only nine starts this season.

 

 

9 - Phil Neville

One might quite reasonably ask who rates Neville, never mind overrates him, but Neville is one of those players who suffers from the Makelele syndrome - when the underrated is talked about so much it becomes overrated. Sages will stroke their chins and say that Neville may be a meat and potatoes type but he does a vital job and is one of the most important men in Everton's side. While that is true to an extent, Neville's actual ability is often over-estimated. Special Everton mention to - on this season's form at least - Mikel Arteta as well.

 

 

8 - Sebastian Larsson

Like his fellow blonde-Gooner-turned-Bluenose Nic Bendtner, Larsson has a pretty high opinion of himself. And if he was to base that opinion purely on one of his beautifully crafted crosses, then it would be justified. However, there are a few more elements to football. Like, for example, consistency and not having a sulk every few minutes. Until those improve, the loftier ambitions of Larsson will have to wait.

 

 

7 - Morten Gamst Pedersen

You've heard the phrase 'Highlights Player,' yes? Well, if you wanted to save yourself some ink, you could just write 'Pedersen'.

 

 

6 - Jordan Henderson

As with a couple of other players on this list, it's easy to get a little bit over-excited about a player like Henderson. A strong, driving midfielder who can fair lash a shot and pick out a pinpoint pass - such attributes will always be leapt upon by a keen/desperate English football public. In truth, Henderson's excellent run of form peaked before his call-up to the England squad in November, and his slightly underwhelming debut against France was therefore not a massive surprise. There's talk about a big move some time soon, but for the moment this promising youngster is not quite of the world-beating standard some would have us believe.

 

 

5 - Shay Given

In all those years at Newcastle, commentators sympathised with Given having to play behind such a shambolic defence, and wondered why a 'big' club didn't pay whatever it took to tempt Newcastle into selling their supposedly world-beating keeper. Could it not be more likely that, though he is a fine shot-stopper, Given is simply not commanding enough to properly marshal a back four, and more to the point dominate a penalty area? It is significant that until Manchester City started firing cash around the place like one of those t-shirt guns at American sporting events, nobody ever did take the plunge with Given. A good keeper, sure, but deservedly second choice at Eastlands.

 

 

4 - Jack Rodwell

Some journalists have pet projects - subjects upon which they will drone on and on to anyone who will listen, and many that won't. For Henry Winter, The Daily Telegraph's pseud-in-chief, ever since Michael Owen ceased to be a realistic England option, Rodwell is that project. In Winter's (and, in the interests of balance, plenty others) world, Rodwell is the missing piece of the England jigsaw - the perfect holding midfielder to bring the best out of Frank Lampard, or Steven Gerrard, or Jack Wilshere, or whichever creative type is trendy that week. Indeed, as early as June 2009, Winter wrote a piece predicting the then-18-year-old Rodwell could be part of the England midfield in the 2010 World Cup.

 

Ridiculously premature, clearly, and while Rodwell might be a fine midfield destroyer one day, let's allow him to establish himself in the Everton team first, shall we? With Neville, Marouane Fellaini and even Johnny Heitinga jostling for a spot in David Moyes's midfield, Rodwell is often left on the bench. Until he's an automatic selection on Merseyside, he should be left alone and allowed to develop at his own pace.

 

 

3 - Charlie Adam

Again, overrating Adam is easy enough. Add his often eye-catching passes and vicious set-pieces to the natural urge to spot a diamond in the dog rough, plus the queue of reasonably well-respected figures who wanted to sign him in January, and you have some quite understandable hype. However, Adam's Hollywood balls quite often sail beyond their intended target, and he needlessly gifts possession to the opposition trying something outrageous at least once or twice a game. These excesses are tolerated at a small club with small expectations, with fans who know there's nobody else in their side with Adam's ability. However, will such profligate flamboyance be countenanced at Anfield or White Hart Lane? It should also be noted that the Blackpool Players' Player of the Year was announced over Easter, and the winner was not Adam, but little David Vaughan.

 

 

2 - Gareth Bale

And for 'neutrals', read 'Fabio Capello and those people who saw him play in the Champions League'. Capello seems to think Bale is the bees' knees, the cats' pyjamas and the dogs' bollocks, something that could be explained by the envy of Wales having a terrific left-footed winger and England being a little more lacking in that department. Of course, Bale is a terrific prospect who has had some unbelievably good games this season, but to rank him alongside the likes of Leo Messi - as some have done with entirely straight faces this season - is patently ludicrous.

 

 

1 - Adam Johnson

In the Judgement Day-esque debris of the World Cup, one of the most significant threads of post-mortem was a summary of bright young things. The hopes for the future. The young players who will rescue England in years to come. Adam Johnson was on many, if not all of those lists, based on his impressive flashes of form for both club and country over the preceding six months. The problem is that's exactly the sort of player Johnson is - excellent in flashes, painfully anonymous for the rest of the time. While some away from Manchester City might wonder why he's not an automatic first choice for Roberto Mancini, Eastlands regulars will realise there's a very good reason why 15 of Johnson's 25 league appearances have come from the bench.

 

Nick Miller

 

Football365 | Features | F365 Features | F365's Top Ten: Overrated By Neutrals

 

Agree with most of that. I would probably add Walcott, Parker and Baines to that list. :whistle:

[murphy]

Suso

[silverlining]

Football365 | Features | F365 Features | F365's Top Ten: Overrated By Neutrals

 

Agree with most of that. I would probably add Walcott, Parker and Baines to that list. :whistle:

 

Walcott, Parker and Baines would all get into our first team, as would many of the other players on that list.

[18-5]

Suso

 

Tbh, a lot of our young players are overrated by our fans. I believe it when I see it.

[18-5]

Walcott, Parker and Baines would all get into our first team, as would many of the other players on that list.

 

Maybe Baines but I doubt the other two.

 

Walcott ahead of Kuyt and Parker ahead of Lucas? You are kidding me..

[silverlining]

Maybe Baines but I doubt the other two.

 

Walcott ahead of Kuyt and Parker ahead of Lucas? You are kidding me..

 

Parker's a better player than Lucas.

 

Walcott isn't more effective than Dirk, but in a 4-4-2 probably is a better bet for the right wing.

[dave u]

Balotelli.

[Ted]

No Rooney? Void.

[silverlining]

Balotelli.

 

He's probably Number One in the list of Top 10 Most Retarded Players.

[gingerhulk]

Wilshere

[JohnnyH]

5 - Shay Given

 

In all those years at Newcastle, commentators sympathised with Given having to play behind such a shambolic defence, and wondered why a 'big' club didn't pay whatever it took to tempt Newcastle into selling their supposedly world-beating keeper. Could it not be more likely that, though he is a fine shot-stopper, Given is simply not commanding enough to properly marshal a back four, and more to the point dominate a penalty area? It is significant that until Manchester City started firing cash around the place like one of those t-shirt guns at American sporting events, nobody ever did take the plunge with Given. A good keeper, sure, but deservedly second choice at Eastlands.

 

BINGO!

 

3 - Charlie Adam

Again, overrating Adam is easy enough. Add his often eye-catching passes and vicious set-pieces to the natural urge to spot a diamond in the dog rough, plus the queue of reasonably well-respected figures who wanted to sign him in January, and you have some quite understandable hype. However, Adam's Hollywood balls quite often sail beyond their intended target, and he needlessly gifts possession to the opposition trying something outrageous at least once or twice a game. These excesses are tolerated at a small club with small expectations, with fans who know there's nobody else in their side with Adam's ability. However, will such profligate flamboyance be countenanced at Anfield or White Hart Lane? It should also be noted that the Blackpool Players' Player of the Year was announced over Easter, and the winner was not Adam, but little David Vaughan.

 

BINGO X 2

 

 

Should also add Bolotelli to that list. EDIT - See Dave beat me to it.

[silverlining]

 

It should also be noted that the Blackpool Players' Player of the Year was announced over Easter, and the winner was not Adam, but little David Vaughan

 

 

Why should that be noted?

 

Adam blatantly tried to leave in January. He could have played from then until Easter like a cross between Steven Gerrard, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and the ghost of George Best and he still wouldn't have won the Players' Player Of The Year award.

[Whelan]

Tim Cahill!

 

Sorry but, doesn't quite score enough goals to be a forward, does not contribute enough as a mid fielder, so can't play in 442. He is a classic advanced midfielder who doesn't get criticised for not scoring enough, nor contributing enough but benefits from everyone else doing what he is not good enough to do. See Frank Lampard, and I suspect Raol

 

Plus he is a cunt! He isn't overated as a cunt though!

[Carra_is_legend]

Vidic

Berbatov (although the last couple of years many have realised this already)

Johnson (yes, our Glen)

Arshavin

Carrick

[silverlining]

Tim Cahil!

 

Sorry but, doesn't quite score enough goals to be a forward, does not contribute enough as a mid fielder, so can't play in 442 and a classic advanced midfielder who doesn't get criticised for not scoring enough, nor contributing enough but benefits from everyone else doing what he is not good enough. See Frank Lampard, and I suspect Merelies

 

Plus he is a cunt! He isn't overated as a cunt though!

 

Lampard?!

 

His scoring record is phenomenal, and pisses ALL OVER Cahill's.

 

But Cahill is a good shout, and that complaint about him above is something I've heard almost verbatim from many Bitters.

[silverlining]

Vidic

Berbatov (although the last couple of years many have realised this already)

Johnson (yes, our Glen)

Arshavin

Carrick

 

Vidic is one of the best defenders in Europe.

 

And nobody overrates Carrick.

[goatboy59]

365 Mediawatch;

 

Perfect Timing

 

Saturday morning: Tony Cascarino selects Jordan Henderson as one of his five 'flops of the season' in The Times.

 

Saturday afternoon: Henderson scores twice in Sunderland's 4-2 win over Wigan.

 

 

And who have they got in their 10 most overrated players?

[Carra_is_legend]

Vidic is one of the best defenders in Europe.

 

Meh. I may tend to agree if you had said he is decent, nothing more.

 

And nobody overrates Carrick.

 

May be not this season but plenty of media "pundits" were singing his name constantly.

[Monster Masch]

Joe Hart

[Trucker Paddy]

Dzecko despite goal last night is a poor mans Kevin Davis

[Welsh]

Bale? fucking hell, what a shocking inclusion, yes he's been getting rated quite a bit but he's a quality player.

 

One person says he's the worlds best so that means everyone thinks that? ridiculous.

 

Where's Gareth Barry? no Gareth Barry in the list of overrated players means your list is a pile of shit Nick Miller.

[buffaloboy]

Stewart Downing, Michael Carrick and Nicolas Anelka come to mind. Anelka was good but he is pretty shit these days.

[Whelan]

Lampard?!

 

His scoring record is phenomenal, and pisses ALL OVER Cahill's.

 

But Cahill is a good shout, and that complaint about him above is something I've heard almost verbatim from many Bitters.

 

Lampard is (I think) overated in regards to his 'world class' tag, but I do take your point.

 

And most of my Bitter mates say the same! They don't rate Coleman either, and are unsure on Rodwell.

[Trumo]

John Obi Mikel. He only seemed to be rated in numerous magazines reeling off lists of the best up and coming young players of their generation, and that it seems was that. Quite how Chelsea were so keen to have him that they paid the Mancs something like £16m (!) after the Mancs themselves paid £4m I really don't know. He doesn't seem to be able to do anything more than pass the ball 5 yards sideways or backwards, usually to Lampard or Terry, or foul his opponent. The very same accusations were levelled at Lucas until very recently, but there is a massive gulf, nay, a chasm, in class between the two.

[satansmutt]

Javier Alejandro Mascherano gave away silly free kicks got silly yellow cards got even sillier red cards, couldn't pass to a team mate if they were both stood next to teach other in a phone box. I never understood why so many reds rated him unless it was for his commitment and workrate but then again kuyt and lucas get slammed for only having commitment and workrate, now getting found out at Barcelona