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FIFA team of the year - thoughts?

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 11:15 am
by Spyman
Any opinions on the team of the year then? No surprise to see it dominated by Spaniards (and players playing in La Liga), but there's a few players based in England who can probably feel pretty hard done by not to be included.

Ashley Cole - won the Champions League, was once again one of England's only players to come out of a major International competition with positive reviews.

Robin Van Persie - outstanding year of goalscoring for Arsenal and Man Utd. Dissapointing in the Euros though.

Vincent Kompany - star player from Premiership Champions. Being Belgian and Man City making zero impact in Europe probably did for him though.

Andrea Pirlo - Italy's best player at the Euros and key player in Juve's unbeaten season.

Anyone else that people think have missed out harshly, or been included without deserving it?

Re: FIFA team of the year - thoughts?

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 12:29 pm
by Hilly
Bar Falcao it's just a Real Madrid / Barcelona dream team isn't it?

Re: FIFA team of the year - thoughts?

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 12:55 pm
by Spyman
I think so.

They are probably the two best club sides in the world right now, but then neither of them were in the final of the Champions League so I don't think it is a true reflection to say that they have the best players in 10 out of 11 positions in world football.

Re: FIFA team of the year - thoughts?

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 1:06 pm
by Hilly
Spyman wrote:I think so.

They are probably the two best club sides in the world right now, but then neither of them were in the final of the Champions League so I don't think it is a true reflection to say that they have the best players in 10 out of 11 positions in world football.
In terms of The Premier League, the most outstanding player this last year has been Van Persie without a doubt, but when you have the likes of Messi and Ronaldo as certainties, that only leaves debate over Falcao and to be honest his scoring rate more than matches Van Persie's, so again I don't think you can drop him either.

Vincent Company is a good shout though.

Re: FIFA team of the year - thoughts?

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:20 pm
by MaddosMilkman
Spyman wrote:Any opinions on the team of the year then? No surprise to see it dominated by Spaniards (and players playing in La Liga), but there's a few players based in England who can probably feel pretty hard done by not to be included.

Ashley Cole - won the Champions League, was once again one of England's only players to come out of a major International competition with positive reviews.

Robin Van Persie - outstanding year of goalscoring for Arsenal and Man Utd. Dissapointing in the Euros though.

Vincent Kompany - star player from Premiership Champions. Being Belgian and Man City making zero impact in Europe probably did for him though.

Andrea Pirlo - Italy's best player at the Euros and key player in Juve's unbeaten season.

Anyone else that people think have missed out harshly, or been included without deserving it?
Manuel Neuer is surely worth a shout?

Re: FIFA team of the year - thoughts?

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:32 pm
by DarloOnTheUp
I would put Van Persie ahead of Falcao, Kompany AND Chiellini ahead of Pique, and Pirlo ahead of Xabi Alonso.

The rest is probably correct though.

Re: FIFA team of the year - thoughts?

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 9:21 pm
by Spyman
DarloOnTheUp wrote:I would put Van Persie ahead of Falcao, Kompany AND Chiellini ahead of Pique, and Pirlo ahead of Xabi Alonso.

The rest is probably correct though.
Falcao probably made it in so that the team wasn't TOO Euro-centric. There's really not much between RVP and Falcao on paper on from what I've seen.

I actually think the PFA Team is not too far wrong:

Hart
Ramos
Pique
Kompany
Cole

Toure
Xavi
Iniesta

Ronaldo
Messi
Van Persie

Although I wouldn't go with Hart, and again Toure probably held back by Man City's failure in Europe.

I don't think we're in a great era for goalkeepers. I've always thought Casillas is slightly over-rated despite being a decent shot stopper, Neuer is a decent shot stopper but seems to make too many high-profile errors in big matches, and Hart has to prove himself at the very top still before he's even considered against those two. Decent shot-stopper though.

Re: FIFA team of the year - thoughts?

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 8:02 am
by DarloOnTheUp
Spyman wrote:Falcao probably made it in so that the team wasn't TOO Euro-centric.
Except now it's too La Liga-centric.
Spyman wrote:There's really not much between RVP and Falcao on paper on from what I've seen.
Aye, there isn't much between them, but I'm just going off how much they've impressed me when I've seen them play and Van Persie just edges it. Although Ibrahimovic has had an excellent year as well.
Spyman wrote:I've always thought Casillas is slightly over-rated despite being a decent shot stopper, Neuer is a decent shot stopper but seems to make too many high-profile errors in big matches, and Hart has to prove himself at the very top still before he's even considered against those two. Decent shot-stopper though.
You're right about Hart but Casillas certainly isn't overrated and Neuer is more consistent than you think.

Re: FIFA team of the year - thoughts?

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 8:59 am
by Spyman
Maybe over-rated isn't the word for Casillas. He has been consistently one of the top keepers at one of the top clubs for several years, but he isn't really talked about as one of the all time greats despite his achievements and longevity, and I think that reflects the dirth of really top keepers that there was been for a few years now. Since Schmeichel and Kahn retired I don't think anyone has come near those two. Casillas always seems to make things look more spectacular and difficult than, in my opinion, they are.

Neuer I don't see enough of, but when I have seen him (big games, usually), he'll make a great save one minute but the adrenaline seems to get to him and he'll make a daft decision and cost his team a vital goal.

Re: FIFA team of the year - thoughts?

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 9:21 pm
by lo36789
Who is the goalkeeper because Casillas has been dropped by Real Madrid recently which is either Mourinho just trying to annoy enough people that they will sack him and he will get a pay off or he hasn't been happy with his performances!

Germany had a pretty good Euros and I feel that Bayern's team have been over looked a little bit after their Champions League campaign. Lahm, Schweinsteiger & Robben are the 3 I would suggest. Robben didn't really do himself any favours in the Euros but then neither did Van Persie. Lahm & Schweinsteiger were incredibly consistent for Bayern & Germany last season.

Gomez had a good 2012 as well but he's not really 'fashionable' enough to get in a team as an attacker ahead of Messi, Ronaldo, Falcao & Van Persie!