2011 / 2012 Mid-season rankings update

I've fallen a little bit behind with the writeups and the latest are missing but here is the list so far:

300: Julian Draxler Germany - Schalke 04
299: Marcel Schmelzer - Germany - Dortmund
298: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - England - Arsenal
297: Juan Arango - Venezuela - Borussia Mönchengladbach
296: Nolito - Spain - Benfica
295: Deco - Portugal - Fluminense
294: Maxime Gonalons - France - Lyon
293: Gastón Ramírez - Uruguay - Bologna
292: Gary Medel - Chile - Sevilla
291: Jose Callejon - Spain - Real Madrid
290: Felipe Melo - Brazil - Galatasaray

289: Rafael - Brazil - Manchester United
288: Chris Smalling - England - Manchester United
287: Gabi - Spain - Atletico Madrid
286: Michu - Spain - Rayo Vallecano
285: Younes Kaboul - France - Tottenham
284: Roman Shirokov - Russia - Zenit
283: Isaac Cuenca - Spain - Barcelona
282: Yuto Nagatomo - Japan - Inter
281: Lukasz Piszcek - Poland - Dortmund
280: Mathieu Debuchy - France - Lille

279: Hugo Campagnaro - Argentina - Napoli
278: Luuk de Jong - Netherlands - Twente
277: Granit Xhaka - Switzerland - Basel
276: Kwadwo Asamoah - Ghana - Udinese
275: Fabrizio Miccoli - Italy - Palermo
274: Bobby Zamora - England - QPR
273: Andrés D'Alessandro - Argentina - Internacional
272: Giovani Dos Santos - Mexico - Tottenham
271: Isco - Spain - Malaga
270: Aaron Lennon - England - Tottenham

269: Antonio Nocerino - Italy - Milan
268: Ola Toivonen - Sweden - PSV
267: Dries Mertens - Belgium - PSV
266: Bryan Ruiz - Costa Rica - Fulham
265: Oriol Romeu - Spain - Chelsea
264: Darren Bent - England - Aston Villa
263: Michael Dawson - England - Tottenham
262: Douglas - Netherlands - Twente
261: Fabricio Coloccini - Argentina - Newcastle
260: Clint Dempsey - USA - Fulham

259: Pablo Aimar - Argentina - Benfica
258: Leandro Damiao - Brazil - Internacional
257: Fred - Brazil - Fluminense
256: Seydou Doumbia - Côte d'Ivoire - CSKA Moscow
255: Moussa Sow - Senegal - Fenerbahce
254: Rodrigo Palacio - Argentina - Genoa
253: Diego Lugano - Uruguay - PSG
252: Ledley King - England - Tottenham
251: Cristian Ledesma - Italy - Lazio
250: Jose Antonio Reyes - Spain - Sevilla

249: Alberto Aquilani - Italy - Milan
248: Phil Jones - England - Manchester United
247: Konstantin Zyryanov - Russia - Zenit
246: Sven Bender - Germany - Dortmund
245: Lars Bender - Germany - Bayer Leverkusen
244: Esteban Granero - Spain - Real Madrid
243: Senad Lulic - Bosnia and Hercegovina - Lazio
242: Eduardo Vargas - Chile - Napoli
241: Milos Krasic - Serbia - Juventus
240: Jon Obi Mikel - Nigeria - Chelsea

239: Theo Janssen - Netherlands - Ajax
238: Balázs Dzsudzsák - Hungary - Dynamo Moscow
237: Marko Marin - Germany - Werder Bremen
236: Papiss Cisse - Senegal - Newcastle
235: Ibrahim Afellay - Netherlands - Barcelona
234: Dejan Stankovic - Serbia - Inter
233: Juan Manuel Vargas - Peru - Fiorentina
232: Benoit Assou-Ekotto - Cameroon - Tottenham
231: Stephan Lichtsteiner - Switzerland - Juventus
230: Adrián - Spain - Atletico Madrid

229: Alvaro Negredo - Spain - Sevilla
228: Andrei Arshavin - Russia - Arsenal/Zenit
227: Adam Johnson - England - Manchester City
226: Alexandr Kerzhakov - Russia - Zenit
225: Daniel Agger - Denmark - Liverpool
224: Dirk Kuyt - Netherlands - Liverpool
223: Alessandro Nesta - Italy - Milan
222: Ivan Rakitić - Croatia - Sevilla
221: Anatolij Tymoshchuk - Ukraine - Bayern München
220: Holger Badstuber - Germany - Bayern München

219: John Terry - England - Chelsea
218: Juan - Brazil - Roma
217: Sandro - Brazil - Tottenham
216: Domenico Criscito - Italy - Zenit
215: Cheik Tioté -Côte d'Ivoire - Newcastle
214: Kim Källström - Sweden - Lyon
213: Mauricio Isla - Chile - Udinese
212: Aaron Ramsey - Wales - Arsenal
211: Gareth Barry - England - Manchester City

For ongoing discussion and realtime (at random times) updates/writeups go (to the last page for the very latest) HERE

Michael Dawson

Michael Dawson - Tottenham

Centreback - England

2010/2011 MID-SEASON RANKING: Unranked
End of 2010/11 - Beginning of 2011/12: 192

2011/2012 MID-SEASON RANKING:

263

I realize having him ahead of Kaboul, who is having a better season, is a bit strange and a tough argument, especially since Dawson's injury issues have resurfaced this season, but I like him a lot as a player, he has great range of passing and can move the ball pretty good out of defense (meaning less defending!) where he is also a natural leader. His team just happen to have one already in Ledley King.

I like that he is kind of both the sweeper style defender (while tall) clearing trouble and reading the game higher up, making interceptions, at his best able to overcome lack of mobility, I guess that I really like what seems be to great defensive instincts, but that he is also fully at home playing the more traditional English centreback, making strong tackles, winning headers, protecting the box right where it's at.

I see Kaboul more as a very strong athletic version of that type of centreback, including the kind of pace that puts him ahead of just about anyone of those, but if his technique is also even better than I've already given him credit for, not least his passing repertoire, then Dawson with worse health and less athletic ability, has little argument left and I'm guessing Kaboul will have caught up to him on the next version (remember at 192 last time around Dawson had a good head start).

Darren Bent

Aston Villa

Striker - England

2010/2011 MID-SEASON RANKING: 196
End of 2010/11 - Beginning of 2011/12 Ranking: 176

2011/2012 MID-SEASON RANKING:

264

Bent has the physical tools to be a consistent goalscorer in the strongest league in the world. That fact alone makes it hard to exclude from the good company on this list.

He moves both fast and strong on his way to the good goalscoring chances that he is skilled in seeking out.

However he is also a pretty limited footballer. Zonalmarking's Michael Cox said this:

"Darren Bent usually makes himself look good, rarely makes his side look good".

All in all then, I think this ranking, his lowest so far, is a better representation of his skill than the previous.

Bryan Ruiz

 Bryan Ruiz - Fulham

Winger/Forward - Costa Rica

2010/2011 MID-SEASON RANKING: 234
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12 ranking: 185
2011/2012 MID-SEASON RANKING: 266
End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13: 295

End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13:

Ruiz only registered 0.9 shots per game for Fulham. That's not even in their top 11!

Clearly this has not been working optimally neither for him or the team. A prolific flamboyant goalscorer and creator in Holland he barely gets to shoot on goal ever playing for Fulham, or be involveld in the centre of the pitch, and to the benefit of no one is pretty much relegated to attempting crosses from the wing with questionable successes. He just hasn't fitted in very well and it must get better.

People who saw him for Twente at one point arguably being the second best player in the league after Luis Suarez will know about his qualities, but even at Fulham in a poor first season there are subtle signs or arguments to be found that Ruiz should play an increased attacking role to the benefit of the team.
Bless Clint Dempsey and his goals but with 0.7 successful dribbles per game his turnover and dispossessed ratio stands at 2.3 and 2.4.  Ruiz has 1.1 successful dribbles per game but just 1.6 dispossessions and 1.2 turnovers. Give the man some more touches and in other places.  Ruiz has a lot more to offer than we've seen so far but need a different or bigger role in the attacking game to really showcase it.

 2011/12 Mid-Season:

The very best of times Ruiz was almost dominating in Holland, but he has struggled to find his skillful feet in England so far and at times not really blending well in with the players around him and overall has been quite up and down. Only barely so far, I think it's safe to say, avoiding being tagged (prematurely) as a flop.

It's very possible things are looking up though, Dembele who has more tools as a player than the majority out there, and who I'm guessing will make a comeback on the list the next time, has recently been playing in central midfield with Danny Murphy, hopefully meaning that very limited, when it comes to everything that has to do with technique, Steve Sidwell must be out, and up front new big man (and also formerly ranked) Pogrebnyak has always liked to use his feet. Overall I think such player constellations will have a better chance of creating chemistry with Ruiz.

Ruiz of course is very much a flair player and can put that into great passing of different ranges, from one touch passing combinations to sweet deliveries into the box, sublime touches including dribbling and if put into position to do so (which has rarely been the case so far in England where he is criminally averaging just 1 shot per game YIKES!) also be a dangerous goal-scorer.

2011/2012 Mid-Season Rankings update

The list so far:

300: Julian Draxler Germany - Schalke 04
299: Marcel Schmelzer - Germany - Dortmund
298: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - England - Arsenal
297: Juan Arango - Venezuela - Borussia Mönchengladbach
296: Nolito - Spain - Benfica
295: Deco - Portugal - Fluminense
294: Maxime Gonalons - France - Lyon
293: Gastón Ramírez - Uruguay - Bologna
292: Gary Medel - Chile - Sevilla
291: Jose Callejon - Spain - Real Madrid
290: Felipe Melo - Brazil - Galatasaray

289: Rafael - Brazil - Manchester United
288: Chris Smalling - England - Manchester United
287: Gabi - Spain - Atletico Madrid
286: Michu - Spain - Rayo Vallecano
285: Younes Kaboul - France - Tottenham
284: Roman Shirokov - Russia - Zenit
283: Isaac Cuenca - Spain - Barcelona
282: Yuto Nagatomo - Japan - Inter
281: Lukasz Piszcek - Poland - Dortmund
280: Mathieu Debuchy - France - Lille

279: Hugo Campagnaro - Argentina - Napoli
278: Luuk de Jong - Netherlands - Twente
277: Granit Xhaka - Switzerland - Basel
276: Kwadwo Asamoah - Ghana - Udinese
275: Fabrizio Miccoli - Italy - Palermo
274: Bobby Zamora - England - QPR
273: Andrés D'Alessandro - Argentina - Internacional
272: Giovani Dos Santos - Mexico - Tottenham
271: Isco - Spain - Malaga
270: Aaron Lennon - England - Tottenham

269: Antonio Nocerino - Italy - Milan
268: Ola Toivonen - Sweden - PSV
267: Dries Mertens - Belgium - PSV
266: Bryan Ruiz - Costa Rica - Fulham
265: Oriol Romeu - Spain - Chelsea
264: Darren Bent - England - Aston Villa
263: Michael Dawson - England - Tottenham
262: Douglas - Netherlands - Twente
261: Fabricio Coloccini - Argentina - Newcastle
260: Clint Dempsey - USA - Fulham

259: Pablo Aimar - Argentina - Benfica
258: Leandro Damiao - Brazil - Internacional
257: Fred - Brazil - Fluminense
256: Seydou Doumbia - Côte d'Ivoire - CSKA Moscow
255: Moussa Sow - Senegal - Fenerbahce
254: Rodrigo Palacio - Argentina - Genoa
253: Diego Lugano - Uruguay - PSG
252: Ledley King - England - Tottenham
251: Cristian Ledesma - Italy - Lazio
250: Jose Antonio Reyes - Spain - Sevilla

For ongoing discussion and realtime (at random times) updates go HERE

Dries Mertens

PSV

Winger/Attacking midfielder - Belgium

2010/2011 Mid-season: Unranked
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: Unranked
2011/2012 Mid-season:  267
End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13: 266

 End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13:

Well PSV once again failed to win the championship and it was another one for Ajax.

Mertens continued to play well and his stats still look extraordinary finishing with 21 goals and 16 assists. I'm a little bit unsure how he compares to other current star wingers in Dutch football, Ola John, Narsingh or Assaidi who's brilliant flashy technical flamboyance made me debut him on the list this time around. I think they'll move closer to each other on future lists.

2011/2012 Mid-season:

Tiny super quick agile winger who has been one of the best attacking players in Holland, basically ever since joining Utrecht but having now joined PSV (13 million Euros) is currently hitting new heights with a great season so far.

Excellent dribbler with all his skill and small player attributes. He is someone who can almost fly with the ball at his feet, seemingly excel in both small and more open spaces, and with his great right foot he can finish himself or create for others in passing combinations where again his quickness can be a real difference-maker taking advantage of available space or simply creating it on his own too quick to be stopped.

With PSV top of the table Mertens has a very impressive 16 goals and 12 assists in 23 games this season.

Could have a good case for a better ranking.

Ola Toivonen

PSV

Forward - Sweden
-------------------------------
2010/2011 MID-SEASON RANKING: Unranked

End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: Unranked

2011/2012 MID-SEASON RANKING:

268

No doubt Rasmus Elm or the much hyped right now John Guidetti (his full name btw is John Alberto Fernando Andres
Luigi Olof Guidetti) would be the more sexy choices among the Eredivisie Swedes, but that's still way too premature for me, having not even seen Guidetti over 90 minutes and Elm apparently being very good now, if true, being something that has well and truly been sneaking up on me. It might be exactly what Sweden has been lacking though, for a long time now, mostly developing good strikers, solid defensive midfielders and a few centrebacks here and there but a midfielder with at least some potential for attacking difference-making has been very rare in recent years.

Anyway, with Toivonen I guess I'm rewarding the solid. He seems to do everything pretty well. Good teamwork with the ball linking with others and without it decent movement for his size. Versatility and physicality with both striker, target man and more attacking midfielder play in his arsenal. Very solid player.

Antonio Nocerino

Milan

Midfielder - Italy

2010/2011 Mid-season: Unranked
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: 234
2011/2012 Mid-season: 269
End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13: 244


 End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13:

 With Ibrahimovic now gone it will be interesting if Nocerino can live up to last season's attacking contribution. The running and capable technique is still very much there for this two-way player, but Milan's offensive will inevitable become different without the big Swede.



2011/2012 Mid-season:

Undoubtedly enjoying his big break through at top level, yet still drops some 35 places on the list. Go figure!

The answer of course is that a lot of very talented young players just can't be held back, while Nocerino (though his skill has always been underrated and underused) is more of the water-carrier type of player fully content to take a backseat.

This season however has featured something of a goalscoring explosion coming from him. One though, that I really hope I predicted in a post somewhere before the season, when he was grabbed by Milan from Palermo for about 3.50 (yes really) in what was a fantastic bargain by Galliani, because it really does make sense and shouldn't even be a surprise that a midfielder with Nocerino's unlimited running capacity, whether it's defensive work or crashing forward with capable technique, would be a great beneficiary for Ibrahimovic holding up the ball, make a great play, style of playmaking. You have to say it has all worked out very well for Milan.

Isco

Malaga

Attacking midfielder/Winger - Spain

2010/2011 Mid-season: Unranked
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: Unranked
2011/2012 Mid-season:  271
End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13: 232

2011/2012 Mid-season:

The 19 year old übertalent was purchased from Valencia for 20 million euros (rising to one million each of the first 5 years) before the season and has been flirting with putting all his exciting talent together ever since.

Isco has seemingly godly technique and will put that into both creative playmaking and audaciously taking on opponents one on one. Early days and all there is already enough jaw dropping moments of brilliant ability to make his inclusion a must I feel, but it's also still too messy at times with mistakes in the form of bad decision-making with the ball (though by comparison his team mate Seba Fernandez will make anyone look like a football genius) and perhaps also some lack of teamwork when it comes to defending, and of course Isco is just getting started, having accomplished little in his senior career so far, meaning I don't think that I can justify catapulting him too high up the list already.

One positive is that he looks like he has become a lot stronger recently making him an extra handful balance-wise when on the move.

Giovani dos Santos

Tottenham

Winger - Mexico
----------------------------------------------------
2010/2011 MID-SEASON RANKING: 247

End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: 256

2011/2012 MID-SEASON RANKING:

272

For Mexico he has consistently shown what a good attacking player he can be (lots of skill+pace), and those performances are largely why he is still ranked.

Last time a pretty good loan-spell to Santander was enough to defend his ranking, but for Tottenham, who still own him, absolutely nothing is happening and it's a disastrous waste of time and talent for everyone involved.

Andrés D'Alessandro

Internacional

Winger - Argentina
---------------------------------
2010/2011 MID-SEASON RANKING: Unranked

End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: 294

2011/2012 MID-SEASON RANKING:

273

He is another South American based player I don't see a lot (actually a local channel here has just picked up some Brazilian football featuring a weekly game). Well at least not recently but especially for Victor Fernandez exciting mid-2000s Zaragoza team I remember him as a wonderful little player featuring dribbling, exquisite skills and low center of gravity, capable of changing direction and pace running with the ball, someone definitely with the quality to be ranked here, and since my impression is that he has been doing well recently, here he is at 30 years of age and a new 5 year contract at Internacional.

Bobby Zamora

Fulham to QPR

Striker - England
----------------------------
2010/2011 MID-SEASON RANKING: Unranked

End of 2010/11 - Beginning of 2011/12 Ranking: 250

2011/2012 MID-SEASON RANKING:

274

Zamora is so strong that at his best he is virtually immovable when receiving passes with his back to the goal.

He has decent control skills as well and that combined with his power makes him capable of expert target-man play linking effectively with players around him and, even if it's far from the finesse you'll usually see on this list, actually creating for others.

Zamora has had some bad injuries recently disrupting him and then this season he didn't see eye to eye with his new manager at Fulham Martin Jol and eventually moved clubs.

Never really what you would call a natural goalscorer but at his successful time at Fullham came into his own as a serious threat inside the box as well.

Fabrizio Miccoli

Palermo

Forward - Italy

2010/2011 Mid-season: Unranked
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: Unranked
2011/2012 Mid-season:  275
End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13: 280

2011/12 Mid-season:

I've always avoided putting Miccoli on these lists and had no intentions of including him this time either, almost no matter how many goals he scored or created for his team, it's just too hard imagining him fitting in all that many places (at a high level and not least tight tunnels in mountains ) other than exactly where he is at (being somewhat fat :) ), but at some point when ordering players it just hit me how many Serie A players, there were just no way you could justify ranking ahead of Miccoli and his significant impact this (and most of the previous) seasons.

Miccoli is certainly not getting any taller or even slimmer as the years go by but he is still dynamic enough over the small amount of space he needs to make room for his great arsenal of different finishes using his wonderful right-foot, whether it's longer range or close range.

On top of that (11 goals and counting) he is also having a really good season creating for others (almost Di Natale-like as the attacking center piece of his team) and so far has 12 assists to his name.

Kwadwo Asamoah

Udinese/Juventus

Midfielder - Ghana

2010/2011 Mid-season: Unranked
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: Unranked
2011/2012 Mid-season:  276
End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13: 245

End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13:

Asamoah continued to impress and now moves to Juventus where his versatility should make him a quality alternative to any of the participants in last season's instrumental M-V-P (Marchisio-Vidal-Pirlo) midfield.

Following up on below, he actually upped his dribbling to 2.00 per game. The only central midfielder in the top 20 and he is giving the ball away less than anyone else above him.

Asamoah was also the 9th most fouled player in Serie A last season.



2011/2012 Mid-season:

Asamoah is athletic enough to play just about any midfield role. Attacking, defending or both.

Previously he was largely known for his great work-rate, running capacity (and that remains intact) but I think his skills have improved too, and for someone who much of his time in Italy has had more defensive roles, he has been impressing one on one (averaging 1.7 dribbles per game leading his team) recently coming forward (defensively he is hard to beat as well) with the ball.

Asamoah will probably never have a great varied (or totally secure for that matter) passing game but I do think he has moved away from being somewhat of a liability moving the ball around when seeing many touches (like he does for Udinese) and now know exactly where to put it, so to speak, not least in Udinese's all important transition phase, and manages to do so with a pretty good success rate.

Actually when looking at his stats, I'm surprised he doesn't have a few more longer passes to his name (a modest 2.3 per game) but I do think he moves the ball well out wide this season.

Granit Xhaka

FC Basel/Borussia Mönchengladbach

Midfielder - Switzerland

2010/2011 Mid-season: Unranked
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: Unranked
2011/2012 Mid-season:  277
End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13: 267

End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13:

Xhaka moves to Gladbach. There isn't really that much to add from the mid-season thoughts below other than I'm extremely interested and curious in how well it will translate to the Bundesliga and Favre's Gladbach team.

I have seen some headlines calling Xhaka a Reus-replacement but I suspect they don't really know what type of player he is. Two very different players.

The remarkable thing of course is that Xhaka is so overall talented that his position or role in a way is still up for grabs. You can potentially see him in quite a few different roles, from the deep-lying constructive midfielder (which is what he's been doing lately), to a more attacking one making plays, or how about a box to box midfielder even a winger cutting inside isn't out of the question. What will Lucien Favre think is best and how will it work? Interesting times ahead at Gladbach. 


2011/2012 Mid-season:

Excellent all-round talent of a midfielder who was part of the Swiss U-21 team that made the final of the European Championship losing to Spain and who for Basel (and now the Swiss senior team) is enjoying a big break-through season with several big clubs rumored to be interested in his signature.

One game you can see this 19 year old channel a defensive midfielder holding it together against giants like Bayern or Manchester United (not least because he is the only one under pressure who is skilled enough to move the ball forward) in another (like recently for the national team) he can be wearing the number 10 and creating.

It's compatriot Shaqiri stealing most of the headlines with his tremendous difference making in the final third, and understandably so, he will have a very good ranking and has already signed for Bayern München, but don't forget Xhaka who already is a very complete midfielder. At 19 he'll make the occasional youthful mistake with his decisions but he is a very constructive passer who even show hints of real playmaking, whether it's building from deep or even going past people further forward on the pitch.

Luuk de Jong

Twente/Borussia Mönchengladbach

Striker - Netherlands

2010/2011 Mid-season: Unranked
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: Unranked
2011/2012 Mid-season:  278
End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13: 211

End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13:

Luuk de Jong continued his impressive performances on his way to 26 goals and 9 assist in the Eredivisie.

Topscorer Bas Dost was also considered but considering I've seen him much less than de Jong (who I haven't even seen in all that many full matches) and early impression is of  a much(?) more limited player compared to Luuk when it comes to technique, movement and intelligence I didn't include him.

Both have now made moves to the Bundesliga. Dost to Wolfsburg and Luuk de Jong to Gladbach who I've already applauded in related profiles for their investments in some of the finest young talent in Europe. Anyway it will be interesting who of the two will best live up to countryman and established top torjäger Klass-Jan Hunterlaar

2011/2012 Mid-season:

Luuk de Jong's ranking is possibly hurt by the fact that I don't see him a lot, and that some previous early impressions of someone, maybe a little bit too raw to be considered a star, are still roaming around (somewhat fresh) in my mind.

He's been a highly thought of striker-talent for some time now and at the moment could very well be seriously coming into his own. He is strong, tall and can hold the ball up well. He has good movement in (and around) the box anticipating passes and deliveries both with head and feet (he even looks like he can do damage with both showing fine touches). He also looks like he is skilled and intelligent enough to create for others.

Hugo Campagnaro

Napoli

Defender - Argentina

2010/2011 Mid-season: 298
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12:  Unranked
2011/2012 Mid-season:  279
End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13:  286

 End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13:

Expert defender in a three-man defense, yes, but say Barcelona, a top team who will often use such formations, likely would never seriously be interested. Campagnaro with his right-back background will move into open space well enough and has mobility, but his technique is definitely lacking and his passing is limited. In other words he is more of an old-school three-man defender than someone making use of excellent midfield-ability (think Busquets, Mascherano, De Rossi or Bilbao's Martinez)  adding quality to a modern three-man defense.


2011/2012 Mid-season:

I don't know how meaningful it would be to get called the best defender in a 3-man defense? There are of course plenty of the world's best you never (or very rarely) even see in such a formation, but Campagnaro might just be that guy playing in Napoli's back-three.
He is both a good right-back as well as a centreback if needed, and he kind of combines it to be a true expert defender in a 3-man defence.

Mathieu Debuchy

Lille

Right-back - France

2010/2011 Mid-season: Unranked
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: Unranked
2011/2012 Mid-season:  280
End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13: 268


 End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13:

Just to conclude on some of the mid-season thoughts below, Debuchy's foul rate rose to 2.5 per game which is top 5 in the league. This player seems like a driven aggressor in just about everything he does on the field.

His 4.3 defensive clearances per game makes him one of only three categorized fullbacks in the Ligue 1 top 50 when it comes to that.

It's also worth nothing that the statistics indicate Debuchy handling himself well in the air. He was actually top 5 in average aerial duels won per game among all players in the Champions League group stages, winning 18 out of 22 duels and in Ligue 1 (with a much bigger sample size) he is the only side-back in the top 20 and with his average of 2.1 headers won per game (66 out of 84) also Lille's premier aerial-duel winner.

Debuchy is looking likely to move away from Lille with Newcastle being talked about a lot. He would be a serious upgrade over what they currently have there, and with his former teammate Cabaye already being a key-player at Newcastle, it would seem like a really good move.


2011/2012 Mid-season:

Debuchy should really have been on the list already. At least the last time around after an(other) excellent season for Lille winning the French championship.

His attacking play continues to be impressive and he is relentless aggressive coming forward where he is both quick and for a fullback all-round skilled.  I have a feeling his background playing other positions, allegedly (and will say that I've never seen it) even as a deep-lying playmaker at one point.

When it comes to the defending, his buzzing energy and great intentions alone almost, puts him ahead of the many good attacking (but bad defending) fullbacks not making the list.

I don't think he is necessarily a very good one on one defender, he commits a lot of fouls (leading Lille by some distance at 2.3 per game), but at least his aggression is intelligent and tactically he knows what he is doing both defending (where he manages to help out A LOT which his impressive looking stats comparing to teammates are also strongly indicating) and going forward without making mistakes.

Isaac Cuenca

Barcelona

Winger/Attacking midfielder - Spain

-----------------------------------------

2010/2011 MID-SEASON RANKING: Not ranked

End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: Not ranked

2011/2012 MID-SEASON RANKING:

283

Since it's still very early days there is some guessing involved here and Cuenca is still pretty new to me, but if any team deserves the benefit of  doubt these days when it comes to the quality of their young players brought up to the first team, it is of course Barcelona.

My impression so far is one of another very skillful player. One possibly even with some real trickery to his game posing plenty of difficulty for opposing players, basically meaning, Cuenca's ball control is looking very good then and I wouldn't be surprised if it's more that control, than any effective athleticism at this point (maybe a weakness there), making him both fast and agile with the ball at his feet.

Tactical play, football intelligence? Haven't seen anything bad at all which just helps remove further reservations and almost assume that's something also very competent. Again, from Barcelona at the moment, you almost can't expect different can you?

On top of that, I also think I'm seeing some creativity. That could just be his bag of tricks flattering things a little bit, not sure really, but I do think he is at least consistently constructive in his passing and movement, which is always a very good thing and simply a must for Barca.

All in all the most likely is that Cuenca quite simply already, possesses some very well developed Barca-DNA.

Roman Shirokov

Zenit

Midfielder - Russia

2010/2011 Mid-season: Unranked
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: Unranked 
2011/2012 Mid-season:  284
End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13: 210

Currently kind of a Russian version of Frank Lampard being a consistent scoring threat making powerful runs from midfield.

Among a whole generation of Russian, skilled passers and quick movers operating their midfields, from the outside everyone seemingly build and playing the same, max height around 175 cm, nimble, intelligent, think Semshov, Zyryanov, then Shirokov with his near 190 cm is something of a standout and while certainly no slouch when it comes to football skills he brings a slightly different skillset to the table, that is working so well at the moment that after years of not really being at the top of the Russian midfield hierarchy, more on the edges really, he has become a key player for both club and country.


Shirokov is strong, skillfull and provides intelligent box to box play.

Younes Kaboul

Tottenham

Defender - France

2010/2011 Mid-season: Unranked
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: Unranked
2011/2012 Mid-season:  285
End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13:  215

 End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13:

A solid jump up the list for Kaboul and if you consider his tools this feels more like his territory on the list after a long period of playing very well.

He was even very close to being elevated further, but I'm holding out somewhat, very interested in seeing just how good he will be defending under Villas-Boas which presumably will present different challenges than the more traditional English style deeper protecting the box and in possession less ball playing way of defending under Redknapp.

Kaboul of course, remarkably, seemingly has all the tools to succeed at both. In fact this could be his time to really shine and that would mean a very good ranking of course but let's see how he actually does, with and without the ball.


 2011/2012 Mid-season:

First time on the list for Kaboul after currently enjoying his best season and overall a longer period consistently at a high level.

He definitely has the talent to climb much higher and to have been included in earlier years as well.

He seemingly has all the tools that a modern centreback could dream of.
Very strong athlete overall. Big. Good in the air. Fast. Technically sound. Just needs to keep it all together and the only way surely is up.

Chris Smalling

Manchester United

Defender - England

----------------------------------------------------------

2010/2011 MID-SEASON RANKING: Not ranked

End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: 281

2011/2012 MID-SEASON RANKING

288

Chris Smalling still has a lot of upside and in many ways you can argue that he is still very much developing as a player, but I don't think that should ever be confused with him not being a very good one already.

He is very strong, dominant in the air and a good defender one on one. He also has good pace for a centreback.

Smalling is still not very experienced though (remember how quickly he came from almost nowhere) and will make bad decisions sometimes related to that, whether it's his positioning or with the ball where he is still too limited.

He is still by some distance most comfortable when defending in and around the box, Manchester United still does that so well, but I would say he has the potential to be effective in a higher line as well.

At right-back, where he has had some really good performances, he can make powerful runs into space and generally his athleticism is a tough matchup for more traditional fullbacks.

Rafael

Manchester United

Fullback - Brazil

2010/2011 Mid-season: 207
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: 284
2011/2012 Mid-season: 289
End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13: 294

2011/12 Mid-season:

At the time of writing, Rafael has actually only played 5 games in the league this season and of course his team Manchester United bombed out of the Champions League. I would say his form is good right now though and all his blistering talent, pace, perhaps surprising strength, his overall technique and just all that sheer aggression both when defending (good one on one but still with some reckless positioning) and storming forward applying attacking pressure, all of it still looks like a sure ticket (and really the same is the case for his twin who just has Patrice Evra ahead of him) to a much better ranking.

Health (proving himself over longer stretches) and mental mistakes (so worked up that clear thinking goes awry) are the only things seriously holding him back.

Gabi

Atletico Madrid

Central midfielder - Spain

2010/2011 Mid-season: Unranked
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12:  233
2011/2012 Mid-season: 287
End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13: 271

End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13:

Gabi continued to be a very consistent central midfielder for Atletico, doing many of the things talked about in the mid-season 11/12 section below, on his way to winning the Europa League and getting closer, than what seemed likely earlier in the season, to Champions League qualification as well.

One thing that should definitely be noted is that few players foul more than Gabi in Spain.
In fact in the whole league he has been in the top 3 in fouls committed per game for the last two seasons, and that for two different teams mind you, before you blame it all on Diego Simone telling his players to get nasty...

What I'm guessing is that it's a combination of still being somewhat more of an all-rounder than very physical strong, very comfortable in duels (he tactically positions himself in a ton) and maybe not least his defensive smarts and discipline making him very willing to be the spoiler and commit the minor professional fouls, preferably in the opponent half, time and time again if that is what's required.

Other noteworthy stats, besides all the defensive duel activity, Gabi is top 20 (17th) in the league in passes per game and accurate long-balls as well where he is 14th showing his range especially when spreading the play.

He is number 10 in key-passes (which is a pass leading to a shot or header on goal) where his set-piece expertise of course plays heavily in. What is perhaps more impressive is that he is number 7 in accurate crosses per game, that's mostly reserved for wider players and shows that he is a good match with Falcao terrorizing the box. Mind you, set-pieces don't count compiling this particular stat, so Gabi's very good kicking-technique is also a weapon in open play.


2011/2012 Mid-season:

Instantly a leader for his new team Atletico Madrid this season, where he was originally a youth product, but played just 58 games for the first team between 2004 and 2007.

In the last 4 years for Zaragazo though, he has only been getting better and better maturing into a natural leader in midfield, and after the 2010/11 season, his best ever (resulting in his debut on my list) he had become too good to ignore for Atletico who brought him back where it all began.

Gabi is what you can call a solid, very consistent, football-intelligent central midfielder who is disciplined defensively and a good distributor of the ball. Including some good range of passing, without being what you would call a playmaker.

He is also very good on set pieces and will definitely create chances through that.

He is less of stand out on a very talented team compared to being the main man at Zaragoza, but his consistently good contributions from midfield, both offensively and defensively, shouldn't be ignored and he is just one of those central midfielders (even if a level below the best) who is able to become the glue holding everything together. Very valuable.

Michu

Rayo Vallecano

Attacking midfielder/Forward - Spain

2010/2011 Mid-season: Unranked
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12:  Unranked
2011/2012 Mid-season:  287
End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13: 227
 
2011/12 Mid-season:

By all accounts a hugely improved player this season carrying Rayo Vallecano to some impressive performances and being absolutely instrumental to their attacking play.

What has really caught my eye is his rather unique play, at least in some games, combining to some extent target-man play (he is top 3 in Spain with 4.4 aerial duels won per game), linking very well with others, head or feet through skillful one touch play, with more along the lines of attacking midfield play being a presence in more places on the pitch and even doing some intense defensive work. There is certainly not anything wrong with Michu's workrate, and when you then can somehow add to all of that, some impressive looking poaching in the box featuring good positioning, quality runs and sheer reaction/anticipation resulting in impressive goalscoring, then all in all, I'm not really sure I've ever quite seen all of those things done before by a good player simultaneously in games, quite that way, in the style, that Michu manages.

Maybe those words are too big. Way too big even. Maybe he is just in a short spell of unreal form. After all it was not long ago that he more looked like a player destined for an average professional career. Maybe even below La Liga, but this season at least, and I guess I'm celebrating that here in a non-holding-back manner, Michu is a pretty unique player.

Thinking about it, I can't quite find anyone to compare him with. A Spanish version of (one who is based more on technique than physique) Tim Cahill (in his prime)? I'm really not sure.

If I was to speculate it's possible Michu's improvements could just be much better fitness and becoming a lot stronger, allowing him to play up to his natural talent and do many more things than he ever could before. It could also be something tactical, being in the perfect role at the perfect time and no matter what Rayo manager José Ramón Sandoval definitely deserves a lot of credit for Michu's fantastic breakthrough this season.

To conclude, I do think I'll know more once the next list comes around. For now he was just too damn interesting not to include.

José Callejón

Real Madrid

Winger/Attacking midfielder/Forward - Spain

2010/2011 MID-SEASON RANKING: Not ranked

End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: Not ranked

2011/2012 MID-SEASON RANKING:

291


Well, I'm not really decided one way or the other when it comes to this player currently, but I'm definitely apprehensive about excluding someone getting more and more playing time on what is clearly one of the strongest teams in the world.

It's funny though, because I don't think Callejon was seen as anything really special at Espanyol or for that matter did anything truly special, but while other players in similar situations in recent times, like Sergio Canales the much hyped Spanish wonderkid or the well respected and proven La Liga winger Pedro Leon, were both harshly kicked off the Madrid bench and found basically useless, not worthy of minutes at all, by Mourinho, Callejon of all people (with the help of some injuries of course) has been getting a good amount of playing time, not least in the Champions League where he rewarded the confidence being shown with some good performances, and just last week (at the time of writing), even started a crucial knockout game away is Russia playing CSKA.

Overall I see some good technique and skill. Some pace and perhaps most importantly some good off the ball movement expertly cutting in behind and between defenders from the right-wing, finding space, and he's used those abilities to take advantage of the luxury that is, being surrounded by a lot of excellent players.

The final question, and what will determine in large part his future rankings, is if he is really more than "just" a good useful roleplayer at the right time in the right place? I think it's a real possibility, and that alone is a good argument for his inclusion.