The end of 2011/12 best Players in the World

Here it is!

The number(s) beside the bolded rank are the previous couple of rankings. The plan now is to add player profiles (including full ranking history of each player), so watch out for that.

EDIT: Player profiles mostly starting at the bottom of the list are now slowly but surely being added/updated randomly edited/improved and actually appearing as links on the list. With some players the latest thoughts appearing might be from the 11/12 mid-season or even older than that, maybe cause there is not THAT much to add right now and at least it gives some historical flavor, but yes new thoughts will appear eventually.

There is also still the discussion thread, with many thoughts on players and their rankings. Why they're ranked where they are. The rundown I did on this newest version of the list starts around HERE
  
27-07-2012 update:

I've added positional rankings.

That players are ranked as overall players rather than midfielder vs midfielder or defender vs defender which will sometimes influence the order. To use the classic example I don't think David Luiz is the 17th best defender in the world but I think he is a better player than those centrebacks he is still ahead of.

Forwards
Attacking midfielders/Wingers
Central/other midfielders
Centrebacks
Fullbacks

And I definitely won't rule out attempting a goalkeeper list soon.

18-09-2012 update:

Well, I'm feeling some motivation again and also discovered, or remembered if you will, just how many old and somewhat dated player profiles that are lying around in various places on this blog that I would like to update.

For an example here is Andrea Pirlo, Javier Zanetti and Dejan Stankovic

I'm still working my way slowly down the list however, but more player-links various places on the list should surface in the coming weeks.

The end of 2011/12 the start of 2012/13 Season ranking:

300 297 Juan Arango - Venezuela - Borussia Mönchengladbach
299 298 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - England - Arsenal
298 Oussama Assaidi - Morocco - Herenveen
297 Yuri Zhirkov - Russia - Anzhi
296 266 185 Bryan Ruiz - Costa Rica - Fulham
295 284 284 Rafael - Brazil - Manchester United
294 Junior Hoilett - Canada - Blackburn/QPR
293 190 67 Lucas Barrios - Paraguay - Dortmund/Guangzhou
292 Andriy Yarmolenko - Ukraine - Dynamo Kiev
291 Kyle Walker - England - Tottenham
290 Ilkay Gündogan - Germany - Dortmund

289 Raúl García - Spain- Osasuna/Atletico Madrid
288 Eduardo Salvio - Argentina - Atletico Madrid/Benfica
287 279 Hugo Campagnaro - Argentina - Napoli
286 295 264 Deco - Portugal - Fluminese
285 Tomas Rosicky - Czech Republic - Arsenal
284 Hatem Ben Arfa - France - Newcastle
283 Filipe Luís Kasmirski  - Brazil - Atletico Madrid
282 275 Fabrizio Miccoli - Italy - Palermo
281 Adriano - Brazil - Barcelona
280 Luiz Gustavo - Brazil - Bayern München

279 251 Cristian Ledesma - Italy - Lazio
278 Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa - France - Montpellier
277  Gael Clichy - France - Manchester City
276 Jonny Evans - Northern Ireland - Manchester United
275 292 Gary Medel - Chile - Sevilla
274 288 Felipe Melo - Brazil - Galatasaray/Juventus?
273 Markel Susaeta - Spain - Athletic Bilbao
273  Beñat - Spain - Real Betis
272 286 233: Gabi - Spain - Atletico Madrid
270 Jakub Blaszczykowski - Poland - Dortmund

269 280 Mathieu Debuchy - France - Lille/?
268 277 Granit Xhaka - Switzerland - Basel/Borussia Mönchengladbach
267 267 Dries Mertens - Belgium - PSV
266 241 137: Milos Krasic - Serbia - Juventus/Fenerbahce
265 249 199: Alberto Aquilani -Italy -Liverpool/Milan/Fiorentina
264 234 146: Dejan Stankovic - Serbia - Inter
263 238 175: Balázs Dzsudzsák - Hungary - Anzhi/Dynamo M
262 239 135: Theo Janssen - Netherlands - Ajax
261 224 95 Dirk Kuyt - Netherlands - Liverpool/Fenerbahce
260 257 213: Moussa Sow - Senegal - Fenerbahce

259 258 Fred - Brazil - Fluminense
258 203 Tom Cleverley - England - Manchester United
257 227 202: Adam Johnson - England - Manchester City
256 204 183: Ivica Olic - Croatia - Bayern München/Wolfsburg
255 213 240: Mauricio Isla - Chile - Udinese/Juventus
254 193 124: Ji Sung Park - South Kora - Manchester United/QPR
253 233 179: Juan Manuel Vargas - Peru - Fiorentina/Genoa
252 218 248: Juan - Brazil - Roma/Internacional
251 215 262: Kim Källström - Sweden - Lyon/Spartak Moscow
250 212 219: Aaron Ramsey - Wales - Arsenal

249 252 250 269: Antonio Reyes - Spain - Atletico Madrid/Sevilla
248 231 Stephan Lichtsteiner - Switzerland - Juventus
247 243 Senad Lulic - Bosnia Herzegovina - Lazio
246 276 Kwadwo Asamoah - Ghana - Udinese/Juventus
245 269 234: Antonio Nocerino - Italy - Milan
244 237 156: Marko Marin - Germany - Werder Bremen/Chelsea
243 196 134: Anderson - Brazil - Manchester United
242 207 229: Alex - Brazil - Fenerbahce
241 240 142: Jon Obi Mikel - Nigeria - Chelsea
240 222 216: Ivan Rakitić - Croatia - Sevilla

239 232 Benoit Assou-Ekotto - Cameroon - Tottenham
238 Andrea Barzagli - Italy - Juventus
237 209 296: Daniel Sturridge - England - Chelsea
236  Gylfi Sigurðsson - Iceland - Swansea/Tottenham
235 94 65 Mikel Essien - Ghana - Chelsea/Real Madrid
234 167 215: Mamadou Sakho - France - PSG
233 271 Isco - Spain - Malaga
232 219 157: John Terry - England - Chelsea
231 188 Micah Richards - England - Manchester City
230 220 282: Anatolij Tymoshchuk - Ukraine - Bayern München

229 230 Adrián - Spain - Atletico Madrid
228 287 Michu - Spain - Rayo Vallecano
227 223 299: Holger Badstuber - Germany - Bayern München
226 160 97: Ricardo Carvalho - Portugal - Real Madrid
225 217 153: Sandro - Brazil - Tottenham
224 214 295: Chiek Tiote - Ivory Coast - Newcastle
223 211 190: Gareth Barry - England - Manchester City
222 182 88 David Pizarro - Chile - Roma/Manchester City
221 158 91 Gervinho - Ivory Coast - Arsenal
220 189 141 168 James Milner - England - Manchester City

219  162 76 Seydou Keita - Mali - Barcelona/ Dalian Aerbin
218 225 Daniel Agger - Denmark - Liverpool
217 Dede - Brazil - Vasco da Gama
216 285 Younes Kaboul - France - Tottenham
215 262 Fabricio Coloccini - Argentina - Newcastle
214  Nikica Jelavic - Croatia - Everton
213 245 Lars  Bender - Germany - Leverkusen
212 278 Luuk de Jong - Netherlands - Twente/Borussia Mönchengladbach
211 284 Roman Shirokov - Russia - Zenit
210 212 159 102: Lucio - Brazil - Inter/Juventus

209 210 Pablo Zabaleta - Argentina - Manchester City
208 192 189: Theo Walcott - England - Arsenal
207 191 115: Ashley Young - England - Manchester United
206 Oscar - Brazil - Internaciona/Chelsea
205 261 277: Clint Dempsey - USA - Fulham
204 260 Pablo Aimar - Argentina - Benfica
203 291 Gastón Ramírez - Uruguay - Bologna
202 194 Javi García - Spain - Benfica/Manchester City
201  Riquelme - Argentina - Boca Juniors
200 235 111: Ibrahim Afellay - Netherlands - Barcelona/Schalke 04

199 255 Rodrigo Palacio - Argentina - Genoa/Inter
198 175 201: Loic Remy - France - Marseille
197 256 Seydou Doumbia - Côte d'Ivoire - CSKA Moscow
196 186 191: Francesco Totti - Italy - Roma
195 228 166: Andrei Arshavin - Russia - Arsenal/Zenit
194 153 129: Borja Valero - Spain - Villarreal/Fiorentina
193 Mario Mandzukic - Croatia - Wolfsburg/Bayern München
192 229 165: Alvaro Negredo - Spain - Sevilla
191 226 212: Alexandr Kerzhakov - Russia - Zenit
190 206 Jonas - Brazil - Valencia

189 259 Leandro Damião - Brazil - Internacional
188 180 104: Patrice Evra - France - Manchester United
187 179 75 Ashley Cole - England - Chelsea
186 177 252: Alvaro Arbeloa - Spain - Real Madrid
185 195 Kevin Strootman - Netherlands - PSV
184 197 273: Neven Subotic - Serbia - Dortmund
183 201 Fernandinho - Brazil - Shakhtar Donetsk
182 181 113: Raul Meirelles - Portugal - Chelsea
181 184 Stéphane Sessegnon - Benin - Sunderland
180 154 107: Ryan Giggs - Wales - Manchester United

179 187 Nigel De Jong - Netherlands - Manchester City
178 NR 241 Moussa Dembélé - Belgium - Fulham
177 129 73 Yoann Gourcuff - France - Lyon
176 128 122: Kevin Gameiro - France - PSG
175 126 85 Giampaolo Pazzini - Italy - Inter/Milan
174 216 258: Domenico Criscito - Italy - Zenit
173 171 210: Oscar Cardozo - Paraguay - Benfica
172 199 276: Andres Guardado - Mexico - Deportivo La Coruna/Valencia
171 105 133: Andre Ayew - Ghana - Marseille
170 149 235: Mathieu Valbuena - France - Marseille


169 183 246: Darijo Srna - Croatia - Shakthar Donetsk
168 178 254: Landon Donovan - USA - LA Galaxy
167 151 123: Mirko Vucinic - Montenegro - Juventus
166 172 121: Luis Fabiano - Brazil - Sao Paulo
165 169 220: Marvin Martin - France - Sochaux/Lille
164 137 244: Christian Eriksen - Denmark - Ajax
163 157 138: Keisuke Honda - Japan - CSKA Moscov
162 174 278: James Rodriguez - Colombia - FC Porto
161 166 214: Adil Rami - France - Valencia
160 Younès Belhanda - Morocco - Montpellier

159 168 Ander Herrera - Spain - Athletic Bilbao
158 185 160: Jefferson Farfan - Peru - Schalke 04
157 161 120: David Luiz - Brazil - Chelsea
156 200 289: Sebastian Giovinco - Italy - Parma/Juventus
155 156 150: Thomas Vermaelen - Belgium - Arsenal
154 131 109: Robinho - Brazil - Milan
153 173 Olivier Giroud - France - Montpellier/Arsenal
152 125 87 Jack Wilshere - England - Arsenal
151 110 84 Rio Ferdinand - England - Manchester United  
150 124 177: Scott Parker - England - Tottenham

149 145 131: Mark Van Bommel - Netherlands - Milan/PSV
148 176 268: Thiago Motta - Italy - Inter/PSG
147 144 71 Lucho Gonzalez - Argentina -Marseille/FC Porto
146 141 Paul Scholes - England - Manchester United
145 135 154: Yann M'Vila - France - Rennes
144 130 224: Jadson - Brazil - Shakthar Donetsk/Sao Paulo
143 147 265: Kevin Prince Boateng - Ghana - Milan
142 170 181: Bruno Soriano - Spain -Villarreal
141 236 205: Papiss Cisse - Senegal - Freiburg/Newcastle
140 David Alaba - Austria - Bayern München

139 281 Łukasz Piszczek - Poland - Dortmund
138 102 62 Diego Forlan - Uruguay - Inter/Internacional
137 146 164: Michel Bastos - Brazil - Lyon
136 89 152: Ganso - Brazil - Santos/?
135 165 174: Joaquin - Spain - Malaga
134 163 136: Branislav Ivanovic - Serbia - Chelsea
133 143 92 Pepe - Portugal - Real Madrid
132 155 159: Antonio Cassano - Italy - Milan
131 119 249: Arda Turan - Turkey - Atletico Madrid  
130 118 180: Danny - Portugal - Zenit

129 148 Willian - Brazil -Shakhtar Donetsk
128 134 149: Marouane Fellaini - Belgium - Everton
127 133 207: Roberto Soldado - Spain - Valencia
126 132 77 Fernando Torres - Spain -Chelsea
125 108 144: Lass Diarra - France - Real Madrid
124 115 125: Andre Schürrle - Germany - Leverkusen
123 136 223: Jeremy Toulalan - France - Malaga
122 121 218: Lucas - Brazil - Sao Paolo/PSG
121 91 241 Lukas Podolski - Germany -FC Köln/Arsenal
120 150 171: Jeremy Menez - France - PSG
  
119 140 Jordi Alba - Spain - Valencia/Barcelona
118 120 Axel Witsel - Belgium - Benfica/Zenit
117 87 94 Fabio Coentrao - Portugal - Real Madrid
116 93 163: Mario Balotelli - Italy - Manchester City
115 127 Danny Welbeck - England - Manchester United
114 164 130: Gokhan Inler - Switzerland - Napoli
113 142 170: Jan Vertonghen - Belgium - Ajax/Tottenham
112 109 100: Eric Abidal - France - Barcelona
111 122 105: Giorgio Chiellini - Italy - Juventus
110 139 271: Miroslav Klose - Germany - Lazio

109 123 116: Mikel Arteta - Spain - Arsenal
108 103 106: Michael Carrick - England - Manchester United
107 117 167: Miralem Pjanic - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Roma
106 116 140: Nene - Brazil - PSG
105 114 145: Raul - Spain - Schalke 04/Al Sadd
104 113 Demba Ba -Senegal - Newcastle
103 111 103: Gerard Pique - Spain - Barcelona
102 152 Laurent Koscielny - France - Arsenal
101 112 110: Riccardo Montolivo - Italy - Fiorentina/Milan 
100 98 81 Jesus Navas - Spain - Sevilla  

99 107 148: Claudio Marchisio - Italy - Juventus
98 106 Xherdan Shaqiri - Switzerland - Basel/Bayern München
97 84 37 Alexandre Pato - Brazil - Milan
96 104 158: Carlos Puyol - Spain - Barcelona
95 95 93 Javier Zanetti - Argentina - Inter
94 82 38 Dimitar Berbatov - Bulgaria - Manchester United/Fulham
93 86 128: Lucas Leiva - Brazil - Liverpool
92 88 79 Joao Moutinho - Portugal - FC Porto
91 85 27 Nuri Sahin - Turkey - Real Madrid/Liverpool
90 81 69 Esteban Cambiasso - Argentina - Inter

89 83 44 Pedro - Spain - Barcelona
88 78 23 Giuseppe Rossi - Italy - Villarreal
87 101 169: Ezequiel Lavezzi - Argentina - Napoli/PSG
86 77 39 Antonio Di Natale - Italy - Udinese
85 79 50 Edin Dzeko - Bosnia/Herzegovina - Manchester City
84 76 26 Steven Gerrard - England - Liverpool
83 53 41 Kaka - Brazil - Real Madrid
82 65 230: Nicolas Gaitan - Argentina - Benfica
81 44 89 Ever Banega - Argentina - Valencia
80 62 70 Nemanja Vidic - Serbia - Manchester United

79 72 83 Bacary Sagna - France - Arsenal
78 75 60 Ramires - Brazil - Chelsea
77 70 21 Samir Nasri - France - Manchester City
76 97 132: Alex Song - Cameroun - Arsenal
75 74 117 Stevan Jovetic - Montenegro - Fiorentina
74 69 59 Hulk - Brazil - FC Porto/Zenit
73 99 143 Javi Martinez - Spain - Athletic Bilbao/Bayern München
72 66 114: Yohan Cabaye - France - Newcastle
71 55 42  Javier Hernandez - Mexico - Manchester United
70 56 24 Frank Lampard - England - Chelsea

69 58 78 Philipp Lahm - Germany - Bayern München
68 52 55 Maicon - Brazil - Inter/Manchester City
67 67 63 Diego Milito - Argentina - Inter
66 96 99: Sami Khedira - Germany - Real Madrid
65 54 108: Emmanuel Adebayor - Togo - Tottenham/Manchester City?
64 80 96 Diego - Brazil - Atletico Madrid/Wolfsburg?
63 49 184: Thiago Alcântara - Spain - Barcelona
62 57 48 Hernanes - Brazil - Lazio
61 48 33 Rafael Van der Vaart - Netherlands - Tottenham/Hamburger SV
60 100 Iker Muniain - Spain - Athletic Bilbao

59 59 80 Javier Pastore - Argentina - PSG
58 43 32 Lisandro Lopez - Argentina - Lyon
57 73 54 Arturo Vidal - Chile - Juventus
56 46 40 Marek Hamsik - Slovakia - Napoli
55 60 90 Marcelo - Brazil - Real Madrid
54 63 119: Mats Hummels - Germany - Dortmund
53 37 20 David Villa - Spain - Barcelona
52 68 101: Vincent Kompany - Belgium - Manchester City
51 42 52 Mario Gomez - Germany - Bayern München
50 90 173: Klaas Jan Huntelaar - Netherlands - Schalke 04

49 61 82 Sergio Ramos - Spain - Real Madrid
48 98: Thiago Silva - Brazil - Mila/PSG
47 45 86 Javier Mascherano - Argentina - Barcelona
46 41 68 Antonio Valencia - Ecuador - Manchester United
45 30 35 Thomas Müller - Germany - Bayern München
44 138 283: Robert Lewandowski - Poland - Dortmund
43 39 64 Alexis Sanchez - Chile - Barcelona
42 64 147: Toni Kroos - Germany - Bayern München
41 71 127: Shinji Kagawa - Japan - Dortmund/Manchester United
40 40 58 Daniele De Rossi - Italy - Roma

39 92 19 Didier Drogba - Ivory Coast - Chelsea/Shanghai Shenhua
38 47 57 Fernando Llorente - Spain - Athletic Bilbao
37 51 126: Marco Reus - Germany - Mönchengladbach/Dortmund
36 36 45 Sergio Busquets - Spain - Barcelona
35 24 56 Mario Götze - Germany - Dortmund
34 34 46 Gareth Bale - Wales - Tottenham
33 33 36 Dani Alves - Brazil - Barcelona
32 32 51 Juan Manuel Mata - Spain - Chelsea
31 27 29 Nani - Portugal - Manchester United 
30 25 28 Angel Di Maria - Argentina - Real Madrid 

29 38 66 Neymar - Brazil - Santos  
28 23 8 Samuel Eto'o - Cameroun -Anzhi 
27 35 53 Santi Cazorla - Spain -Malaga/Arsenal
26 22 6 Carlos Tevez - Argentina - Manchester City
25 16 9 Arjen Robben - Netherlands - Bayern München
24 18 11 Luis Suarez - Uruguay - Liverpool
23 31 25 Gonzalo Higuain - Argentina - Real Madrid
22 29 49: Radamel Falcao - Colombia - Atletico Madrid
21 28 47 Karim Benzema - France - Real Madrid

20 21 16 Wesley Sneijder - Netherlands - Inter
19 26 30 Edinson Cavani - Uruguay - Napoli
18 17 15 Luka Modric - Croatia -Tottenham
17 19 22 Yaya Tore - Ivory Coast - Manchester City
16 15 18 Franck Ribery - France - Bayern München
15 13 31 Bastian Schweinsteiger - Germany - Bayern München
14 12 10 Xabi Alonso - Spain - Real Madrid
13 14 43 Eden Hazard - Belgium - Lille/Chelsea
12 11 12 Sergio Aguero - Argentina - Manchester City
11 9 14 Mesut Özil - Germany - Real Madrid

10 10 34 Robin Van Persie - Netherlands - Arsenal
9 8 17 David Silva - Spain - Manchester City
8 20 61 Andrea Pirlo - Italy - Juventus
7 6 7 Cesc Fabregas - Spain - Barcelona
6 7 13 Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Sweden - Milan/PSG
5 5 5 Wayne Rooney - England - Manchester United
4 4 4 Andrés Iniesta - Spain - Barcelona
3 3 2 Xavi - Spain - Barcelona
2 2 3 Cristiano Ronaldo - Portugal - Real Madrid
1 1 1 Lionel Messi - Argentina - Barcelona

Former rankings:

2011/2012 Mid-season ranking
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12 ranking
2010/2011 Mid-season ranking:

Gareth Bale

Tottenham

Winger - Wales

2010/2011 Mid-season: 29
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: 46
2011/2012 Mid-season: 34
End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13: 34

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

Elite power and pace both when it comes to his running and his kicking, continues to be Bale's main strengths and what has made him a main-stay top 40 player in the world on this list.

These days where most of the best wide players are cutting inside from the right wing with their strong left-foot or from the left with their strong right-foot, Bale is something of a marvel in that he has so much power in his running and in his kicking of the football that even when it comes to scoring, meaning not just making blistering deliveries, his left-leg coming from the left is indeed a serious scoring threat which I think speak volumes of the kind of explosive power and venom that this superb athletic specimen is able to generate.

It's still too much classic, in the current football climate arguably to a fault, winger one-dimensionalism that stops him climbing higher up the list. Bale is fantastic when he can be direct but this high up the list the competition will often have more to their game. It is possible we're seeing small improvements though. Last season, for the first time Bale didn't average just below 30 passes per game but upped his total to 40 passes per game, indicating more touches and involvement than just the one-speed-go up and down the touchline as much and fast as you can, and while this is still new and uncertain, sometimes not very natural looking if you compare him to talented playmakers,  I do think possibly we've been seeing more intelligent, composed, if you will, varied play from Bale including in smaller spaces more central on the pitch and if he can also use his speed and great engine to also be more (and maybe we're seeing a little already) of a scoring threat off-the ball (on it he can create a shot at will almost) then that  might be enough to take another step up the ranking.

Defensively I think Bale has a lot of potential. So far his impressive engine has allowed him to hold his own in often quite frankly wild back and forth games in the Redknapp-era featuring plenty player-freedom tactically (to be fair definitely not a bad environment for Bale to shine). There is no doubt Bale uses incredible energy when he is marauding forward, the kind that few players posses, and in that context it's actually impressive that he has not been a total liability defensively. He is able to track back pretty good but where it would get really interesting was if he could (given the tactical opportunity) put that incredible physical capability into defending higher up the pitch in the form and structure of much more counter-pressing opponents. Use those gifts not play catch-up and be reactive, even if you're able to, but be pro-active, aggressive and dominate.
It's no doubt something the new manager at Tottenham Villas-Boas have on his mind, even it is still mostly dreaming and obviously something that's bigger, more complex than just one suited player and at the time of writing Tottenham as a team (player characteristics and injuries) probably isn't there yet. You can't blame Villas-Boas either if this time he will be determined to carefully avoid forcing a quick overhaul like previously at Chelsea.

 2010/2011 Mid-season:

Turns out that the Spurs sensation's 2009/2010 explosion was somehow only the warm up.

This season Bale has rocketed for the stars even higher with dominating displays from the wing.

Bale has tremendous power that goes with his blistering pace to create the kind of terror-balance that can make him almost untouchable for opposing defenders.

Just how high he should be ranked among the best in the world, is a question I think many are asking themselves these days?

Well, I'm going to show some restraint for now at least and hold him back somewhat using the reason that is some winger-one-dimensionalism in his game.

One-dimensionalism that isn't as outspoken I don't think for the comparable players still ranked ahead of him.

Of course if his tremendous, not least physical, tools that he has, continue allowing him to dominate the way that he has, then he should continue his rise soon enough.

Samir Nasri

 

Manchester City

Attacking midfielder - France

2010/2011 Mid-season: 40
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: 21
2011/2012 Mid-season: 70
End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13: 77

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

Looking back Nasri's rise all the way up to the number 21 place following his 2010/11 season was too dramatic and quite simply it was a period of sensational form that he hasn't been able to replicate since. Certainly not over a longer period. And maybe never will?

That season he finished 6th in the league in successful dribbles averaging 2 per game. Up from 1.6 the season before (last season the 11/12 he finished at just 0.8) and most importantly turned that great looking flair into brilliant individual goals and real playmaking. Quite simply the kind of decisiveness you associate with an elite player, but absolutely, in retrospect I should have shown a little bit more restraint from automatically translating that very (brilliant) spell of form into Nasri's true level as a player.

So what is truth about him? One interesting thing I noticed when looking at his various OPTA numbers was that in both 2009/10 and 2010/11 where he was respectively 13th and 6th in successful dribbles per game in the league, he was very rarely fouled compared to other top 30 dribblers.  In fact of the 60 players and their respective seasons making up if you will those two top 30s, only Ryan Giggs in 2010/11 was fouled less! Then if you look at last season where his 0.8 dribbles per game is only good for modest 56th in the league, in the top 60 only Gabriel Obertan is fouled less, while Ryan Giggs once again is similar sharing Nasri's getting-fouled-rate at just 0.5 per game.

Now someone reading this might think, that's a good thing and it somehow speaks to his advantage as a player (he is not a diver bla bla) but getting fouls must be good. For starters freekicks are dangerous, Nasri himself is pretty good at creating chances from them, and generally I think the getting-fouled statistic is one of the best (most real most reliable) indicators of what attacking players give the opposition problems. Who are difficult to control if you will, certainly indicating a player who is threatening.

Of course context is everything and naturally a goalscorer of the poacher-box-type will see less fouls simply because of where he will have the ball the relative few times that he does and then there are also those few (in fact perhaps just Messi and he is still fouled much more than Nasri) who are so brilliant that they are able to shrug off fouls and consistently manage to become even more dangerous staying on their feet.
In fact I actually do think Nasri himself has very good balance and close control with some underrated strength when he's got the ball (protecting it) but overall I do think his abnormal low getting-fouled-rate compared to so many others raises some questions about how threatening he really is individually with the ball at his feet. Even if it's something that doesn't takes away from what we know about him, that he can thrive in small spaces with skillful touches and passes (he has always been one of the most accurate in the league) and that he can assist or provide the finishing touch on delicate goalscoring (combination) moves, it still hurts him when comparing him to attacking players further up the list, even if all it really means is that he lacks pace over more meters than just the first few and can't take advantage of, or create bigger space, for himself so to speak.

Nasri's teamwork is something that has always puzzled me. I thought he generally did well and used his characteristics for the benefit of the team for Arsenal in the Fabregas-possession-years. There is no doubt Nasri enjoys the ball and won't mind grabbing responsibility.  You can't really criticize his short-passing game but in central midfield, and deeper when grabbing buildup responsibility like he sometimes does, including for France, I haven't been a big fan of his work or even found his contributions very helpful to his team, and it seems he needs a Silva or Fabregas to get over a hurdle of predictability and too often sheer nothingness. He will be part of ball-retention sure but he is not a particular good, creative or constructive distributor in deeper midfield and very rarely, whether it's horizontal or vertical, execute longer passes. It's hard to imagine it's anything technique related, even if he is not a specialist in that area, so I'm guessing it's something mental (football intelligence/tactical) related.

Without the ball Nasri seemingly has what it takes to counter-press well. Even if his stamina isn't the greatest, and I'm not even sure about that to be honest but it's definitely not an outright weakness or anything.
I do believe he has the physical tools to provide value and has done so as well for periods over the years but again it's been too inconsistent and whether it's ball-pressing or more reactive defensive positioning Nasri does have something of a bad record of not providing enough to team-defense. Even being a negative. A liability. I strongly suspect it's been poor mentality a lot of the time, but even if I'm totally wrong and instead it's physical, it's something that should definitely improve when you look at the countless of good (and comparable) attacking players in today's game that also provide consistent value defensively.  The best examples of course, and take your pick, being so many of the Spanish players on this list.


2010/2011 Mid-season:

Well, the last line of the 2009/10 season writeup below sums it up rather nicely and Nasri have of course delivered hugely when it comes to those things this season, making his rise up the list dramatic.

 

2009/2010 Season:

Nasri is one of the players seeing the most swings in rank on this list having been ranked something like at least 20 places lower and also as much as 30 places higher.

For much of the season once again I wasn't really that impressed with Nasri game in and game out, his consistency, but at some point during the second half of the season he really started to make his mark on the team, and at times in the injured Fabgregas absence, even making it his own with performances suggesting a much higher ranking. But whether it's the surroundings fault or not, then following that great spell Nasri kind of fizzled out once again and I don't think you can say yet that he's really made his mark in the Premier League. At least not to the degree that his great talent arguably suggests that he should.

Nasri has well known impressive technical skills including being a good passer of the ball and has ball control with enough agility to be a good dribbler in small apces. He has good acceleration on the first few meters and I think his work-rate is underrated.
Fitting Arsenal he is comfortable central, functioning well even in narrow conditions displaying what is vital for Wenger's vision, some very good ball retention skills on and off the ball, while on the wing he perhaps isn't the most effective so far.

His superior technical skills put him ahead of quite a few better performers this season and whether it's with or without Fabregas playing alongside him, he deserves some credit for his part in Arsenal still being able to enforce their style against the large majority of teams on their way to third place behind Chelsea and Manchester United, where remember, they were close much of the way, but overall I'm still missing that great spell of difference-making effectiveness that's required to really catapult Nasri up the rankings.

Thomas Müller

Bayern München

Forward/Winger/Attacking midfielder - Germany



2010/2011 Mid-season: 28
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: 35
2011/2012 Mid-season:30
End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13: 45

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

Before the 2012/13 season where Bayern are currently looking excellent, my favorite recent Bayern period was when in the Bundesliga winning 2009/10 season then coach Van Gaal would play a very flexible front four of Olic (whenever Ribery was injured but the Frenchman was also fine), Müller, Robben and Klose. Behind them in a midfield tandem Van Bommel and the re-innovated Bastian Schweinsteiger ruled. Gomez? He was mostly on the bench and the overall result was some wonderful fluid football bringing the best out of everyone's characteristics, and of course, they actually won something too.

Reading it again it looks like I already somewhat touched upon it down below in the 2011/2012 mid-season Müller-comments, but it's now clear that last season just wasn't anything like that. The way Bayern set-up and generally played didn't bring out the best of everyone, least of all Müller who had his worst season so far acting way too much as Gomez (who certainly did enjoy it apart from when he and Bayern were exposed against Dortmund shoving in their faces exactly what they were lacking) personal rather limited water-carrier.

Both Gomez (who at least least made use of it to bomb away) and Robben did a terrible job of occupying Müller's space and limiting him to the one place on the pitch where he is least effective. You only have to look at this season and what new striker Mandzukic different movements and nothing short of exemplary teamwork compared to Gomez, has done for Müller's game, to realize that in comparison last season's Bayern make-up just wasn't ideal for Müller to keep shining on.

There is plenty of praise and description of the many admirable Müller characteristics in the various yearly installments further down the entry, but it should also be said that with his quickness, anticipation, freak-strength and stamina he is also all you could ever wish for in an attacking player defensively, someone quite simply made for effective ball-pressure (gegenpressing, counterpressing) providing real value for his team defensively as well.

2011/2012 Mid-season:

I'm still a big fan of Müller's qualities. His impressive athletic ability, teamwork, great stamina, quality movement and superior versatility.

He still didn't show any signs of slowing down last season following his great 2009/10 breakthrough. It's now perfectly clear that this is one very durable player, and I think perhaps it is only a healthy Robben, even when constantly cutting inside and all, still inevitably forcing Müller more central, where there is less space for his pace to eat up, and instead increased demand for technical ability, that can at least reduce his effectiveness somewhat.

There is still his great movement though, and in between Gomez occupying space ahead of him central, and Robben dragging defenders with him cutting inside, Müller will still find space to exploit with his runs no matter where it is, and his anticipation for getting to chances, including in the penalty area, is close to phenomenal.

More than great skills with the ball, where most this high up the list will be better, Müller score and create all the goals that he does with a combination of great sprinting (the sheer amount he can perform), outstanding teamwork and some uncanny anticipation.

 2010/11:





Müller's amazing breakthrough season continued at the World Cup.

Entering the 2010/11 season for Bayern things haven't been going quite as smoothly so far but personally I'm more convinced of his qualities than ever and eventual weaknesses are getting harder to spot all the time.

I think I'm even seeing new strong points when it comes to Müller. Now rather than almost exclusively complementing players around him (and doing it superbly) not least through off the ball movement (those relentless sprints!), he now also looks capable of creating with the ball, and not just the piercing runs but through effective passing as well. Including some range.

In my mind, the rise of Müller shows no signs of stopping.

2009/10:

Tall 20 year old athletic freak who must be a dream to have on a football team. Müller can play several positions well and combines superb work-rate, attacking and defending, team work and quick movement to make him already one of the best players in the world without the ball. There I said it.

He'll operate effectively anywhere in the final third and with his prolific pace and constant movement and ability to perform one fast sprint after another throughout 90 minutes makes him very difficult to properly mark.

With the ball he is a little more inconsistent (or how scary would he be?). On the wing he definitely has the ability (and agility) to make piercing runs with it at great speed, or if central the ability to perform quick turns once he gets it shielding the ball, but will at times fail to control passes that look rather simple.
My perhaps incorrect theory is that he is often very ambitious with his first touch and that will make him look below par sometimes. No matter what it is though, subpar technique, great ambition or poor decisions, improvements can definitely be made. But make no mistake about it, this is already an excellent player. One who sooner rather than later will have a good case for an even higher ranking.

Juan Manuel Vargas

Fiorentina/Genoa

Left wing-back/Left winger - Peru

2010/2011 Mid-season: 206
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: 179
2011/2012 Mid-season: 233
End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13: 253

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

Like many other Fiorentina players the 2011/12 season was a nightmare to forget for Vargas who had his worst season so far in Italy. The bad news is that the move to Genoa doesn't look to have improved anything at all, and while battling various injuries, Vargas has barely featured for his struggling new team.

Ironically his former team, Fiorentina, who are completely transformed this season with one interesting player after another put into the kind of tactical and stylistic South American feel to it lineups Serie A hasn't seen in years by arguably the most promising Italian coach, former expert-poacher,  Vincenzo Montella, has a left-wing-back weak-spot where the only outfield Italian regular Pasquale tries admirably, but where a healthy Vargas would now have been a great fit (and upgrade) with a real chance to resurrect his stumbling career.

Instead Vargas is likely on the decline and with it the days of frequently being linked to big clubs all but over and I think he will be close to the exit, if not gone entirely, on the 2012/13 mid-season ranking.

It was Vargas strong left-leg/foot that set him apart, in fact even in his worst season his 1.7 successful deliveries per game place him in the Serie A top 10 but it's still decline from leading the league with 2.5 in 2009/10 and going top 5 in 2010/11 with 2.0 per game.

 2009/2010 season:

Dynamite two-way player with a great left foot.

After being moved from left-back to left-wing before last season, giving him more attacking freedom he really broke through and is still regularly put in connection with big clubs, not least Real Madrid.

He is pretty fast, really strong and works very hard both on the attack and when defending.

His left foot is capable of some of the hardest deliveries known to man and obviously with that kind of thunder in his boots, the shooting ain't too bad either.
I've also witnessed some impressive accurate long range passes coming from him. His short passing game on the other hand, doesn't really stand out as anything special.

Even though he has good enough control to maintain nice speed with the ball at his feet when on the move, he isn't really the kind of winger well capable of dribbling past opposing backs using flair, he will get his great deliveries in consistently though still making him effective.

Being a good left-back as well puts him just ahead of another very effective hard working winger like Valencia (who has more upside though) and even if Vargas isn't quite as fast, his defending sets him apart.