Chris Smalling

Manchester United

Defender - England

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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.

Patrice Evra

Manchester United

left-back - France



Maybe the best left-back in the world.

He has good control and passing ability. Great pace and stamina. Plenty of strength spiced up with lots of aggression.

He was very good going forward from day one arriving at United and that is still where his true strength lies. He will go up and down the line all game and occupy left-midfield, making numbers, be a constructive part of possession and helping his team as well as almost any other fullback.

Defensively he has steadily improved over the years to become a good defender and I think it's rare for an example that he is caught out of position. He is also a strong tackler but I don't think as good a one on one defender as for an example Ashley Cole. Not as comfortable as him either (but better than a lot of fullbacks) when doing more centre-back type of defending (ground and lot least air) whenever that's required in the box.

All in all, perhaps the best left-back in the world. But not quite on my list.

Dimitar Berbatov

Manchester United

Forward - Bulgaria






Much criticized Manchester United forward checks in at number 68 and I wouldn't be surprised if some will think that's way too good of a ranking while others that it's way too poor...

Of course I'm not convinced it's "way" one way or the other, but if anything I'm leaning towards this being too poor of a ranking, since certainly while he was at Tottenham I remember rating him very highly, and even though I try to avoid it, it's hard being left unaffected by constant negativity surrounding the abilities of a player.
Even when that player likely isn't much different from the one I thought more highly of when at a different club not even that long ago.

Being a Manchester United player of course is something else, with more intense pressure and focus on the player's performances. Especially as a striker and especially for one carrying around a heavy price tag.

That Berbatov then in most people's eyes gives away this lazy laid back impression while carrying himself around, I'm sure is not helping matters.

Overall when there is almost nothing positive said about a player ever, everything can't be good, surely?

Well I do see some positives of course or he would be ranked lower. For starters his reputation as lazy is probably blown out of proportion and could easily quite often be superficial criticism based on perceived slack appearance. Everyone can look lazy alongside Rooney anyway but unless I'm mistaken (when watching match stats that unfortunately I can't find online right now) Berbatov does actually put in a good amount of kilometers run on a regular basis.

He has excellent technique that he tries to rely on much more than strength and he is capable of great first touches and creative passes in the tightest of space. He simply has that rare flair for the creative.

What he isn't, is very dynamic. He is quite slow for a forward and even though his technical skills can be useful anywhere, they're only really a difference maker close to the goal because he doesn't have the pace when further away.

It should be hard for a striker to look bad playing alongside Rooney, but perhaps Berbatov really would prefer a role where it was okay for him to be more stationary always near the penalty area, and it being not just okay, but strongly recommended, for everyone else to then move in and around him.

Sometimes that will happen at United as well, but to realistically try and make up for the scoring threat lost with Cristiano Ronaldo's exit to Real Madrid, Rooney of course was made primarily a striker and his and everyone else's movement, now reflect that.

Including Berbatov's (but offering the least dynamic movement of everyone will shine a bad light on you) and while Rooney has tremendous flexibilty (a great strength) in his movement and work, thereby in theory also making room for Berbatov the striker, as well as the two of them close together creating, it is very demanding and asks for flexibility and dynamic two-way play from Berbatov as well, back (even if not all the way back - then certainly some midfield play) and forth, right and left.
Something plenty of the midfielders are able to do and not least Rooney himself leading by example, but maybe I wonder, if it hasn't proved a little bit too steep of a challenge for Berbatov to shine through on a consistent basis.

I just have a feeling he would like something more stationary. Less fluid with him the great Berba as the center piece and the attack evolving around him. But I'm also convinced that wouldn't be the better for the team...

He definitely has enough quality to do great things occasionally and despite my reservations about him (really) fitting in so far, I would be hard pressed to claim that he actually hurts the team, if he is indeed holding Rooney the striker back then that's a just a plain scary thought, instead I just think it's like he doesn't make it better (that's not exactly hurting the team right?) and everyone watching can sort of sense that, and certainly they have the hope that it could indeed be better, adding to their frustration.

That I think will take a different kind of excellent player though, playing around and behind Rooney.

Until that they'll just have to live with Berbatov consistently not making things any better but at least occasionally doing something great.

Antonio Valencia

Manchester United

Winger - Ecuador



Original 200 writeup:

A beast of a winger who's physical tools, strength and pace make him a very dynamic player who is very tough to deal with.

The best description of his technical skills may just be, simple but effective, because while certainly not bad he doesn't have the technical capability of many other good wingers, look no further than flashy teammate Nani for starters, but if you add the balance Valencia possesses, thanks to his strength, even when in full flow going down the right hand side, and then his ability to cross the ball, you have, despite one fottedness even, an extremely effective player. More effective than most flashier wingers.

Then there is his great work rate making him very comfortable in a fast paced (often) high pressure game and I'm sure I'm seeing positional discipline as well, where he is consistently defending his wing, be it via pressure or back tracking, throughout a game and with that providing great value to his team.

The 300 update:

Valencia remained strong throughout the 2009/10 season but unfortunately suffered season ending leg and ankle injury early this season.

Nemanja Vidić

Manchester United

Defender - Serbia



Original 200 writeup:

Tough as nails defender who with great strength and aggression is perhaps the best man to man defender in the world. If close to the attacking player, chances are that the attacking player's chances, are not good at all!

While a very good tackler capable of destruction, Vidic also specializes in always getting a foot... or his head

in front of whoever he is marking.

To prevent chances he is someone who really will do anything it takes.

In the air he is virtually unbeatable and while very much similar to most central defenders athletically he isn't the quickest, something like his agility shouldn't be underrated.

Much of why the last pack of centrebacks were ranked where they were, and not higher, was discussed here (Ferdinand, Carvalho, Terry) and while I do feel especially Ferdinand, but Carvalho as well, are more gifted than Vidic in some areas - Ferdinand's positioning and reading the game - Carvalho able to defend and make a difference with more range to it than Vidic - and both of them superior technically - health especially in Ferdinand's case, some decline in Carvalho's, sees Vidic despite some health issues on his own, but still very much in his prime playing consistently great, jump ahead of them.

The 300 update:

Currently enjoying playing alongside a healthy Rio Ferdinand in the Manchester United central defense and while doing it making a strong case for best defender in the world.

Together they simply put on a clinic when it comes to defending in the box and not least with their timely powerful interventions and clearances they make certain so many hopeful opposition passes and crosses result in nothing dangerous at all.

Darren Fletcher

Manchester United

Midfielder - Scotland



Original 200 writeup:

Good footballer? Mean bully?

Well, he has kind of turned into both the last couple of years making him a valuable player for Manchester United.

Few are so effective constantly harassing opposition players legally and illegally (at least anywhere that's not the English Premier League!). He'll huff and he'll puff, kick you to the ground. Whatever it takes. He is a monster, said Sir Alex Ferguson!

Of course had he not seemingly improved in others areas the last couple of years he wouldn't be anywhere near this list. Or become a United starter for that matter. It's possible he was always hard working defensively, did his best for the team and so on, but at some point he just became big, mean and strong making those crucial parts of his game all the more effective. Even making him one of the best at what he does.

How much things like his technique has really improved the last couple of years I'm not sure but what is always clear is that not routinely looking bad in those areas (with the ball) is helped a great deal by having strong balance and Fletcher these days certainly has that.

That balance and underrated technique has even made him the more effective Manchester United central midfielder going forward in the final third which on this list is always a nice feather in the hat, and I suspect a key element in making his midfield presence even greater making him a valuable figure for his team Manchester United time and time again, sooner or later, winning the midfield battle.

The 300 update:

I still see Fletcher as primarily a very good physical player who uses that to make him effective both when defending and attacking.

I will say though, that slowly but surely I'm warming to his technical ability as well. There is some good control and there is some good one touch passing as well coupled with sound decisionmaking.

He is also a very consistent player which he is proving once more, game in and game out, this season.

Michael Carrick

Manchester United

Central midfielder - England



Original 200 writeup:

A player who on the surface rarely looks impressive and because of it is seldom held in high esteem by most fans.

You could even say that many of his attributes are pretty ordinary. Especially those that would make a good attacking midfielder which he just isn't anymore, at least not for a very good team.

He just doesn't have pace or good enough control to be consistently effective in the final third and in one of the more unexpected recent turn of events has in my opinion been surpassed there by midfield partner Fletcher who these days looks better going forward than Carrick.

But what Carrick does have is actual deep lying playmaking ability, a great range of passing and especially when that is combined with a strong physical presence, which Carrick has become, then you have a very valuable player.

Martin Jol put it rather simply this way: Michael's biggest quality is to move play from defense to attack and win the ball. Because of him, other players play better.

I think since those words were spoken Carrick has become, maybe even much better defensively, and he has a lot of responsibility there, creating the situation where all of Carrick's best work, the defensive, but rather uniquely for a British player I think, also the attacking contributions takes place further back, often in the defensive midfield.
Especially on a team like Manchester United who'll mostly control inferior opponents. That is just not very eye catching compared to where a lot of the game takes place, in the opponent final third, so I feel Carrick's contributions further back are terribly overlooked and sometimes ironically even completely forgotten the first mistake or sign of inadequateness he'll make whenever venturing forward.

There is just something potentially extremely valuable in a player who can make a good attacking contribution as far away from the opponent goal as possible. He doesn't even have to go forward to contribute thereby not compromising the defense. It's just a great risk reward scenario best exemplified with a player like Andrea Pirlo who by doing that to perfection became the most important player on Champions League and World Cup winning teams.

Carrick doesn't have anywhere near Pirlo's other technical skills, restricting him much more to play deep or get exposed, and from there isn't even as good a passer but he is gifted in very important (you could say tactical) areas nonetheless, defensive work (better than Pirlo)+range of passing, off the ball movement being a consistent passing option and while it might not be the great difference maker day in and day out in your average Premier League fixture, just like Pirlo not seldom wasn't in your average Serie A game, against x-defensive opponent, in certain games against certain opponents Carrick with his skill-set can be the most valuable player on what is a very good team, playing at the highest level, for that he deserves credit.

Paul Scholes

Manchester United

Midfielder - England



Original 200 writeup:

35 years old now and obviously not going... Quite as strong.

When he first came up, if anyone remember, he was actually a striker but that was relatively short lived and he quickly became a very good attacking midfielder and then at some point gradually developed into a superb all around midfielder contributing effectively both to attack and defense, and doing it day in and day out.

That I think is the biggest difference from now and to then. Then being when he was one of the very best in the world. Say at least 100 places better than this.
He does still have those games where he will do all the things he is so good at and do it almost as good as ever, but it's not every game anymore, in fact it can be pretty far between sometimes. Too far between. There just isn't the same consistency.
If I think that Cahill has slowed down then I know that Paul Scholes has. But of course when it comes to quality he has something of a head start over most, hence him still being ranked ahead of a lot of very good players.

Scholes is a very good passer, probably underrated over the years when it comes to that, short or long and very direct, established attack or in transition, Scholes can deliver.
Especially when keeping the pressure on an opponent like Manchester United have done time and time again in the Ferguson era, Scholes has been a key player in forcing and forcing (and forcing!) the tempo, contributing through great work both with and without the ball, into reaching a final frenzy where eventually the poor opponents just could not keep up anymore and succumb. Usually by some time in the final minutes with United grabbing a late winner or equalizer...
Over the years I think, the higher the tempo the better the performance from Scholes. Dynamic runs, booming shots on goal, quick turns with the ball, crunching tackles and direct passing.
Scholes could do all those things very well even when the tempo was high (on the flip-side when it was not so high, like occasionaly in Europe, what most would stand out sometimes from Scholes would be those trademark dumb tackles).
But even if now as a veteran he can only bring that "A -game" some of the time it's still enough to earn him a place on the list

The 300 update:

1 year later, 36 years old now and... obviously going stronger.

He has done kind of a curious reverse with fellow United legend Giggs. Last season it was Giggs who put in some key excellent performances lifting the team but this season it has definitely been Scholes who at times has looked invaluable in midfield controlling the game with his experience and great passing.