André-Pierre Gignac

Marseille

Striker - France




Original 200 writeup:

The second coming of Christian Vieri?

Well that's what it seemed like to me last season when Gignac netted 24 goals on a low scoring team and impressively became Ligue 1. top scorer.

Vieri himself didn't really break through until he was around 23-24 either, same age as Gignac last season.

Very similar in build Gignac also showed similar power and some of the same type of unstoppable runs that made Vieri, despite his build, such a dynamic player at his best. There is definitely pace, and Gignac even possesses a Vieri-like powerful shot! What's not to like then?

Well unfortunately this season it's wasn't just Toulouse who were low scoring, Gignac largely was unable to find the net at all.
8 goals was his sad final tally and despite (deservedly) remaining in the France picture, and going to the World Cup, it's difficult ranking a striker still playing for a midtable Ligue 1 club, with only 8 goals to his name this season (to his credit still their joint top scorer!) very highly among the best in the world right now, even if I really like everything I see. Which I do!
I mean the prime Christian Vieri is easily one of the best strikers I've ever seen and if Gignac, like I believe, has even some of that, he is in very good shape.

Well, that until he gets fat like Vieri also did.

The 300 update:

Gignac just can't seem to find the net. Whenever I've watched him for his new team Marseille it's always inside of the post and out to such an extent that I'm ready to name him unluckiest striker around.

Maybe it's some kind of destined payback for everything going in two years ago on his way to the Ligue 1 topscorer title when he was still playing for Toulouse?

Anyway, to get serious, I love that Marseille coach Deschamps continues to show confidence in Gignac and keep starting him as their centre-forward.

After Niang is gone he is definitely their best option there and while Brandao has his usefulness, not least in making life very annoying for opposing defenders, Gignac is at least a level above.

Marseille has goalscoring other places too now with the young star wings (and capable forwards in their own right) Loic Remy and Andre Ayew proving dangerous.

With all that said, neither Marseille or Gignac's decent placing on this list can live with his current output.

Lucho Gonzalez

FC Porto 

Midfielder - Argentina

2010/2011 Mid-season: 41
End of 2010/11 - Start of 2011/12: 71
2011/2012 Mid-season: 144
End of 2011/12 - Start of 2012/13: 147

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

Lucho Gonzalez was beginning to look like a shadow of his former El Commandante-self at Marseille.

His midfield role was often very limited and very defensive. Basically reduced to making simple passes and maintaining rigid defensive midfield positioning behind the ball.  Any decisiveness coming from him was becoming increasingly rare and towards the end he wasn't even a certain starter anymore.

His move back to Porto then, where this natural leader is now captain once again, was godsend.

He immediately contributed positively, even had some decisiveness here and there, and was at least resembling the old Commandante playing his part in Porto overtaking Benfica for yet another championship.

Lucho is definitely slower these days which affect most things negatively, but being part of a fluid midfield where he and Moutinho play mostly in front of a defensive midfielder, he still provides great teamwork both with and without the ball. With the ball he provides quality one touch passing in the final third and in smaller spaces which functions very well with Moutinho and the dangerous attackers, then without it his defensive play is still disciplined, his physical capability still impressive and his attacking movement, if not dynamic anymore, remains clever and consistent enough to be a serious scoring or assist threat. His shooting of course also remains venomous.


 2010/2011 Mid-season: 

I was somewhat late to the party but El Comandante is one of the players on the list who has risen the most in my estimation since the original list.

A very effective player with no weaknesses. He will contribute through disciplined defending using his stamina, strength and tactical awareness. And he has the technical skills to be a difference-maker on the attack. Just cause he isn't always flashy doesn't mean he can't be a playmaker. There is quality passing, commanding runs forward where he'll create space for himself to be a scoring threat (he has a great shot too) or for others.

Team work, strength, excellent technical ability, high work-rate and leadership.

This is an excellent player who helps his teams win every year, leading Porto to four consecutive championships (Benfica took over when he left) and then last season Marseille to their first championship since the days of Bernard Tapie.