Who is the most UNDERrated player in PL history?

[Agila Dathi]

Alright I'm going in...
I honestly think that John "jack of all trades, master of none" O'Shea deserves a mention. Not at all a fantastic player, but brilliant squad player and. Could fill in almost every positions when needed and knew his limits. Very important squad player for so many years.
People talk about him like he was shit, but he really wasn't. Not a great footballer, but a great squad player and you can't win trophies without good squad players.

Please don't kill me...

 

[SwansonsTache]

Bear with me here, but I would like to throw in Oscar. I didn’t realise how gifted this lad was till I saw him live. You could instantly see why Mourinho fell in love with him. Just knew where to be and when to be there. Unusual and efficient technical ability. Tremendous agility and movement. And despite a small frame he was a terrier on the pitch. Real shame China tempted him away. I think he could have been among the top 10 players in the world at this stage of his career had he stayed.

Didn't exactly set the world alight before\while getting benched ahead of his China move.

 

[Foxtrot]

El Hadji Diouf, top top player for Liverpool but never get the recognition he deserves. I thought Alan Smith was pretty good for us too.

 

[OverratedOpinion]

I think from a United perspective Ole would actually be a good shout. The fact that he is often only ever talked about as a substitute adds to that but especially the way that people refer to him as purely a poacher or a finisher. He was very good technically with a brilliant first touch and showed when he played on the wing that he could beat a man and was a good crosser of the ball.

I don't hear Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink talked about often which I find strange because I thought he was a nightmare. I think Fernandinho is going through what a lot of talented holding midfielders go through when they play in good attacking teams, they start out not getting a mention and then after a while it becomes fashionable to talk about how underrated they are and then it becomes so fashionable to do so that they possibly end up becoming slightly overrated (excellent player though he is). Park also had the same thing happen when he was with us around 2009 or 2010.

 

[automaticflare]

Some that spring to mind

Denis Irwin
Michael Carrick

Roy Keane IMO is still underrated because he is not English

Robbie Keane was a great goal scorer but his spell at Liverpool seems to get him a bad wrap

Steve Finnan

Tugay was quality at Blackburn IMO

I think Lampard is underrated not spoken in same standards as Gerard or scholes but his numbers are phenomenal

 

[Wittmann45]

Some that spring to mind

Denis Irwin
Michael Carrick

Roy Keane IMO is still underrated because he is not English

Robbie Keane was a great goal scorer but his spell at Liverpool seems to get him a bad wrap

Steve Finnan

Tugay was quality at Blackburn IMO

I think Lampard is underrated not spoken in same standards as Gerard or scholes but his numbers are phenomenal

That's a tough one. I think he is seen as the best central midfielder, or at least one of the best, to ever play in the Premier League. Only thing I would say is that he is not necessarily given the credit for his technical ability or his passing. He is seen as the ultimate leader, competitor and winner, but is not given enough credit for other sides of his game.

Saying that, its difficult to say he is under rated

 

[ReallyUSA]

Carrick, Scholes, and Cesc

 

[Karel Podolsky]

Pires, Gilberto Silva.

 

[GM K]

Michael Carrick and Jay-Jay Okocha

I've never seen a talent like Okocha frankly. Ronaldinho level kind of talent. Pity he lacked the Brazillian's pace and ruthlessness. O think Okocha was massively underrated.

And Carrick, what can one say? Even after retirement some people still don't get what he brought into football.

 

[caid]

I remember enjoying watching Beardsley a lot for Newcastle. And Asprilla. Blackburn cb, think his name was Colin Hendry seemed pretty good.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

I think he's the best thing since sliced bread, how's that overrating him?

In all seriousness fair point.

Sliced bread is overrated.

 

[RooneyLegend]

Jamie Redknapp, Paul Ince, Jay Jay Okocha, Carvahlo

 

[Mockney]

Another shout for Andy Cole. It's kind of insane that the 3rd highest goalscorer in Premier League history (2nd until literally only 2 seasons ago) who won the Golden Boot, PFA Awards, was at one time our highest ever European scorer (beating Dennis Law's record) and even appeared on the Ballon D'or voting in '99, isn't universally considered a great player, based largely on one poor season (where even then he scored 13 goals, with a record of about 1 in 3. Which is hardly the worst a top striker has ever done) and a soundbyte from a disgraced England coach. It just goes to show how media narratives stick.

He might not have been World World Class, but the status he's generally held at by many of "just kinda decent but wasteful" is hella disrespectful

 

[simplyared]

Nani. Best shout ever. Christ, the arguments I used to have with people.

Add Zaha to the list and you've got 2 players we should never have let go.

 

[JPRouve]

Maybe Louis Saha? When fit he seemed unstoppable.

 

[norm87cro]

I'll go for Peter Crouch. The guy has very good technique but it just seems nobody was taking him seriously through his entire career because of his clumsy appearance.

 

[IronCroos37]

Batistuta, Lescott, Luis Garcia, Flamini, Darron Gibson and Gianluca Pagliuca

 

[Thisistheone]

Another shout for Andy Cole. It's kind of insane that the 3rd highest goalscorer in Premier League history (2nd until literally only 2 seasons ago) who won the Golden Boot, PFA Awards, was at one time our highest ever European scorer (beating Dennis Law's record) and even appeared on the Ballon D'or voting in '99, isn't universally considered a great player, based largely on one poor season (where even then he scored 13 goals, with a record of about 1 in 3. Which is hardly the worst a top striker has ever done) and a soundbyte from a disgraced England coach. It just goes to show how media narratives stick.

He might not have been World World Class, but the status he's generally held at by many of "just kinda decent but wasteful" is hella disrespectful

Good shout. He also banged in all those goals without a single penalty.

The heights he hit in 1999 with Yorke was something special.

 

[parkthebuslads]

I always thought Nani was treated very poorly by the press and was a player who SAF really dropped the ball with.

Supremely talented, scored important goals and had very good stats but was always put down by pundits. He seemed a rather fragile mentality to be fair but I always felt his talent warranted some indulgence and would have loved to see him played in his best position on a regular basis.

 

[Longlivekeano]

Tim Flowers- Class for about a decade
Uho Ehiogu- all qualities of fantastic defender
Gary Kelly- Mr Consistent
Le Saux- modern fullback ahead of his time and performed well despite gay slur taunts
Strachan- classy, clever player

 

[youmeletsfly]

Le Tessier
Carrick
Saha
Dan Petrescu

 

[TheScriptwriter]

Not the most underrated, but Berbatov certainly was underrated by most of United fans. Part of the reason is that he didn't fit United playing style at that time and he replaced Tevez. But otherwise, I always thought he did good.

 

[MemphisThePie]

Damien Duff under Mou 2004-06.

 

[thegregster]

For United Carrick and Cole.

From 2007

There are much more incontrovertible statistics by which Cole should be judged. In the history of the Premiership, only Alan Shearer has scored more goals (260 to Cole's 187). Even more tellingly for a player whose approach play never got any credit, never mind as much as it deserved, only Ryan Giggs and Dennis Bergkamp have more assists from open play than Cole's 127. And if you exclude penalties (Shearer 56, Cole 1), Cole's goals-per-Premiership-games ratio is actually higher than Shearer's. Longevity and outstanding service from Giggs and co can qualify these statistics, but they cannot discredit them.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2007/feb/01/1

 

[Thunderhead]

Peter Beardsley

 

[Denis79]

Dennis Irwin

Denis

 

[Josep Dowling]

Herrera

I even think he’s underrated by most United fans.

I think it’s madness that Mourinho didn’t use Herrera-Pogba-Matic more often, it was the obvious midfield 3.

He does the dirty work, his eye for playing a tactical foul is second to none, can fake an injury to slow down play. But at the same time can pick a pass and I think his tactical awareness is brilliant.

 

[Josep Dowling]

For United Carrick and Cole.

From 2007


https://www.theguardian.com/football/2007/feb/01/1

Those are quite incredible stats, proves he was massively underrated.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Herrera

I even think he’s underrated by most United fans.

I think it’s madness that Mourinho didn’t use Herrera-Pogba-Matic more often, it was the obvious midfield 3.

He does the dirty work, his eye for playing a tactical foul is second to none, can fake an injury to slow down play. But at the same time can pick a pass and I think his tactical awareness is brilliant.

Herrera is not consistent. Changes of managers haven’t helped. If he played like he did today in most matches, then he would be up there with the best in the league.

I like him, but in 4 years he’s never been a guaranteed first team player prior to OGS.

 

[izec]

Herrera is not consistent. Changes of managers haven’t helped. If he played like he did today in most matches, then he would be up there with the best in the league.

I like him, but in 4 years he’s never been a guaranteed first team player prior to OGS.

He was our player of the year before Matic came and was a starter in the league and Europa League. That one season he was a starter and one of our best and most important players.

Then Mourinho chose to buy and play Matic and bench him most of the time. That went well, until Matic played every game regardless of form and Jose had his third season meltdown.

 

[P-Ro]

John Obi Mikel. Whilst the criticism of him not passing forward enough were valid, none of his passes went astray, he didn't get robbed of the ball and could not be outmuscled. Obviously I'm not trying to say he was a PL great, but many people seem to think that he was garbage. He was a collosus and our man of the match in the semi against Barcelona and the final vs Bayern in 2012. One of my favourite ever Chelsea players.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

Carrick and Gilberto. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is a bit underrated too imo. Lethal striker back in the day, who nobody ever talks about.

I would have said Fernandinho too but he's getting a lot of deserved plaudits this season.

Michael Carrick and Jay-Jay Okocha

I've never seen a talent like Okocha frankly. Ronaldinho level kind of talent. Pity he lacked the Brazillian's pace and ruthlessness. O think Okocha was massively underrated.

And Carrick, what can one say? Even after retirement some people still don't get what he brought into football.

When I was growing up everyone raved about Okocha. I wouldn't say he was underrated, people knew he was class.

Fun fact - Okocha has since stated that he now considers his spell at Bolton a waste of time. We all agree Jay-Jay...

 

[Sir Scott McToMinay]

John Obi Mikel. Whilst the criticism of him not passing forward enough were valid, none of his passes went astray, he didn't get robbed of the ball and could not be outmuscled. Obviously I'm not trying to say he was a PL great, but many people seem to think that the was garbage. He was a collosus and our man of the match in the semi against Barcelona and the final vs Bayern in 2012. One of my favourite ever Chelsea players.

He is well underrated on this forum for sure, he was very good under pressure and was one of the few players who knew how to play that Barca, oddly enough, most of them were Chelsea players.

 

[MAME DIOUF 32]

Alright I'm going in...
I honestly think that John "jack of all trades, master of none" O'Shea deserves a mention. Not at all a fantastic player, but brilliant squad player and. Could fill in almost every positions when needed and knew his limits. Very important squad player for so many years.
People talk about him like he was shit, but he really wasn't. Not a great footballer, but a great squad player and you can't win trophies without good squad players.

Please don't kill me...

Rubbish. He's the worst player I've seen consistently get games for United. Since leaving he's been shown for what he what he was: a defensive liability better suited to the Championship (although he captained a side that got relegated from there). He lived off a few meme moments and a high standard of professionalism but he was a dreadful player.

 

[shamans]

Beckham

 

[shamans]

Rubbish. He's the worst player I've seen consistently get games for United. Since leaving he's been shown for what he what he was: a defensive liability better suited to the Championshop (although he captained a side that got relegated from there). He lived off a few meme moments and a high standard of professionalism but he was a dreadful player.

He left when he had physically declined. No way was he dreadful I remember he had some great run of games.

 

[Isotope]

Rubbish. He's the worst player I've seen consistently get games for United. Since leaving he's been shown for what he what he was: a defensive liability better suited to the Championship (although he captained a side that got relegated from there). He lived off a few meme moments and a high standard of professionalism but he was a dreadful player.

What have you been smoking, bro??

 

[Isotope]

Paolo Di Canio. Even SAF wanted to sign him apparently. Don't know why it failed.

 

[ShadesOfTomato]

Henderson

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Yaya Toure.

Phenomenal player. Absolutely unplayable on his day.

That 13/14 season where he scored 20 goals in 35 apps as a centre midfiedler was ridiculous. One of the best midfielders to grace the premier league, in my opinion.