Casemiro - Kroos - Modric

Bwuk

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Would love to see the stats because I really doubt all three played together for more than 25 games.
They didn’t. Hargreaves often played wide or at full back. Swap Hargreaves for Fletcher and it happened more often.
 

izec

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Modric is a superstar. Guy is already 35 and runs the show. He has longevity on the top level and a true passion for the game. What a talent and baller
 

Bwuk

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Kroos and Modric took the piss a bit tonight I thought from the little I watched. Absolute quality. It’ll be depressing going back to watching Fred on Thursday.
 

hasanejaz88

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Xavi-Busquets-Iniesta
Modric-Casemiro-Kroos
Modric-Alonso-di Maria
Hargreaves-Carrick-Scholes
Essien-Makelele-Lampard
De Bruyne-Fernandinho-D.Silva
Gerrard-Mascherano-Alonso
Seedorf-Pirlo-Gattuso

Not a ranking by the way, just randomly thinking up past midfield threes.
Also add Martinez-Schweinsteiger-Kroos and Kheidra-Schweinsteiger-Kroos as top midfield threes of recent years. Both of these would be up there with Modric-Kroos-Casemiro, but ofcourse none are better than Xavi-Iniesta-Busquests.
 

cyberman

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In the modern era midfielders aren't really expected to get goals unless you don't rate the Busquets/Xavi/Iniesta triumvirate either.

Busquets - Goal every 3,324 mins
Xavi - Goal every 610 mins
Iniesta - goal every 711 mins

Casemiro - Goal every 731 mins
Kroos - Goal every 703 mins
Modric - Goal every 737 mins

Worth noting Xavi and Iniesta scored goals at a much better rate in Asian leagues so their ratios are a little inflated.
But its goals and assists that im really talking about. Xavi alone is a monster in that regard. They would control the game and kill you around the box. Maybe im biased because Xavi and Iniesta are 2 of my favourite midfielders of all time but they arent controlling many midfield battles in Europe since Ronaldo left. Benzema stepped up now but behind a more ordinary attack and their goal threat becomes an obvious problem.
Im not saying theyre bad or anything but there have been better versions of the midfield 3. Pirlo, Kaka and Gattuso is ahead of them as well imo.
 

2 man midfield

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I remember the Caf when Madrid signed Kroos, saying a midfield with those 2 in it wouldn’t work.
 

Bale Bale Bale

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Hargreaves-Scholes-Carrick barely played together as a midfield 3. On the rare occasion he was fit, Hargreaves actually had his best games for us on the right.
Hmm, I'll bow to your superior knowledge then. For some reason I have this recollection of a Carrick/Hargreaves/Scholes midfield three with Rooney/Ronaldo/Tevez ahead of them.
 

giorno

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But its goals and assists that im really talking about. Xavi alone is a monster in that regard. They would control the game and kill you around the box. Maybe im biased because Xavi and Iniesta are 2 of my favourite midfielders of all time but they arent controlling many midfield battles in Europe since Ronaldo left. Benzema stepped up now but behind a more ordinary attack and their goal threat becomes an obvious problem.
Im not saying theyre bad or anything but there have been better versions of the midfield 3. Pirlo, Kaka and Gattuso is ahead of them as well imo.
Xavi is the best central midfielder in football history. Of course a great midfield with him is better than a great midfield without him

Kaka was never a midfielder really. I'd take our midfield over that milan's any day.

You're also right that this midfield does need strikers to score and wide players to provide the final ball, as they're at their best moving the defence rather than going through it. At the end of the day it's a team sport, can't take a single part of out the context. Our midfield was devastating when we had Cris, plus Marcelo at his best. These days they're playing as well as ever but obviously don't have quite the same impact. Still, add a Mbappé/Haaland to the mix and they'd be as dominant as ever
 

Liver_bird

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Been world class for a number of years, although that’s probably as easy a game as they’ve had in a knockout CL tie. Kroos is still the standout for me, absolutely no frills footballer, doesn’t dive about just runs the game with so much intelligence.
Casemiro was really good tonight though.
 

ReallyUSA

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Didn't get to watch the whole thing, but it's great to see Real actually keep a partnership together. Happy they beat pool for what could be their last run together.
 

MalcolmTucker

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But its goals and assists that im really talking about. Xavi alone is a monster in that regard. They would control the game and kill you around the box. Maybe im biased because Xavi and Iniesta are 2 of my favourite midfielders of all time but they arent controlling many midfield battles in Europe since Ronaldo left. Benzema stepped up now but behind a more ordinary attack and their goal threat becomes an obvious problem.
Im not saying theyre bad or anything but there have been better versions of the midfield 3. Pirlo, Kaka and Gattuso is ahead of them as well imo.
Yeah fair enough, I do agree that Xavi and Iniesta were better around the box (although Modric and Kroos are better at shooting from range so offer something a little different). I also think you have to consider that Xavi and Iniesta played with peak Messi up until they moved, whereas Modric and Kroos have played with and without C. Ronaldo - and Xavi was playing in Qatar and Iniesta was playing in Japan at the age Modric is now.

Thought it would be interesting to look at their G+A stats - took away Xavi and Iniesta's stats in the Asian leagues and here's how it looks from their time in Europe:

Kroos - 319 mins per assist / goal every 703 mins
Modric - 439 mins per assist / goal every 737 mins

Xavi - 320 mins per assist / goal every 676 mins
Iniesta - 330 mins per assist / goal every 782 mins

I'd say stats wise, they have similar records although of course stats don't tell the whole story and I am sceptical of assist stats generally. I do think it's right to put Kroos and Modric in the same tier as Iniesta and Xavi although most would have the Barca pair above them.
 

Scroto Baggins

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Modric is a superstar. Guy is already 35 and runs the show. He has longevity on the top level and a true passion for the game. What a talent and baller
A bit past his prime nowadays, but when you talk about modern midfield greats this guy has to be in the conversation. Absolutely dominant in his prime, his last year or two at Spurs you could just tell he was next level, I think Chelsea tried to get him first but he gave Spurs another year and RM came in. No offense to Chelsea but if you are picking between Chelsea and RM, you go to RM.
 

In Rainbows

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We should be trying to mold Mejbri into a Modric type midfielder. Doesn't mean he will end up half the player Modric was or 1/10th the player Modric is. But an attempt should be made to turn him into that considering how valuable that kind of midfielder is.
 

royce987

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A bit past his prime nowadays, but when you talk about modern midfield greats this guy has to be in the conversation. Absolutely dominant in his prime, his last year or two at Spurs you could just tell he was next level, I think Chelsea tried to get him first but he gave Spurs another year and RM came in. No offense to Chelsea but if you are picking between Chelsea and RM, you go to RM.
Modric wanted to go to Chelsea, but Spurs refused to sell to Chelsea.
 

OmarUnited4ever

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Great Midfield trio, play off each other very well, close to the level of Xavi, Iniesta & Bosquet, but i would say the Barca trio are better, especially Iniesta who was unbelievable.

What i like about the Madrid & Barca midfield trio beside their obvious quality is the length they played together (at least 5 full seasons together), which provides some sort of solid stability to the team (they also had stable back 4 & GK).

Good shout is City's trio of Fernandinho, KdB & D.Silva, of course not as good as the Barca or Madrid trio, but also instrumental to city's PL successes in 2018 & 2019
 

OmarUnited4ever

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They didn’t. Hargreaves often played wide or at full back. Swap Hargreaves for Fletcher and it happened more often.
Correct, in 2007/2008 season in the league, it was Scholes+Carrick as CMs, Giggs+Ronaldo as wingers, Tevez+Rooney as strikers, but they were given different jobs (Nani will come in for Giggs, & Hargraves will come in for either Scholes or Carrick in few games in PL), in CL, it was the same but Park & Hargraves who replaced Giggs, both would tuck in centrally and help provide defensive cover to allow Ronaldo, Rooney & Tevez more freedom to attack.

in 2008/2009, it was almost the same, but Hargreves didn't play due to injury, and Fletcher improved and used to play in CM role with Carrick or Scholes, especially in big games, Park will also play in the Wing-Midfield role in the big games instead of Giggs or Nani, and Berbatov was preferred to Tevez in the striker role alongside Rooney.
 

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Second best midfield trio I've seen. Behind the Barcelona one but probably well ahead of the rest. People often underrate their influence on the CL successes in favour of Ramos, Ronaldo and Marcelo.
 

Reapersoul20

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We should be trying to mold Mejbri into a Modric type midfielder. Doesn't mean he will end up half the player Modric was or 1/10th the player Modric is. But an attempt should be made to turn him into that considering how valuable that kind of midfielder is.

I think we should convert all our players into Maradona-type players because if we had 10 Maradonas (11 would be ridiculous) we'd win every single tournament.
 

Amar__

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Modric and Kroos are out of this world, and Casemiro is just there to add stability, he is nothing special, but he fits the position very well though. With those two you can have any decent defensive midfielder and they would look great, they are that good, I can't believe how long they last.
 

KD6-3.7

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Real Madrid getting Kroos for like €25M (could be wrong on the fee) has to be one of the best bargains of all time. Modric we all knew was class but my word what I’d have done to have him at United.
 

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Modric the best of the 3 for me. I’m wondering where the Caf rates Modric in comparison to Scholes...
 

Borys

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Casemiros contribution is underrated. I think those 3 CL were won after Zidane took James off and put in Casemiro for stability
No chance, Casemiro is rated very highly across the globe.

Not a big enough goal threat imo. Really need world class strikers in front of them to excel. Apart from that they are elite
10 goals between them in La Liga. That is over 20% of all Madrid goals. If you include assists, it's 48%. Casemiro is 2nd best goal scorer for them. Out of curiosity, what would be "big enough" goal threat in your opinion?
 

Pexbo

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Modric and Kroos are out of this world, and Casemiro is just there to add stability, he is nothing special, but he fits the position very well though. With those two you can have any decent defensive midfielder and they would look great, they are that good, I can't believe how long they last.
That’s an awfully obtuse way of saying you have not really seen Casemiro play.
 

Acheron

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Casemiro is really good and underrated at times although it would had been nice if Alonso had still been around to play alongside Modric and Kroos.
 

MadDogg

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Personally I don't think Casemiro and Kroos are 'that' good. Don't get me wrong, they are both very good players of course, but I think it's only Modric that is an actual great of the game. He took over from Xavi as the dominant central midfielder of his generation.

The Barcelona trio of of Xavi-Busquets-Iniesta was definitely better, but they were probably the best midfield in the history of the sport. Real's has been the best of the post-Barca era.
 
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Sylar

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Remember when moyes had worked things out with kroos to join but when he was fired lvg came in and pretty much stopped it from happening?

Probably the best for kroos career
 

amolbhatia50k

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Modric the best of the 3 for me. I’m wondering where the Caf rates Modric in comparison to Scholes...
No doubt about that. Kroos is very good but he's not in that elite category like Modric is.
 

NoLogo

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No chance, Casemiro is rated very highly across the globe.
Agreed. I think him, Fabinho and Kanté had been rated as the best DMs of the past 6 or 7 years, with Kanté falling off in recent years. I feel like Casemiro had been underrated until like the second CL win in a row by Real but since that time I feel he has pretty much been on everyone's radar as one of the best, if not the currently best DM in the game right now.
 

NoLogo

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No doubt about that. Kroos is very good but he's not in that elite category like Modric is.
The main reason why I would put Modric ahead of Kroos is consistency. Kroos had a period after he had won the WC and 3 CL within 3 years that he looked like he thought he was above it all, down right arrogant and sloppy on the pitch for club and country. Another point that he has over Kroos is his work rate and that he isn't only excellent on the ball but a real pain in the behind while defending and hassling his opponents as well. I always like to think of him as a box to box playmaker, and he is as far as I can tell probably one of a kind in that regard, maybe Goretzka is coming close. Kroos has Modric beat on passing range though, I think he is currently the best passer in the game by quite a distance.
 

GuyfromAustria

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Hargreaves-Scholes-Carrick barely played together as a midfield 3. On the rare occasion he was fit, Hargreaves actually had his best games for us on the right.
You could say Hargreaves barely played, period.
According to transfermarkt, he had a total of 39 appearances for United, or 2.400 minutes whichs equals less than 27 games.
 

KeanoMagicHat

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Modric the best of the 3 for me. I’m wondering where the Caf rates Modric in comparison to Scholes...
Modric is better than Scholes ever was and Scholes actually said he modelled his game on Kroos at the end of his career, he was that big of a fan. Two all-time great midfielders.

Kroos is currently better than Modric but Modric reached a higher level overall. Kroos from 2013 until about 2016 was different class, but had a few slower years before bouncing back recently.
 

amolbhatia50k

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Modric is better than Scholes ever was and Scholes actually said he modelled his game on Kroos at the end of his career, he was that big of a fan. Two all-time great midfielders.
Three all time great midfielders :D

But I do think Modric is better than Kroos. The latter has a better passing range but Modric has so much more to his game. His dribbling is special for a CM, he has a better engine, is more mobile etc