Poor players in great teams - those who were so far out of their depth you felt sorry for them?

[Fortitude]

You know the type? The player who basically can't help but let the whole side down because he's simply not good enough?

A perfect example would be Serginho in the Brazil 1982 World Cup xi. For those that don't know, Brazil '82's midfield and build up play is in the conversation with the greatest of all-time, outright. Serginho, however, although not a bad player, was hideously out of his depth and is essentially blamed for that Brazil side not winning the World Cup. Serginho, as you can see from his goal record and ratio, was no slouch, but in amongst an all-time level team, he looked like a donkey.

Another example would be Massimo Taibi. The poor fellow 'serendipitously' thrust into the poisoned chalice job of stepping into Peter Schmeichel's boots and gloves at a time when Manchester United were treble-winning gods. One from two would be bad enough, but both together was a spotlight so glaring, Taibi's confidence got shot to pieces.

There are loads of examples like these: who are standouts for you?

 

[Maluco]

A modern example is possibly Otamendi at City?

They are full of players who can play football and are extremely comfortable with the ball. Even those that aren’t the greatest footballers are top athletes.

Otamendi is neither a ball playing defender or a supreme athlete and over the last few seasons has been shown up again and again, to the point where you must wonder whether his teammates blame him for certain results at times.

He is a costly outlier and has cost them time and time again. Possibly a useful defender for a mid table side, but a massive weak point in a team like City’s.

 

[adexkola]

A modern example is possibly Otamendi at City?

They are full of players who can play football and are extremely comfortable with the ball. Even those that aren’t the greatest footballers are top athletes.

Otamendi is neither a ball playing defender or a supreme athlete and over the last few seasons has been shown up again and again, to the point where you must wonder whether his teammates blame him for certain results at times.

He is a costly outlier and has cost them time and time again. Possibly a useful defender for a mid table side, but a massive weak point in a team like City’s.

This post would only be valid in this season.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

A modern example is possibly Otamendi at City?

They are full of players who can play football and are extremely comfortable with the ball. Even those that aren’t the greatest footballers are top athletes.

Otamendi is neither a ball playing defender or a supreme athlete and over the last few seasons has been shown up again and again, to the point where you must wonder whether his teammates blame him for certain results at times.

He is a costly outlier and has cost them time and time again. Possibly a useful defender for a mid table side, but a massive weak point in a team like City’s.

He was a starter in a title winning team wasn't he? Odd example.

 

[Maluco]

He was a starter in a title winning team wasn't he? Odd example.

He was very well protected in title winning seasons with a Fernandinho shaped shield. Left to his own devices in a Pep possession team, he has been shown up to be out of his depth in my opinion.

You will find it very difficult to find “great teams” who haven’t won anything. Truly great teams win things.

Without a world class partner and a world class protector in front of him, he has been shown as ill equipped to play in a Guardiola set-up and has let his team down on various occasions, per OP

 

[Denis' cuff]

John Aston

fits the brief perfectly. The only thing that was his saving grace was that his game was very simple. Hug the touch line and stretch defences. Leave the fancy stuff to Law, Best and Charlton. A good foil for them but embarrassingly out of his depth sometimes.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

He was very well protected in title winning seasons with a Fernandinho shaped shield. Left to his own devices in a Pep possession team, he has been shown up to be out of his depth in my opinion.

You will find it very difficult to find “great teams” who haven’t won anything. Truly great teams win things.

Without a world class partner and a world class protector in front of him, he has been shown as ill equipped to play in a Guardiola set-up and has let his team down on various occasions, per OP

A player who was a starter in a comfortable PL title win cannot be out of his depth. Maybe be didn't maintain the standard but regardless that's not being out of you from depth.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Oleguer

 

[adexkola]

He was a starter in a title winning team wasn't he? Odd example.

He has no clue. In those 2 title winning seasons he was a major contributor in City's defensive record being so good.

 

[Redcy]

Tom cleverly - harsh?
Obertan - did he have any good games?

 

[Dannic]

Djimi Traore.

That's CL winning Traore. He of the roulette own goal. Barely looked like a footballer.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Thomas Gravesen - Real Madrid.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Tom cleverly - harsh?
Obertan - did he have any good games?

Bebe clearly.
Obertan had that one game in Germany where he looked decent.

 

[Ali Dia]

Me!!!

that Southampton team was great I don’t care what anyone says!

 

[V.O.]

Pretty much every time someone in Madrid went mental and decided to inexplicably sign a midtable PL clogger.

 

[JPRouve]

Pretty much every time someone in Madrid went mental and decided to inexplicably sign a midtable PL clogger.

Gravesen was definitely weird. Faubert was so comfortable that he fell asleep on the bench, so I don't know if he fits with the OP.

 

[paulscholes18]

Thomas Gravesen - Real Madrid.

Raise you

Julian Faubert - Real Madrid

 

[Rozay]

Thomas Gravesen - Real Madrid.

Raise you

Julian Faubert - Real Madrid

Those were not great teams I’d say. Great club, that’s about it.

 

[Rozay]

Anyway, isn’t this a running joke in reference to David May?

 

[Redcy]

Obertan got 58 games for Newcastle and 2 goals?

 

[adexkola]

Those were not great teams I’d say.

This.

 

[Pat_Mustard]

Guivarc'h for France in 1998 was pretty much Serginho 2.0.

 

[Pughnichi]

Darren Ferguson

 

[Champagne Football]

Loris Karius at Liverpool

Paul Green for Ireland

Paul Robinson for England

Hulk for Brazil.

 

[Pexbo]

Benteke at Liverpool

Strange choice. He played for them in 15/16 when they came 8th and had a trash squad.

 

[paraguayo]

Capdevila

 

[2 man midfield]

Paul Robinson for England

Good shout. His name sticks out like a sore thumb in the Euro 2004 first 11.

 

[Maluco]

He has no clue. In those 2 title winning seasons he was a major contributor in City's defensive record being so good.

Haha no clue. I watched games. He was always grabby and, I am sure for a lot of people that watched them, he was the one that you would point out as a potential weakness.

We shouldn’t have to state “in my opinion” with every post on an Internet forum, but because of posts like these, it seems we need to.

IN MY OPINION, from watching their games, I always felt he was often the most limited footballer in the eleven and not in the same class as his teammates.

A good defender on occasion, but IN MY OPINION, limited as a footballer with far greater players around him. In a Pep Guardiola team, he was an outlier in that sense.

Removing those players this season would seem to suggest that it’s at least a potential argument.

 

[ThinkTank@Cafe]

Fredo in Corleone FC.

 

[Champagne Football]

Strange choice. He played for them in 15/16 when they came 8th and had a trash squad.

He's been gash ever since he went to Liverpool. Before going there they were saying he's the new lukaku

 

[horsechoker]

Fredo in Corleone FC.

 

[Gazza]

Bebe. That game vs Wolves at Old Trafford, I certainly felt bad for the guy.

 

[Rozay]

Giroud and Guivarch for France in their two World Cup wins. Defensive strikers.

 

[simplyared]

Takumi Minamino (Liverpool)

 

[youngrell]

Felt a bit sorry for Forlan for a while. I remember one game where all I could hear on the TV was Keane shouting DIEGO every 5 minutes.

Obviously came into his own later on.

 

[ReddBalls]

Mustafi for Germany in 2014. The whole team's performance dropped every time he came on.

 

[Sunny Jim]

Thomas Gravesen - Real Madrid.

He wasnt bad at all.

 

[Luke1995]

Torres started his run of terrible form in the World Cup 2010, Spain's greatest moment.

He was mostly used as a substitute. Had he started more games, it is doubtful they would have won the tournament.

It was shocking because his 2009-10 season was very good, and he had been a key part of the Euro 2008 winning squad, but he looked so out of his depth in 2010, while the team were playing beautiful football.

 

[Sandikan]

He was a starter in a title winning team wasn't he? Odd example.

That's the premise of the whole thread isn't it?
Poor players in great teams.

 

[FootballHQ]

He has no clue. In those 2 title winning seasons he was a major contributor in City's defensive record being so good.

I can see where he's coming from, was terrible for Argentina in the world cup which came straight after that record title win.

He's an average CB imo, Laporte is much better for example. It's similar to when Lovren comes in for Van Dijk and suddenly Liverpool are a little more vulnerable in defence like the Watford defeat.