Didn't Blomqvist start the 99 cl final? That's someone who comes to mind, standard below the rest of that world class midfield and left Man. United about a year later.
Poor players in great teams - those who were so far out of their depth you felt sorry for them?
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Possibly true, but he was our best player in the 1968 European Cup Final
He's talking about Otamendi for City.
And regardless of the gap between Laporte and Otamendi, during their last 2 title winning seasons, he was nowhere near the liability that poster, or the opening post in this thread suggested. He wasn't even mediocre. But again, it's easy to understand how people form opinions off 1 or 2 games.
Maybe Cleverley for us. Started many games when we won the last tiitle. We didn't have the best squad in the world then, but the midfield partner to Carrick was still a weakness.
Kalou with us.
He scored a respectable number of goals but quality wise he was streets below Drogba, Malouda and Anelka.
He scored a respectable number of goals but quality wise he was streets below Drogba, Malouda and Anelka.
Paulo Ferreira and Glen Johnson (both rotated at RB) in 04/05 aswell.
Neither were bad but next to Terry, Carvalho and Gallas with Maka Infront they were an obvious weak link and the few times we did concede always seemed to be from that side.
Neither were bad but next to Terry, Carvalho and Gallas with Maka Infront they were an obvious weak link and the few times we did concede always seemed to be from that side.
I’m fairly sure johnson looked really talented as a youngster. Did he just not kick on or was he never that good to begin with?
He was decent but he was still a level or two below who he was playing with at that point (as was Paulo) hence me including them into this.
IIRC around 2009/2009 when at Pompey he stepped up his game and at that point looked like he could have really become something, Ancelotti wanted to bring him back here but Johnson chose Liverpool and he never really kicked on from there (poor decision in hindsight given that summer was the start of Liverpool turning to shit for 6 of the following 7 season's).
Boulahrouz was signed around then wasn't he?
I agree . For me he is a bang average player who has no outstanding attributes to his game ..
I don't think they fall into the category of feeling sorry for them, but If I remember well they seemed very bad compared to their team mates.
Begiristain at Cruyff's Barcelona.
Bogarde and Ronald de Boer with Van Gaal.
At Deportivo, with Irureta, Romero, the left back.
He spent years and years casting doubts. Tidy defensively but very very clueless.
The last time I had that feeling in Madrid was with Arbeloa.
Begiristain at Cruyff's Barcelona.
Bogarde and Ronald de Boer with Van Gaal.
At Deportivo, with Irureta, Romero, the left back.
He spent years and years casting doubts. Tidy defensively but very very clueless.
The last time I had that feeling in Madrid was with Arbeloa.
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He was signed after the two titles, IIRC it was a late buy as we still had some small hope to talk Gallas around till quite late on.
Bizzari was a woeful keeper for Madrid in late 90s, he was still playing in Italy very recently. Luckily Casillas emerged at that point.
Not true at all. He was a fantastic left back in his pomp.
He only really left due to injuries, he was pretty good after finding his feet. By no means a poor player.
Yes, of course. Madrid can form a full squad of horrendous signings, but he did not play much and that team did not win anything.
From that time perhaps I would highlight Iván Campo, who won the Eighth against Valencia
Edit, yes Bizarri was in the 99/00
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From memory, Fernando Sanz had a few decent games but frequently looked out of sorts for Madrid. And that was a really good team too, one of the best of the era — Champions League and Intercontinental Cup winners with the likes of Raúl, Redondo, Carlos, Mijatović, Hierro and so forth. No doubt got a leg up in the playing department because of his father and then Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz (who recently passed away because of COVID-19)...
Ended up having a pretty robust career by all accounts, though — a genuine bulwark and captain at Málaga, and eventually the club's president/owner (Link).
Ended up having a pretty robust career by all accounts, though — a genuine bulwark and captain at Málaga, and eventually the club's president/owner (Link).
I probably don't know enough about La Liga to comment but there was a player for Barcelona called Christian Tello, me and my friends were watching a Classico I think it must have been at Uni one year. This lad bless him looked so far out of his depth compared to the Barcelona superstars , it's the only game I can ever legit remember watching where I without doubt noticed a couple of the players (including Messi) purposely choose to not pass to him. I only really watch Barca in the Classico or in the Champions League so couldn't say if he was consistently that bad.
Just had a little look and seems he's still playing in La Liga with Betis and seemed he did score a few goals as a Barca youngster so perhaps I'm being a little harsh but I just remembered being in disbelief at his level compared to the others.
Just had a little look and seems he's still playing in La Liga with Betis and seemed he did score a few goals as a Barca youngster so perhaps I'm being a little harsh but I just remembered being in disbelief at his level compared to the others.
Martin Braithwaite.
Poor fella. Biggest trophy win of his career by a mile and he probably wishes the trophy presentaton could be erased from history.The German World Cup winning team of 2014 had quite a few names who you would look at now and think 'uh?'
Mustafi, Erik Durm, Christoph Kramer but, chief among them, Kevin Grosskreutz.
He's also won 2 Bundesliga titles, a DFB Cup and a champions league runners up medal with the great Dortmund side under Klopp. He always looked like so out of place with his lack of technical quality whenever he was on the pitch, was really only there for his work rate.
The fact that he's only made 10 appearances in the top division after leaving Dortmund in 2015, and is currently playing in the third division eventhough still 31, says a bit about his true level of ability.
Mustafi, Erik Durm, Christoph Kramer but, chief among them, Kevin Grosskreutz.
He's also won 2 Bundesliga titles, a DFB Cup and a champions league runners up medal with the great Dortmund side under Klopp. He always looked like so out of place with his lack of technical quality whenever he was on the pitch, was really only there for his work rate.
The fact that he's only made 10 appearances in the top division after leaving Dortmund in 2015, and is currently playing in the third division eventhough still 31, says a bit about his true level of ability.
Exactly this. You’re not going to find an absolutely woeful player in a great side, otherwise they wouldn’t be a great side.
It’s easy to not look as bad with Kompany beside you and Fernandinho screening in a team that has 70% possession.
He has always made mistakes and this season, he has been brutally exposed with his screen removed and him actually having to defend regularly.
Arbeloa in the 2008-2012 spain national team. They had a full world class squad and Arbeloa.
Really hate the attitude mate. Just because someone’s opinion differs to yours, the petty writing it off and saying they “don’t have a clue”, isn’t debate or comversation, it’s just sad.
Try not to be so arrogant and think that people, shock horror, might watch football just as much as you and have a different opinion.
I think Otamendi was the weakest player in that City side and, when compared to players are other Pep teams, stuck out like a sore thumb. He isn’t a Pep player for me. I have watched him many times, and that it my view of him as a player.
Disgree, argue the point, but don’t assume you just know more. It’s a bad look.
Bebe at ManUnited. Seemed like a nice person and his transfer wasn't his fault. It didn't even cost that much to be honest.
There’s a difference between players who lacked ability versus those whose confidence collapses but proved their worth elsewhere. For all they stood out in a bad way at United, I think Taibi and Forlan showed more than enough during the rest of their careers to escape a mention here.
Not sure about the Capdevilla shout either. He was reliable enough for Spain and good for Deportivo. Defensively I’d take him over Sergi who he effectively replaced in the national team. Speaking of which the late 90s/early 00s Barcelona teams always had a couple of ropey defenders undermining everyone else’s efforts.
Not sure about the Capdevilla shout either. He was reliable enough for Spain and good for Deportivo. Defensively I’d take him over Sergi who he effectively replaced in the national team. Speaking of which the late 90s/early 00s Barcelona teams always had a couple of ropey defenders undermining everyone else’s efforts.
Peter Ramage at Newcastle. Think he made his EPL debut against us and was horrific for 30 minutes. To the point he was at fault for goals and his team mates were consoling a lost boy. He was subbed prior to half time and slowly worked his way down the lesser leagues. To be fair. Not quite on point because it was hardly a great Newcastle team either. It’s the worst performance I have seen though
Ambrosini at Milan?
Raul Bravo and Francisco Pavon at Real Madrid.
Senderos at Arsenal.
Matip, Liverpool.
Senderos at Arsenal.
Matip, Liverpool.
Oleg Luzhny and Igor Stepanovs at Arsenal
I disagree. Blomqvist had a very good first season. His career at United ended due to a knee injury that kept him out of football for two years, nothing to do with his performances.
Standard below the rest of the midfield yes, but look at that midfield!
But certainly not poor, and thus really doesn't fit this thread.
I am surprised by that. I don't recall ever watching him and thinking he was poor. He is no Van Dijk but at times he has kept Gomez out of that side. I think hes a very good defender. I wish he was poor ha
Not really. A poor player doesn't start for a great team. I believe this is about somebody who is out of his depth at the biggest stage/at a top team. Something like the player equivalent of Moyes at United.
The famous Cone. Bang average and extremely annoying player. Now he is an annoying ex-player who keeps himself relevant with digs at Barca
The funny thing about Gravesen is that technically he wasn't poor at all. He was a really good passer and was very creative at Everton. The problem was is that Madrid mistakenly thought he was some sort of midfielder enforcer when in reality he couldn't tackle at all.
There is a running joke and funny rumour at Everton that the Madrid scouts confused Gravesen to his partner at the time Lee Carsley who was small , bald and stocky like Gravesen. Carsley was the real midfield enforcer in the team and exactly the type of midfielder Madrid should of been signing after the sale of Makelele. Somebody with much more quality than Carsley though clearly.
Funny enough even Moyes and Graveson have acknowledged the rumour :
"Everyone used to confuse him with Lee Carsley, so when Real Madrid looked for him at Everton, we said is it the right one? Is it Carsley or is it Tommy Gravesen?" smiled Moyes.
"Because they were both bald and all that. Tommy was mental, in a good way. He was a good player. He could control the game.
"He could hold the ball and we loved him. We could not believe it, you know?"
“I heard that,” Gravesen admitted in an interview with the Telegraph a decade ago. “And you know what? If they had signed Carsley instead of me, I wouldn’t have been surprised. He did a tremendous job for Everton. Tremendous.”
Players that fitted in this category but came out if it.
Phil Neville
Darren Fletcher
Lucas (Liverpool)
Phil Neville
Darren Fletcher
Lucas (Liverpool)
Fred for Brazil at the 2014 World Cup. It looked like he had won a competition to be there.I have no idea if they had anyone better, but either way, he was awful.
Hulk in my opinion was just as bad but Fred took most of the criticism