Saka vs Foden vs Palmer

I mean reading through this thread he kinda is
Is this thread the best and only barometer for measuring whether a footballer is underrated? Outside of the caf, I don't know anyone who thinks Foden is overrated. Everyone seems to think he's one of the best players in Europe.
 
Is this thread the best and only barometer for measuring whether a footballer is underrated? Outside of the caf, I don't know anyone who thinks Foden is overrated. Everyone seems to think he's one of the best players in Europe.
He is one of the best players in Europe, technically. He's not Rooney though
 
Saka - been very consistent for a number of years for both club and country and to me has the most complete game when he factor in his positional versatility and work off-the-ball.
 
I think he is a better overall player than Saka even though it's early days. Saka is highly effective, but he only really ever cuts in and shoots or whips in crosses. He's devastating with those weapons and you could argue that's what you want from your right forward.

I think you could put Palmer anywhere on the park though, and he'd influence the game, seems to have the brain, vision and technique for it.
That’s all Robben did too and it’s enough if you’re good enough at it.
 
... because Pep was too stubborn to give Palmer the gametime he wanted during City's title winning seasons. Hence why he pushed to leave on a permanent transfer, and City (stupidly) agreed to sell their best academy talent in decades to another PL club.

Without question. And City spend 100m on Grealish, who's decent but not really a City system man.

If there's one player from the other 19 prem clubs I could take and bring to United, it would be Rodri...but Palmer would be a close second. In terms of what United really need right now, it's a footballer whose instincts in the final third are world class and his name is Cole Palmer.
 
Without question. And City spend 100m on Grealish, who's decent but not really a City system man.

If there's one player from the other 19 prem clubs I could take and bring to United, it would be Rodri...but Palmer would be a close second. In terms of what United really need right now, it's a footballer whose instincts in the final third are world class and his name is Cole Palmer.
I agree with those top 2. Saka would probably be top 5 (behind a couple of strikers). Foden wouldn't make my top 10.
 
I agree with those top 2. Saka would probably be top 5 (behind a couple of strikers). Foden wouldn't make my top 10.

Perhaps I should start such a thread, asking if you could take three players — so that we avoid it becoming an all prem XI thread — from the other 19 clubs, with the proviso that you cannot take more than one player from each. We would all have to choose, for example, between Rodri and Haaland. And one more proviso, one only forward, one midfielder and one defender or goalkeeper.

While I mull that over, it it’s definitely Rodri and Palmer. As much I like Foden and acknowledge he would start for us over any of our current options, he tends to disappear and is a distant second, as you note, to Saka among these three.
 
Saka is playing really well recently, every time I watch Arsenal he stands out. Seems to be getting better with every passing season. Has a presence about him on that right wing, probably only Salah better than him atm.
 
Is this thread the best and only barometer for measuring whether a footballer is underrated? Outside of the caf, I don't know anyone who thinks Foden is overrated. Everyone seems to think he's one of the best players in Europe.
What fools
 
Perhaps I should start such a thread, asking if you could take three players — so that we avoid it becoming an all prem XI thread — from the other 19 clubs, with the proviso that you cannot take more than one player from each. We would all have to choose, for example, between Rodri and Haaland. And one more proviso, one only forward, one midfielder and one defender or goalkeeper.

While I mull that over, it it’s definitely Rodri and Palmer. As much I like Foden and acknowledge he would start for us over any of our current options, he tends to disappear and is a distant second, as you note, to Saka among these three.
Decent idea, although it might feel a little disheartening having a thread dedicated to waxing lyrical over our rival's best players.
 
They are all young, some extremely young. Yet so far all of them are quite lightweight for their roles and have a tendency of having dips in form and patches withing games or even periods with really bad decision making.

In their defense not few times their coaches also want them to play too many diff roles too often.

Technically they are quite gifted, but they do not have the power and pace of Rooney...all around game and intelligence of Charlton, the skills and out of the blue improvistaion while being quite bulky of Gazza (sadly a looney) or the 80's alike type of extremely talented in all eras fella like Hoddle with a proper build to come along.

They can produce lots of moments, numbers, be an absolute asset, so far they do not look like players you can put a team over their shoulders, nor be a constant reliable Robin presence like Iniesta. Time will tell.
 
Perhaps I should start such a thread, asking if you could take three players — so that we avoid it becoming an all prem XI thread — from the other 19 clubs, with the proviso that you cannot take more than one player from each. We would all have to choose, for example, between Rodri and Haaland. And one more proviso, one only forward, one midfielder and one defender or goalkeeper.

While I mull that over, it it’s definitely Rodri and Palmer. As much I like Foden and acknowledge he would start for us over any of our current options, he tends to disappear and is a distant second, as you note, to Saka among these three.

Haaland (sorry Hojlund), Palmer, Rice. Easy. Gvardiol honorary mention. Not taking any Liverpool players, on principle.
 
That’s all Robben did too and it’s enough if you’re good enough at it.
Robben is absolutely who I think of when I watch Saka. It absolutely is enough, especially when he plays in the same team as Odegaard.

I'm still standing by my opinion that Palmer is or will be the better player. Unbelievable vision and awareness, I love players that are so good they make the game look easy.
 
This was my point. I don't see how Foden can possibly be called underrated right now.

When people are now saying he’s miles and miles behind Saka and Palmer, then he’s being grossly underrated.

I’ve seen some of that on this forum but I’ve seen a lot of it on the internet in general. It’s like people did a complete 180 on Foden during the euros.
 
A player like Palmer can single handedly win you a game regardless of how your team is playing. Very few players in the world like that and most are at Real Madrid/ Barcelona.
 
Saka has been well clear of Foden for a while now. He contributes so much more to attacks and puts a shift in off-the-ball as well. Not been the best few months for Palmer either, albeit that is partly due to injuries.
 
They're all quality players, but it takes a lot for me to rank a player above another who's been an actual POTY and has contributed to multiple PL wins... The only player in the bunch who has done this also.
 
They're all quality players, but it takes a lot for me to rank a player above another who's been an actual POTY and has contributed to multiple PL wins... The only player in the bunch who has done this also.
It's just a product of the side he plays for in my opinion. Just compare them in the same side (England). They're all talented for sure but to me Foden has always been a little overrated.
 
It's been like this for over 18 months now:

1) Saka
2) Palmer
3) Foden

Everyone has been trying to will Foden's ability into existence for years. That PFA player of the year award felt undeserved. I've never believed he was much more than a less injury-prone Mason Mount.
 
Is it true that Saka has gone 1 year without registering a PL assist?
 
I think Saka has been the most consistent, Palmer has had the most outstanding season yet Foden is or was the most talented out of the bunch.
 
I don't really like any of them but, if I were to say who I'm enjoying seeing, that has to be Palmer.

But all three of them look like players who are missing something to be truly world class or high quality.
 
Is it true that Saka has gone 1 year without registering a PL assist?
Possibly, though I doubt it. He had 10 assists in 25 league games last year.

Though his form has dropped off a fair bit. From a combination of all of the injuries of the last 18 months, and without Odegaard and to a lesser extent, White, he’s not consistently getting the ball in positions where he can generate end product. The change of Havertz/ Ode to Gyokores/ Eze is from players he linked up well with, to more pure finishers, for good and bad. If he can now stay fit for a prolonged period, and the same for Ode, I see no reason he can’t get back to his best though.
 
Possibly, though I doubt it. He had 10 assists in 25 league games last year.

Though his form has dropped off a fair bit. From a combination of all of the injuries of the last 18 months, and without Odegaard and to a lesser extent, White, he’s not consistently getting the ball in positions where he can generate end product. The change of Havertz/ Ode to Gyokores/ Eze is from players he linked up well with, to more pure finishers, for good and bad. If he can now stay fit for a prolonged period, and the same for Ode, I see no reason he can’t get back to his best though.
Arsenal seem to play better with Eze on the pitch though. Also without Gyokeres, Merino or Havertz type as no.9.
 
Is it true that Saka has gone 1 year without registering a PL assist?
It seems like it. His last one was on 30 Nov 2024. Has scored a lot of goals though.
 
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Arsenal seem to play better with Eze on the pitch though. Also without Gyokeres, Merino or Havertz type as no.9.
I think it’s too early to say that re. Eze. His all round game has been a bit underwhelming for me so far, and isn’t close to Odegaard’s. Partially then the reason why the likes of Saka, and possibly Gyokores, not having been great in open play for the last couple of months.

Though as a goal scorer and ‘box player’ he’s clearly a huge upgrade. Odegaard’s finishing has gone to shit after scoring an insane number of goals in the 22-23 season. Hopefully Eze can make it work on the left.

Agree with you on Merino/ Havertz.
 
He's not really been his old self since his major hamstring injury in December last year to be honest. He's had a few games where he's looked back to his best, but the impact of surgery and missing 12 weeks of football hasn't really been overcome yet. Hope it's not a permanent loss of speed.