The Caf's "Past it or just out of form?" thread

[tomaldinho1]

Kante is nowhere near the player he was a few seasons ago. I wouldn't say he's finished, but I wouldn't be splashing big money on him now and expecting the same level of performance of 2 or 3 years ago

Terrible call in my opinion. When he's fit, he plays and Chelsea normally do well. World class player just had injuries.

Bale is over the hill, dare I say Messi's decline is more obvious now that team is a bit more 'normal' without invoking the wrath of his fans?

 

[Gio]

Don't think this is true at all actually - his performance levels have never dropped, he just struggled with injuries last year because he was rushed back to play the EL final under Sarri. He's playing as well as he ever has for Chelsea since being moved deeper to the 6 - currently leading the PL in tackles+interceptions. He's also significantly better at carrying the ball and passing now than he was a few years ago.

Agree with this.

 

[Chipper]

Good call. How he came back from a year out at his age, I cannot fathom.

It's to the point where I'm a bit suspicious of him. Now that might say more about me than him, could even be flattering towards him in a way.

 

[Pow]

Kante has been excellent this season.

Muller and neuer were 2 players written off that come back on form last season.

 

[VeevaVee]

I’ll never forget the Rooney case. Those of us who called it got loads of flack. Took ages to get the masses on board. The thing is, he’d been a bit shit for a while even before we started calling it.

 

[Lay]

Freddy Adu can turn it around.

He signed for a lower league Swedish side recently

 

[Lay]

I’ll never forget the Rooney case. Those of us who called it got loads of flack. Took ages to get the masses on board. The thing is, he’d been a bit shit for a while even before we started calling it.

This! I had so many arguments at work about Rooney. It took about 2 years for them to realise it as well

 

[Isotope]

Bale and Eriksen definitely declined (Bale a while ago)

So you would say no to those two at United?

 

[DOTA]

He signed for a lower league Swedish side recently

And doesn't appear to have played a game for them. He should be really fresh when he gets going again.

 

[TheMagicFoolBus]

Kante has been excellent this season.

Muller and neuer were 2 players written off that come back on form last season.

Good shout - Hummels as well has looked far better since returning to Dortmund than he ever did at Bayern.

 

[GazTheLegend]

Kind of low hanging fruit I know but is Ozil actually past it or was it his money/political views/whatever that got him binned?

Is Matic completely past it now? He looks even slower than he was. I'd be rid asap and replacing him with someone mobile from pretty much anywhere at this point, he's basically a passenger against good sides.

Bale is clearly kind of done and we did well to steer clear of that.

 

[Lay]

And doesn't appear to have played a game for them. He should be really fresh when he gets going again.

Season has started yet. Soon, he will be the player he should have become

 

[padr81]

Gonna focus a bit on my club.

Fernandinho - past it.

Messi - will be better at a new club but will never go as high as even his last season

Aguero - I think he's done, will still be a good player but never the best striker in the league again

Bernardo.Silva - I love the guy but this is his true level, the Silva of 2 years ago was a one off

 

[Gazza]

Gonna focus a bit on my club.

Fernandinho - past it.

Messi - will be better at a new club but will never go as high as even his last season

Aguero - I think he's done, will still be a good player but never the best striker in the league again

Bernardo.Silva - I love the guy but this is his true level, the Silva of 2 years ago was a one off

City is an interesting one, if Fernandino, Silva and Aguero are all done, and they still need to replace D Silva, they have a lot of signings they need to get right in the medium term.

Would you add Mahrez to that list? 30 in February! Is he likely to be a regular starter now you have Torres?

 

[Gazza]

Kind of low hanging fruit I know but is Ozil actually past it or was it his money/political views/whatever that got him binned?

Is Matic completely past it now? He looks even slower than he was. I'd be rid asap and replacing him with someone mobile from pretty much anywhere at this point, he's basically a passenger against good sides.

Bale is clearly kind of done and we did well to steer clear of that.

Ozil is surely done. Otherwise Arsenal are mad.

 

[rcoobc]

I’ll never forget the Rooney case. Those of us who called it got loads of flack. Took ages to get the masses on board. The thing is, he’d been a bit shit for a while even before we started calling it.

Problem is, people had been saying it long before that.

Go back the the Utd-City 2011 thread where Rooney drops his overhead kick, he was getting so much abuse. A lot of people said he was past it (12 months after his best season). Then he shows he's still quality in 0.5s.

Of course in reality his performances were dropping and continued to drop. It's not a cliff edge though it's a spectrum.

2010 peak, 2011 decline, 2012 decline, decline, decline, decline

I don't think there was a moment where you can say is"hes no longer a United player" it depends on what you want from him

 

[GazTheLegend]

Gonna focus a bit on my club.

Fernandinho - past it.

Messi - will be better at a new club but will never go as high as even his last season

Aguero - I think he's done, will still be a good player but never the best striker in the league again

Bernardo.Silva - I love the guy but this is his true level, the Silva of 2 years ago was a one off

I guess I have to ask as you obv watch City a lot more than any of us but was Kompany actually past it when you let him go or did you do it too soon?

Sort of struggling to think of any other city player that's clearly in decline but Aguero is a strange one. I can't imagine him playing long into his 30's.

 

[KirkDuyt]

Robben

 

[Cloud7]

Ever since the post 2018 World Cup there's been a strong feeling that De Gea is past it. Two years later and he's probably gotten worse since then, so at this point I think it's safe to say that it's not an issue of form anymore.

 

[Cloud7]

I’ll never forget the Rooney case. Those of us who called it got loads of flack. Took ages to get the masses on board. The thing is, he’d been a bit shit for a while even before we started calling it.

Rooney had been crap for a fair few years before people were willing to accept that he was past it. It was such an uphill battle for our fanbase to come to terms with it.

 

[padr81]

City is an interesting one, if Fernandino, Silva and Aguero are all done, and they still need to replace D Silva, they have a lot of signings they need to get right in the medium term.

Would you add Mahrez to that list? 30 in February! Is he likely to be a regular starter now you have Torres?

Oops I forgot it was City only and added him in. I think Mahrez is a good player but a square peg in a round hole at City. I think he'd excel in a system that's more about the individual and not so demanding in the press.

 

[padr81]

I guess I have to ask as you obv watch City a lot more than any of us but was Kompany actually past it when you let him go or did you do it too soon?

Sort of struggling to think of any other city player that's clearly in decline but Aguero is a strange one. I can't imagine him playing long into his 30's.

A season too soon for me. Id say on the decline but still good enough to partner Laporte when he was fit.

Similar to David Silva who we let leave and has been one of the best players in La Liga this season.