Best Players So Far..

[PEARCEY]

^ I spelt it Oezil the first time around then realised others had spelt it without the e....I give in.

[chilipepper91]

Technically should be Oe because that's how to spell the umlaut if you can't put it in... But nobody really cares tbh

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Have to say I f*cking love Schweinsteiger

Truely awesome player who has something England's midfielders have never had... intelligence, vision and a comfort when on the ball

[Barry the bird boggler]

Have to say I f*cking love Schweinsteiger

Truely awesome player who has something England's midfielders have never had... intelligence, vision and a comfort when on the ball

Not as good as Sigurdsson though

[chilipepper91]

Not sure I heard it right but I think after about half an hour the two comms were saying that out of the English and German teams, you'd only have taken 1 or 2 players from the Germans?

I'd take Lahm over Johnson, Mertesacker over Upson, Schweinsteiger over Barry, Oezil over Defoe (adjusting for formation), Podolski over Gerrard (as a left winger) and it'd be tight between Mueller and Milner/Lennon.

And you can't argue with the fact that Klose has scored as many WC goals as Pele, no matter how much "potential" Rooney might have.

[PEARCEY]

Not sure I heard it right but I think after about half an hour the two comms were saying that out of the English and German teams, you'd only have taken 1 or 2 players from the Germans?

I'd take Lahm over Johnson, Mertesacker over Upson, Schweinsteiger over Barry, Oezil over Defoe (adjusting for formation), Podolski over Gerrard (as a left winger) and it'd be tight between Mueller and Milner/Lennon.

And you can't argue with the fact that Klose has scored as many WC goals as Pele, no matter how much "potential" Rooney might have.

Yes that was Guy Mowbrey. Mentioned this earlier on this thread. Utterly deluded and arrogant thing to say. I'd take all 6 Germans above you have mentioned over the England players.

[Tails]

Lampard

[Maguire]

Not sure I heard it right but I think after about half an hour the two comms were saying that out of the English and German teams, you'd only have taken 1 or 2 players from the Germans?

I'd take Lahm over Johnson, Mertesacker over Upson, Schweinsteiger over Barry, Oezil over Defoe (adjusting for formation), Podolski over Gerrard (as a left winger) and it'd be tight between Mueller and Milner/Lennon.

And you can't argue with the fact that Klose has scored as many WC goals as Pele, no matter how much "potential" Rooney might have.

Mertesacker is a bit shit.

You'd certainly take Lahm and Schweinsteiger without any shadow a doubt. They're clearly top-drawer players.

[Hoop Blah]

And the ironic thing about those two Germans is that neither of them are playing in their traditional position.

Lahm is generally a left back and has been played on the right, whilst Schweinsteiger has traditionally been a wide player hasn't he, until this season at least.

[Ferris]

Alexis Sanchez has been awesome.

[Maguire]

And the ironic thing about those two Germans is that neither of them are playing in their traditional position.

Lahm is generally a left back and has been played on the right, whilst Schweinsteiger has traditionally been a wide player hasn't he, until this season at least.

I don't really agree i'm afraid. I was under the impression that Schweinsteiger converted to a central midfielder rather than being forced to play there out of necessity.

And as for Lahm, well he's right-footed and played right-back for Bayern Munich last season including the CL final.

[Hoop Blah]

Their traditional roles is what I said though.

Schweinsteiger hasn't been forced to play there, it's been his position for most of this season I think. My point is that in comparison to all the 'square pegs in round holes' we hear about with the England players here are two players who've adapted well to new/different positions and performed very well.

Lahm is capable on both sides, and has played both for years from what I remember, but he's played a hell of a lot more at left back, and apparently prefers to play there from what I've read or heard too.

[Hoop Blah]

Actually, I'll take that back on Lahm.

I just googled it to see where I'd read it as I couldn't remember and it looks like he actually prefers playing on the right not left, so although he first came to prominance on the left, it's the right that he's most comfortable in.

Shows how well he played at left back though, so in some ways my original point still makes sense.

[CMRoyal]

Not sure I heard it right but I think after about half an hour the two comms were saying that out of the English and German teams, you'd only have taken 1 or 2 players from the Germans?

Yes, I turned to my son at that point and asked whether they really meant it that way round. But it was a meaningless thing for the commentator to say anyway because clearly you would take the German TEAM as a whole ahead of England's eleven individuals. The narrow-mindedness, myopia and just plain ignorance about the world game being displayed by many pundits takes the breath away at times. They seem genuinely surprised that non-Premier League players who aren't either Spanish, Brazilian, Argentinian or Italian can actually be a bit good. Lahm, De Michelis, Schweinsteiger and Muller all played in this years Champions League final, you dolts.

[Maguire]

They seem genuinely surprised that non-Premier League players who aren't either Spanish, Brazilian, Argentinian or Italian can actually be a bit good. Lahm, De Michelis, Schweinsteiger and Muller all played in this years Champions League final, you dolts.

Demichelis is Argentinian isn't he? But I take your point.

[CMRoyal]

They seem genuinely surprised that non-Premier League players who aren't either Spanish, Brazilian, Argentinian or Italian can actually be a bit good. Lahm, De Michelis, Schweinsteiger and Muller all played in this years Champions League final, you dolts.

Demichelis is Argentinian isn't he? But I take your point.

Fair point, so he is!

[Big Foot]

Javier Hernandez has impressed me

[readingfc13]

I wouldn't say he could be considered one of the best players so far but I was quite impressed with Lukman Haruna of Nigera who currently plays for Monaco. Only 19 and looked quite assured in midfield whenever he played. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oczUmXl2Gz8

Edit: Christ! How could I forget Alexis Sanchez of Chile!? He is a top player and it will be very interesting to see how he does against Brazil tonight.

[Mr Optimist]

Wesley Sneijder is making the Dutch tick along very nicely thank you very much. In a similar way as he does for Inter Milan.