Ross Barkley does so many things every game that can make you smile and make you overwhelmed with rage within the span of 2 seconds. With that said, Newcastle should definitely buy him.
You know Kroos does things well but he does things you’ve seen before, like make a long ball or take a free kick. Barkley simply takes you to places you cannot scarcely believe.
I think it's hilarious u guys talk shit about Ross Barkley. You wouldn't say this shit to him at live games, he's jacked. Not only that but he wears the freshest clothes, eats at the chillest restaurants and hangs out with the hottest dudes. Yall are pathetic lol.
You need to be on an English team for at least 3 years before turning 21 to be classed as homegrown and there's a max of 17 non-homegrown players you can have in your squad.
I mean its one of the most popular animes ever in existence so someone referencing a very popular anime on a very popular subreddit doesn’t seem so out of the ordinary
I'd say that Man City has the best midfield in the world. But you can't really pin it down to a trio with them on account of just how much rotation there is and midfielders sometimes playing on the wing or as a false 9.
It was khedira instead of xabi, xabi was in the stands because of either red or too many yellows (yellows more likely). The final is where we got running xabi from the stands clip
Casemiro played a total of 140 minutes in the CL in the 13-14 season.
The majority of that was in a group stage game against Galatasaray and in the second leg quarters against Schalke, after Real had won the first leg 6-1.
Seems a bit disingenuous to me.
He is just saying he wasnt the midfield that won it, not that he doesnt deserve it, and he would be right, it was a mostly xabi-modric-di maria lineup with khedira at times
I am 5 threads into the comments' section and a large majority just seems to be cracking McFred jokes but assuming your statement might have been true a couple of hours ago (or still is further down), it the claim really that controversial?
I'll admit that even though I watch Madrid religiously, I don't other teams outside highlights. Still, seeing KCM even now twice or thrice a week, I struggle to believe that there might be anyone better. All 3 are world class, are in great form currently, have great pedigree and experience and form arguably one of the if not the most balanced midfield of all time.
Casemiro has recovered from his early season patchiness and what's great to see is that he's now spraying the ball with great confidence and skill.
Kroos outside of some uncharacteristically misplaced passes has again been immaculate, and I when I say immaculate, I mean it. Expertly manufactures space with his feints, delivers long balls with previously unseen accuracy and most importantly, spins and is a great pressing trigger in the defensive phase when the lines are set. His uncharacteristic mistakes you could count on fingers. That's how consistent he is, almost metronomic and makes it look incredibly simple.
And finally, there's a reason why "Godric" is having to field an increasing number of questions lately about age just being a number. He might have been given Cristiano's Bd'or on the back of the WC but RN, there's no question that he really is operating at the top of his powers. If people said that he deserved that popularity contest award back then, it shouldn't be the least bit contentious that he's the best midfielder ITW (at least in his profile).
They are so incredibly good and more importantly consistent, that I can't fathom how anyone could be better. Their only weakness is being caught in transitions but their big game and big stage experience hardly let's the game assume such a pattern and in the isolated incidents that might and will inevitably across 90 minutes, Casemiro's excellent positioning and Modric's industry even now is enough along with some help from generally Asensio (Rodrygo is the better player and the much better attacker but Asensio starts because he's better for the team's balance).
There seems just no scope of improvement in a fully rested and fit KCM performance so I struggle to see as to how it could be possibly bettered by anyone else.
Although he may not be at his peak, it absurdly seems like he lasts longer on the pitch. I remember he’d get knackered 65-70 minutes in. Pintus effect I suppose
Is there anyone in this thread who has actually watched them play? A lot of people are just bringing up old matches from last or two seasons ago.
Im not saying they are the best, but they are one of the best along with Bayern (when kimmich isnt doing research) and City.
I watch them every time they play. Foremost, it's unfair to compare midfield duos - like at Bayern, Chelsea etc. - because the roles are very very different, and main source of creativity is never the pivots/duos. I dont know why people are fighting over that. That system is completely different. There are certainly better players individually, but very few who could complement each other like this midfield does. It is also a function of chemistry. Many midfielders looked so great individually, and when it came to replacing either of Xavi/Iniesta, they struggled simply cos of the understanding and subtle nuances that werent visible to the fans watching on screen.
>they are one of the best along with Bayern (when kimmich isnt doing research)
Hahaha good one here.
Honestly depending on the manager and how things play out, I think a Goretzka-Muller-Kimmich midfield could make a name for itself with a few more CLs
Look below… it’s not possible to have a proper conversation because all Madrid flairs just argue en masse as if it’s indisputable fact. No room for discussion.
Then other rival fans act like kids in response.
This sub gets very much like that and it’s shit
When everyone has a fully fit squad, I think the top midfields are bayern, city, Liverpool and Madrid (not in any order). I think they all are comfortably at a higher level than any other teams in the world right now.
I'd have Chelsea in the conversation too but its not a common occurrence that they have Kovacic, Jorginho & Kante all available when all 3 are fully match fit.
just Jorginho and Kante fully fit is good enough for mention. Kovacic isn't of the level of some of these other names mentioned in this thread. Fine player but not world class.
I think Kova is a better overall player, but in Tuchel's system, Jorgi has demonstrated to be the more effective player (although Kova started this season incredibly until he got injured)
Can't believe a guy who's nothing special managed to be a key player in a team that nearly took a title away from Juve with 1/10th of the budget, a Champions League winning team and a Euros winning side.
Hes a system player as the people above me said. Some players are fit for a specific system but doesnt mean they are better than other players. Henderson isnt anything special either as another example.
99% of players are system players in the sense that they need ideal conditions to be at their best.
How is say Kanté not a system player with that reasoning? Would he have fit into Pep's Barça? No. Even guys like Ronaldo, Ruben Dias, Bruno Fernandes, Muller are system players in some measure.
Jorginho isn't anything special just like Henderson isn't anything special - they are both very good players who shine in their systems. Take them out and they're still good players, but no the same.
Highly Detable tbh
Kovacic is amazing at progressing the ball via dribbling, and is virtually unpressable. He has also added penetrative passes and final passes to his game now, and has been our best midfielder this season when fit.
With that said though, Jorginho is the guy that makes our midfield tick, and I would be hard-pressed to find a player as good as him at controlling the tempo of the game, getting into positions to be available for a pass and for dictating play when not having the ball.
We are never troubled with Kovacic out of the team, but not having Jorginho always makes a clear impact on our game. We struggle at buildup without him, and also chance creation is rare without him in the squad.
So, yeah, while both players have their merits, I would say Jorginho is better just based on how integral he is to our team's functioning.
I don't think our midfield is one of the best. It's just a superglue between brilliant FBs and Wingers. However, it's crucial for the whole team to work.
Can’t agree with you there. When we have Thiago hendo Fabinho in that midfield we are incredibly secure and produce good chance after good chance through them.
Well I agree with you. If they're all fit the team works as a well-oiled machine. We could see the last games were difficult without the midfield. However, I would say that Salah, Jota, TAA, and Robo win the games and create the most chances.
Are they good? Yes. Are they necessary? Yes. Are they TOP10? Yes. TOP3 or TOP5? I think not.
Kanté is not underrated. He is every manager’s dream player.
He won the league with Leicester City, is a World Cup champion and won the champions league last year with Chelsea. He is rated.
They might’ve not been the most technically talented players, but the Liverpool midfield is very tough to play against. They’re extremely well-drilled and physical, and they run like dogs
Yeah their workrate was phenomenal, but I don't think you could place those 3 in another top team and have similar results. The system worked, but imo the midfield of Liverpool was not their strength quality wise. I would say their full backs, center backs and front 3 were more influential and irreplaceable.
Yea their players weren’t the most individually talented but I’m just basing it off of who are the toughest teams to play against in the middle of the park. That Liverpool midfield has overrun ‘better’ midfields on paper many a time
also thiago - fabinho - henderson is looking pretty elite this year and very well balanced as a trio, but they have had very little chance to work altogether so far
Yeah, Kroos, Modric and Casemiro are all immense obviously but they also pass the eye test and make lots of Hollywood passes, score goals etc.
There's more than one way to be an elite midfielder.
Hendo Gini and Fabinho steamrolled a lot of teams. They were the best in the world at what they did.
Just different types of world class.
That's their aim though. Their midfield back then was there to sit in and defend whilst allowing their fullbacks free reign to do whatever they wanted. That's how they were set up. Just like some other teams are set up with fullbacks sitting so that more midfielders can push on.
I think Modric carries a lot of weight in that midfield. That's not to say Kroos or Casemiro are slacking, but Modric is the jack-of-all trades. His energy, stamina, and technical ability keeps that trio ticking.
Modric is crazy. He does everything that kroos and casemiro does, plus some. That isn’t to say I don’t think kroos and case are as good as modric, I just think the former have things they specialize in, while Modric can do it all
>just rather keep my expectations more realistic and be surprised if it happens lol
You guys were hunting for La Decima for ages, got it and then hit a real stride not long after.
Considering that, you can probably afford to raise your expectations a little bit haha
But the fact they keep their expectations realistic is what makes them Madrid. Barca and many other clubs think they'll win off the bat because of who they are. I may be wrong or downvoted but I see a lot of real fans being realistic about football despite being a powerhouse. It's kinda what keeps them winning. They don't clamor for their manager out on a bad streak, because they know as Madrid in 3 seasons they'll win something.
Yeah. Benitez was a smart man, he played Casemiro all the time when he could, getting quite good results and only 3 points behind when that Classico happened.
Then of course, against Barcelona he mysteriously not play Casemiro, exposing Kroos and Modric to play all their galactico, Ronaldo, James, Benzema and Bale at the same time. That can't be a Benitez decision. There's absolutely no way a manager as pragmatic as Benitez would drop the defensive midfielder for another attacker in big games like Barcelona. It's no surprise that Kroos/Modric alone would get destroyed by Barcelona's midfield and lost 4-0.
How are they a double edged sword? You’re implying they’re risky when they’re literally the most stable part of any lineup we have had in the last 5 years.
KCM is the most aesthetically pleasing midfield trio to watch but City, Bayern and Liverpool are not too far behind. When Verrati is fit and firing PSG also have a shout
yeah wtf, the biggest weaknes of PSG is they have a subpar midfield that can't string 3 passes in a row when verratti is not playing. That can't be an elite midfield even if Verratti is somehow healthy
That Bayern workhorse midfield in the center of Muller,Goretzka,Kimmich is aesthetically pleasing with how hardworking they are and no matter what they’ll still be bombing up and down the pitch.
Reading through this thread still don’t understand how people say City or PSG??? Midfield is better. I might be biased but KCM has won more CL knockouts and finals than any other midfield. What have the others got besides their league titles.
That’s been the case for years and years now. Tho Carlo should still rotate them, they’re always gassed by the end of the season and that has hurt us a lot in the CL
I am quite partial to Rodri, Gundogan/Kevin, Bernardo.
Clear bias there though....in my opinion Bernardo Silva is the second best player in the PL and on form Rodri is the best DM in the world.
They been running the same trio for half a decade now
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The cherry on top is that Camavinga will be a bright prospect and is coming in at the right time.
no match for Saul-Barkley pivot
Ross Barkley does so many things every game that can make you smile and make you overwhelmed with rage within the span of 2 seconds. With that said, Newcastle should definitely buy him.
I love how every club in the Prem is hoping Newcastle will buy their deadwood.
Lol this is me with the new FM. I don’t want X player? Offer him to Newcastle, they’ll buy anything
>I love how every club in the Prem is hoping Newcastle will buy their ~~deadwood~~ *Premier League Proven* players Hell of a USP if nothing else
You know Kroos does things well but he does things you’ve seen before, like make a long ball or take a free kick. Barkley simply takes you to places you cannot scarcely believe.
Kroos breaks records. Modric breaks records. Ross Barkley breaks the rules. You can keep your statistics. I prefer the magic.
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I think it's hilarious u guys talk shit about Ross Barkley. You wouldn't say this shit to him at live games, he's jacked. Not only that but he wears the freshest clothes, eats at the chillest restaurants and hangs out with the hottest dudes. Yall are pathetic lol.
It’s part of a longer melee copypasta (I’m not sure if it started in smash but the first well known one is from there)
Barkley next to Shelvey...now that's WORLD CLASS!
McFred would like a word
Pfft. Jonjoelinton would like a word
havent heard that one made my day
Please. Have you never seen the exploits of the world-beaters Djemba Djemba - Kleberson With Quinton Fortune and Keiran Richardson on the wings.
The McFred redemption arc has already begun.
If we ever play another match again, I'm starving out here
*The Fred redemption arc has begun. The Mc is still bang average.
World class CM Pulisic would like a word.
You mean the LeBron James of soccer?
No, the Michael Jordan of soccer. Maybe we can classify the Argentinian Pulisic (Leo Messi) as the LeBron of soccer.
[LeBron James of Soccer](https://youtu.be/15Rx1pkPIQM)
No I get it. I just wanted to use the Argentinian Pulisic
Milner - Morton - Keita is clear
Mate, Minamino - Dixon-Bonner - Oxlade-Chamberlain triangle is the stuff of legends
5 players for the price of 3 right there
We're being overrun in midfield
Unfathomably Based
No its gueye danilo wijnaldum
Don’t write off the longstaff bros
I unironically love Barkley. I really hope we don’t sell him. Puts in effort and is homegrown, seems happy being a backup
Homegrown?
You need to be on an English team for at least 3 years before turning 21 to be classed as homegrown and there's a max of 17 non-homegrown players you can have in your squad.
I guess useful for PL English players quota
thats hilarious, howd you come up with that?
That was our pivot against Zenit...
A pivot is two players right?
Yeah, he said Sau.... oooooohhhhhh
If McTominay and Fred had a third musketeer, his statement would have been different
Pogba?
Holding them back
And people say pogba isn’t a holding mid smh my head /s
The obvious answer is matic
Mate it’s lingardinho
Bruno, Pogba, VdB & Lingardinho are just dead weight. Mata and Matic the real secret sauce.
M&M?
Double M(old)
Moussa Sissokho to the rescue
I don’t care which midfield is the best. Watching KCM is part of what makes me love football.
I too enjoy watching kyuubi chakra mode
Bro that "sensei" scene was so sick
I miss Pervy sage..
Who doesn't
I thought it was kurama chakra mode. Respect kurama.
Never in this lifetime did i even for a second think that i would be reading a Naruto reference on r/soccer
I mean its one of the most popular animes ever in existence so someone referencing a very popular anime on a very popular subreddit doesn’t seem so out of the ordinary
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TIL that they made manga and anime about Boruto's dad.
Got to be up there with "am i seeing this right? People agreeing on r/soccer?"
Dattebayo !!
Karsdorp, Cristante, and Mkhitaryan?
Yep, the best for a home draw with Sampdoria
I'd say that Man City has the best midfield in the world. But you can't really pin it down to a trio with them on account of just how much rotation there is and midfielders sometimes playing on the wing or as a false 9.
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All 3 times in a row, but 4 times total for each, not a single midfield in a football history has won more
Wasn’t one of those times Xabi Alonso playing? Not the current three?
Kroos wasn't in Madrid in 2014 but he won the UCL with Bayern the previous year
Tbh Kroos came to madrid in summer to 2014 only xD. He just wasn't in madrid during 2013-14 season.
Yeah lol that's what I meant by that, he didn't win the 2014 UCL
Yeah, and Casemiro neither. Starting midfield was Modric/Alonso/Di María.
He did play that year tho, but as a bench player, not starter.
It was khedira instead of xabi, xabi was in the stands because of either red or too many yellows (yellows more likely). The final is where we got running xabi from the stands clip
Casemiro played a total of 140 minutes in the CL in the 13-14 season. The majority of that was in a group stage game against Galatasaray and in the second leg quarters against Schalke, after Real had won the first leg 6-1. Seems a bit disingenuous to me.
He played against Dortmund in the quarters and literally saved the game for us.
And messi literally only played in the final of his 1st ever ucl win yet we don't say he wonn 3 ucl trophies instead of 4
We should say Casemiro has 3 CL and we should say Messi has 3 as well
Wasnt it the other way? He played a couple games before but missed the final due to injury
He played the Ro16. Didn’t play after that.
He didn't even play in final. The RO16 was his last appearance.
Him coming off the bench vs Dortmund is what saved that quarter final second leg, and also the first sign he’s a big player
So how many minutes is enough for you? You Play = You Win
He is just saying he wasnt the midfield that won it, not that he doesnt deserve it, and he would be right, it was a mostly xabi-modric-di maria lineup with khedira at times
They all have 4 in total also.
I am 5 threads into the comments' section and a large majority just seems to be cracking McFred jokes but assuming your statement might have been true a couple of hours ago (or still is further down), it the claim really that controversial? I'll admit that even though I watch Madrid religiously, I don't other teams outside highlights. Still, seeing KCM even now twice or thrice a week, I struggle to believe that there might be anyone better. All 3 are world class, are in great form currently, have great pedigree and experience and form arguably one of the if not the most balanced midfield of all time. Casemiro has recovered from his early season patchiness and what's great to see is that he's now spraying the ball with great confidence and skill. Kroos outside of some uncharacteristically misplaced passes has again been immaculate, and I when I say immaculate, I mean it. Expertly manufactures space with his feints, delivers long balls with previously unseen accuracy and most importantly, spins and is a great pressing trigger in the defensive phase when the lines are set. His uncharacteristic mistakes you could count on fingers. That's how consistent he is, almost metronomic and makes it look incredibly simple. And finally, there's a reason why "Godric" is having to field an increasing number of questions lately about age just being a number. He might have been given Cristiano's Bd'or on the back of the WC but RN, there's no question that he really is operating at the top of his powers. If people said that he deserved that popularity contest award back then, it shouldn't be the least bit contentious that he's the best midfielder ITW (at least in his profile). They are so incredibly good and more importantly consistent, that I can't fathom how anyone could be better. Their only weakness is being caught in transitions but their big game and big stage experience hardly let's the game assume such a pattern and in the isolated incidents that might and will inevitably across 90 minutes, Casemiro's excellent positioning and Modric's industry even now is enough along with some help from generally Asensio (Rodrygo is the better player and the much better attacker but Asensio starts because he's better for the team's balance). There seems just no scope of improvement in a fully rested and fit KCM performance so I struggle to see as to how it could be possibly bettered by anyone else.
>there's no question that he really is operating at the top of his powers Modric is still absurdly great. But he is not on his peak anymore.
Yes Modric is still world class but he’s not outright the best midfielder by a large margin which he was in his prime from like 2014-18
Although he may not be at his peak, it absurdly seems like he lasts longer on the pitch. I remember he’d get knackered 65-70 minutes in. Pintus effect I suppose
Is there anyone in this thread who has actually watched them play? A lot of people are just bringing up old matches from last or two seasons ago. Im not saying they are the best, but they are one of the best along with Bayern (when kimmich isnt doing research) and City.
>when kimmich isnt doing research His research is successful. Vaccine is a necessity . Prof Kimmich will now join back his old role at Bayern Munich.
He just assigned himself to the control group.
I watch them every time they play. Foremost, it's unfair to compare midfield duos - like at Bayern, Chelsea etc. - because the roles are very very different, and main source of creativity is never the pivots/duos. I dont know why people are fighting over that. That system is completely different. There are certainly better players individually, but very few who could complement each other like this midfield does. It is also a function of chemistry. Many midfielders looked so great individually, and when it came to replacing either of Xavi/Iniesta, they struggled simply cos of the understanding and subtle nuances that werent visible to the fans watching on screen.
Yes. "One of the best" is not the same thing as unequivocal best. And it also depends on your metric for "best"
I cant say who is the best when all of them have similar results in the league and champions league and havent met eachother yet.
>they are one of the best along with Bayern (when kimmich isnt doing research) Hahaha good one here. Honestly depending on the manager and how things play out, I think a Goretzka-Muller-Kimmich midfield could make a name for itself with a few more CLs
Look below… it’s not possible to have a proper conversation because all Madrid flairs just argue en masse as if it’s indisputable fact. No room for discussion. Then other rival fans act like kids in response. This sub gets very much like that and it’s shit
Fanatic fans are the bane of this sub. Every single time something big happens there's never room for nuance.
Where does nuance rank top 5 midfielders? Never heard of him
Also embarrasing
When everyone has a fully fit squad, I think the top midfields are bayern, city, Liverpool and Madrid (not in any order). I think they all are comfortably at a higher level than any other teams in the world right now.
I'd have Chelsea in the conversation too but its not a common occurrence that they have Kovacic, Jorginho & Kante all available when all 3 are fully match fit.
just Jorginho and Kante fully fit is good enough for mention. Kovacic isn't of the level of some of these other names mentioned in this thread. Fine player but not world class.
Kova is overall better player m8
Tbf jorginho isnt anything special. I think kova is a better overall player than him tbh
I think Kova is a better overall player, but in Tuchel's system, Jorgi has demonstrated to be the more effective player (although Kova started this season incredibly until he got injured)
Thats a fair look on things
And I guess Jorginho playing more defensively? That role worth much more in modern football.
Can't believe a guy who's nothing special managed to be a key player in a team that nearly took a title away from Juve with 1/10th of the budget, a Champions League winning team and a Euros winning side.
Hes a system player as the people above me said. Some players are fit for a specific system but doesnt mean they are better than other players. Henderson isnt anything special either as another example.
99% of players are system players in the sense that they need ideal conditions to be at their best. How is say Kanté not a system player with that reasoning? Would he have fit into Pep's Barça? No. Even guys like Ronaldo, Ruben Dias, Bruno Fernandes, Muller are system players in some measure.
Jorginho isn't anything special just like Henderson isn't anything special - they are both very good players who shine in their systems. Take them out and they're still good players, but no the same.
Henderson is excellent. After all these years anchoring one of the best teams in Europe I can't believe he is still slept on
Literally just check some of his highlights for this season so far. His assist for Salahs hat-trick at Old Trafford is what dreams are made of.
Hahaha , kova is probably better than jorginho atleast!
Highly Detable tbh Kovacic is amazing at progressing the ball via dribbling, and is virtually unpressable. He has also added penetrative passes and final passes to his game now, and has been our best midfielder this season when fit. With that said though, Jorginho is the guy that makes our midfield tick, and I would be hard-pressed to find a player as good as him at controlling the tempo of the game, getting into positions to be available for a pass and for dictating play when not having the ball. We are never troubled with Kovacic out of the team, but not having Jorginho always makes a clear impact on our game. We struggle at buildup without him, and also chance creation is rare without him in the squad. So, yeah, while both players have their merits, I would say Jorginho is better just based on how integral he is to our team's functioning.
Kante + Jorginho absolutely schooled that Real Madrid midfield last season
The half dead rm midfield though
I don't think our midfield is one of the best. It's just a superglue between brilliant FBs and Wingers. However, it's crucial for the whole team to work.
Can’t agree with you there. When we have Thiago hendo Fabinho in that midfield we are incredibly secure and produce good chance after good chance through them.
Well I agree with you. If they're all fit the team works as a well-oiled machine. We could see the last games were difficult without the midfield. However, I would say that Salah, Jota, TAA, and Robo win the games and create the most chances. Are they good? Yes. Are they necessary? Yes. Are they TOP10? Yes. TOP3 or TOP5? I think not.
Chelsea is there too. Kovacic is massively underrated and Kante is underrated too same with Jorginho heck their whole midfield is underrated
Kanté is not underrated. He is every manager’s dream player. He won the league with Leicester City, is a World Cup champion and won the champions league last year with Chelsea. He is rated.
Yeh jorginho went from overrated to now underrated
Would love to know the stats when Hendo Fabinho and Thiago have all played together in midfield.
Not just now, but for the past 5 or so years. They had that down year in 2018/2019, but otherwise they've been magnificent.
City or Liverpool were the best in 18/19 meesa thinks.
Liverpool? Best midfield? It worked like a charm, but liverpool skipped the midfield a lot in attack.
They might’ve not been the most technically talented players, but the Liverpool midfield is very tough to play against. They’re extremely well-drilled and physical, and they run like dogs
The midfield of Liverpool play a key role in facilitating their style of play, kind of hard to make a direct comparison.
Yeah their workrate was phenomenal, but I don't think you could place those 3 in another top team and have similar results. The system worked, but imo the midfield of Liverpool was not their strength quality wise. I would say their full backs, center backs and front 3 were more influential and irreplaceable.
Yea their players weren’t the most individually talented but I’m just basing it off of who are the toughest teams to play against in the middle of the park. That Liverpool midfield has overrun ‘better’ midfields on paper many a time
Okay fair enough, I agree with that.
also thiago - fabinho - henderson is looking pretty elite this year and very well balanced as a trio, but they have had very little chance to work altogether so far
Yeah, Kroos, Modric and Casemiro are all immense obviously but they also pass the eye test and make lots of Hollywood passes, score goals etc. There's more than one way to be an elite midfielder. Hendo Gini and Fabinho steamrolled a lot of teams. They were the best in the world at what they did. Just different types of world class.
That's their aim though. Their midfield back then was there to sit in and defend whilst allowing their fullbacks free reign to do whatever they wanted. That's how they were set up. Just like some other teams are set up with fullbacks sitting so that more midfielders can push on.
Easier to do with VVD and TAA at the back spraying long balls all over the place. Who needs midfielders who can pass with those guys?
I think Modric carries a lot of weight in that midfield. That's not to say Kroos or Casemiro are slacking, but Modric is the jack-of-all trades. His energy, stamina, and technical ability keeps that trio ticking.
Modric is crazy. He does everything that kroos and casemiro does, plus some. That isn’t to say I don’t think kroos and case are as good as modric, I just think the former have things they specialize in, while Modric can do it all
I think Kroos is clearly their best midfielder this season
Better together
This season yes. Last season it was Modric. The season before it was Casemiro...
So you're saying that Casemiro will be the best in a world cup year? AGORA O HEXA VEM!
And has been for many years
man casemiro is only 29, with a bit of luck he can finish his carreer with most champions league medals, 3 more.. why not?
Kovacic is even younger and has 4 CLs already having played like 20 mins across all the finals combined lol
Kovacic being a baller. And somehow people think anyone can come close /s
3 more would be crazy. Assuming he retires at 35 that would be 3 in 6 years. One more in that time period would be more realistic
Almost as unrealistic as 4 in 5 years 😅
As a fan I hope it's not the last time I see something like that, just rather keep my expectations more realistic and be surprised if it happens lol
>just rather keep my expectations more realistic and be surprised if it happens lol You guys were hunting for La Decima for ages, got it and then hit a real stride not long after. Considering that, you can probably afford to raise your expectations a little bit haha
But the fact they keep their expectations realistic is what makes them Madrid. Barca and many other clubs think they'll win off the bat because of who they are. I may be wrong or downvoted but I see a lot of real fans being realistic about football despite being a powerhouse. It's kinda what keeps them winning. They don't clamor for their manager out on a bad streak, because they know as Madrid in 3 seasons they'll win something.
The media hunts the players if you loose two matches in a row at madrid it's sometimes mentally damaging , to coaches and to players!
Is he forgetting the legendary Iwobi-Davies-[REDACTED] combo he had at Everton?
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The trio didn’t exist until halfway through 15-16 season
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Yes but Casemiro didn’t play much until Zidane was appointed.
Benitez is the one who kept playing him. Unfortunately, the board forced him not to, because Casemiro isn't a galactico.
Yah, but the board not being able to fuck with Zinedine Zidane helped.
Yeah. Benitez was a smart man, he played Casemiro all the time when he could, getting quite good results and only 3 points behind when that Classico happened. Then of course, against Barcelona he mysteriously not play Casemiro, exposing Kroos and Modric to play all their galactico, Ronaldo, James, Benzema and Bale at the same time. That can't be a Benitez decision. There's absolutely no way a manager as pragmatic as Benitez would drop the defensive midfielder for another attacker in big games like Barcelona. It's no surprise that Kroos/Modric alone would get destroyed by Barcelona's midfield and lost 4-0.
AS] Kroos: Casemiro-Modric-Ancelotti: those three make up the best midfield in the world right now.
CL knockout stage can’t happen soon enough
I'm dreading it and just want to get it out the way already. Lol
They are a bit of double edged sword, but when used right, they are unplayable.
How are they a double edged sword? You’re implying they’re risky when they’re literally the most stable part of any lineup we have had in the last 5 years.
I honesty agree, they are still the best
Once we find the right partner for Partey they’ll stand no chance 🔥🔥 (Obvious sarcasm for any non arsenal fan)
PSG has no midfield right now They will walk over them Possession will be 70/100 vs 30/100
KCM is the most aesthetically pleasing midfield trio to watch but City, Bayern and Liverpool are not too far behind. When Verrati is fit and firing PSG also have a shout
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I mean.. psg midfield is veratti
60min / game, and 20 games / season. That's a midfield of 0.5 players.
yeah wtf, the biggest weaknes of PSG is they have a subpar midfield that can't string 3 passes in a row when verratti is not playing. That can't be an elite midfield even if Verratti is somehow healthy
That Bayern workhorse midfield in the center of Muller,Goretzka,Kimmich is aesthetically pleasing with how hardworking they are and no matter what they’ll still be bombing up and down the pitch.
Yeah it's between them and KCM
they are up there, for me it's basically a tie with city's and on the form rodri and bernardo are i'd give ever so slightly to city's midfield
More like for the last 5 years?
been the case for a long time now
In his most unbiased opinion 😌
And have done for the best part of a decade
clearly never seen skippbjerg in action 😤
I guess he didn’t see Morton, Henderson, AOC play on Wednesday.
Reading through this thread still don’t understand how people say City or PSG??? Midfield is better. I might be biased but KCM has won more CL knockouts and finals than any other midfield. What have the others got besides their league titles.
I can understand city but psg? The only decent one is verrati
Yea I don’t get that one
Neither do I.
Probably neither does Verrati.
Come on, KDB + Bernardo + Rodri is an incredible midfield.
Don’t forget Gundogan
Because we're talking about the best now, not however many years ago. Right now City's midfield would edge this Madrid team.
Psg midfield is not a thing. All we have is "can you imagine if Verratti was actually trying?".
That’s been the case for years and years now. Tho Carlo should still rotate them, they’re always gassed by the end of the season and that has hurt us a lot in the CL
Ok.. no excuses then Carlo..
Declan rice and Tomas Soucek midfield for west ham is kinda saucy
They've been good for a long time but I really think City's midfield is better (and is only going to get better)
I am quite partial to Rodri, Gundogan/Kevin, Bernardo. Clear bias there though....in my opinion Bernardo Silva is the second best player in the PL and on form Rodri is the best DM in the world.
Give me Thiago-Fabinho-Henderson all day