Lewis Dunk. When building a team, we should always look at combative, captain material centre backs who score goals. Should be in the England squad, when you see Mings and before him Dier.
Scott Carson. One bad game and a high profile blunder and then a plunge into obscurity but I genuinely think he could've been established as English No.1 keeper in a different timeline.
Scott Carson. One bad game and a high profile blunder and then a plunge into obscurity but I genuinely think he could've been established as English No.1 keeper in a different timeline.
Agreed,Mclaren should never have played him in that game against Croatia,far to important for a very young keeper,should have got 30-40 caps if used properly.Still had a good career,and nice to see him get a game for City recently.
Until partway through this season I would have said Mason Mount, but since Lampard left and he continued to be key for Tuchel people seem to have dropped the 'he's crap, it's just because he's Lampard's favourite' argument and are acknowledging that he's actually excellent. I think Mateo Kovacic is also painfully underrated, he's one of the fastest dribblers in the league, which he disguises quite well because he only does it in small bursts, and he's brilliant at keeping games ticking over. He limits himself tactically to fit a system but he's capable of doing more or less anything on the pitch (except scoring, he's terrible at that)
I hate to say it as well, but Jordan Ayew. He's a really weird player. He scored one goal this season, back in November and only got three assists, but he's top of the league for pressing, and he's been essential in the way Hodgson has set up his side to be difficult to beat. He's not going to ever win you games with goals or drive you up the table, but if you're a team who needs to set up to harass the opposition and provide defensive cover across the pitch so that your one good player can shine without too much defensive responsibility he's your man. In a lot of ways he's the kind of player Curbs would have wanted to pick up, a modern version of the way we used to always ensure that if one winger was attacking the other was going to hug his centre mid and his full back all game. I used to be guilty of thinking Ayew was a complete joke, but there's a reason he's played 170 Premier League games. I could see a new manager firing him into the sun if he doesn't want to play that way though
Rufus. Not by us of course but don't know how he never played for England.
That era we had a huge selection of world class centre backs, players like keown struggled to make the tournament squads back then. Any other era, especially now, and he would’ve walked into most England teams.
Rufus. Not by us of course but don't know how he never played for England.
That era we had a huge selection of world class centre backs, players like keown struggled to make the tournament squads back then. Any other era, especially now, and he would’ve walked into most England teams.
Yes I agree that's true. Still surprised he wasn't capped a few times in friendlies at least.
Dean Kiely - again, not by us, but in any other era he would’ve been the Irish number 1 for years and was far better than any other British born keepers wenger and Ferguson experimented with in the early noughties. Just like most of the curbs era was an expert at one thing (in this case shot stopping) which just about made up for his weaknesses on everything else
For us Kishishev Carl Leaburn Keith Jones Steve Brown (i loved him but never felt the manager did as much)
For everyone else
Dallas at Leeds Giroud for Arsenal and Chelsea Gareth Barry from Villa onwards been class everywhere and even had the decency to get himself sent off when we were desperately trying to stay up Neil Lennon. Economical user of the ball David Batty, brilliant positional sense and got himself in the right areas Andrea Pirlo (best midfielder of the modern era next to Scholes for me, media preferred Iniesta and Xavi, Gerrard and Lampard) possibly not underrated more, not overrated and celebrated enough Ward-prowse been doing the business for years for Southampton Steve McManaman, clever player even Liverpool fans didn't seem overly loving towards him but he could play. Real Madrid shared that opinion too
Dean Kiely - again, not by us, but in any other era he would’ve been the Irish number 1 for years and was far better than any other British born keepers wenger and Ferguson experimented with in the early noughties. Just like most of the curbs era was an expert at one thing (in this case shot stopping) which just about made up for his weaknesses on everything else
Yeah but the incumbent, who Fergie and Wenger didn't experiment with either, was rather good.
Sergio Ramos. Seems to be a bit of a joke these days, and mostly famous for his shithousery, but he's had a long career at one of the biggest clubs there is, one that has a habit of chewing players up and spitting them out, and he's won the lot.
Did Colin Walsh ever get the credit he deserved,2 broken legs cost him full Scottish honours,he had a wand of a left foot,one of the best passers of a ball seen at the Valley,often used to go un noticed in a game,until you saw replays later and realised how many chances he set up.
Jermaine Defoe. Natural goalscorer and should have played more for England. Surprised he was overlooked by the big 4 clubs.
Always thought Chris Eagles was underrated at lower league level.
Le Tissier (in an England context)
Julian Dicks
Darren Bent
Chris Waddle
Steve Bruce
Mark Robins
Ashley Cole was probably the most consistent performer in an England shirt throughout his career but don't think he always got the recognition.
Steve Bull
Some really good shouts there, the only one I'd pull up is Julian Dicks, he had a wonderful left foot and loved a tackle but I thought he tried too hard to play to the image he was trying to put out rather than playing the game.
Waddle was a class act and a grafter too, properly understood football
Emile heskey - one of the best target men this country’s ever produced, you could tell defenders hated playing against him, social media wrecked his confidence.
There's some strange definitions of 'underrated' going on. Of those given already Keith Jones is the best example of a player going about their business and doing a top notch job with the minimum of fuss and attention. See also someone like Stuart Armstrong at Saints.
Comments
Incredible that he played over 400 times for Man utd but never for England.
i'll get my coat! not serious, might have finished the season well but awful striker
Top English striker year after year and hardly got a look in.
Kishishev
Carl Leaburn
Keith Jones
Steve Brown (i loved him but never felt the manager did as much)
For everyone else
Dallas at Leeds
Giroud for Arsenal and Chelsea
Gareth Barry from Villa onwards been class everywhere and even had the decency to get himself sent off when we were desperately trying to stay up
Neil Lennon. Economical user of the ball
David Batty, brilliant positional sense and got himself in the right areas
Andrea Pirlo (best midfielder of the modern era next to Scholes for me, media preferred Iniesta and Xavi, Gerrard and Lampard) possibly not underrated more, not overrated and celebrated enough
Ward-prowse been doing the business for years for Southampton
Steve McManaman, clever player even Liverpool fans didn't seem overly loving towards him but he could play. Real Madrid shared that opinion too
Always thought Chris Eagles was underrated at lower league level.
Le Tissier (in an England context)
Julian Dicks
Darren Bent
Chris Waddle
Steve Bruce
Mark Robins
Ashley Cole was probably the most consistent performer in an England shirt throughout his career but don't think he always got the recognition.
Steve Bull
Waddle was a class act and a grafter too, properly understood football