James Rodríguez

[The Skipper 20,593]

It's Colombia. I know it's confusing though.

It's really silly to compare players when the teams are facing completely different opponents. Neymar and Oscar also have far less freedom on the pitch than other players.

Timing is also a factor: how would you rate Oscar in November 2013? Or Neymar, aside from his Brazil appearances?

It's all so very relative. James Roadriguez may yet join a top EPL side and then flop like many good players have. I'm not saying it will happen, but that we just don't yet know.

The grass is always greener...

I'm not really comparing either players, just anyone saying that Neymar has been a better performer than Robben and James is obviously just being biased.

For what it's worth, as I said in the same post, I still think Neymar has been one of the better performers in the competition but basically saying he's been the best player at the WC is delusional.

Edit:

In regards to Oscar - I was merely saying that if we sold him, James would be a great replacement. I'm not advocating whether we should sell Oscar to make room for James because I don't think we'll even sell him to begin with.

[robsblubot 3,214]

I'm not really comparing either players, just anyone saying that Neymar has been a better performer than Robben and James is obviously just being biased.

For what it's worth, as I said in the same post, I still think Neymar has been one of the better performers in the competition but basically saying he's been the best player at the WC is delusional.

this is all relative. To me the best performer has been Lionel Messi because of how poor Argentina has been, and how decisive Messi has been for them.

This goes back to Maradona vs Pele, and how we Brazilians always value the goal scorer vs the playmaker; it has worked quite well for us, but it is certainly debatable. Maradona was a genius, but as a Brazilian, Messi is not that far esp considering how often he scores.

[iseah100 5,612]

this is all relative. To me the best performer has been Lionel Messi because of how poor Argentina has been, and how decisive Messi has been for them.

This goes back to Maradona vs Pele, and how we Brazilians always value the goal scorer vs the playmaker; it has worked quite well for us, but it is certainly debatable. Maradona was a genius, but as a Brazilian, Messi is not that far esp considering how often he scores.

In that case, Hazard is the 2nd best player. He's decided to games with key assists.

[Korea 734]

It's Colombia. I know it's confusing though.

It's really silly to compare players when the teams are facing completely different opponents. Neymar and Oscar also have far less freedom on the pitch than other players.

Timing is also a factor: how would you rate Oscar in November 2013? Or Neymar, aside from his Brazil appearances?

It's all so very relative. James Roadriguez may yet join a top EPL side and then flop like many good players have. I'm not saying it will happen, but that we just don't yet know.

The grass is always greener...

Neymar has all the freedom possible.. It is Oscar that doesn't have the freedom/

[robsblubot 3,214]

Neymar has all the freedom possible.. It is Oscar that doesn't have the freedom/

Yeah because all teams go all out against Brazil.

Same against Chelsea.

[The Skipper 20,593]

this is all relative. To me the best performer has been Lionel Messi because of how poor Argentina has been, and how decisive Messi has been for them.

This goes back to Maradona vs Pele, and how we Brazilians always value the goal scorer vs the playmaker; it has worked quite well for us, but it is certainly debatable. Maradona was a genius, but as a Brazilian, Messi is not that far esp considering how often he scores.

Which is fair enough. Everyone has their opinion.

IMO Messi hasn't been that great this WC because even though he is single handily winning games for Argentina with brilliant moments of individual actions, he's been average himself for the majority of both games. I can't legitimately say he's been better than players such as Neymar, Benzema, Alexis, Robben, RVP, James just to name a few because those players have just performed better in the competition at the moment IMO. That's just a discredit to what they've been doing at this WC.

[robsblubot 3,214]

Which is fair enough. Everyone has their opinion.

IMO Messi hasn't been that great this WC because even though he is single handily winning games for Argentina with brilliant moments of individual actions, he's been average himself for the majority of both games. I can't legitimately say he's been better than players such as Neymar, Benzema, Alexis, Robben, RVP, James just to name a few because those players have just performed better in the competition at the moment IMO.

Completely agree, but then again while a player of his quality can create something out of nothing, he can't make the rest of the team work. If other players can't follow his movement and help him the way he's helped at Barca, he just can't perform at the same level. Even at Barca his performances dropped when the team struggled. That's natural as it's a team sport.

[iseah100 5,612]

Yeah because all teams go all out against Brazil.

Same against Chelsea.

Teams don't park the bus against Brazil. Neither Croatia or Mexico did.

[robsblubot 3,214]

Teams don't park the bus against Brazil. Neither Croatia or Mexico did.

I won't discuss what I did not write/say.

Now if you think Brazil and Neymar have the same freedom as James and Colombia, then I guess we just have to agree to disagree.

Not to mention, like I said before, the opposition. Either Mexico is as good as you say, in which case Brazil has faced tougher opponents than Colombia has, or Mexico is at the same level of the other teams in group C. When you criticize Brazil, you criticize Mexico too.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Completely agree, but then again while a player of his quality can create something out of nothing, he can't make the rest of the team work. If other players can't follow his movement and help him the way he's helped at Barca, he just can't perform at the same level. Even at Barca his performances dropped when the team struggled. That's natural as it's a team sport.

That's fair, but he's got quality around him in Di Maria, Aguero, Mascherano etc...

As you said, the whole team aren't really performing as well as they should be but that's more due to whatever their coach is doing than actual individual quality I think. Messi shouldn't rely on every team that he's on to play like Barcelona, he has to adapt himself too.

Robben for example has embraced his new role up front for Holland and has excelled. Messi is more talented obviously but he can't expect everything to be put in place for him just like at Barcelona. He needs to adapt.

[bababoom 4,478]

Neymar has scored goals but he tends to drift in and out of matches, Robben and James have been the main force, dribbled, created and scored, they create excitement.

[robsblubot 3,214]

Neymar has scored goals but he tends to drift in and out of matches, Robben and James have been the main force, dribbled, created and scored, they create excitement.

He does that indeed.

Back to my point: Colombia has been playing against nobody really; perhaps C is the worst group.

Mexico and Croatia are better than any team in group C, aside from Colombia. That's why I think it's premature to judge James with so many different variables in play. What if he vanishes in the KO stages?

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

Messi best player of the tournament followed by Neymar, Robben and James so far. RVP isn't too far behind either.

[iseah100 5,612]

Messi best player of the tournament followed by Neymar, Robben and James so far. RVP isn't too far behind either.

Messi, Robben, James, RVP.

Neymar 1 fake PK vs Croatia. 2 goals vs Cameroon. Not too impressive. IMO.

[LAM09 6,546]

Messi, Robben, James, RVP.

Neymar 1 fake PK vs Croatia. 2 goals vs Cameroon. Not too impressive. IMO.

Robben for me. He has done it against better teams!

[iseah100 5,612]

Robben for me. He has done it against better teams!

Bale is clutch. Robben has a track record of not being clutch.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Bale is clutch. Robben has a track record of not being clutch.

One thing I absolutely used to hate Robben for is how he'd falter in the biggest games, but since our CL final win against Bayern, Robben has pretty much consistently come up with the goods in pretty much every big game. He's been a man on a mission since then, so I think it's unfair to now call him a choker when he's pretty much done the business since 2012.

Who knows what will happen if he keeps up this consistency for this World Cup?

[iseah100 5,612]

One thing I absolutely used to hate Robben for is how he'd falter in the biggest games, but since our CL final win against Bayern, Robben has pretty much consistently come up with the goods in pretty much every big game. He's been a man on a mission since then, so I think it's unfair to now call him a choker when he's pretty much done the business since 2012.

Who knows what will happen if he keeps up this consistency for this World Cup?

True. It took a bit, but he finally got it down in the big games. I like Bale better, but I could see why people would choose Robben.