Why are we such a pushover against the top sides?

[paxtonwolf]

I truly think these current players themselves have no self-belief that they can go and beat the top teams. Some of them look beaten before they take to the pitch, in the tunnel before the Anfield drubbing last season, half of them looked beaten even before the early own goal.
And as suggested in the OT, the way the players trudged back onto the pitch for the 2nd half yesterday, they look uninterested, I might be going OTT but I want to see my team running out of that tunnel at HT, pumped up, Managers words ringing in their ears, eager to get back into the action and put things right.
At no point in that 2nd half was I confident we could grab a goal let alone a draw.

We need another Rafa-type characther back in the squad that can urge the team on and lead by example

 

[Raziel]

Some good points there

1. I've been going every week for the last 15 years and the main thing for me is that we dont have a leader.. At the moment when the chips are down we tend to just loose the plot. There's nobody telling others to pull their socks up and keep their heads up. The mentally is also v poor and has been since we bought the latest crop of players in last summer, none of them seem to care much about the Spurs shirt, not much fight.

2. Spine of the team. Looking at Lloris, Bentaleb/Capoue and Ade down the middle it currently doesnt fill me with solidality. Even Lloris yesterday started to panic and make strange decisions.

3. Centre midfield - We were like power puffs yesterday, cant remember many tackles and were out played. Sandro needs to come back in asap. We so miss his intensity and his desire translates to others. Perhaps he's not the best passer but he brings so much more, and when he plays our win percentage is so mch higher without him

4. When we had Modric he would control the game and tempo, he's never been replaced. Big error not buying Juan Moutinho few years ago as a replacement! We still could try and buy Miralem Pjanic who is top draw and would fill that role.

I think Poch knows we are weak in centre midfield hence the moves for Schneiderlin all summer and now he's bought Stambouli. Shame we didnt get Schneiderlin, i think we should have broke the bank.

A few comments

- Lloris, Holtby and Lamela care ... unfortunately we are getting rid of one
- I disagree with breaking the bank for MS, and here's why ..
- We need that player, yes, MS would have filled a role, but he isn't/won't be Modric/Moutinho/Pjanic. I much prefer we get Poch settled in and next window/summer we break the back for a player worth breaking the bank for in that role.

 

[Superhudd]

A few comments

- Lloris, Holtby and Lamela care ... unfortunately we are getting rid of one
- I disagree with breaking the bank for MS, and here's why ..
- We need that player, yes, MS would have filled a role, but he isn't/won't be Modric/Moutinho/Pjanic. I much prefer we get Poch settled in and next window/summer we break the back for a player worth breaking the bank for in that role.

% likelihood that player next window/ summer is Schneiderlin.






99%

 

[Spurmac1974]

I think in games like yesterday we are going to have to start using Paulinho instead of Eriksen as the #10 - switch more to 4-3-3.

Couldn't believe how poor Eriksen was yesterday, followed closely by Lamela and Chadli. That 3 certainly isnt the answer against the better teams, flat track bullies!

 

[Jurgen the German]

Better strikers would also help. Dunno why Eriksen is always spacegoated every time we suffer a heavy defeat. Might wanna look at the terrible defence. Would ANY of our defenders get in the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Emirates Marketing Project or Chelsea's sides? Hell even Everton?

 

[Rorschach]

You're correct but you cant blame Capoue and Bentaleb.
The lost midfield because they were outnumbered 3 to 2.
They hadnt a chance. Also Liverpool had Sterling in between the lines which one of them had to pick up too.

Yep. No platform to build off really. Yesterday's match was crying out for a change to three in the middle. We also needed to kick Sterling, hard, a few times. Take a yellow if you have to.

This is a good thread but the real reason we get beaten by the top teams is money. All the bollox about what a great coach LVG is and basically Utd have just gone out and blitzed everyone in the transfer market.

 

[Raziel]

Yep. No platform to build off really. Yesterday's match was crying out for a change to three in the middle. We also needed to kick Sterling, hard, a few times. Take a yellow if you have to.

This is a good thread but the real reason we get beaten by the top teams is money. All the bollox about what a great coach LVG is and basically Utd have just gone out and blitzed everyone in the transfer market.

And United still won't win the title this season.

Btw, can you imagine the media field day if we had signed LVG and got the exact same results they have had to this point?

 

[Millsy_Yiddo]

We lose CM.

Last time we looked good against them (AVB's first season) - Sandro and Dembele went toe-to-toe with them. Bentaleb (great prospect though he is) and Capoue, get overrun in these sorts of games - they aren't combatative enough

I just think we are poor at defending. As soon as anyone attacks us we pretty much concede. We dominate most other games

A combination of the two above. Our defenders are substantially worse in terms of defending ability than their attackers are in terms of attacking ability. Kaboul looked completely bedazzled by the movement of Sterling and Sturridge yesterday. The only way to counteract that is to win the midfield battle and control possession and the tempo of the game, which we failed at also.

 

[Rorschach]

And United still won't win the title this season.

Btw, can you imagine the media field day if we had signed LVG and got the exact same results they have had to this point?

We'd all be going full depart at this point.

They may not win the title but with those players only an imbecile wouldn't be able to turn around their poor start to the season. Football is mostly about the quality of players and that correlates closely to the club finances.

 

[Bullet]

Big error not buying Juan Moutinho few years ago as a replacement

Interesting tonight, watching Phil Neville and Danny Murphy on the red button on BBC

They say that Everton looked hard at Moutinho and then Spurs did, but he isn't all that good and had a rubbish year at Monaco, even going so far as to say he is a luxury player and not good enough to spend big money on.

 

[Joesh]

I think we react badly to pressure whether from the opposition or our own fans. Pressure makes even a good player useless and perhaps not having strong players/leaders to get us through the hard times has cost us. Against Liverpool, how many shots did we actually take and how much meaningless passing around did we do. Nobody wanted to take responsibility to make something happen.

With top players like Modric and Bale, they demanded the ball all the time and were always available for a pass. We don't have that type of player and top teams sense that, press our defence and we either give away the ball or get caught in possession. Obviously, this happens against poor teams too, you just get punished more by better players.

And also a simple reality that the opposition have much better players who sometimes we don't recognize.

 

[wiziwig]

One theory i have is that we always play attacking football, taking the game to them whilst naively leaving ourselves relatively open at the back, whereas lesser sides adopt a more realistic approach and park the bus, hoping to get something on the break.

This .

Tony Pullis managing Spurs perhaps would do better against the bigger teams , but then we'd have to suffer our opponents having 75% possession. We'd also probably have to suffer more against the lesser sides where our over reliance on counter attacking football would not help us much.

 

[wiziwig]

Interesting tonight, watching Phil Neville and Danny Murphy on the red button on BBC

They say that Everton looked hard at Moutinho and then Spurs did, but he isn't all that good and had a rubbish year at Monaco, even going so far as to say he is a luxury player and not good enough to spend big money on.

I have to agree from what I've seen. Overrated.

 

[wiziwig]

I think we react badly to pressure whether from the opposition or our own fans. Pressure makes even a good player useless and perhaps not having strong players/leaders to get us through the hard times has cost us. Against Liverpool, how many shots did we actually take and how much meaningless passing around did we do. Nobody wanted to take responsibility to make something happen.

With top players like Modric and Bale, they demanded the ball all the time and were always available for a pass. We don't have that type of player and top teams sense that, press our defence and we either give away the ball or get caught in possession. Obviously, this happens against poor teams too, you just get punished more by better players.

And also a simple reality that the opposition have much better players who sometimes we don't recognize.

Good post . For example on Sunday , if we had Sterling and Sturridge, in for say Chadli and Adybayor , still 0-3 ?

 

[harr1984]

Whilst some good and valid points have been made in this thread I do think we are being awfully dismissive of our players' abilities and that of our coach based on that Liverpool game. Poch hasn't had anywhere near long enough to get the players to perform to both the style and standard he wants and I think you will see a big difference in performances between our first and second half of the season. The Liverpool game just came too soon unfortunately, but come the end of the season I dont think we'll be too far behind them....

 

[NWND]

It's a combination of a lot of things mentioned above, but then also pure chance and the freakish nature of the way things pan out.

For example for last seasons 5-0 home reverse against Liverpool, for all we weren't at the races and they ruthlessly exposed that, it really didn't help that our horrific injury problems reduced us to playing midfielders in defence against the league's most dangerous attack.

Football goes in cycles and I think we'll have a better record against the better teams this season. We were already better against Liverpool than both games last season very early on into the new manager's reign.

 

[NWND]

I'd also point out that a lot of the 'tighter' games between top sides are ending up in heavily skewed scorelines these days.

This is because so many top sides these days are coached and drilled to be lethal on the counter-attack. It means even the best teams if they go a goal-down can be ruthlessly exposed as they come out to try and chase the game.

Look at City v Liverpool this season, for example. The game started out as a sparring contest, both teams probing for weakness without making any headway. If anything I thought Liverpool were edging the possession and looking the more likely, but then City made the break-through out of nothing. Liverpool opened up to chase the game and were just brutally punished on the counter and ended up on the end of a hiding in what was up till the first goal a very even game.

Its different when a good side is playing a bad side (for example us in the Europa game last week) as a bad side doesn't come out and chase the game when 1-0 down to a good side, as their remit is damage limitation and that never seems to change, therefore the counter attacking opportunities to really put a side to the sword often only come near the very end of games gainst stubborn, well-organised, poorer teams, that will take being 1 or 2-0 down going into the last 10 minutes before having a last go of things.

 

[wiziwig]

Also against the big boys , we have to take your chances with only their goalkeeper to beat . We had two on Sunday. Immediately after they had scored their first, Ade lobbed over and then Chadli's chance to equalise on the stroke of half time, but his shot was straight at their goalkeeper.

The outcomes of moments like these, change mentalities both positive and negative.

 

[Spur of the moment]

I think we react badly to pressure whether from the opposition or our own fans. Pressure makes even a good player useless and perhaps not having strong players/leaders to get us through the hard times has cost us. Against Liverpool, how many shots did we actually take and how much meaningless passing around did we do. Nobody wanted to take responsibility to make something happen.

With top players like Modric and Bale, they demanded the ball all the time and were always available for a pass. We don't have that type of player and top teams sense that, press our defence and we either give away the ball or get caught in possession. Obviously, this happens against poor teams too, you just get punished more by better players.

And also a simple reality that the opposition have much better players who sometimes we don't recognize.

Although the point of this thread was that we seem more inclined to collapse against the big boys than most, it remains true we cannot hope to match them for sheer quality. Just been doing a bit of checking and found that of players who were rated in the top 50 from the Guardian's World Top 100 last season, City currently have 4, United 4, Chelsea 3, Arsenal 2, Liverpool 1, Tottenham none.

We do have Vertonghen, Paulinho and Lloris, all of whom were just outside the top 50, but would any of them even get near the top 100 right now? Maybe Lloris, but certainly not the other two.



http://www.theguardian.com/news/dat...st-footballers-top-100-list-2013-lionel-messi

[TABLE="class: in-article sortable, width: 488"][h=2]e world's top 100 best footballers 2013[/h]Click heading to sort table. Download this data
[TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]2013
[/TD][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]2012
[/TD][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]Name
[/TD][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]Position
[/TD][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]Club
[/TD][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]Nationality
[/TD][TD="class: last left bold, align: left"]Age at Dec 20 2013
[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]1[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]1[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Lionel Messi[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Barcelona[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Argentina[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]26[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]2[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]2[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Cristiano Ronaldo[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Real Madrid[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Portugal[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]28[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]3[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]5[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Zlatan Ibrahimovic[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]PSG[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Sweden[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]32[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]4[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]28[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Franck Ribery[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Bayern Munich[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]France[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]30[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]5[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]4[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Andres Iniesta[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Barcelona[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Spain[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]29[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]6[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]13[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Neymar[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Barcelona[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Brazil[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]21[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]7[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]40[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Gareth Bale[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Real Madrid[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Wales[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]24[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]8[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]3[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Xavi[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Barcelona[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Spain[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]33[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]9[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]21[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Luis Suarez[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Liverpool[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Uruguay[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]26[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]10[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]11[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Sergio Aguero[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Emirates Marketing Project[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Argentina[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]25[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]11[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]7[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Robin van Persie[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Manchester Utd[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Netherlands[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]30[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]12[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]17[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Mesut Ozil[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Arsenal[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Germany[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]25[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]13[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]10[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Edinson Cavani[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Napoli[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Uruguay[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]26[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]14[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]66[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Arjen Robben[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder/forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Bayern Munich[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Netherlands[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]29[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]15[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]25[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Philipp Lahm[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Bayern Munich[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Germany[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]30[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]16[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]6[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Radamel Falcao[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Atlético Madrid[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Colombia[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]27[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]17[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]16[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Thiago Silva[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]PSG[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Brazil[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]29[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]18[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]70[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Robert Lewandowski[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Borussia Dortmund[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Poland[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]25[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]19[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]9[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Yaya Toure[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Emirates Marketing Project[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Ivory Coast[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]30[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]20[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]19[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Bastian Schweinsteiger[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Bayern Munich[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Germany[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]29[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]21[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]8[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Andrea Pirlo[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Juventus[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Italy[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]34[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]22[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]29[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Manuel Neuer[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Goalkeeper[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Bayern Munich[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Germany[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]27[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]23[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]27[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Marco Reus[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder/forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Borussia Dortmund[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Germany[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]24[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]24[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]20[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Gianluigi Buffon[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Goalkeeper[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Juventus[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Italy[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]35[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]25[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]33[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Thomas Muller[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Bayern Munich[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Germany[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]24[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]26[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]57[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Arturo Vidal[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Juventus[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Chile[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]26[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]27[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]14[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Sergio Busquets[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Barcelona[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Spain[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]25[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]28[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]31[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Wayne Rooney[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Manchester Utd[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]England[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]28[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]29[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]36[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Cesc Fabregas[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Barcelona[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Spain[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]26[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]30[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]32[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Juan Mata[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Chelsea[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Spain[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]25[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]31[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Francesco Totti[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Roma[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Italy[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]37[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]32[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]18[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]David Silva[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Emirates Marketing Project[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Spain[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]27[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]33[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]67[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Mario Balotelli[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Milan[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Italy[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]23[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]34[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]34[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Mario Götze[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder/forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Borussia Dortmund[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Germany[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]21[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]35[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Diego da Silva Costa[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Atlético Madrid[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Brazil[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]25[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]36[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]37[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Oscar[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Chelsea[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Brazil[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]22[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]37[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]15[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Xabi Alonso[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Real Madrid[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Spain[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]32[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]38[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]42[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Daniele De Rossi[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Roma[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Italy[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]30[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]39[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]24[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Gerard Pique[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Barcelona[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Spain[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]26[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]40[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]53[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Toni Kroos[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Bayern Munich[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Germany[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]23[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]41[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]43[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Dani Alves[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Barcelona[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Brazil[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]30[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]42[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]23[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Vincent Kompany[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Emirates Marketing Project[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Belgium[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]27[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]43[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]David Alaba[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender/Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Bayern Munich[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Austria[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]21[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]44[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Ilkay Gündogan[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Borussia Dortmund[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Germany[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]23[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]45[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]22[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Sergio Ramos[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Real Madrid[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Spain[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]27[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]46[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]48[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Carlos Tevez[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Juventus[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Argentina[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]29[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]47[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Thibaut Courtois[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Goalkeeper[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Atlético Madrid[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Belgium[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]21[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]48[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]77[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Mario Mandzukic[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Bayern Munich[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Croatia[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]27[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]49[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Aaron Ramsey[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Arsenal[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Wales[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]22[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]50[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]79[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]David Luiz[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Chelsea[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Brazil[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]26[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]51[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]64[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Nemanja Vidic[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Manchester Utd[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Serbia[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]32[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]52[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Axel Witsel[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Zenit Saint Petersburg[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Belgium[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]24[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]53[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Dante[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Bayern Munich[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Brazil[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]30[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]54[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Giuseppe Rossi[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Fiorentina[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Italy[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]26[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]55[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]35[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Karim Benzema[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Real Madrid[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]France[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]26[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]56[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Gonzalo Higuain[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Striker[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Napoli[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Argentina[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]26[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]57[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Jan Vertonghen[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Tottenham Hotspur[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Belgium[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]26[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]58[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]97[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Marek Hamsik[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Napoli[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Slovakia[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]26[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]59[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]100[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Paulinho[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Tottenham Hotspur[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Brazil[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]25[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]60[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]51[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Marcelo[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Real Madrid[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Brazil[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]25[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]61[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]80[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Luka Modric[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Real Madrid[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Croatia[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]28[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]62[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Kevin Strootman[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Roma[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Netherlands[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]23[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]63[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]39[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Javier Mascherano[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender/midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Barcelona[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Argentina[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]29[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]64[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Hugo Lloris[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Goalkeeper[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Tottenham Hotspur[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]France[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]26[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]65[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]44[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Petr Cech[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Goalkeeper[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Chelsea[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Czech Republic[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]31[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]66[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]45[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Mats Hummels[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Borussia Dortmund[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Germany[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]25[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]67[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]73[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Santi Cazorla[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Arsenal[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Spain[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]29[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]68[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Keisuke Honda[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]CSKA Moscow[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Japan[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]27[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]69[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Víctor Valdés[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Goalkeeper[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Barcelona[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Spain[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]31[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]70[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Arda Turan[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder/Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Atlético Madrid[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Turkey[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]26[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]71[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Federico Marchetti[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Goalkeeper[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Lazio[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Italy[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]30[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]72[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]47[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Angel Di Maria[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Real Madrid[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Argentina[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]25[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]73[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Álvaro Negredo[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Emirates Marketing Project[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Spain[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]28[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]74[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Laurent Koscielny[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Arsenal[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]France[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]28[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]75[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Toby Alderweireld[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Atlético Madrid[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Belgium[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]24[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]76[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Marco Verratti[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]PSG[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Italy[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]21[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]77[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Pablo Zabaleta[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Emirates Marketing Project[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Argentina[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]28[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]78[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Dario Conca[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Guangzhou Evergrande[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Argentina[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]30[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]79[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]69[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Borussia Dortmund[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Gabon[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]24[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]80[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Michu[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Swansea City[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Spain[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]27[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]81[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Miralem Pjanic[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Roma[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Bosnia-Herzegovina[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]23[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]82[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Samir Handanovic[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Goalkeeper[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Inter[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Slovenia[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]29[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]83[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]54[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Samuel Eto’o[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Chelsea[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Cameroon[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]32[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]84[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Juan Zuniga[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Napoli[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Colombia[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]28[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]85[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Lukasz Piszczek[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Borussia Dortmund[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Poland[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]28[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]86[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Marquinhos[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]PSG[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Brazil[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]19[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]87[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Mehdi Benatia[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Roma[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Morocco[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]26[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]88[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Frank Lampard[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Chelsea[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]England[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]35[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]89[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]94[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Shinji Kagawa[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Manchester Utd[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Japan[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]24[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]90[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Koke[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Atlético Madrid[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Spain[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]21[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]91[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Yohan Cabaye[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Saudi Sportswashing Machine Utd[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]France[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]27[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]92[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Lucas Moura[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]PSG[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Brazil[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]21[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]93[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Blaise Matuidi[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]PSG[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]France[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]26[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]94[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Isco[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Real Madrid[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Spain[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]21[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]95[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Alexis Sánchez[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Barcelona[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Chile[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]25[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]96[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Asmir Begovic[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Goalkeeper[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Stoke City[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Bosnia-Herzegovina[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]26[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]97[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Emmanuel Emenike[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Forward[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Fenerbahce[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Nigeria[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]26[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left, align: left"]98[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]NE[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Branislav Ivanovic[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Chelsea[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Serbia[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]29[/TD][/TR][TR="bgcolor: #F5F5F5"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]99[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]98[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Javi Martinez[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Defender/midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Bayern Munich[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Spain[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]25[/TD][/TR][TR="class: odd, bgcolor: #EDEDED"][TD="class: left bold, align: left"]100[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]58[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Eden Hazard[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Midfielder[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Chelsea[/TD][TD="class: left, align: left"]Belgium[/TD][TD="class: last left, align: left"]22[/TD][/TR][/TABLE]

 

[NWND]

Also against the big boys , we have to take your chances with only their goalkeeper to beat . We had two on Sunday. Immediately after they had scored their first, Ade lobbed over and then Chadli's chance to equalise on the stroke of half time, but his shot was straight at their goalkeeper.

The outcomes of moments like these, change mentalities both positive and negative.

Well precisely. The outcomes of games between two good sides often hinge on 'moments'.

Two missed chances by us, then the referee's decision to award IMO a pretty soft penalty to them for 2-0. Once it's 2-0 against a side of the quality of Liverpool you are seriously up against it and always likely to conceed more as you have to throw bodies forward. As it was, the mistake for the 3rd was just one of those things again, a catastrophic error brutally punished.

On another day, it could have been different, but it wasn't and we got well beaten fair and square.