Most overrated Arsenal players

[Henry boi]

But how is Saka overrated when he's clearly the second best Winger in the league, no says he's Messi or something.
Something with Ødegaard whose better than him besides de bruyne

 

[Menard]

Diaby - very limited. Fantastic feet and close control, could shimmy away from a press like few others, but everything else about his game was extremely erratic. His passing in particular could be shocking and he didnt have much nous defensively. Had plenty of games for us where he was totally anonymous apart from 1 or 2 nice dribbles or bits of skill. I know sentiment plays a large part but I always feel it's massive revisionism to act like the guy was guaranteed to be the second coming if not for injuries. Maybe he would have ironed those issues out, but it was hardly set in stone. Lots of people rated Denilson just as highly at the time and look how his career went.

Ljungberg - Love the guy, was a young teen while he was in his pomp, but also very limited. Had bottle, had elite movement, and could finish, but that's about it. As soon as he lost a bit of acceleration and he didn't have Dennis (who he had a near telepathic relationship with) feeding him he basically devolved into a Parlour style workhorse winger. Also did pretty much nothing after he left us. Saka is well clear.

 

[Tnegs]

amazing that half of the players on your list had career changing injuries and there is Nasri who won the league with City after leaving.

You guys targeting Eduardo, Diaby, Ramsey, and Wilshere is the lowest thing a football fan could do, even if I put on a side how dumb it is

I'm happy Ramsey and Eduardo left and all that but saying this stuff about someone who had his leg split in half is beyond stupid, if anything it's an achievement that they salvaged something from their careers after that.

Those guys were top tier talents and were truly unlucky with injuries, and Nasri/Reyes just made wrong career choices but were top talents just the same

This is a thread about overrated players and these players were overrated injury or not. What would you know about top tier talents anyway didn’t you say Saliba and VVD were better than guys like Maldini, Nesta, Cannavaro, Stam, Zanetti etc?

 

[Maybe]

This is a thread about overrated players and these players were overrated injury or not. What would you know about top tier talents anyway didn’t you say Saliba and VVD were better than guys like Maldini, Nesta, Cannavaro, Stam, Zanetti etc?

Yes, Saliba is gonna be there one day on that list with the potential to have a better career than some of them and finish as a better player than some of them. Any problems with that? most likely you had no idea who Cannavaro and Stam were until they were in mid-20s or something. Do you even know where was Zanetti at the age of 22? Even when you google his club you won't know what it is

 

[Bucephalus]

I haven't seen him named, but I'd go with RVP. In my memory, he's a generationally great striker. In reality, he only had two years in the PL with over 20 goals, his last season with us, and his first at United. And finished up that United contract--that we cursed Arsenal for not being able to get done--busily not scoring goals in Turkey.

P.S. For me, overrated doesn't mean bad. It could be very, very good, but rated as great. So that's why I pick RVP.

 

[Dennis10]

I haven't seen him named, but I'd go with RVP. In my memory, he's a generationally great striker. In reality, he only had two years in the PL with over 20 goals, his last season with us, and his first at United. And finished up that United contract--that we cursed Arsenal for not being able to get done--busily not scoring goals in Turkey.

P.S. For me, overrated doesn't mean bad. It could be very, very good, but rated as great. So that's why I pick RVP.

I absolutely disagree. There are other players mentioned in this thread where injuries prevented them from reaching their potential. In cases like Diaby and Wilshere, some people remember their potential in place of their actual quality. RvP was injured for many long spells, but there's no way his actual qualities are overrated just because he's talked about as a great striker. He was absolutely unplayable at his best, and underrated if anything.

 

[Maybe]

RvP was injured for many long spells, but there's no way his actual qualities are overrated just because he's talked about as a great striker. He was absolutely unplayable at his best, and underrated if anything.

I mean he was scoring like crazy in his final year with us when he was fit and won United the league next season, fit again.

You could try and imagine what would happen if he was fit every year, but someone who destroys the league on his first full season isn't someone who should be labeled as overrated

 

[Riou]

All of 'em!

 

[blaze_of_glory]

What a stupid thread. Let's pretend the players on the team we like are worse than they are, fun times.

 

[A_G]

What a stupid thread. Let's pretend the players on the team we like are worse than they are, fun times.

Thread was started during lockdown. We were really scraping the barrel for topics to discuss.

 

[Bucephalus]

I absolutely disagree. There are other players mentioned in this thread where injuries prevented them from reaching their potential. In cases like Diaby and Wilshere, some people remember their potential in place of their actual quality. RvP was injured for many long spells, but there's no way his actual qualities are overrated just because he's talked about as a great striker. He was absolutely unplayable at his best, and underrated if anything.

I don't disagree with a word you say. He was insanely good when healthy. And I took pains to say that I don't interpret overrated as bad, just a disconnect between reputation and actual accomplishment. And just two seasons of 20+ top flight goals isn't really much for a player as good as I remember him as. Hence overrated. But I also agree with you that there's a case for him being underrated, because he was so good at his best that the stats on wikipedia don't tell the whole story.

 

[Riou]

All of 'em!

None of 'em, what are you talking about you slag...fight me!

 

[bowdeen]

Gilberto. Good solid DM but he was never as good as Petit who he was brought to replace. Also thought Edu was slightly more talented. Unfortunately he was less consistent so Gilberto won out.

 

[bowdeen]

Rosicky. Looked a neat & technically good player on the ball. He Ran around purposefully but aside from the odd rocket from outside the box he was largely ineffective imo. Also injury prone of coarse.

Toure- Without Sol Campbell he just looked like a decent to good CB. Not elite though.

Mertsacker - Bang average for me. Too slow and lacking agility. Gets called a legend which isn't warranted imo.


Jens Lehman. A level below other top GK in the world like Buffon, Khan, Van Der Saar. Always liable to cost you at some point. Never as good as Seaman.

Underrated - Pires, Ljungberg, Petit, Sol Campbell. Don't get the flowers they deserve among the larger football community(non Arsenal fans)

 

[Riou]

@bowdeen

Wrong on pretty much everything you have said (bar the underrated ones you mentioned) but thanks for playing the game regardless

 

[MATHEO]

Saliba, don't get me wrong, he's a great talent with huge potential, but I've seen people calling him the best CB in the league/world and even listing him among the best ever Arsenal centrebacks.

He hasnt reached the levels of Koscielny and Toure yet, let alone the elite like Campbell. He could surpass them but he's still far from that, he makes too many Mustafi-like mistakes (understandably due to inexperience) to be listed among the greats. In fact, Id argue that Gabriel is a better defender, Saliba is only better on the ball than him.

 

[Riou]

Saliba, don't get me wrong, he's a great talent with huge potential, but I've seen people calling him the best CB in the league/world and even listing him among the best ever Arsenal centrebacks.

He hasnt reached the levels of Koscielny and Toure yet, let alone the elite like Campbell. He could surpass them but he's still far from that, he makes too many Mustafi-like mistakes (understandably due to inexperience) to be listed among the greats. In fact, Id argue that Gabriel is a better defender, Saliba is only better on the ball than him.

This is a good one, tbh... think he will be world class one day, but not there yet... don't use Mustafi when describing William though ffs

Feel Toute especially is underrated in general.

 

[Maybe]

Saliba, don't get me wrong, he's a great talent with huge potential, but I've seen people calling him the best CB in the league/world and even listing him among the best ever Arsenal centrebacks.

He hasnt reached the levels of Koscielny and Toure yet, let alone the elite like Campbell. He could surpass them but he's still far from that, he makes too many Mustafi-like mistakes (understandably due to inexperience) to be listed among the greats. In fact, Id argue that Gabriel is a better defender, Saliba is only better on the ball than him.

That's big if you consider we have the best defense in Europe and he is key to that. That same defense collapsed last season without him. Mustafi-like mistakes? damn

 

[ThlRama]

This is a good one, tbh... think he will be world class one day, but not there yet... don't use Mustafi when describing William though ffs

You had a change of heart, huh?

 

[Riou]

You had a change of heart, huh?

Overrated doesn't mean a bad player, just means not as good as people think he is.

For example Mertesacker is not overrated as he is what everyone thinks he is, a good defender.

Saliba will be a great defender, but just feel he isn't quite there yet...he will be one day though 100%, and no shame in not being there yet at just 22 either.