Luka Modrić

[KingLeo10]

Xavi and Iniesta went 5 straight summers with 5 major cup Ws -

08 - Euros
09 - CL
10 - World Cup
11 - CL
12 - Euros

Dominant in all of them, never a doubt that their team didn't have the best midfield. That said, Modric is 100% at their table, and Kroos is also knocking on the door (tier 1.5 for me).

 

[fergus90]

Always found Kroos underrated. Modric gets his plaudits but Kroos is an all timer.

Rarely wastes a pass and his first touch is always spot on to position himself.

 

[Temptation]

That is somewhat true, but you'd have to be a moronic manager to have for example Xavi in your team, ask him to defend deep, and play counter attacking football, when he could basically allow your team to dominate in midfield any opponent.

Let's say that a bad manager is more likely to use Xavi poorly, and in this case a bad manager could get more out of Modric.

So, lets say they are both managed by Tony Pulis or Sam Allardyce. Then I think they could do more with someone like Modric.

Any possession-based manager would start the midfield with Xavi, every time.

Some elite pragmatic managers like Simeone, Mourinho, counter-attacking managers would probably lean Modric. Someone like Klopp would lean Xavi.

A very good post.


All things considered here's how I rate the 3.

Xavi

Modric
Iniesta(just slightly behind; if you rate him slightly above Modric I won't argue with you; both are close overall).


Just one correction: I am 100% sure Klopp would prefer peak Modric here. He's perfect for Klopp's style of play. He has the combination of great engine and technical ability and intelligence perfect for Klopp's Football. One thing that separates Klopp teams from those high possession slow build up teams is that Klopp prefers a faster, more direct style. Klopp is considerably more vertical and higher intensity than Pep. Modric is made for that style.

 

[KingLeo10]

A very good post.


All things considered here's how I rate the 3.

Xavi

Modric
Iniesta(just slightly behind; if you rate him slightly above Modric I won't argue with you; both are close overall).


Just one correction: I am 100% sure Klopp would prefer peak Modric here. He's perfect for Klopp's style of play. He has the combination of great engine and technical ability and intelligence perfect for Klopp's Football. One thing that separates Klopp teams from those high possession slow build up teams is that Klopp prefers a faster, more direct style. Klopp is considerably more vertical and higher intensity than Pep. Modric is made for that style.

The slow possession thing being a hallmark of Pep's style is a bit of a myth:

Look at 08/09 Barca...extremely direct and Xavi was spraying vertical, pinpoint lasers all over the field. What happened is that teams started to realize that the best gameplan against that style/Barca was to cede midfield battle from the onset, limit vertical space/creativity (by parking the double decker and limiting vertical passing), which Pep then countered with more methodical/more patient and intricate build-up which 2011 Barca became synonymous with.

If given the chance, I don't doubt at all that creative geniuses like Xavi, Iniesta (or Modric, Kroos) prefer a more vertical setup. It's just a tad easier to play that way, compared to if the field is compressed. Modric has a better engine than either of them though, no doubt. And is a better crosser, which is a useful tool to have to leverage aerially dominant players like CR7, Benz, Bale, Ramos, Varane etc.

 

[KingLeo10]

This is also why I cringe when I see 70% possession by some teams...possession matters fuck all against a double decker if you don't have geniuses to carve the bus and a genius to finish the move in tight spaces (Messi).

When Xavi and Iniesta declined, Barca's possession started to mean fuck all and didn't translate to CL dominance or wins.

 

[Temptation]

The slow possession thing being a hallmark of Pep's style is a bit of a myth:

Look at 08/09 Barca...extremely direct and Xavi was spraying vertical, pinpoint lasers all over the field. What happened is that teams started to realize that the best gameplan against that style/Barca was to cede midfield battle from the onset, limit vertical space/creativity (by parking the double decker and limiting vertical passing), which Pep then countered with more methodical/more patient and intricate build-up which 2011 Barca became synonymous with.

If given the chance, I don't doubt at all that creative geniuses like Xavi, Iniesta (or Modric, Kroos) prefer a more vertical setup. It's just a tad easier to play that way, compared to if the field is compressed. Modric has a better engine than either of them though, no doubt. And is a better crosser, which is a useful tool to have to leverage aerially dominant players like CR7, Benz, Bale, Ramos, Varane etc.

I'm not saying Pep necessarily plays the slow build up style but Klopp's style of play is definitely faster, more vertical and higher intensity than Pep's style.


Klopp's style of play is best suited to Modric out of these 3. The ideal midfielder for Klopp's style is peak Gerrard though.


Modric is very complete and has many different varieties of passes he regularly executes. He has those through balls, penetrative threaded passes, the outside boot(trivela) pass from practically any angle possible, mid range long passes, accurate 4 yard passes for 1-2s, etc.

 

[serghei]

True, people forget that in 2009 the team was more conservative than in 2011. Xavi had 31 assists that season I think. He had no issues to play a more direct style.

 

[KingLeo10]

True, people forget that in 2009 the team was more conservative than in 2011. Xavi had 31 assists that season I think. He had no issues to play a more direct style.

10 goals and 31 assists in like 50 games.

I've never seen such a peak from a midfielder as Xavi 08/09. Iniesta was also not in his prime just yet (just shy of it), so it was Xavi doing the heavy lifting that season.

 

[Temptation]

It's interesting that Xavi despite playing considerably deeper than Iniesta had much better end product.


Xavi is truly something special and doesn't look out of place in an all time World 11 squad.


Xavi was the heartbeat of that world-dominating tiki taka system for club and country.


Shite manager but my god, what a baller!

 

[KingLeo10]

It's interesting that Xavi despite playing considerably deeper than Iniesta had much better end product.


Xavi is truly something special and doesn't look out of place in an all time World 11 squad.


Xavi was the heartbeat of that world-dominating tiki taka system for club and country.


Shite manager but my god, what a baller!

He was one of two Barca (not counting Maradona who I associate with Napoli) players chosen for the France Football all-time world XI.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

My midfield players tier list of this generation:

Xavi, Iniesta
Modric, Kdb
Kroos


Kroos is the most surprising factor, a lot of Bayern fans were happy when he left Munich, they called him 'Querpasstoni' , that means he makes only safe sidepasses lol, stupid mistake from Bayern to sell this genius

 

[Temptation]

My midfield players tier list of this generation:

Xavi, Iniesta
Modric, Kdb
Kroos


Kroos is the most surprising factor, a lot of Bayern fans were happy when he left Munich, they called him 'Querpasstoni' , that means he makes only safe sidepasses lol, stupid mistake from Bayern to sell this genius

Bayern did fine. Good decision for both parties. They usually played a 4231 with Muller as the AM.


Kimmich(holding mid) and Goretzka(box to box) and Thiago(ball carrying and circulating CM) are world class options.

 

[KingLeo10]

Kroos to RM is an all time L by Bayern.

I don't think RM win as many CLs without Kroos. Probably 2-3 instead of 4. That's not to say he alone was responsible for 1-2 CLs, but the synergy that resulted from him + Modric would be washed away.

 

[Morten]

Mou would lean Khedira, lol, while Simeone probably Casemiro.

Modrić can play basically everywhere in any capacity, and he would be stellar in that Barca squad under Pep. Personification of a modern CM. Better than Xavi IMO.

Good thing he didn't have Barca-DNA like Cesc though.

 

[fergus90]

Kimmich is now getting the same treatment as Kroos got.