DonAK
President of FC Barcelona
No, he is still a very good player, but obviously need some leaders around him to succeed. To me he's the same as he's been in recent seasons. He's just more exposed this season with all the defensive shuffling.
Raphael Varane
- Thread starter El Gato
- Start date
No, he is still a very good player, but obviously need some leaders around him to succeed. To me he's the same as he's been in recent seasons. He's just more exposed this season with all the defensive shuffling.
El Gato
Villarato!
I can't compare him to a specific player right now, but he's an ace that just never assumed command ever. This season particularly he is so fucking meek it's hilarious for a top level defender.
Can't think of a good analogy. Reminds me of some Arsenal players though.
DonAndres
Wild Man of Borneo
One of the most overrated players ever. Had a great WC, for sure, and even then he was hardly more impressive than Umtiti (IMO they were equal in that tournament).
But for RM, sheesh. There's a laundry list of big games in both CL and Liga where he gets burned and destroyed and they concede goal after goal. Not only this season, but last season and in 15/16 too. Only in 16/17 did they actually have a good defense, usually they just won the CL otherwise with unstoppable offense/midfield and a lot of luck.
He never was the best CB in the world, unless you're really willing to say a month long period at the top during the WC (and not even that, as people overrated his performances) is a good argument for being the best.
Real God tier CB's transform a team's defensive capabilities by their presence. Umtiti's first year and a half before he started getting injured, Barca rarely conceded any goals. With VVD, Liverpool went from conceding a very high amount of goals to the fewest in the league. Godin has kept the Atletico defense among the best in the world for a half decade now, mainly because of his abilities and leadership. With Varane? RM have a shite defense and leak goals like there's no tomorrow even when he's there and he often looks bad while it happens.
But for RM, sheesh. There's a laundry list of big games in both CL and Liga where he gets burned and destroyed and they concede goal after goal. Not only this season, but last season and in 15/16 too. Only in 16/17 did they actually have a good defense, usually they just won the CL otherwise with unstoppable offense/midfield and a lot of luck.
He never was the best CB in the world, unless you're really willing to say a month long period at the top during the WC (and not even that, as people overrated his performances) is a good argument for being the best.
Real God tier CB's transform a team's defensive capabilities by their presence. Umtiti's first year and a half before he started getting injured, Barca rarely conceded any goals. With VVD, Liverpool went from conceding a very high amount of goals to the fewest in the league. Godin has kept the Atletico defense among the best in the world for a half decade now, mainly because of his abilities and leadership. With Varane? RM have a shite defense and leak goals like there's no tomorrow even when he's there and he often looks bad while it happens.
El Gato
Villarato!
Broad brush nonsense [MENTION=12906]DonAndres[/MENTION]. It's always a very poor argument to rate a defender by the number of goals team concedes on average.
People at large don't see him as a god tier defender. And other peers rate him very much. Top5 in recent years pretty comfortably, possibly fallen down the ladder this season a fair bit. Except this is a poor season, not his genuine level.
People at large don't see him as a god tier defender. And other peers rate him very much. Top5 in recent years pretty comfortably, possibly fallen down the ladder this season a fair bit. Except this is a poor season, not his genuine level.
DonAK
President of FC Barcelona
Probably because a lot was expected of him after the World Cup. So many people thought he finally stepped up to become the defensive leader he was touted to be, but he's simply not that guy.
I'm sure that's been on his mind too which is why he's been doing some strange things. The sooner people realize he's not a Ramos the better for him and Real Madrid.
RM will need a new defensive leader after Ramos. It sure as hell won't be Varane.
I think Lloris as the captain and one of the leaders of that team really helped both Varane and Umtiti in the World Cup.
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El Gato
Villarato!
I don't know if it's that. IMO it's more them not seeing how overbearing Ramos has become in the dressing room. I don't know how Varane was ever meant to assume command when he had a guy like Pepe or Ramos as his seniors. Never really had the trial by fire. And now his meekness comes out quite a bit.
I have some hopes for his duet with a guy like Militao to be a bit more of a partner-partner thing than a full-of-it-mentor & excellent-tutee relationship. Pepe-Ramos were very much kinda of equal in stature. No clear #2 until Ramos assumed captaincy. Just not too sure how long it could take to develop this since Ramos isn't leaving for another 2-3 years surely. By that time Varane is a full blown man-child that is 5 years older than Eder.
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Never fullfilled his potential, maybe someday. What sent went wrong?
Blaugrana Bull
HiiiPoWeR
Varane is great, one off season does not change that. Would really weaken Real.
El Gato
Villarato!
United makes sense, lots of people in his age range. He’d improve any team. But it’s unlikely. Never seen him cower away from a challenge. It’s just a story they came up with to give the Militao transfer an agenda bigger than being a reliable rotation option.
He can defend just fine when playing for France, im convinced that the white shirt makes our defenders lose brain cells or something.
Besides Ramos, no one can actually defend on this team, and Ramos is still prone to retarded mistakes.
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