69 replies to this topic

[Alpha]

He would walk in to about 95% of the first teams in Europe i reckon.

[Alpha]

(I meant that about Arteta, but the same could apply for Howard.)

Not world class, but high class

[Staveros]

Im with TB on this one.

18 months ago id had enough of Arteta.

It looked to me like he had had enough of playing wide and just given up, he was ineffectual, was becoming lazy and looked generally disinterested.

Since his long, long overdue switch to the centre he has show what a worldclass player he is though, deffo worldclass IMO.

Not with the world elite that Bizi mentions but deffo worldclass.

[andybaker]

I would say 100% to be honest, i cant think of a team he wouldnt make better

spain?

i love arteta i think he is absolutely superb, but when i use the term world class...i mean not just get into most prem sides. I mean get into every international side in the world.

the likes of gerrard would IMO get into ANY side in the world, team or international.

Micky is great but not my definition of world class.

He would get into all current prem sides IMO

[Toxtethblue]

He's certainly wouldn't be a regular for Spain but it still baffles me that he's never even had one cap. Lesser players have been capped for Spain during his time.

Probably because he's played all of his best football outside of Spain.

[Dini7]

Whatever happens with Mikel, i can safely say that he will be one of the best players i've ever seen in a blue shirt.

[Rhys]

Down to the club he plays for rather than his talent. He deserves to be in the Spanish team never mind the squad

Seriously, why do people believe that?

Instead of who? At the moment Spain are miles ahead of any other team in world football, their football is phenomenal and they almost look unbeatable. Who would he realistically play instead of? Alonso, no. Iniesta, no. Xavi, no. Fabregas, no. I could go on for a long time.

Arteta deserved a call up mid way through last season and probably would have got one. Is he near the level of the players in their team or just off their team, not in my opinion. He is a top player when playing well but as Andy said, he isnt nearly a world class player which is what the Spanish midfield is.

[Staveros]

He is not better than those players, no. He was playing wide for a while though and playing out of his skin. Are you honestly telling me Albert Rieira and Santi Cazorla are better than him? No way, no way in the world for me.

He isn' world elite but he has been well worth a place in their squad for a long time, that racist prick Aragones had him over big time.

[Rhys]

He is not better than those players, no. He was playing wide for a while though and playing out of his skin. Are you honestly telling me Albert Rieira and Santi Cazorla are better than him? No way, no way in the world for me.

He isn' world elite but he has been well worth a place in their squad for a long time, that racist prick Aragones had him over big time.

He deserved it last season in my opinion. But for the few years before I dont think he played consistently at a top level to warrant getting called up. Spain is no different to any other country, if you play for a top European Club or in their domestic league you have a better chance of getting in the national squad than someone who plays just as well if not a bit better for a decent team in a different league. Owen Hargreaves for years deserved a regular go for England but because he played in Germany he didnt get, if he had been playing in the Premier League for someone half decent he would have got more caps earlier than he did.

And a different reason why they might be in, they offer width, real width which might be an option Spain want. He hasnt played out of his skin out wide for quite a while, probably 3 seasons. He was still playing well but never doing enough top quality moments from open play to make it impossible to ignore him. As i said, last season was different and sadly he got injured.

He isnt a Spanish wide player. The kind of wide players you have in Spain differ to English wide players, over there they have wingers because they play a system that accommodates them. In England a large percentage of wide midfielders are central players that get pushed out wide, either strikers or centre midfielders. Spain would see no reason to play someone who is a centre midfielder like him on the wings, which in my opinion why the likes of Luis Garcia years ago and now Riera get in ahead of him.

[Toxtethblue]

Spain's wide players are encouraged to come inside and get involved in the play, that's why they are so good at pass and move, retaining possession so to speak.

They don't play with alot of width, Fabregas was being used on the right in the Confederations cup and Iniesta and Silva played wide right and left alot during the European Championships.

In terms of style Arteta is similar to Iniesta when he plays outwide, Iniesta actually looked like a world class version of Arteta, in terms of style very similar. Louis Garcia was also similar in terms of style but played in a different system, where he could play higher up the pitch.

Riera may be left footed but he barely ever hits the touchline, he doesn't have the pace or directness in his play.

Arteta's a very adaptable player, he had the skill and technique to play outwide despite positionally being very similar to Alonso, a deep lying playmaker. And Alonso was hardly a model of consistency in England, he was probably less consistent that Arteta. He had a very good last season and a very good first season, he was very hit and miss in between.

[Rhys]

Spain's wide players are encouraged to come inside and get involved in the play, that's why they are so good at pass and move, retaining possession so to speak.

They don't play with alot of width, Fabregas was being used on the right in the Confederations cup and Iniesta and Silva played wide right and left alot during the European Championships.

In terms of style Arteta is similar to Iniesta when he plays outwide, Iniesta actually looked like a world class version of Arteta, in terms of style very similar. Louis Garcia was also similar in terms of style but played in a different system, where he could play higher up the pitch.

Riera may be left footed but he barely ever hits the touchline, he doesn't have the pace or directness in his play.

Arteta's a very adaptable player, he had the skill and technique to play outwide despite positionally being very similar to Alonso, a deep lying playmaker. And Alonso was hardly a model of consistency in England, he was probably less consistent that Arteta. He had a very good last season and a very good first season, he was very hit and miss in between.

I agree with what you are saying generally mate. I am saying that the wide players in Spain are completely different to over here and that is why I reckon they pick the players they do and have done over Arteta as a wide player. I know they are a lot more narrow these days, largely because it works and also because of the number of world class centre midfielders they have.

But as a different option if things arent working I think they like to have wide options, the likes of Riera and Cazorla can give that. Riera is direct in his approach. He has a really good delivery and doesnt have to beat a player to get a decent ball in. Arteta can do that for sure but a common trend of his when playing out wide was trying to beat the full back 5 times forcing the strikers and cahill to make about 4 different runs in one attack to create space.

I am not saying I agree with him never being in the squad necessarily, i am just giving reasons as to why arteta has never been capped other than the manager doesnt pick him because he plays for us. Of course that doesnt help but for the kind of midfielder he is they arent crying out for, they have depth in that kind of player as well and as i said, the others in the squad offer something a bit different.

[Toxtethblue]

I agree with what you are saying generally mate. I am saying that the wide players in Spain are completely different to over here and that is why I reckon they pick the players they do and have done over Arteta as a wide player. I know they are a lot more narrow these days, largely because it works and also because of the number of world class centre midfielders they have.

But as a different option if things arent working I think they like to have wide options, the likes of Riera and Cazorla can give that. Riera is direct in his approach. He has a really good delivery and doesnt have to beat a player to get a decent ball in. Arteta can do that for sure but a common trend of his when playing out wide was trying to beat the full back 5 times forcing the strikers and cahill to make about 4 different runs in one attack to create space.

I am not saying I agree with him never being in the squad necessarily, i am just giving reasons as to why arteta has never been capped other than the manager doesnt pick him because he plays for us. Of course that doesnt help but for the kind of midfielder he is they arent crying out for, they have depth in that kind of player as well and as i said, the others in the squad offer something a bit different.

I still think the main reasons for him not getting a call up or the last 5 years or so is because of his upbringing, the fact that he's rarely played in Spain and has played his best football in England, France and Scotland.

[biziclop]

I still think the main reasons for him not getting a call up or the last 5 years or so is because of his upbringing, the fact that he's rarely played in Spain and has played his best football in England, France and Scotland.

If anything, his nationality has more to do with it. He would've surely got a call-up if Clemente was still their coach.