X vs Y

ruggedjackal46 said:Look, Silva was arguably the standout performer at Monaco (back when they made that deep run in the LP) and then again at Manchester City (specifically during that season when de Bruyne was sidelined). He might be struggling for form lately, but he sustained that elite level for much longer than Fernandes has spent being productive at Manchester United. Plus, you have to consider versatility; Silva can slot in as a winger, a second striker, or a midfielder, while Fernandes is pretty much strictly a number ten.

I suspect Lawrence Garcia5 was talking about who's better right now, rather than looking at their entire career trajectory. It feels like Bernardo hasn't been quite itself for a season and a half now—not sure if that's just a temporary dip in form or something more—and he isn't exactly a guaranteed starter for Manchester City these days.

It’s like how Kante might have the more decorated career overall, but I still ended up voting for Fabinho because his performance over the last two or three years has felt superior. 🤷

vivideagle7 said:I suspect Lawrence Garcia5 was talking about who's better right now, rather than looking at their entire career trajectory. It feels like Bernardo hasn't been quite itself for a season and a half now—not sure if that's just a temporary dip in form or something more—and he isn't exactly a guaranteed starter for Manchester City these days.

It’s like how Kante might have the more decorated career overall, but I still ended up voting for Fabinho because his performance over the last two or three years has felt superior. 🤷

Lawrence Garcia5 just said "better player," which is pretty open to interpretation, isn't it? Personally, I find it makes more sense to look at a broader window of time instead of just obsessing over who happens to be peaking this week. To me, that feels like a more reliable way to judge talent—it helps us filter out those one-season wonders or players who just have a lucky half-year run.

Joao Felix vs Mbappe

Hakimi vs Andy Robertson

Ederson vs Allison

Goretzka vs Verratti

Lukaku vs Lewandowski

Ramos vs Bonucci

Insigne vs Reus

Pogba vs Thiago Alcantara

Sterling vs Sancho

Rebić vs Vlašić

Joao Felix vs Mbappe

Hakimi vs Andy Robertson

Ederson vs Allison

Goretzka vs Veratti

Lukaku vs Lewandovski

Ramos vs Bonucci

Insigne vs Reus

Pogba vs Thiago Alcantara

Sterling vs Sancho

Rebić vs Vlašić

ruggedjackal46 said:Look, Silva was arguably the standout performer at Monaco (back when they made that deep run in the LP) and then again at Manchester City (specifically during that season when de Bruyne was sidelined). He might be struggling for form lately, but he sustained that elite level for much longer than Fernandes has spent being productive at Manchester United. Plus, you have to consider versatility; Silva can slot in as a winger, a second striker, or a midfielder, while Fernandes is pretty much strictly a number ten.

The problem is, Silva has always been surrounded by world-class talent and highly organized squads; he’s never had to carry the entire weight of a team on his back. On the flip side, Fernandes has essentially dragged Manchester United through their Champions League campaigns even when they were massive underdogs. Even this season, while the team's play has been absolutely pathetic, he’s still delivering enough to keep them within reach of the top 4 (if they pull off a win in that rescheduled match, they're back in). I just don't see Silva being capable of pulling off that kind of heavy lifting. And if you look at the numbers, no midfielder has had a better start in the EPL; since he arrived, he's racked up 15 goals and 11 assists in 24 games. Aside from KDB, he's likely the player creating the most chances.

Don't get me wrong, Silva is a fantastic team player and I have zero doubt he'll find his rhythm again. But strictly speaking? I still think Fernandes is the superior individual talent.

Noah Roberts46 said:The problem is, Silva has always been surrounded by world-class talent and highly organized squads; he’s never had to carry the entire weight of a team on his back. On the flip side, Fernandes has essentially dragged Manchester United through their Champions League campaigns even when they were massive underdogs. Even this season, while the team's play has been absolutely pathetic, he’s still delivering enough to keep them within reach of the top 4 (if they pull off a win in that rescheduled match, they're back in). I just don't see Silva being capable of pulling off that kind of heavy lifting. And if you look at the numbers, no midfielder has had a better start in the EPL; since he arrived, he's racked up 15 goals and 11 assists in 24 games. Aside from KDB, he's likely the player creating the most chances.

Don't get me wrong, Silva is a fantastic team player and I have zero doubt he'll find his rhythm again. But strictly speaking? I still think Fernandes is the superior individual talent.

Fair point, but Silva didn't exactly have the luxury of playing for Manchester United (sorry, I had to 😁 )

Since arriving, Fernandes has basically dragged Manchester United toward the LP even when they were staring down massive deficits. Even this season, despite their lackluster form, he's delivering enough to keep them hovering near the top 4—if they pull off a win in that makeup game, they're back in the mix. Honestly, I find it hard to believe Silva could pull off something like that. Statistically speaking, no midfielder has had a better start in the EPL; since joining, he's put up 15 goals and 11 assists in just 24 matches. He’s probably the player creating the most chances since KDB.

Let’s be clear: Silva is a fantastic team player, and I don't doubt he'll find his rhythm again. Still, in terms of pure individual impact, I think Fernandes takes it.

True, Silva is an incredible team player, though he might not be able to carry a squad all by himself. Personally, I value that. I don't think "greatness" only belongs to the guys who try to do everything themselves and act like alphas; there's huge merit in players who integrate seamlessly and execute their specific roles perfectly. That's the kind of player I appreciate.

That said, if Fernandes keeps playing at this level and proves he can translate it to the big stage, he'll be my pick over Silva. Until then...

Fair enough. 👍

Joao Felix vs Mbappe

Honestly, I feel like Mbappe has been a bit overrated lately; he really let us down in those big Champions League matches, especially during last year's final. That said, what he’s managed to achieve by age 21 is nothing short of insane. He’s still arguably the top talent on the planet right now, and I wouldn't be surprised if his career trajectory mirrors C. Ronaldo. They actually share a lot of similarities—neither of them possesses that effortless finesse you see with Messi. As for Felix, I think he might have that same potential, but he just doesn't have the physical presence required right now. Whether he ever develops it remains to be seen. Still, they are definitely the two biggest talents of this generation.
Hakimi vs Andy Robertson

Ederson vs Allison

Goretzka vs Veratti

Lukaku vs Lewandovski

Ramos vs Bonucci

Insigne vs Reus

Pogba vs Thiago Alcantara

Sterling vs Sancho
In my opinion, Sancho is already the technically superior player; he simply possesses a level of football intelligence that Sterling will never reach. If he polishes a few more things, he'll be unstoppable.
Rebić vs Vlašić

Joao Felix vs Mbappe

Hakimi vs Andy Robertson

Ederson vs Allison

Goretzka vs Veratti

Lukaku vs Lewandovski

Ramos vs Bonucci

Insigne vs Reus

Pogba vs Thiago Alcantara

Sterling vs Sancho

Rebić vs Vlašić

Can I kill this matchup and drop a revised list? Let's just run it until December 18th. If you already voted, go again—keep the matchups we kept and vote on them like it's the first time. 😉

Reason: Just trying to keep this new thread from turning into a total mess. After taking some much-needed heat for how this was looking, I’m offering my own version of a prison break:

Goretzka vs Veratti

Insigne vs Reus

Ederson vs Alisson

Sterling vs Sancho

Rebić vs Vlašić

Jorginho vs Pjanic

Alex Sandro vs Andy Robertson

Lukaku vs Giroud

Maddison vs Eriksen

Mertens vs Depay

Goretzka vs Veratti

Insigne vs Reus

Ederson vs Alisson

Sterling vs Sancho

Rebić vs Vlašić

Jorginho vs Pjanic

Alex Sandro vs Andy Robertson

Lukaku vs Giroud

Maddison vs Eriksen

Mertens vs Depay

Goretzka vs Veratti

Insigne vs Reus

Ederson vs Alisson

Sterling vs Sancho

Rebić vs Vlašić

Jorginho vs Pjanic

Alex Sandro vs Andy Robertson

Lukaku vs Giroud

Maddison vs Eriksen

Mertens vs Depay

Goretzka vs Verratti

Insigne vs Reus

Ederson vs Alisson Sterling

Sterling vs Sancho

Rebić vs Vlašić

Jorginho vs Pjanic

Alex Sandro vs Andy Robertson

Lukaku vs Giroud

Maddison vs Eriksen vs Depay

Mertens vs Depay

How on earth is Insigne even being ranked above Reus? Even with one leg (which, let's be honest, has been most of his career), Reus is the superior player, and don't even get me started on when he was actually at his peak.

Noah Roberts46 said:How on earth is Insigne even being ranked above Reus? Even with one leg (which, let's be honest, has been most of his career), Reus is the superior player, and don't even get me started on when he was actually at his peak.

Honestly, I’d take Insigne over Reus even if Reus were playing on one leg, and like you pointed out, Reus has spent most of his career basically hobbling around on one leg anyway.

Reus is hanging in there by a thread, but after three or four elite seasons, you really shouldn't even be having this debate.

Honestly, I think it makes more sense to compare them based on their overall standing right now. And when I say "current state," I don't just mean who had a better game last weekend—it’s more about who people generally agree is the superior player at this stage of their career. 🤷 For instance, look at Aubameyang. He’s clearly struggling to find his rhythm lately, while Lewandowski over at Everton is absolutely tearing it up, but I’d still argue that Aubameyang is the higher-caliber talent as it stands, and I fully expect him to bounce back.

If I had to pick, I’d take Insigne over Reus.

Lukaku vs Lewandowski
Pogba vs Thiago

Who would you even pick to be the chairman of the Communist Party—not that anyone needs to bother checking the polls when the result is always going to be a landslide 99-1.

loneskipper3 said:Lukaku vs Lewandowski
Pogba vs Thiago

Who would you even pick to be the chairman of the Communist Party—not that anyone needs to bother checking the polls when the result is always going to be a landslide 99-1.

So, did I just cast my one vote for myself losing?

🙏

Stop messing around, if Pogba and Alcantara are lies, then why didn't I pick Močinić and Alcantara? 😵

wearywolf49 said:So, did I just cast my one vote for myself losing?

🙏

Stop messing around, if Pogba and Alcantara are lies, then why didn't I pick Močinić and Alcantara? 😵

Maybe in PES ☕

The comparisons are actually pretty solid, don't sweat it too much.