Following on from my previous post, I have decided to pick out my top 10 attacking midfielders from around Europe as it is a position that intrigues me so much. Now, being an attacking midfielder isn’t as easy as people think. There’s more to it than just receiving the ball and passing it. You must be able to spot the passes and pick the right runs made by your team mates, but you also have to be able to make them passes. That means judging how hard you have to pass it, long or short pass, which players you have to split apart in order for the ball to reach it’s target, if it needs any curl or backspin and where your next move is after you’ve passed the ball. Anyway, down to business.
1. Mesut Ozil- As an Arsenal fan, it was guaranteed that I would include our wonderful new signing from Real Madrid. His contribution so far has been nothing short of incredible. Four assists and one goal in five games plus a whole host of chances created. In fact, so far for Arsenal, he has provided 17 key passes, averaging four a game in the Premier League. His www.whoscored.com overall match rating this season in the Premier League is 7.97 out of 10 which just proves how well he’s adapted.
2. Toni Kroos- He’s in my top 10 favourite players in Europe anyway so it would be rude not to include him in this piece. He’s a player that always leave me stunned after every game. It’s the little things he does, such as his composure on the ball or his knack for creating something out of nothing. He has two assists this season and has provided 9 key passes so far in addition. He has an average match rating score of 7.22
3. Oscar– Another player on my top 10 list but one name which will perhaps surprise a few who haven’t read Jose Mourinho’s comments on who he would like to play as the number 10 (attacking midfielder). He picked Oscar for that task and the reason why I like him so much is that he has adapted his physical game to the Premier League extremely well, like he’s been here his whole professional career. 3 goals and 1 assist already to his name and has provided 13 key passes so far which has resulted in his average match rating of 7.34.
4. Isco– The Spaniard used to be one of my favourite players in the La Liga before he moved to Real Madrid. Not anything personal, I just can’t seem to like players who play for that club. Anyway, this piece is about ability and Isco has stack loads of it. He’s young, keen and has amazing technique. Watching him play is a joy to behold. With 5 goals and 1 assist, he has been in inspired form. Add 16 key passes to that and you can take this inspired form and multiply it many times.
5- Oliver Torres– Some of you may not have heard of this name, and it’s not surprising either as he is just 18 and has featured much for Atletico Madrid. However, I have watched him play and I literally haven’t been left so amazed by a players performance since the days of Fabregas at Arsenal. His composure, elegance and determination is incredible for someone of his age. Now seeing as he hasn’t played much so far this season, it’s hard to really prove through the medium of stats how good he really is so I’ll skip over them.