He didn't change as a player in 2008, just started playing in a more dominant and suitable system. He was always a player that was world class on the ball but mostly insignificant without it (besides the period under Pep when he was juiced up to the gills and pressed like crazy). It's very hard in football for a midfielder with his defensive and physical deficiencies to be world class, let alone one of the best ever. Kroos is one of the only exceptions in my opinion.
@@44nkk Thanks for commenting. Interesting you say he’s useless without it, because I kinda made a tweet about off-ball movement, and some people said Xavi was the best at it, or one of. The system made Xavi reach that legendary status, I agree, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t world class before that. I think guys like him and Kroos are exceptions. Usually with their traits you wouldn’t or shouldn’t reach that sort of high status.
@@Decinitive When I say without the ball I'm referring to the defensive side of the game, not your movement when your team has the ball. Also I definitely wouldn't say he was useless in this aspect, he had a great engine and pressed a lot, but outside of that he didn't offer much. I hold Kroos in a higher regard than him because he could impose himself on a game more than Xavi and orchestrate his team's passing (even without great technicians next to him). Not to mention that he was also great when played higher up earlier in his career and could score goals and create.
He didn't change as a player in 2008, just started playing in a more dominant and suitable system.
He was always a player that was world class on the ball but mostly insignificant without it (besides the period under Pep when he was juiced up to the gills and pressed like crazy).
It's very hard in football for a midfielder with his defensive and physical deficiencies to be world class, let alone one of the best ever. Kroos is one of the only exceptions in my opinion.
@@44nkk Thanks for commenting. Interesting you say he’s useless without it, because I kinda made a tweet about off-ball movement, and some people said Xavi was the best at it, or one of.
The system made Xavi reach that legendary status, I agree, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t world class before that. I think guys like him and Kroos are exceptions. Usually with their traits you wouldn’t or shouldn’t reach that sort of high status.
@@Decinitive When I say without the ball I'm referring to the defensive side of the game, not your movement when your team has the ball. Also I definitely wouldn't say he was useless in this aspect, he had a great engine and pressed a lot, but outside of that he didn't offer much.
I hold Kroos in a higher regard than him because he could impose himself on a game more than Xavi and orchestrate his team's passing (even without great technicians next to him). Not to mention that he was also great when played higher up earlier in his career and could score goals and create.