Baines and Fellaini ranked in Europe's top 50

Lyndon Lloyd , 12 June, 23comments | Jump to most recent

Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini have been named among Europe's 50 best footballers by a new list by Bloomberg Sports that ranks players based on new performance statistics.

At 16th, Everton's Player of the Season was the highest-ranked Englishman on a list created by evaluating players on skills relevant to their position. Wayne Rooney in 26th was the only other English player to feature on the on the list while Tottenham's Gareth Bale rounded out the UK contingent.

Unsurprisingly, Barcelona's Lionel Messi was ranked first ahead of Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and Bayern Munich's Frank Ribery.

Bill Squadron, President of Bloomberg Sports, said of the new analysis methods: "We continue to look at new ways to use analytics that will be interesting to fans, and are pleased today to unveil what we believe will be a game-changer in the way professional football is looked at in the future.

"Analytics is becoming more and more prevalent in both the minds of the fans and in the decision-making power of the clubs, and we are confident this index will help both stir healthy debate and be a great measuring stick for player evaluation going forward."

With thanks to Mike Gaynes

Reader Comments (23)

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Phil Sammon
1 Posted 12/06/2013 at 19:56:16

Surely worth a mention that Fellaini came 12th!

The only PL team with two players in the top 50.

Andrew Presly
2 Posted 12/06/2013 at 20:05:38

Honestly he is top 5 in Europe p-4-p. the best in his position, easily. Great player and great lad.

Andrew Presly
3 Posted 12/06/2013 at 20:07:43

And when was the last time A Cole put a cross in, never mind an assist?..

Paul Turner
4 Posted 12/06/2013 at 20:09:33

Right about Fellaini, Phil. He should be in the headline with Baines. But, it looks to me like Utd (RVP, Rooney), Spurs (Bale, Vertongen), and Arsenal (Cazorla, Arteta) all have 2 players on the list as well.

Ross Edwards
5 Posted 12/06/2013 at 21:05:07

If Baines wasn't English, he would be playing for Real Madrid, definitely.

Mike Gaynes
7 Posted 12/06/2013 at 21:43:19

Hey, I love our boys, but is Fellaini really a better player than Schweinsteiger, Xavi, Rooney, Muller or that little RS rat? We'd all take Bainesy over Evra and Cole, but is he better than Marcelo or Lahm?

Winston Williamson
8 Posted 12/06/2013 at 21:49:26

Mike Gaynes....
Technically and reputedly? No.
Form in the previous season? Obviously so.

Karl Masters
9 Posted 12/06/2013 at 21:58:34

That's certainly one in the eye for all the people who moaned about the Big Fella, but a shame his release clause is only £24m

Steven Telford
10 Posted 12/06/2013 at 21:57:04

Very dodgy analytics, looks like it may have been put together by somebody who refers to the sport as soccer, and clubs as franchises.
Maybe Bloomberg should stick to their core competency, that of slipping in the odd program between advertisements.

You can construct an index to show almost anything.

Kris Boner
11 Posted 12/06/2013 at 22:11:39

Nice when you look at the EPL top 10 by position break down though. Gives you an interesting look at who statistically they view as the best in their position in EPL.

James Stewart
12 Posted 12/06/2013 at 22:15:34

That list is complete horseshit. Ribery the 3rd best player in the world give me a break. He was complete garbage in the CL as he always is. One of the most overrated players ever.

Baines is the best left back in Europe I agree with that. Fellaini at 12 is laughable, better than Xavi, Gotze, Yaya toure, Ozil haha

How many matches have these clowns actually watched lately!?

Ross Edwards
13 Posted 12/06/2013 at 22:28:12

Arteta in the top 50? Absolute rubbish. Benteke above Gotze, Lewandowski and Higuain?

Peter Truin
15 Posted 12/06/2013 at 23:14:39

Frank Ribery third for fucks sake???????????

Jason Heng
16 Posted 13/06/2013 at 05:31:40

Wow, we've got some really proud fans here.

Brian Waring
17 Posted 13/06/2013 at 08:44:55

Jason, I think it's just some people can see it's a bit of a farce. Ribery, 3rd best player in the world? and to boot, in their pts system he is not that far behind Messi. Also, Van Persie only 5th?

Drew Shortis
18 Posted 13/06/2013 at 09:10:17

This system is based on key attributes for the position (tackles won, passes completed, shots on target etc...) to give a total score. It is a scientific way to rank players, rather than opinion based. I'm very proud to see two Everton players in the top 20 and it reflects well on our club. How some people can take this positive news and turn it into a negative is beyond me. Cheer up FFS!

Gary Mortimer
19 Posted 13/06/2013 at 10:16:53

James @311. What has Ribery's performance in the CL got to do with anything, other than the fact that he has a winner's medal? As Drew stated it’s all about stats and not opinions. Like the Scum’s Star Player in their fantasy football league – it could go to the chap who scored 2 goals, but apart from that didn’t do anything at all.
The significance we can all draw out of it is that Bainesy is worth a hell of a lot more than the £10m the media always seem to value him at – half the value of Kolorov and Glen Johnson!!!!

Colin Glassar
20 Posted 13/06/2013 at 10:44:35

We need to get Fellaini to sign a new contract then with a £35m buy out clause. This has just raised his value by 10m easily.

Phil Sammon
21 Posted 13/06/2013 at 11:20:04

Paul Turner

God knows where I got that from then. Only PL team with two in the top 20 maybe? I've not seen the list, just read a report. Lets face it, it's bollocks anyway. And certainly won't be adding money to anyone's price tag, Colin.

Chris Jones [Burton]
22 Posted 13/06/2013 at 14:59:57

Nice to see we have two such highly rated players, 12th and 16th would suggest if someone had the will and dosh to assemble the best team in Europe for an assault on the Champions League, we'd supply two of ours for the subs' bench and Rooney wouldn't even make the squad (outside the top 25). Well done, Everton, in so far as two players at least are concerned, Nil Satus Nisi Optimum for sure. Only Spurs can rival us in having two players in the top 20 best players in the whole of Europe!

As to Marouane's price. £24M may be the trigger for us to have to let him go, but at 12th best in Europe, surely if any one club triggered that clause you can bet others will appear, cheque books at the ready to compete for his signature – and push the sale price somewhat higher!

Sharabi Singh
23 Posted 13/06/2013 at 23:15:04

I can't believe Tony Hibbert wasn't on the list.

Harold Matthews
24 Posted 14/06/2013 at 01:24:28

Wasn't Ribery MotM in the Champions League Final? Can't say I like the little nasty runt but he's worked his socks off this season.

James Stewart: I saw one of your old movies the other day. "The man who knew too much."

We all love Baines, A really great attacker but a dodgy defender who turns his back and ducks away from shots on goal. Is he the best in Europe? Better than Marcelo or the brilliant Bayern Munich lad? Quite frankly, I'm not too sure.

Actually, the best left back I've seen in recent years was Abidal for Barcelona before his terrible illness. He was awesome.

Ray Rowles
25 Posted 16/06/2013 at 08:57:43

Don't go round telling your mates that we are the only PL club with 2 players in the top 50 (Phil) else you will have egg on your face!

I thought "Really???"

A quick look reveals: Vertonghen and Bale... Van Persie and Rooney... I stopped looking.

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