Top 10 Premier League Players in History

[_me]

Maybe we can wait until after Sunday to really start this, but I was intrigued by the discussion in the Premier League thread about the Henry vs Giggs vs Shearer vs Bergkamp

To _me, the main thing when ranking the past is determining if we are talking about "peak performance" (best 5-7 years of a career) or their entire career (so longevity means more). Personally, I usually separate those because you will end up with completely different names most times and each can be equally valid and interesting to discuss.

So what you guys think about starting a ranking of players? I would be interested to hear/read everyone's opinions if they want. We can either just leave it as an open discussion or I would be glad to take the votes people want to submit and rank them if people want to submit a list.

Would we want divide into subgroups to let other names get mentioned (offensive vs defensive) or just leave all the name together and just accept that more attackers will get mentioned?

[Romford Pele]

Up for it.

I would say either top 25 or 50 as a countdown reveal, or do an XI with highest in each position?

[Simon]

Yeah up for this.

[_me]

Up for it.

I would say either top 25 or 50 as a countdown reveal, or do an XI with highest in each position?

To increase my personal knowledge, I would love a starting XI but I imagine most people would rather just a simple Top 25. I would almost certainly make up some potential starting XI after all the totals came in but it seems like it would like be very offensive oriented for most people.

Would it be too "forced" to require at least one player per position in each persons top 25? Seems like if you think someone is the best LB or RB in Premier League history, that would should get you into the Top 25 at least.

[Romford Pele]

I think it's fair to nominate one per position in the top 25

I would tag all those you think interested and get the lists coming in

[Gary J]

Just pick a starting eleven separately and work out the team that way.

[TraXX]

Or decide on the formation and pick a top 3 for each position. 33 names isn't that much more than 25, and you'll get a better spread of goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and attackers.

4-3-3 seems the most reasonable.

[_me]

I am working today but I will type up something official with the invites after I get done. I like the idea of letting each person pick their own formations (433 or 442 or 4231) but do really want a "full team" too and not just the 25 best goal scorers. We will figure it out…

[Romford Pele]

We doing this then? @_me

[_me]

We doing this then? @_me

I didn't really feel like there was that much interest but we can give it a try. I am off tomorrow. I will type up something official and send out the invites tomorrow.

[_me]

I love a good countdown and as a recent fan, love learning about the past. So I wanted to do a countdown of the best 25 players in Premier League history.

I like to let people have as much freedom as possible but I have two rules:

1) I won't pick a formation but you do have to have a complete team in your rankings (GK, Def, Mid, Fwd).
2) Peak vs Career. The eternal dilemma for rankings. How about 3-year peaks (i.e using their three best consecutive seasons) as the standard for rankings. Allows for people who didn't spend their whole careers in the league but also doesn't allow one season wonders.

So who is up for it? @Ringo; @Romford Pele; @son_of_foley; @MMH; @Mik; @The Rosk; @Gary J; @Fanny Banter; @Murphy; @Simon; @Chris Scott; @Peter Griffin; @TraXX; @Pablo Diablo. (Anyone I forgot is more than welcome to join. I just scanned the last 20 pages of posts to see it chatting).

My plan was to accept votes until around Sept 1st (gives about 10 days and two sets of weekends) but can go longer if needed, just let me know if you are working on it. And then do a fairly quick reveal (2 per day until the top 10; then 1 per day) so it doesn't drag too long into the new season. Thanks for anyone who participates.

[Romford Pele]

In

[Ringo]

[Peter Griffin]

I'll give it a bash.

[Pablo Diablo]

So to be clear we're sending you our own Best XI as long as it fits a somewhat normal formation, am I reading that right?

[_me]

So to be clear we're sending you our own Best XI as long as it fits a somewhat normal formation, am I reading that right?

Just send a straight ranking of the best 1-25.

But in those 25, you should at least have at least 1 GK and 3 or 4 defenders based on your formation preference (you can have more of course) to go with the normal batch of midfielders and forwards.

These lists just always a very heavy on goal scorers/creators so I wanted to include the entire team and great defenders are a big gap in my knowledge so specially wanted to include them.

[Chris Scott]

Robbie Fowler & Ian Wright should be the strikers but yes I’ll give it a go.

[Fanny Batter]

I'm in.

[_me]

I'm in.

Excellent. I tried to invite you but wrote your name down wrong. You were supposed to be "Fanny Banter"

[Romford Pele]

List sent. That was really hard. Very easy to go attack heavy so having to put a full team in makes it more difficult for sure.

[Dreyski]

List sent. Wanted to avoid any current players but still reckon I've missed lots of obvious ones.

[_me]

I have gotten some ballots so far. If anyone else is still working on them, just let me know. Otherwise I will probably close the results on Friday and start revealing the totals. Just a heads up.

@Ringo; @MMH; @Mik; @The Rosk; @Gary J; @Fanny; @Murphy; @Simon; @Chris Scott; @Peter Griffin; @TraXX; @Pablo Diablo.

Quick refresh of the rules: Ranking the best Premier League Players 1-25 using their "3-year peak" (best three consecutive years rather than entire careers). But the list must also include an entire squad (so 1 GK and 3 or 4 defenders too; not just goal scorers and midfielders).

Thanks to everyone participating.

[Simon]

I've been thinking about this but the 3-year criteria just doesn't work for me, it leaves me with a top 25 list that just isn't representative of the best players in the PL era. For example I can't really find a way of including Scholes, Ferdinand or Ashley Cole, whereas Kante, Torres and Coutinho would feature very highly.

[wardy]

I want to do this but don't really understand the format. Do I need to have at least one player from every position: GK, LB, RB etc? Then the rest can be forwards?

[_me]

I want to do this but don't really understand the format. Do I need to have at least one player from every position: GK, LB, RB etc? Then the rest can be forwards?

Basically yes. But I would also accept 3 CBs or 2 CBs and 1 RB and 1 LB. (you can pick 3-4-3 or 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 or whatever you want to get the players in you want)

My premise is that "the best RB" in Premier League history should be also considered one of the 25 best players ever too. Same with LB and CBs and GKs. So basically, your Top 25 should feature a "starting XI" and then 14 other players of any position.

But the "starting XI" do not have to be the TOP 11. Feel free to put the GK and defenders anywhere on the list.

[_me]

I've been thinking about this but the 3-year criteria just doesn't work for me, it leaves me with a top 25 list that just isn't representative of the best players in the PL era. For example I can't really find a way of including Scholes, Ferdinand or Ashley Cole, whereas Kante, Torres and Coutinho would feature very highly.

I can certainly understand that.

I guess I just feel like everyone's list would be the same if we just counted the entire careers. I wanted more variety. Plus a list of the best players without Ronaldo or Bale or Cantona or Kante would just feel weird and not that informative.

Scholes and Giggs are going to be the tough ones. Played forever but never had one dominant stage. But I kind of feel like Cole and Ferdinand would still make many lists.

[Romford Pele]

We still doing this?

[The Rosk]

I find this too weird a concept to put thought into, I'm afraid. Apologies.

[_me]

We still doing this?

I only got four ballots so it is not really enough to make a countdown. I have a free day today so I will try to get the work into someway I can present it since you guys took the time.