Most underrated player

[Kingralph]

To give everyone a break from arguing over which striker we aren’t going to sign I thought I’d start an argument on this topic instead!

The Athletic podcast has just had a show where they decided that Alan Smith is the most underrated Arsenal player ever. The decision was made in a world-cup style knock out competition, from these 17 players:

Alan Smith
Anders Limpar
Brian Marwood
Bacary Sagna
Lauren
Gilberto Silva
Steve Williams
Emmanuel Adebayor
Paul Merson
Santi Carzola
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Theo Walcott
Sylvain Wiltord
Olivier Giroud
Mathieu Flamini
Thomas Vermaelen
Alexis Sanchez

Feel free to add names or disagree, and for bonus points add your most overrated player too.

For me, most underrated would have to be Steve Bould or Paul Davis, and overrated would be either Ozil or Odegaard.

Over to you….

[Perryashburtongroves]

Some strange names in there. Names that I'd hardly called underrated or even memorable. Adebayor? Giroud? Oxlaide-Chamberlain? No chance they're getting anywhere near the top end of anything, let alone an underrated list. More like a generally shit and well know for being quite average-shit.

Just off the top of my head names like Nigel Winterburn, Lee Dixon, Paul Davis, Kevin Campbell, Kevin Richardson, John Lukic, Ray Parlour all won league titles without ever really getting anywhere near the recognition they deserved.

I can't think of anyone massively overrated at the moment- perhaps right now, it's Odergard.

[augie]

How the fcuk is theo "the brainless c.unt" walcott on the most under-rated list FFS ??? He had blistering pace no doubt, but honestly he was bang average as a footballer

I agree with ralph in that bouldie was always severely under-rated cos the acclaim always went to the rest of the back 4 and seaman possibly because he wasnt an international player ?

I loved marwood as a winger for us - really old school in that he went down the line and whipped great crosses in for our strikers. He wasnt with us long, but contributed a lot imo

Another guy who wasnt with us long but was under-rated imo was kevin richardson - he played a big role in early GG teams and had that winning experience from his time at everton

[Nick Nack]

I agree with Perry, it's definitely a weird list.

My assumption would be that to be underrated, you would be part of something successful and not get the recognition you deserve.

On that basis most of the later Wenger years players can be struck off the list with little consideration.

Always liked Steve Williams who had a bit of an old school hard bastard about him.

If I had to choose from that list then Lauren was top notch and never backed away from his duties and didn't mind the rough stuff.

Surprised Petit isn't in there as he often gets overlooked playing next to Viera. They had a formidable partnership.

Paul Davis was an exceptionally talented player, but like a lot of the Arsenal players of the time, disgracefully overlooked for international duty, when some absolute shite was being picked for England. Same with other players of that time. Played for the wrong team.

Too many overated players over the last 10-15 years to list, but Feo would be my choice, followed by DB's favourite waster, Xhaka, given how often the press bigged him up

[Kingralph]

How the fcuk is theo "the brainless c.unt" walcott on the most under-rated list FFS ??? He had blistering pace no doubt, but honestly he was bang average as a footballer

I agree with ralph in that bouldie was always severely under-rated cos the acclaim always went to the rest of the back 4 and seaman possibly because he wasnt an international player ?

I loved marwood as a winger for us - really old school in that he went down the line and whipped great crosses in for our strikers. He wasnt with us long, but contributed a lot imo

Another guy who wasnt with us long but was under-rated imo was kevin richardson - he played a big role in early GG teams and had that winning experience from his time at everton

The argument they made about Theo was he scored 100 goals in 400 games, plus 70 assists, which are good numbers, but everyone still thinks he was shït, which he was.

I have to say I was surprised at those numbers when they said them, myself.

[Sid33]

Most under rated Ray Parlour!

Most over rated Sol Campbell!
Second most over rated Reyes!

[Natural Born Gooner]

Underrated - Alan Smith

To be top scorer in the league in 2 title winning teams was nothing to be sniffed at. If he was at Liverpool, Spuds or ManU, the UK press would have been wanking themselves furiously for him to be up front for England for World Cup 90. Instead he's just an international footnote as the player who replaced Linekar in his last game.
Absolutely loved him though

Overrated - Jens Lehmann

My Mum could have been in goal for that 2003/04 team and we'd still have won the league. Fucked up 2 CL campaigns and did his best to sabotage the unbeaten record. Only because the shiteness of his replacement he was looked at with any kind of fondness.

Special overrated mention - Giroud.

Absolute donkey. Had prime Cazorla, Ozil and Sanchez putting it on a plate for him and he'd manage to row Q it. Scored a couple of brilliant goals but summed up the latter Wenger years
For him to be Frances top scorer over some massive names in French football history is a travesty.

[DB10GOONER]

Underrated - Alan Smith

To be top scorer in the league in 2 title winning teams was nothing to be sniffed at. If he was at Liverpool, Spuds or ManU, the UK press would have been wanking themselves furiously for him to be up front for England for World Cup 90. Instead he's just an international footnote as the player who replaced Linekar in his last game.
Absolutely loved him though

Overrated - Jens Lehmann

My Mum could have been in goal for that 2003/04 team and we'd still have won the league. Fucked up 2 CL campaigns and did his best to sabotage the unbeaten record. Only because the shiteness of his replacement he was looked at with any kind of fondness.

Special overrated mention - Giroud.

Absolute donkey. Had prime Cazorla, Ozil and Sanchez putting it on a plate for him and he'd manage to row Q it. Scored a couple of brilliant goals but summed up the latter Wenger years
For him to be Frances top scorer over some massive names in French football history is a travesty.

Agreed 100% with the bit in red. Perfect description of the braindead cùnt Lehmann. A good shot stopper but a fucking selfish liability. If that dopey cùnt hadn't been such an attention seeking self centred twat against the chav in 2004 and in Paris in 2006, Dennis Bergkamp would have the champions league medal he so richly deserved - probably two of them.

[DB10GOONER]

Most underrated players for me were Uncle Bouldy, Romford, Paul Davis, Petit, and Smudger.

Most over rated was deffo the braindead twins Me Me Me Lehmann and Lobotomy Clive Xhakatard. Pair of cùnts to boot. Especially Clive.

[Bradywasking]

Most underrated..Gilberto..he was a real case of not knowing what you had until it was gone.

[TeeCee]

Paul Davis, no doubt about it. Not only underrated but unfairly the subject of the boo boys for a long time. Absolute Rolls Royce of a player and would have been worth a fortune these days. Legend also for chinning that c.unt Cockerell as well, Roy Keane thinks he's a hard man but Davis fucking showed he took no shit!!

Overrated
Probably Ozil, lazy c.unt, he had magic in his boots but couldn't be arsed, which is criminal for the talent he had
I never liked Lehmann, not a great keeper at all.

[Bradywasking]

Paul Davis, no doubt about it. Not only underrated but unfairly the subject of the boo boys for a long time. Absolute Rolls Royce of a player and would have been worth a fortune these days. Legend also for chinning that c.unt Cockerell as well, Roy Keane thinks he's a hard man but Davis fucking showed he took no shit!!

Overrated
Probably Ozil, lazy c.unt, he had magic in his boots but couldn't be arsed, which is criminal for the talent he had
I never liked Lehmann, not a great keeper at all.

Paul Davis was an excellent player, he was the only English player, well maybe Hoddle also, who wouldn't have been out of place in that great French midfield of that era. However he wasn't considered good enough to get into England's midfield, the legendary Steve Hodge however was a permanent fixture there.

[Andrew]

There's a bit of "Premier League-itis" in this. Why are there so many recent players on the underrated list?

What about:

• For a start, there's the legendary back five (including The Goalie): all English, but did they ever actually play for England together? Nigel Winterburn got TWO caps!

• Joe Mercer

• Bob Wilson

• Vladimir Petrović

• George Armstrong

• Martin Hayes

• Peter Simpson

[Andrew]

Overrated players: there's so many from recent years that should never have been signed, let alone played so often!

• Nicklas Bendtner

• Emmanuel Eboue

• Abou Diaby

• Alexander Hleb

• Denilson

• Petr Cech

• Alex Iwobi

• (Something) Mustafi

• Johan Djourou

Going back a bit further:

• Willie Young (apart from his legendary Cup Final tackle on Paul Allen!)

• Ian Ure

They may not be overrated by the fans, but they all played over 100 times so were overrated by the managers!

[Red Army 2]

Most under rated Ray Parlour!

Most over rated Sol Campbell!
Second most over rated Reyes!

Agree Parlour was under rated along with Bould .....most over rated has to be wally or xhaka