5 superstar footballers who are unfairly targeted

Footballers come under scrutiny on a regular basis; it is very much an occupational hazard. Whether it derives from their own fans booing them from the terraces, from the press or from their own managers on the training ground, there is no short supply of ugly opinion in the beautiful game.On occasion, the feedback and criticism can be necessary. When a player clearly is not putting in the effort on the pitch, sometimes it needs to be pointed out to them. Whether it is through stats, charts, heat maps or re-runs of their most recent poor performance, a telling off can provide dividends. Conversely, there are other instances when a player can be unjustly selected for a proverbial talking to.Whether it is a recurring theme or a more intermittent occurrence, there will always be players who are judged unfairly for their efforts, their achievements or the manner in which they play. So, let us take a look at five classic examples, both past and present.

#1 Karim Benzema

It’s often been stated that Karim Benzema has long been overshadowed by some of his club team-mates such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. Scheduled to reach 150 career goals for Real Madrid this season, he is already one of the club’s most prolific strikers, and it’s easy to see why he’ll nudge himself into the club’s all-time top five should he stay on board with Los Blancos for another three or four seasons – and at 27 years of age, there are few reasons why he won’t stay the course until he’s 30, at least.

So, why has he often been overlooked as one of the team’s key players? Frankly, the Frenchman lacks the superstar appeal that has long been associated with Real Madrid. Void of a certain je ne sais quoi he has suffered from a perceived lack of flair on numerous occasions, and he has never grown into the swashbuckling Galactico he was meant to become when Florentino Perez first signed him.

Another foible that seems to colour people’s judgements about his football skills is his alleged off the field engagements which can land him in hot water. However, it’s hard to argue against his talents on the pitch, but though it has taken time for them to be accepted for what they are, Benzema is finally receiving the compliments he deserves, and is now looked to as a football symbol by his peers such as Alexandre Lacazette – after all, he has done well to fit into a system that clearly favours others and is being tipped by his manager to keep banging in the goals.

#2 Ander Herrera

The general consensus is that Ander Herrera is not underrated by the majority, but by the few. However, it doesn’t matter how small the number is when one happens to be your manager for so very long.

Yes, Louis van Gaal appeared to lack faith in the abilities of young Herrera to effectively carry out his duties in the middle of the park for the first six months of his tenure. Preferring others, the Dutchman shied away from the Spaniard’s more cataclysmic approach for quite some time and has only recently started to give the 26-year-old a more assured role.

Far from the flashiest of performers, the ex-Athletic Bilbao man is never going to be the goal-scoring midfield phenomenon the Old Trafford fans have regularly seen dominate down through the years, but he does offer a certain poise and balance to their make-up, and lends them a solid equilibrium from which to build.

His man of the match performance in the Red Devils’ 3-0 win against Everton in late October showed what he could do when allowed to flex his muscles, but it’s clear van Gaal needs to give him more licence to roam forward – until then he will always be underrated, because we won’t see the full extent of what he can do.

#3 Eden Hazard

Right now, the mazy-dribbling Belgium international is not getting cut any slack whatsoever. Whether Chelsea’s Jose Mourinho has lost the dressing room or the Blues have individually lost faith in him causing them to play without confidence, it’s not so clear.

What is clear, though, is that Eden Hazard is being singled out by many as one of the Pensioners’ most disappointing players to feature this season. Having enjoyed a couple of terrific campaigns under the “Special One”, his past brilliance has been scattered to the wind, despite their narrown 2-1 UCL win over Dynamo Kiev.

Sure, it’s hard to ignore the lack of goals and dynamic performances from the winger who has had his pinions clipped in recent weeks, as he has not scored in 15 Premier League games, but one has to wonder whether he is being unfairly targeted.

Simply put, he is regularly described as a shadow of his former self now but what about his excellent form over the past few seasons? Lambasted and singled out as a flop, many voices in the modern game have gone after the 24-year-old like an angry mob, yet it seems pretty clear that he is not alone in the team’s fall from grace as their defence has not proven to be the reliable springboard it has so often been.

He could yet prove his critics wrong with a strong 2016; he has the skills and the flair to make it happen, especially with murmurs of a Mourinho recovery starting to swirl.

#4 Jordi Alba

During the 2014/15 campaign, one would have been hard pressed to find a more underrated player than Barcelona’s Jordi Alba. An influential component at both ends of the field, he kept the Blaugrana ticking throughout their successful treble-chasing campaign. An omnipresent force, he proved to be an invaluable player.

Having been converted from an attacking midfielder/striker to a dynamic full-back since his days at Valencia under Unai Emery, the 26-year-old has long been accustomed to learning how to fit into a system for the betterment of the whole team.

At the Camp Nou, he has done precisely that all over again, and his unselfish play, running off the ball and hard work has often allowed the exquisitely effective trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez the time and space to do what they do best by drawing defenders away with deep-surging runs down the flanks.

His contributions have not always been so obvious, but his work, like a silent assassin, has normally been impressive. Having signed a new contract in early 2015, it’s clear he remains a big part of their long-term plans – and deservedly so.

#5 Mesut Ozil

A true talent. A sublime passer of the ball. A veritable king of assists. Yes Mesut Ozil is undoubtedly one of the most gifted players on the planet.

Unlike the Turkish-born German international, however, some football pundits lack the necessary vision to see the unseen. Where Ozil spots key passes to unlock defences, his critics see a player who over-indulges in perfection too often with cleverly disguised passes and feints.

He’s a real team player, but the detractors choose to believe differently, citing Arsenal’s poor European and Premier League records as proof of his lack of winning mentality. Of course, the north Londoners’ recent 5-1 mauling has lent itself to this discourse particularly well. Yes, the Gunners were well and truly decommissioned by the Bundesliga champions but some of the negativity aimed at the Arsenal playmaker was just ludicrous.

His managers both current and past have repeatedly spoken of his supreme ability on the ball and he’s reflected exactly that in this season, reaching the figure of 10 assists so far this season. His performances this season have been a bit of a redeeming factor for the German midfielder but every Arsenal misstep sees the jabs pointed at him again.