The point I was making was that it's more a case of each of the big teams getting kept quiet by including at least one of theirs in and then a couple of others that have truly stood out can get put in too. Would anyone seriously suggest that Hazard had a better 2013 than Benteke, I haven't checked but I think he must have better scoring stats in 2013 Van Persie. There's no one missing in terms of the usual names that have done well but it all feels a bit elitist and ticking boxes when UEFA put a player like Hazard in there, who's been pretty unremarkable. Toure too. Anyway, they should have it at the end of the season to simplify it.
Hazard is playing at a higher level than Benteke though. Charlie Austin also has a right to be in there if that's the case.
So? Cahill is too, does that mean he's had a better year than Benteke. Benteke dragged Villa up by the bootstraps and kept them up, whilst playing very well in the process. If that's less worthy of recognition than Hazard doing pretty well for a top team then I don't know what to say. It might as well just be a competition based on who has the best attributes on Football Manager, it's just picking the most fashionable players at the most fashionable clubs. They played the majority of their games this year in the same competitions, against the same opposition and Benteke was the one that impressed most, it's not like Hazard was banging in hattricks every week in the Europa League.
So if some lad in League Two bangs in 200 odd goals in one season does that make him a contender too? Playing at a higher level does matter, Hazard was playing in two European comps and Benteke wasn't. Not disagreeing with how brilliant Benteke was by the way, just don't think he was/has been Balloon D'or quality. I think Mata should've pipped Hazard to the post but Hazard isn't a ridiculous inclusion.
As SD said, it's a 2013 award, other honours are irrelevant. I hadn't realised Atletico won the Copa, but it's a middle importance trophy in the grand scheme of things.
Hazard was playing in two European competitions? Would that be because he failed in the first one? Hardly a reason to praise him. Benteke clearly plays for a far worse side than Hazard, but he easily outperformed Chelsea's main striker, despite Torres actually scoring quite a few.
What is all this "playing at a higher level" rubbish. Villa and Chelsea play in exactly the same domestic league and cup competitions. The only competition Chelsea played in that Villa didn't in 2013 was the Ropey League.
200?! Yeah, maybe, that's like 4/5 goals a game! Infact I'd be outraged if he didn't get a nomination, that's incredible form to maintain over 46 games(plus a few cup). I wasn't talking about playing in a much lower league though, the majority of Hazard's games have been played in the same competition as Benteke's so the performances are very easily comparible so he shouldn't have to score 200 goals to be considered worthy of a place in the nominations. Anyway, I'm not particularly annoyed he's not in there, I don't watch enough football around Europe to know whether he should be in there, all I know is that there are players in England that have been better than the likes of Toure and Hazard this year. He's not even been the best player at your club, Cech and Mata have both been better for a start! Anyway, if European football matters so much then what is Suarez doing in there when the only European football he's played this year is getting knocked out by Zenit?
I think he was referring to playing in the CL this season as it's the calendar year that it's supposed to be judged on.
Even if that's true, then my point still stands. Chelsea were playing post-Christmas European football because of the dropdown. I'm not sure that beating Schalke and losing to Basel is Player of the Year material either, as he didn't play against Steaua.
