Off Topic: How High Do You Rate Arjen Robben?

I think in the last ten or so years he will be my pick for the second most dominating direct attacker after of course Lionel Messi.

I have watched this guy so closely for so many years and he is that one player who can dominate against anyone and everyone in both club and international football time and time again. No matter who the opposition and what the competition as long as he is fully fit and in the right frame of mind, he is likely to dominate.

I was a huge fan of his since as early as 2004 but my belief was shaken in 2012. He had some very sorry moments in big games followed by a disastrous Euro 2012. Some people said that no one can ever come back from such disappointments. If this weren't enough Heynckes benched him for more than half the season. He only came into the starting lineup because of the injury to Toni Kroos. Yet show me a bigger 'blessing in disguise' in football this decade? From that point onwards he was Bayern's most outstanding and dominating player in that supreme UCL victory.

After this he did not look back. Through Pep Guardiola's three seasons in charge he was Bayern's best player by far. In fact they looked like two completely different teams with and without him. Against weaker opposition they invariably won no matter who played but this difference was very stark against higher quality opposition. It seems this has continued even in the first season under Ancelotti.

Maybe I can say he is one of my three favorite non-Barca players in a long time along with Pirlo and Buffon.

What do you all think of him?

Extraordinary player. Does the same movement every single time, yet is still elusive and almost impossible even to foul.

I don't like him because of his diving antics, but it's unfair to not label him as world class.

Suprised no one replied to this thread

I am a little disappointed that nobody else replied to this thread but thanks to you for the one reply.

I wouldn't dislike a player only for diving. It's become too common to single out anyone purely for that offense.

I agree with the rest of your thoughts on him. What a player! The last world class player produced by Netherlands to date. No wonder how much of a free fall they are in as his career comes to an end.

Just goes to show that the Barca section is in a really sorry state. There's basically little no none activity whatsoever.

On your diving point, frankly, you could be right. However, I didn't like his attitude in general. There are players who dive, but I still like them. For some reason I don't like Robben, but I respect & acknowledge him as one of the greats. I think that's fair enough.

I think the Nethlerlands losing Robben could be equivalent to Barcelona losing Messi. We need to prepare ourselves for when that day comes, because the aftermath will be painful.