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Gold Coast players react after Jason Culina scored in the 59th minute to put the Coast 2-0 up during the 1st round A-League football match between Brisbane Roar and Gold Coast United at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009. AAP Image/Dave Hunt
Three rounds into the fifth A-League season and few would deny that Socceroo star, Jason Culina, has been the man of the moment, representing everything fans have longed to see in the Australian competition.
It’s worthwhile recalling that in the latter part of last season, Carlos ‘El Zorro’ Hernandez was being viewed in a similar light, hailed by all as the best player in the league at the time.
Given that both have similar roles in their respective clubs, I thought it would be a bit of fun to do a comparison of each others’ skills (just for fun folks, it’s not signed in blood or anything).
Another interesting point of interest is that they appeared in their first World Cup in 2006 and are odds on to represent their respective countries in the 2010 World Cup.
I have chosen a list of 20 attributes with which I felt I was reasonably positioned to give a mark out of 10 for, with 10 representing best or close to best in the league, 9 excellent, 8 very good, 7 good, 6 reasonable, 5 passable, and so forth.
One word of warning, I said earlier that both play similar roles – but not identical roles. Culina has become a true play maker within Gold Coast United, in a formation that approximates a traditional 4-4-2.
While Hernandez occasionally played the same role last season, this season the Victory have played something closer to a 4-2-2-2, with two defensive mids, meaning Hernandez has floated in and out of wide positions and more central attacking positions in support of the two strikers.
As such, he hasn’t played a clear cut play maker role to date.
Attributes and scores, in no particular order (total = 200):
Culina / Hernandez
General athleticism:
9 / 6
Pace:
9 / 7
Fitness/stamina:
9 / 6
Balance:
8 / 9
Football smarts:
8 / 9
Reading the game:
8 / 9
Creativity/vision:
9 / 9
Work rate:
9 / 8
Off the ball:
8 / 9
Decision making:
9 / 9
Influence:
10 / 8
Set pieces:
8 / 10
Long shots:
8 / 9
Dribbling/ball control:
8 / 9
Passing:
9 / 9
Keeping possession in tight:
9 / 10
First touch:
9 / 9
Defensive duties:
8 / 6
Finishing:
8 / 8
Overall technique:
9 / 9
Total:
172 / 168
That looks like a fair outcome to me!
I’m happy to take questions on why I have marked them the way I have or to receive your comments for possible improvements in the gradings.
Also, let me know whether you would like to see this as a bit of a regular feature in relation to A-League players. Suggestions for future candidates to compare will be happily accepted.
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