La Liga Player Rankings After Game Week 19, January, 16-18
Welcome back to our latest edition of La Liga's player rankings, as we update our standings following the latest round of top flight games in Spain—which marked the halfway point of the 2014-15 season.
It was almost a textbook split in La Liga this weekend, with the top six sides all taking victory and five of the bottom six losing. Villarreal's 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao was perhaps the most impressive victory, with Barcelona's destruction of Deportivo La Coruna and the back-and-forth game between Valencia and Almeria also noteworthy.
Here are our latest rankings, with no change at the top but plenty of movement elsewhere.
Mentions
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The one notable departure this week from our top 20 is Barcelona's Jeremy Mathieu. He has been slowly falling on account of not being in the team, but too slowly falling because those below him had been injured, inconsistent or otherwise unable to capitalise. We're bored of his pointless presence now, so he's gone until he regains his place in the side.
Elsewhere, Sergio Canales drops out after just one week, unable to impact on Real Sociedad's poor 1-0 home defeat against Rayo Vallecano.
On the watch list:
Sergio Canales, Real Sociedad
Sergio Asenjo, Villarreal
Fabricio, Deportivo La Coruna
Marcelo, Real Madrid
Ivan Rakitic, Barcelona
Diego Godin, Atletico Madrid
20. Jonathas, ELC
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New entrant!
A new entrant and, by the nature of the team he plays for, quite possibly the only time we'll see Elche's Jonathas on our list this season.
The Brazilian forward is absolutely key to his team's survival hopes, bringing real quality and technical ability, as well as strength and movement, to the attack. He has been on our watchlist since before the winter break and, with a vital match-winning goal this weekend, it's time to include him.
Jonathas isn't hugely consistent in front of goal and at times can do things himself too much, but he is the standout player down at the bottom of the table and could keep up Elche single-handedly—he scored the only goal in the 1-0 win over rivals Levante this weekend.
19. Antoine Griezmann, ATM
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No change
Antoine Griezmann was ousted from the Atletico Madrid starting lineup by Fernando Torres this weekend.
He came on for half an hour, but his impact was minimal in a low-key, 2-0 win for his team over bottom club Granada. His only notable moment was a low, first-time shot toward the near post which the keeper parried away.
18. Luciano Vietto, VIL
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Change: -3
Villarreal forward Luciano Vietto has been excellent for most of the campaign with his all-round game, but as we've noted previously, he needs to improve on his final decision and finishing inside the box.
This weekend it was a case of those deficiencies rearing their head again, as he spurned two great chances on the run against Athletic Bilbao. Vietto's movement was good and, as he's not the quickest over long distances, his starting position from outside the box meant defenders had time to get back to close him down, but he still should have scored at least one.
He'll have better days, he's too good not to.
17. Luis Suarez, FCB
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Change: +1
Luis Suarez put in another impressive display for Barcelona in their 4-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna, as Luis Enrique finally kept the same starting XI in place, with the forwards impressing as a result.
The Uruguayan didn't score, but was unlucky not to find the net with his fine approach play, hard work off the ball and a few opportunistic moments denied by rugged defending and Fabricio, Depor's fine goalkeeper.
Suarez was involved in many of his team's best attacks, though, and continues to create the space for the likes of Neymar and Lionel Messi to work in.
16. Grzegorz Krychowiak, SEV
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No change
Polish midfielder Gregorz Krychowiak had a fairly quiet game for Sevilla in their win over Malaga, certainly not putting in a bad performance but simply holding down the centre of the park, distributing the ball easily and doing his job in an efficient manner.
Nothing really to report from him this week other than some imposing challenges in the middle—but it really would have made for a more interesting battle if opposite number Ignacio Camacho had been fit.
15. Denis Cheryshev, VIL
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New entrant!
It's rare a new entrant will figure so highly in the rankings on his first involvement (or on his re-inclusion, as is more accurate this time) but Denis has been on the fringes of the 20 for a while. This week, he was not just in the team of the week for La Liga, but he was also arguably the most explosive and entertaining player of all.
The Russian has shown good consistency to his game since returning from the winter break and was Villarreal's main man for most of the win over Athletic.
His goal was a thing of beauty—timing, touch, pace and composure—and he almost netted a second with a header off the post. He created chances with quick passes, low crosses and driving runs forward and is in the form of his life right now.
14. Jose Gimenez, ATM
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Change: +3
Another La Liga player enjoying his first real extended run in the team is Atletico Madrid's Jose Gimenez, restored to the starting XI in place of Miranda despite the Brazilian being back to full fitness.
He continued as he has been in Miranda's absence: strong, reliable, impressive on the ground and very good at reading the game and dropping behind when needed.
The Uruguayan double act at Atletico is excellent—Gimenez and Diego Godin—and Diego Simeone's faith in him is well-founded and deserved.
13. Ignacio Camacho, MGA
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Change: -1
As noted, Camacho again missed out for Malaga through injury against Sevilla. After missing a few games, he'll be sliding down our rankings much quicker from now on if he continues to miss out.
12. Karim Benzema, RMA
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Change: -3
A bit of a drop this weekend for Karim Benzema, who is somewhat a victim of his team slacking off since the return after winter.
Real Madrid are winning again, sure, but they're not yet playing with attacking vigour and intent, instead biding their time to strike a goal and being comfortable in victory rather than ruthless.
As such, a lot of Benzema's selfless running goes to waste, fewer chances fall his way in the penalty box and he is inevitably substituted with greater frequency when Real want to close out the game. His last Liga goal came in November, though he did claim an assist this weekend.
11. Isco, RMA
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Change: -1
Isco had a very mixed game for Real Madrid against Getafe: He got on the ball plenty, especially in the first half, but a lot of his driving runs forward ended in dead ends or misplaced passes.
In the second 45 minutes, he picked up a bit and was involved as Real took control of the eventual 3-0 win, but was subbed with around 15 minutes to go as he started to have a little more impact in the final third.
Again, not a bad performance, but certainly one he can pick up from. With a bit more impetus and tempo from his team as a whole, he should make more of an impact in his next appearance.
10. Arda Turan, ATM
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Change: +1
Arda Turan has had a couple of down-weeks but was back to something like his best this time out as Atletico Madrid beat Granada 2-0.
Playing again from the right side, Turan's delivery from the channels was excellent; he caused plenty of problems for the away defence—not the best-organised anyway—as he could have won a first-half penalty and then set up the second goal with a fine dribble and chipped cross.
Turan's Atleti remain in third place.
9. Diego Alves, VAL
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Change: -1
Diego Alves drops a place this week after conceding twice to relegation-threatened Almeria, though his side eventually wrapped up a 3-2 victory.
He couldn't do much about the first equaliser, a buried shot after a run across his near post, but the second he might have reacted quicker for—even though Tomer Hemed's header took a deflection. His crossbar saved him another time as Hemed looked for a hat-trick.
The second 45 minutes were quieter for Alves, and he didn't make a notable save.
8. Neymar, FCB
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Change: +5
A jump for Neymar this weekend after another good performance—and a downturn in fortunes for the players he leaped over.
The Brazilian wasn't quite as explosive and involved against Depor as he was a week ago against Atletico Madrid, but was still a vital part of the team's win as he consistently made space, dribbled at the opposition and generally gave his marker Juanfran a bit of a nightmare.
Neymar was subbed when the game was wrapped up after plenty of running in the opening hour.
7. Sergio Ramos, RMA
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No change
No movement for Sergio Ramos, who put in a professional and accomplished display at the back for Real Madrid, without really having to do too much.
His side were far too good for Getafe and routinely won 3-0, with Sergio Ramos and partner Raphael Varane both impressive and restricting the home team to barely any noteworthy chances at all.
Ramos' passing out of the back was good, and he was his usual strong self in the air.
6. Nicolas Otamendi, VAL
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Change: -1
Valencia were without Nicolas Otamendi for their 3-2 win over Almeria. Perhaps it showed, at times, with their first-half defending not up to scratch.
5. Koke, ATM
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Change: +1
Koke jumps one place for Atletico Madrid after a very good second-half showing in their 2-0 win over Granada.
He hasn't quite been at his best over the past few weeks, but he was lively, involved and important to the quick build-up play of the team through midfield into the final third, with some direct running and one or two instances where he looked to get an early shot away.
Koke could have won a penalty early on for what looked like a clear trip on him.
4. Toni Kroos, RMA
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No change
Real Madrid's central midfield controller Toni Kroos once again operated at the base of the three, controlling the game and dictating play to an extent in his team's 3-0 win.
It was all a bit nice and easy for Real, certainly harder than last time against Espanyol but never really any kind of a threat where they looked as if they'd lose. Kroos was pretty much a microcosm of the game itself: tidy, a little slow at times, never under pressure and never really doing anything that stood out.
His set pieces were a little off compared to usual, but then he also struck the woodwork with a thundering effort.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo, RMA
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Change: -1
Still not really up to his best level despite a brace at the weekend, Cristiano Ronaldo has strolled through January, helping to win games and netting a few strikes without really hitting top gear.
Clearly, he has more than enough quality for that not to matter an awful lot with regards to his eventual output.
The Portuguese forward came up with two good finishes to help his team get the win their dominance deserved, but he was certainly upstaged on the day by one team-mate in particular.
2. James Rodriguez, RMA
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Change: +1
Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez takes up his highest position of the season in our rankings, after another superb display for Real Madrid. It was he who really took the game to Getafe in the end and carved out the openings his side needed to take the win.
James picked up two assists and could have had more after a series of delicious low crosses and through balls into the box. His cross for the third, Ronaldo's second, was particularly well executed and delivered.
This performance was vintage James and follows on from several others similar, leading him to leapfrog Ronaldo this time.
1. Lionel Messi, FCB
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No change
Top billing of our rankings remains Barcelona's Lionel Messi, for a second consecutive week atop the charts.
This comes after another hat-trick for the Argentinian at the weekend, scoring three of his team's four in the 4-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna. Messi's opportunism, composure and final-third ability were all on show for the finishes.
Elsewhere, his performance was unstoppable outside the box as he won back possession, dribbled past opponents and looked for incisive passes into the area, putting in another complete display.
