This is where we disagree. Numbers are important, but for a player like Iniesta, the numbers include passes, passes completed, dribbles, possession. If you limit your numbers with goals and assists, then you can end up with weird conclusions. This is why a midfield of Lampard and Gerrard doesn't produce the same number of goals they produce separately for Chelsea and Liverpool.
Zidane's one of the better games was in WC2006 vs Brazil. And it wasn't even because of his assist really, he was good because he dominated Brazil. Iniesta and Zidane dominate their opponents. Players like these+Xavi+Alonso are among the very best not because of number of goals&assists.
Anyway, give me a midfield trio of Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets, who combined probably don't have numbers of Lampard, vs Lampard, Vidal and take your pick. The latter will be watching the ball for most of the game.
The problem is you are using a team achievement in order to back up the assertion that there are stats that don't measure how good they are and that's just a correlative achievement. You can basically peddle anything you want under that guise.
As I said before, as attacking midfielders, in the most attacking stats categories, they're not really creating the output commensurate with the esteem they're held in. The one facet between the Barca players is their high passing totals and accuracy. In terms of their other stats, the ones you've mentioned, they're still not particularly superlative.
They're fortunate to have played in a team that was perfectly suited to letting them play to their strengths of possession play while they had some of the greatest attacking talent ahead of them. They came from the same academy, with the same footballing education and they were supremely skilled to boot.
The Lampard-Gerrard argument doesn't make sense. It doesn't diminish them as players because they're not suited to play together as a pair because they have redundant qualities when the other is playing. To use your example to an even absurd level; you're basically accusing people of wanting to field 11 forwards because theoretically they'll score more than the opposition. That's clearly not the point; balance in a team matters; but we're not talking about that.
Talk about their individual input in terms of the position they play insofar as it is comparable. Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets really flourish post-2008 and particularly when Pep comes. That's what took their possession game to a new level and the same is happening to Bayern. Put a lot of their contemporaries in that position and they'll improve as well - and will probably even contribute more offensively.
That they're great players is beyond dispute, they are. But my point was that they're overrated insofar as the esteem they seem to be held. Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets could be transplanted to Fulham and they'll help dominate possession; but it is in those kinds of contexts where their lack of output offensively will show. That it hasn't in their current teams is more a credit to the ridiculous talent around them (particularly in front of them): Messi, Villa, Henry, Eto'o, Ibra and then you have guys like Sanchez, Pedro and Cesc. Also Cesc has played as a more attacking player (often a false 9) and that's particularly why he has better output, combined with the fact that he has better vision/ability to score and create in the attacking third.
Also, aside from the fact that Iniesta's scoring and assist numbers aren't really off the charts, he's been injured a hefty amount and that's a mark against him as well. You really can't use Iniesta as an example to call Zidane inconsistent.
