War
Chairman of Selectors
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2010
- Online Cricket Games Owned
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Looking @ world football this season with some of defensive performances of major teams like United, City, Chelsea, Barcelona, Germany etc etc, along with a general look @ defending as a team/individually in the last few years - i'd say the standard of defending in the game is very average.
Too many central defenders are slow and very positional and if caught in a one vs one race with a pacy striker, are regularly embarrassed. While too many full-backs are excellent going forward, but very suspect doing their main job of defending.
When i started watching football around EURO 96, some great center halves have been around: the french trio of Desailly, Blanc, Lebouf. Italian giants like Maldini, Cannavaro, Nesta, Costacurta. The arsenal backline of Lee Dixon, Tony Adams, Martin Keown and Nigel Winterburn, along with Sol Campbell later. The united's backline at one stage of Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister and Denis Irwin and later Jaap Stamp.
Other great individual defenders like Hierro, Matthaus, Sammer Paulo Montero, Samuel Kuffor, Gheorghe Popescu, frank de boer etc etc etc.
In recent years very accomplished defenders who were stalwarts in the middle of this 2000s era like Lucio, Ferdinand, Terry, Puyol, Carvalho have past their peaks although they are still useful. But i see no upcoming defender who really impresses.
Thiago Silva as most know was recently became one of the most (if not the most) expensive defender in history when he went to PSG. But does anyone even believe he is the best defender in the world right now?. I certainly don't although he is solid.
If fully fit and playing well, i'd say individually Kompany and Vidic are the best two center halves in the world. Closely followed by Ramos, Pique and Pepe and Chellini. While the Juventus back-tree of Barzagli/Bonnuci/Chellini is probably the most solid defensive unit in the game.
But this is a real paltry # compared to 10 years ago really.
With the full-backs its much of the same. Guys like Thuram, Lizarazu, Dan Popescu, G Neville, Zambrotta, van bronkhorst, Cafu, zanetti, michael reiziger, willy sagnol, pannuci etc etc were all very adept at their main role as defending, while also contributing in attack. For years Roberto Carlos was often seen as the odd-man full-back, who was more comfortable going forward than defending.
In recent years more full-backs show roberto carlos like traits rather than zambrotta traits - which is an issue.
Out of some of the world's most prominent modern full-backs such as Richards, Kelly, G Johnson, Debuecy, Walker, Evra, Ash Cole, Coentrato, Jao Perriera, Clichy, Kolarov, Zabaletta, Abate, Balzaretti, Criscito, Maggio, Ramos (when he plays that position), Lahm, Baines, Sagna, Jallet, Boateng, Alves, Alba, Marcelo, Rafael, Ivanovic, Eboue, Asamoh, Assou-Ekkoto, Riise etc etc - how much of them are better @ defending than attacking?
Its always great to see team scoring goals, and attacking formations getting better like Spain/Barca have come up with the "false 9" set-up. But calibre world defending has taken a certain nose dive in recent years & certainly needs a lift.
Too many central defenders are slow and very positional and if caught in a one vs one race with a pacy striker, are regularly embarrassed. While too many full-backs are excellent going forward, but very suspect doing their main job of defending.
When i started watching football around EURO 96, some great center halves have been around: the french trio of Desailly, Blanc, Lebouf. Italian giants like Maldini, Cannavaro, Nesta, Costacurta. The arsenal backline of Lee Dixon, Tony Adams, Martin Keown and Nigel Winterburn, along with Sol Campbell later. The united's backline at one stage of Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister and Denis Irwin and later Jaap Stamp.
Other great individual defenders like Hierro, Matthaus, Sammer Paulo Montero, Samuel Kuffor, Gheorghe Popescu, frank de boer etc etc etc.
In recent years very accomplished defenders who were stalwarts in the middle of this 2000s era like Lucio, Ferdinand, Terry, Puyol, Carvalho have past their peaks although they are still useful. But i see no upcoming defender who really impresses.
Thiago Silva as most know was recently became one of the most (if not the most) expensive defender in history when he went to PSG. But does anyone even believe he is the best defender in the world right now?. I certainly don't although he is solid.
If fully fit and playing well, i'd say individually Kompany and Vidic are the best two center halves in the world. Closely followed by Ramos, Pique and Pepe and Chellini. While the Juventus back-tree of Barzagli/Bonnuci/Chellini is probably the most solid defensive unit in the game.
But this is a real paltry # compared to 10 years ago really.
With the full-backs its much of the same. Guys like Thuram, Lizarazu, Dan Popescu, G Neville, Zambrotta, van bronkhorst, Cafu, zanetti, michael reiziger, willy sagnol, pannuci etc etc were all very adept at their main role as defending, while also contributing in attack. For years Roberto Carlos was often seen as the odd-man full-back, who was more comfortable going forward than defending.
In recent years more full-backs show roberto carlos like traits rather than zambrotta traits - which is an issue.
Out of some of the world's most prominent modern full-backs such as Richards, Kelly, G Johnson, Debuecy, Walker, Evra, Ash Cole, Coentrato, Jao Perriera, Clichy, Kolarov, Zabaletta, Abate, Balzaretti, Criscito, Maggio, Ramos (when he plays that position), Lahm, Baines, Sagna, Jallet, Boateng, Alves, Alba, Marcelo, Rafael, Ivanovic, Eboue, Asamoh, Assou-Ekkoto, Riise etc etc - how much of them are better @ defending than attacking?
Its always great to see team scoring goals, and attacking formations getting better like Spain/Barca have come up with the "false 9" set-up. But calibre world defending has taken a certain nose dive in recent years & certainly needs a lift.
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