The Football News Thread 2016/17 - everything not Wolves

[Deutsch Wolf]

What, now? Modric. Possibly Kroos as well. Kante isn't the same style of player but if we're just talking broadly defensive midfielders...I'll have him as well.

Xavi was way better than him in his prime, so was Pirlo.

 

[Langers]

Luka Modric is the best player I have ever seen live. The 3-3 draw with Spurs - he was by far and away the best player on the pitch and I saw him at Molineux. Awesome - it was a brilliant game anyway but he just made it better.

Halsey made it worse but let's not go there.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Yep, another vote for Modric on that front.

Ronaldo wasn't quite there when he played for United against us (still obviously brilliant, but not the ridiculous specimen he is now), Figo was only a friendly....Mendieta was totally class for Boro down here but Modric...his touch is just unreal.

Not in the same league for technical skill of course but Lampard against us in Sep 03 when Chelsea did us 5-0 was flawless. A masterclass.

 

[Nando]

Xabi and Xavi aren't really comparable for me. Xabi is the epitome of the deep lying playmaker. Pirlo is godlike but was never as good defensively as Xabi.

Modric is the best central midfielder in the world at the moment by some way. Just superb.

 

[UKYankieWWFC]

Late night live football?
Local team Chattanooga play live on You.tube

 

[Alan]

Xabi and Xavi aren't really comparable for me. Xabi is the epitome of the deep lying playmaker. Pirlo is godlike but was never as good defensively as Xabi.

Modric is the best central midfielder in the world at the moment by some way. Just superb.

Agreed, I don't think of Xabi playing the same position as any of those Dan mentioned.

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[Deutsch Wolf]

He can't have a niche all of his own tbf :icon_lol: He's a deep lying midfielder, sits largely in front the back four. You can't really sub-divide from that to any great extent. Otherwise we're into the realm of handing an award to Steven Gerrard for being the best player in the world called Steven Gerrard who plays in the style of Steven Gerrard.

 

[Alan]

He can't have a niche all of his own tbf :icon_lol: He's a deep lying midfielder, sits largely in front the back four. You can't really sub-divide from that to any great extent. Otherwise we're into the realm of handing an award to Steven Gerrard for being the best player in the world called Steven Gerrard who plays in the style of Steven Gerrard.

No, but even by that definition surely it rules out at least Modric and Xavi? Kroos I'll give you, Busquets is the other obvious comparison. I'll make a list of comparable players in a bit, of that would make my stance clearer.

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[YoungWolf]

I would have Busquets (I know he's not a very popular character mind!) as a better defensive midfielder. Best in his position for a while now too.

Busquets, Alonso, Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas (and there were more talented midfieders) in that Spain squad was quite frankly ridiculous :icon_lol:

Modric is the best all round midfielder though, what a player. And in his first season at Madrid wasn't he voted worst signing, or along those lines?

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

1860 München will have to playoff against Jahn Regensburg to keep their second tier status.

St Pauli somehow finished 6th after looking dead and buried about two months ago.

 

[Freddeno]

Iniesta..

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Iniesta..

Not sure you could compare him to Alonso. He played on the left wing for years.

Apparently though Xabi's fan club don't like you comparing him to anyone who doesn't have the exact same haircut and beard

I hate Busquets, great player but such a cunt. Therefore I'm not voting for him, so there.

 

[Nando]

Oh don't get me wrong, in a list of the all-time great midfielders, Xavi and Iniesta would quite rightly be above him.

For me, he just had absolutely everything you'd want for somebody playing that role.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I think (!) my original point was that if you were listing certainly the top five right backs in European/world football of the last 30 years, Lahm is quite obviously going to get into pretty much everyone's list, unless they've had some kind of a breakdown or are Garth Crooks. In fact you could probably make that top three. I wouldn't say that would apply to Alonso, though I'll accept that he has a lot more competition, not least because there are so many different varieties of "central midfielder" (is he better than Matthäus was, well you can't really make that comparison).

Not a dig at Xabi per se because he's an absolutely fantastic footballer and a top guy as well. Incomprehensible really how Liverpool got him for so cheap. £10.5m was a fairly mid-ranking fee even back in 2004. Chelsea spent more in that window on Paulo Ferreira (who was fine and all that until his legs went, but he was just a decent RB, nothing more).

 

[Alan]

I think (!) my original point was that if you were listing certainly the top five right backs in European/world football of the last 30 years, Lahm is quite obviously going to get into pretty much everyone's list, unless they've had some kind of a breakdown or are Garth Crooks. I wouldn't say that would apply to Alonso, though I'll accept that he has a lot more competition, not least because there are so many different varieties of "central midfielder" (is he better than Matthäus was, well you can't really make that comparison).

Not a dig at Xabi per se because he's an absolutely fantastic footballer and a top guy as well. Incomprehensible really how Liverpool got him for so cheap.

Sociedad was a dumpster fire at the time they sold him IIRC.

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[Nando]

I think (!) my original point was that if you were listing certainly the top five right backs in European/world football of the last 30 years, Lahm is quite obviously going to get into pretty much everyone's list, unless they've had some kind of a breakdown or are Garth Crooks. In fact you could probably make that top three. I wouldn't say that would apply to Alonso, though I'll accept that he has a lot more competition, not least because there are so many different varieties of "central midfielder" (is he better than Matthäus was, well you can't really make that comparison).

Not a dig at Xabi per se because he's an absolutely fantastic footballer and a top guy as well. Incomprehensible really how Liverpool got him for so cheap. £10.5m was a fairly mid-ranking fee even back in 2004. Chelsea spent more in that window on Paulo Ferreira (who was fine and all that until his legs went, but he was just a decent RB, nothing more).

Yeh that's fair enough, certainly can't argue with that.

In my lifetime, the best right backs I've seen are Cafu, Zanetti, Lahm, Dani Alves, Thuram, Zambrotta and Neville. I'd have Lahm in the top three from those I think.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I really don't think I can split Zanetti and Lahm. Thuram behind that pair.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Lahm is an absolute legend, spent time playing on the wrong side too with no dip in performance. Can remember him banging in the opening goal of the 2006 World Cup from left back, I'd just got back from my driving test in time to see that.

I'd never cared for Alves personally, always looked on him as someone who was very look to be in a great team and was made to look a lot better by association. Can think of loads of times I saw him for Barca where he just ran up and down a lot whilst occasionally ballooning a cross out for a goal kick. He's changed my mind somewhat seeing him for Juve lately though, scored a couple of belting goals recently too.

Speaking of Juve fullbacks I've been extremely impressed by Alex Sandro whenever I've watched them this season too, could be the next big money departure from Turin?

 

[Nando]

Alves is brilliant. He's been sensational at Juve since Christmas.

Alex Sandro is an absolute monster. Phenomenal. He's probably the best LB around at the moment. Juve tied him down to a new contract with Dybala not so long ago to fend off any interest in him.

 

[Lycan]

I really don't think I can split Zanetti and Lahm.