07 Feb 2018 14:29:58
Ed001 would love your opinion on defending nowadays to the 80's or even 90's
today's defenders seem to rely on pace and barring that shirt pulling and wrestling.
Not to say that never went on back then as well but maybe im old and biased but I remember your maldini's and baresi, costacurta who seemed to defend with elelgance and ease.
I think Des walker was a top defender as well who seem to make it look easy
Paul mgrath also ronaldo koeman springs to mind as well.
Just defenders who actually could tackle and read the play without having to always foul their way out of trouble.

{Ed001's Note - I am in full agreement with you, people think carthorses like Maguire are good just because they are big, strong and fast. They are utterly unable to read the game these days. I don't know what has happened, because it can't just be down to the rules changes as they should make it even more important to be able to read the game, rather than less. I only used to watch the football italia to see Baresi, he was imperious.}


1.) 07 Feb 2018
07 Feb 2018 16:35:45
Well said John and Ed1.


2.) 07 Feb 2018
07 Feb 2018 17:43:50
Cheer for the reply Ed001 and comment Salah.
There is not one defender out there now to rival the ones I have mentioned which is a shame.


3.) 07 Feb 2018
07 Feb 2018 18:45:33
The game is much faster now and all changes are made to help attackers I think that's the main 2 reasons why.


4.) 07 Feb 2018
07 Feb 2018 18:55:23
Spot on, JJ. Defenders like Walker, Koeman, Maldini, Baresi, Sammer etc made defending look easy cos they had game intelligence hence, it allowed them to think quicker, anticipate the striker's move way before it happened and sense danger and snuff it out at the origin.

The defenders there are now, are robots with no game intelligence. Athletes who can't read the game. As for Maguire, he is the true sign of the problem with defenders today. The guy is pants, slow as a slug and lacks any positional awareness BUT cos he is big and strong then he must be good.


5.) 07 Feb 2018
07 Feb 2018 20:04:27
As centre halves go today, Maguire is decent. He gets his head on the ball in both penalty areas, may not be lightning quick but always seems to get a block in and can carry the ball out. I’m not saying he’s world class but think he’s better than some on here make out. You would think that, with the state of some of the centre halves playing for us, people wouldn’t be so quick to slag others off.


6.) 07 Feb 2018
07 Feb 2018 20:07:10
Great post John and Ed001.


7.) 07 Feb 2018
07 Feb 2018 20:10:37
Last one i remember for us was hypia he didn't need pace was always ahead of the game.


8.) 07 Feb 2018
07 Feb 2018 20:26:29
Greatest defenders never tackle. Read the game, snuff out danger, move on.
All before the striker has had chance to get on the end of a pass.

Best I’ve seen at it?
Hansen, easily.


9.) 07 Feb 2018
07 Feb 2018 21:42:51
what about Agger Agger.


10.) 07 Feb 2018
07 Feb 2018 22:23:00
Aggerdo, Paulo Maldini once said that making a tackle was a sign of failure cos that means he was out of position hence, failed to do his fundamental job as a defender. Nuff said!


11.) 07 Feb 2018
07 Feb 2018 22:27:26
I loved the German sweeper style that served them well for three decades or more.
Every succesful German national and club side had their best player at sweeper.