Top 5 Centre Backs Currently and Historically

Aye, that's fair enough. No doubts VVD is doing the business while Kompany/Terry languish on the sidelines.

Kompany should be in the top 5-10 in the world, but injuries are hampering him. Has all the talent and has been desperately unlucky. VVD isn't there yet for me, and that's no dig at his ability.

Have to agree to disagree. I would have Terry streets ahead of Carragher.

Terry, Vidic, Rio

Kompany, Carvalho, Campbell, King

Gallas, Toure, Carragher

That's how I'd rate those players from that era, give or take.

 

Each to their own mate, I think Carvalho is probably the best defender the Premiership's seen, outwith Jaap Stam. Guy just oozed class.

Ledley King was a shame by the way, he could have been something tremendous. A miracle he had the career he had.

 

Nah there are times when throwing your body in front of the ball is needed. He was a great defender when in his prime, which is backed up by the amoung of individual award he has won. Should have left to go to America when he was in his early thirties instead of looking past it at a high level, think thats been his biggest downfall.

 

There are times when it is needed but that just seemed to be his default state of defending. Always half a yard out of position so needs to throw himself at it.

He was a good defender but not a 'great' I wouldn't have him anywhere near the likes of Nesta and Cannavaro.

 

Fair doos. Definitely a class centre half.

Aye, could of been up there but for injuries. When you see Kolo struggling against Motherwell after a lack of game time and then see how King just slotted into huge Prem games after injuries and next to no training. Quite incredible and something you don't see much at all.

 

Apparently just used to stand with the manager on the training ground, talked tactics. Then would stroll 90 minutes every week, such a * oddity.

 

Aye his cartilage and ligaments in and around his knees was totally *, it was similar to the Agathe situation where it was bone on bone, he was a great big defender just a shame about his problems.

 

Ricardo Carvalho, Paolo Maldini, Roberto Ayala, Rafael Marquez, Alessandro Nesta are all defenders I loved to watch growing up. Marquez not necessarily one of the best defenders but him and Puyol were a great partnership and complemented each other very well.

Nowadays Andrea Barzagli, Diego Godin, Leonardo Bonucci, and Pepe are the best. There's no one that comes close to those 4 in my opinion. I think Per Mertesacker is a really good centre half if I had to pick a 5th. Criminally underrated due to his lack of pace. But almost always in the right position and a very good passer as well.

I always find it strange how people always mention Chiellini and Bonucci but not Barzagli. I've watched a good bit of Juventus over the last 4-5 years and he stands out as the best one.

Chiellini is quite clumsy at times and I've seen him caught out of position quite a lot. Usually gets bailed out by the other two. Prone to conceding penalties as well. But he works well in the back three due to his aggression and gives good balance to it as he's left footed.

Bonucci has more to his game in terms of his distribution but as an out and out defender only Godin comes close to Barzagli's level over the last 5 years in my opinion.

 

I like Mertesacker but the reason he's not mentioned in terms of being one of the best is because, as you said, he's slow as *.

As soon as a player gets past him he's done.

 

Wee bump for @Monaghan..

Was just thinking reading your post and totally agree as well..

 

Aye, i'd say also John Terry is the best English one in my lifetime as well. He was similar to Godin now at his best which was really a decade ago.

The best the now defensively for me would be Godin, Thiago Silva, Pepe, Bonucci and I probably wouldn't add in a 5th. The others who are the best like Ramos, Hummels, Boateng, Pique, Van Dijk, Chiellini are a wee bit more attacking than they are defensive or a wee bit rash(Ramos and Chiellini).

Best overall in my time i'd probably go

1. Maldini
2. Nesta
3. Cannavaro
4. Thiago Silva
5. Desailly
6. Godin
7. Thuram
8. Hierro
9. Ayala
10. Terry
11. Puyol
12. Stam
13. Lucio
14. Campbell
15. Ramos
16. Pepe
17. Carvalho
18. Ferdinand
19. Bonucci
20. Boateng
21. Pique
22. Hummels
23. Chiellini
24. Vidic
25. Samuel
26. Barzagli
27. Kompany
28. Van Dijk
29. Montero
30. Gallas

Let out a few I know of but didnt see week in week out or were past their best like Baresi, Aldair, Costacurta, Ferrara, Blanc, F.De Boer, Nadal, Adams who's peaks were early or mid 90s. Although Frank de Boer is younger than them he was probably at his best at Ajax in his mid 20s dont think he was too good at Barca.

Hard to rank them considering some were smarter defensively but some had more pace, some were better leaders, some scored more goals, some only played there when older like Hierro, Thuram, Maldini, some clumsier and more mistake prone than others.

Decided to cut it off at 30, likes of Carragher, Hyypia, Marquez, Toure, Juan, Marchena just not making the cut.

Van Dijk still needs tested at a bigger club though, all the others played at top clubs in top League and in International tournaments and the knockouts of the CL which hes not done yet.

Forgot Mascherano would stick him in behind Vidic actually.

 

Alan hansen
Rio Ferdinand
paul mcgrath
Sol campbell
nemanja vidic

 

Any one mentioned Franco Baresi ?

 

Currently.

1. Pepe
2. Ramos
3. Luiz
4. Godin
5. Alderweireld

In my lifetime.

1. Cannavaro
2. Lucio
3. Nesta
4. Puyol
5. Pepe

 

Very difficult to compare across different eras. I would agree Terry was better than Campbell but would probably have Adams ahead of both.

 

In no particular order

Right now:
Chiellini
Ramos
Bonucci
Alderweireld
Godin

From my lifetime:
Maldini (the best I have seen)
Rio
Puyol
Nesta
Cannavaro

 

My boss is a Burnley fan and when Southampton went to Burnley earlier in the season he couldn't believe how easily Virgil strolled around all game and how strong and composed he looked. Said it was like a kid at school playing with a load of kids a couple of years younger than him.

 

Seaman

Dixon Bould Adams Winterbottom​

From the famous '1-0 to the Arsenal' period. Not a * player amongst them. Martin Keown then filled in for Bould - hardly * in himself either! Back in the day when a defensive unit was used as it was - a unit. Liverpool before them the same and Man Utd in the same period/shortly after - all had excellent defensive units. Players who played to each others strengths and knew each others weaknesses.

You don't get that anymore except maybe at Juve now.

 

Currently, I've no idea, to be honest.

Watching the Premier League in England growing up, I'd have said the likes of Tony Adams, John Terry and Rio Ferdinand were the best in that League.

From international tournaments and European football, I'd go for Carles Puyol, Jaap Stam, Marcel Desailly, Alessandro Costacurta, Fernando Hierro, Lilian Thuram, Alessandro Nesta, Fabio Cannavaro & Paolo Maldini.

If I had to put that into a top 5

1. Maldini
2. Cannavaro
3. Terry
4. Puyol
5. Stam

 

Then Wenger bought Vieira and Petit to play in front of them. Bet Arsenal kill for that now.