Europe's finest box-to-box players?

[nirvaanfc]

Now this is a very subjective question so let me just set down a few guidelines for what i think is a box-to-box player!

1) Bosses a midfield! (rules out defenders and strikers, i'm looking at middies!)
2) Plays a central role not wingers! (rules out Robben, Camoranesi, Duff)
3) Frequently sparks attack for team with a pass or run! (rules out Emerson)
4) Always tackling and very capable defending! (rules out Nedved, Aimar)
5) Scores goals regularly! (rules out Albelda, Gattuso)

Now with criteria in place tell me who are the best box-to-box players in Europe?

I'll post a poll of a few that i think that definitely fit the bill.

[King Rooney]

i voted for gerrard because he is simply the best, i think xavi, lampard and essien are all great players though

[fatdanny99]

For my opinion it's Pirlo. He owns the Milan midfield with his passing and vision. Lampard, Gerrard, Ballack, De Rossi, and Maniche are all great as well.

[Crestofthestars]

Gerrard can only go forward and constantly gets bossed against Keane abd Vieira. In Euro 2004 too the England midfield got hopelessly pushed in the last 1/3 of the pitch. Not him.

Keane was the best, but is no longer box-to-box, hes simply a defensive midfielder. Vieira is the same.

Infact practically everyone on that list is either an attacking midfielder or a defensive midfielder. Hardly any of them run up and down one length to the other.

I'll go for Keane I suppose because he literally did dominate one end of the field to other at his peak.

[silver bullet]

Pirlo is top class. Voted for Van Bommel though, as I think he is too much underrated. I hope he'll get a chance at one of Europe's top teams next season.

[balla]

Ballack is my favourite but he's also the best.

[|--LdC--|]

For me its between Gerrard, Lampard, Xavi and Maniche, obviously i picked the last one :cool:

[scorpio81]

Gerrard can only go forward and constantly gets bossed against Keane abd Vieira. In Euro 2004 too the England midfield got hopelessly pushed in the last 1/3 of the pitch. Not him.

Keane was the best, but is no longer box-to-box, hes simply a defensive midfielder. Vieira is the same.

Infact practically everyone on that list is either an attacking midfielder or a defensive midfielder. Hardly any of them run up and down one length to the other.

I'll go for Keane I suppose because he literally did dominate one end of the field to other at his peak.


doesnt ballack fit the bill, then?
how would you classify him? attacking or defending? i think baraja, gerrard, ballack and xavi are the best (not sure who to pick from these), and i voted for ballack :D

[King Rooney]

Gerrard can only go forward and constantly gets bossed against Keane abd Vieira. In Euro 2004 too the England midfield got hopelessly pushed in the last 1/3 of the pitch. Not him.

Keane was the best, but is no longer box-to-box, hes simply a defensive midfielder. Vieira is the same.

Infact practically everyone on that list is either an attacking midfielder or a defensive midfielder. Hardly any of them run up and down one length to the other.

I'll go for Keane I suppose because he literally did dominate one end of the field to other at his peak.
did u see arsenal vs liverpool?

[nirvaanfc]

Roy Keane... gets a hell of a lot of plus points for his performance at Highbury yesterday. Great game.

He was ready to go toe-to-toe with 6'4 Vieira, who was alledgedly picking on Gary Neville, and this must have fired the Irish Man Utd captain up!

He ran things in the middle of the park, and provided a glorious ball for Ryan Giggs to lay on for Ronaldo for United's winner and 3rd goal!

The guy is on a tear lately!

[musicl]

Keane all the way. He's still got it.

[SirManchester]

Without a doubt, Ballack. Unlike other players listed he concentrates equally on both parts of the game.

[musicl]

Can Ballack compare to Keane defensively.

[ferreirajl]

Just one question:

Would Deco fit this competition given that his role in Barcelona is more defensive than it was for Porto?

The reason Im asking is because Deco's deffensive work is often overlooked.(In a study conducted by UEFA last year, Deco was found to be the player that averaged more Kms per match in last year's CL edition)

[fischetts]

The criteria in the poll options "rules out [x] player" seem to rule out just about every midfield player in the world, unless you count my excellent work in midfield for college intramurals.

[Chewmylegoff]

none of these players are even fit to shine scott parker's boots.

[rossoneri_22]

For me it's Steven Gerrard. He wins the ball back and runs up and down the pitch non-stop.

Pirlo is a great player but his position at CDM has a lot to do with turning defense to attack and with Gattuso's tough tackling.

Ballack deserves mention he is a great player who defends and goes forward.

[SirManchester]

Can Ballack compare to Keane defensively.

I know what you mean, Keane has played in the defense itself several times but Ballack is more balanced when it comes to attacking and defending.

[Spartak]

4) Always tackling and very capable defending! (rules out Nedved, Aimar)

Nedved is very good tackling and defending. That is why he is one of the most complete midfielders in the world. But saying that, I'd have to go for Ballack. The guy has all the attributes of both a DM and AM. Sometimes to the teams detrimate because when you play him as a DM he doesn't get into the box for headers. And when you play him as a AM he is not making the great passes in midfield. But on his day in either position there is none better.

[SirManchester]

Nedved is very good tackling and defending. That is why he is one of the most complete midfielders in the world. But saying that, I'd have to go for Ballack. The guy has all the attributes of both a DM and AM. Sometimes to the teams detrimate because when you play him as a DM he doesn't get into the box for headers. And when you play him as a AM he is not making the great passes in midfield. But on his day in either position there is none better.

Couldn't have said it better bro.