Good question This is a good question, that I have also pondered. If I were to start building a team, IMHO the foundation would be the defensive mid field. Though having said that, there is a considerable difference in the defensive / attacking orientation of "defensive" midfielders. For example, I would add Didier Deschamps to this list. I do not think that the French National team was the same without him. However, Deschamps was definitely a more defensive minded player than, say, Roy Keane or Edgar Davids Ironically, despite my comments related to the French National Team above, I also admire the play of Claude Makelele. More so with his former club team, Real Madrid, than with his national team.
He's young and has not yet established his full reputation, but I would say that Ballack will be considered one of the great defensive midfielders.
1. Ferris - Ballack is 26 or 27, and quite established... he's world class, but I wouldn't put him up there with the aformentioned 2. Mobile - me, obvious? NEVER! 3. Sildegil - don't know quite how to break this to you, but Desailly is a centre-back Just remembered, I FORGOT GULLIT!
What an idiot ... Ok when u want to post stuff on Soccer boards try to get a fcking clue ! Desailly played as a def mid during almost its all Milan AC's period. He was at its peak during this time. With age, he moved back to defense (which was its previous position). Pathetic
Finished making an ass out of yourself there, Mr. Hostility? You're trying to tell me that a centre-back converted to defensive mid at club level alone for only four years should be considered the best over a 10 year span in defensive mid - including those playing there at both club and country? Get a fucking clue
There's no contest, Vieira. If you asked the same question in ten years though, it will be Steven Gerrard.
Funny you should say that billy. Two seasons ago against the cottagers Desailly was penciled in to play in the middle against them at Craven Cottage due to an abysmal run of injuries. The game ended up with the ludicrous situation of 5 at the back, three center halves no less. Desailly was quoted after the game on sky saying "Marcel Desailly is a center back--not a midfielder" when asked why he was playing so deep.
Any words for us then, sildegil? BTW "Old Man Clan", did Desailly really refer to himself in the 3rd person?
Who cares. Even as a defensive mid, he wasn't as good as any of the choices on this poll. I voted for Keano.
There were points last year where it looked like Vieira had surpassed Keane. Watching Keane chasing Vieira down from behind in the Community Shield this year just restored normal service.
i would like to second Fernando Redondo. He should at least be a candidate. He ran the show for Real Madrid. One wonders what might have been had he not had that falling out with Passarella (idiot), or been injured this last time.
Well, if someone like Roy Keane is nominated, then of course Redondo should be there too. I remember those two classic Champions League games between MU and RM a few years ago. Redondo completely overshadowed Keane in those games.
Not saying this is a bad thread, but I don't see why only for DM's were listed. I could name at least 10.
Because I did it off the top ofmy head (and was haiving somewhayt of a mental block at the time), so I forgot several players liek Redondo, Gullit, etc.
I'll agree with you that Desailly should be considered a centreback, not a midfielder. But Gullit? Firstly he was an attacking midfielder, much more a Rui Costa or Aimar than a Keane. Secondly, all his knee operations had effectively left him a shadow of his former self by 94. If you are going to pick anyone from that Milan and Holland team, pick Frank Rijkaard.
I've always thought that Didi Hamann was very under-rated. Frankly most great defensive mid-fielders are probably under-rated and we only start to notice them when, even temporarily, they stop doing that particular job. Keane is an obvious example. Given the choice between Keane, (of a few years ago), and Nicky Butt as an all-round player I would go for Keane, (much as it pains me to say it), but as a defensive mid-fielder - someone to provide protection for the back four it has to be Butt simply for the reason that Keane always had a tendency to go forward too much which is, obviously, the same reason he catches the eye of everyone else. I used to have a friend of mine, (much older than me I hasten to add), who played something like 500 games as centre half for Norwich and Wallsall back in the fifties. He played against some great players including Stanley Matthews. Anyway - there were 2 fellas who played basically in front of him as left and right half, the idea being that one went forward sometimes and supported the attack and one was supposed to provide protection for the back three, i.e. left and right back and my mate. The problem was one particular guy that sometimes played nearly always went awol and if his team lost the ball up-field my mate, who was a big, rather cumbersome bloke, then had a nippy inside forward bearing down on him at 100mph probably supported by a centre forward and maybe the other inside forward, i.e. 3 on 3. The other fella that sometimes played actually did what he was supposed to do and the team kept it's shape and usually won. The crowds loved the first bloke but my mate preferred the other one.