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Top 5 Premiership Defenders


Stevie

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Centre halfs or full backs, take your pick - mine:

 

1. Jonathon Woodgate

 

Many will look at this as being biased, you can think that if you like, but never have I seen a classier defender from England than Woody, obviously I'm not old enough to have seen Bobby Moore, but there are similarities between him and Alan Hansen.  He's quick, awesome in the air, strong, suberb on the ball, calm, he's absolute world class.  People might say he's always injured, just take this being about when all these players are at peak fitness.  The brother in law is Leeds through and through season ticket holder down there for years, he said Woody at Leeds was better than Rio, while there's very little in it I think Woody when fit is better.

 

2. Rio Ferdinand

 

The problem with Rio is his image.  A lot of people don't like him because of what they see as his arrogance as well as his greed, when holding Man Utd, a club who supported him for 9 months while being banned, to ransome over £110,000 a week wages.  Very occasionally he fannies on with the ball too much, but apart from that people often forget what a good footballer he is.  I put him above Terry simply because I think he has more skill, his reading of the game is fantastic, his goal against Liverpool this season was a goal certain strikers don't even have the ability to do.

 

3. John Terry

 

Chelsea are a different team when he isn't there, it could be argued that he's the bravest player in the Premiership, few players I've ever seen have more will to win than him, and he's not particularly dirty.  He's absolutely superb in the air, probably the best we have in the air, I just feel Woody and Rio have marginally more class, that said he's still a truely world class player.

 

4. Kolo Toure 

 

Came from Beveren for pennies (why do we not find these bargains), he's not massive but he rarely loses a header, different class in their CL run last season, and his attacking approach at times is reminscent of Phillipe Albert.  Watch his anticipation of the ball as well, before a midfielder has ever passed the ball to a striker, he's anticipating it and getting in there first.  I believe honestly, if Gilberto was ever missing, he could do well in front of the back four as well.

 

5. Tal Ben Haim

 

Many people would probably have King, Carragher, Agger, Distin, Ashley Cole, Vidic or Carvalho in front of the Israeli but I'm not one of them.  The fact Bolton have lost £3m by not accepting Chelsea's offer in January, knowing he'll go somewhere on a Bosman in June, says it all.  He for me is the most unsung player in the Premiership.  Great in the air, mobile, rarely gives it away, and what gives him the edge over the above is how versatile he is.  Carragher is a great centre half, he is, all heart, not as much class as many but he's a imposing central defender.  However he's like a fish out of water at right back, Ben Haim just goes in there when they have injuries at full back and plays like he's been there his whole career, an absolutely brilliant defender, and I hope we at least attempt to bring him in the summer.

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His lack of technical ability was brutally exposed against Sweden, I found my self shouting, "don't give it to that c***!", every time because I thought he was going to lose it, each time he got the ball I was proved right.

 

One of the most under-used and true statements in football often, but not always, proves to be, you are only as good as your worst player.

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I cant believe Ferdinand is so high on many peoples lists.

 

Woody and Terry are the outstanding two, the rest are much of a muchness.

 

Ferdinand at his best leaves Terry for dead

Clearly.
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I cant believe Ferdinand is so high on many peoples lists.

 

Woody and Terry are the outstanding two, the rest are much of a muchness.

 

Ferdinand at his best leaves Terry for dead

Completely goes without saying.  80% of football fans follow the "common view", there's a negative public image of Rio I feel mainly for off the field antics, a lot of it in fairness when he was younger, and this often blinds them to the fact that at his best he's an absolute outstanding footballer.

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Woodgate looks to have lost a bit of mobility since his days with us, he no longer has an edge over the likes of Terry or Carragher.

Disagree.  Get a video of Woodgate v Henry at the Emirates for how to teach any young player how to defend, pace, agility, anticipation, guile, strength, concentration, he has everything.

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it is a tough one

 

gallas

woody

ferdinand

toure

terry

 

ferdinand is too unstable, but can be great. vidice nearly made it - but still needs to prove a bit more to make my list...

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