Nemanja Vidic returns this weekend, but Vincent Kompany aside, does he have any real peers of the same quality?
When I was growing up I remember seeing a lot of games end in a goalless stalemate; it’s rare you find a game now where there isn’t at least one goal scored.
Manchester United welcome back Nemanja Vidic when they play Sunderland and I have to say he is a very solid centre back, in fact one of the best in the Premier League.
The sad part about it is he hasn’t got a lot of competition!
Don’t get me wrong, as a fan I want to see goals and lots of them but at the same time I’d like to see a solid defender getting involved with tackling and heading the ball out.
So are the forwards getting better or the defenders getting worse?
I don’t think the forwards have got any better or even the goalkeeping standards dropped I just think there is a shortage of good solid defenders at the moment.
I suppose being brought up on the four-four-two formation when a right back played as the name suggests, right back in defence.
These days they are called wing backs and are expected to bomb up and down the pitch for ninety minutes in every game. So does that make them part of the attack or defence?
It would explain that when a left or right back is still making his way back to his own area it gives the other team a greater chance to score but I still think it’s a lack of good centre backs.
It could also be the case that squads are bigger than they used to be and all teams ‘rotate’ the squad to rest players.
I really don’t think this helps anyone as you get used to playing with someone only for the next game to be changed for someone else.
I really am struggling to think of five ‘world class’ defenders that are in the Premier League at the moment, with the exception of Vidic of whom I’ve mentioned. Last season’s Player of the Year Vincent Kompany, sure, but who else is in that same calibre?
Do you agree with Paul? Can you name five top class centre-backs in the Premier League?
image: © nasmac
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