Jimmy Chitwood
Hall of Famer
defense is my favorite part of soccer, and men who simply stonewall the opposition are a source of endless joy for me. as such, i’ll just leave this here ...
Outstanding defenders
- Thread starter Jimmy Chitwood
- Start date
Seems that de Ligt has brought increasing awareness to young Dutch defenders
Perr Schuurs is de Ligt's replacement in Ajax
Teenager Sepp van den Berg was signed by Liverpool
Teenager Mitchell Bakker was signed by PSG
21 year-old Rick van Drongelen looks promising for Hamburg at CB
Perr Schuurs is de Ligt's replacement in Ajax
Teenager Sepp van den Berg was signed by Liverpool
Teenager Mitchell Bakker was signed by PSG
21 year-old Rick van Drongelen looks promising for Hamburg at CB
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https://twitter.com/LaLigaLowdown/status/1268485228747776005?s=20
Real Sociedad confirm that defender Robin Le Normand has penned a new contract until 2024
The Frenchman has made 28 appearances this season in his breakthrough campaign
The 23-year-old’s release clause will also rise to €75 million
Real Sociedad confirm that defender Robin Le Normand has penned a new contract until 2024
The Frenchman has made 28 appearances this season in his breakthrough campaign
The 23-year-old’s release clause will also rise to €75 million
LucasBryant
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Bayern had every chance to sign De Ligt but low balled him then ended up paying 90$ million for the always injured Hernandez. He’s only 24 and very talented but no way would I have lowballed De Ligt, stupid management!
Bayern tend to be a bit conservative with spending compared to English clubs. They did spend a ton on the World Cup winners Hernandez and Pavard. But generally, Bayern are a bit stingy. In 18/19, Bayern's only transfers were Goretzka on a free transfer and afflete Alphonso Davies for some €10 millon. They took Coutinho and James Rodriguez on loan instead of signing them. And Lewandowski on a free transfer in 2015 is the biggest steal in the history of soccer
He's not exactly white, though the Moroccan international right-back Achraf Hakimi has had a tremendous season at Dortmund, with a remarkable 9 goals and 10 assists in that position. I would much rather prefer these type of players focused on by coaches than the affletes. The Arab/Muslim players are not in soccer due solely to notions similar to "superior black athleticism". If these players stick solely to the Moroccan, Algerian or Turkish national teams, then I'd have no problem with their place in soccer.
LucasBryant
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Yes, no doubt! Bayern getting Lewy on a free transfer was incredible and there are others on free transfer in Bayern’s history but none like Lewy anywhere I suspect. Bayern screwed the pooch with Werner and Havertz in my opinion. Looks like both will be at Chelsea!
Tolisso was Bayern’s biggest transfer salary at 41 million until Hernandez at 90M, Pavard was signed for only 31M. So yes, Bayern has always been the leading club to make shrewd business decisions while keeping the salaries more realistic.
Which takes me back to my original thought...De Ligt should have been scooped for the 68M big money long before Hernandez at 90M.
It is good to finally have someone to talk football with. Preesh.
LucasBryant
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Mathijs de Ligt has clearly set a trend for clubs' signing Dutch central defenders.
Lille have just signed 20 year-old Sven Botman
Virgil van Dijk would be the actual trend setter for signing Dutch defenders in the past few years. Although I’m a huge de Ligt fan and expect him and a few other youngsters to rival Dijk for the top defender within a year or two, tops.
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While van Dijk is a great player, albeit not entirely Dutch, I would argue that van Dijk was an irrelevant player prior to the 2018/19 season with Liverpool, the same season in which de Ligt became an international star when he led Ajax to the Champions League semifinals after knockeing out Juve and Real Madrid
LucasBryant
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irrelevant before joining Liverpool, really? As a defender, he twice finished runner-up as player of the year in the Scottish league with Celtic and he was captain of the Dutch national team before moving to Liverpool. He was already considered the best defender in the world by most GMs etc. Yes, he is only half Dutch by blood but he plays for the Netherlands and has been a citizen since birth.
Nah, he was certainly nothing even remotely close to irrelevant before joining Liverpool. I think you just look for ways to be contrary and often over analyze things for the sake of doing so, nonetheless it’s football talk and I like it.
Van Dijk right now is certainly among the best central defenders in the world, though I would argue that he has been in this class only since 2018. I think it's fair to say that van Dijk is a bit of a latecomer to international football. He wasn't in the World Cup in 2014, and wasn't even considered ahead of laughingstock Bruno Martins-Indi who has been playing 2nd-tier Championship football for the last two seasons. With all due respect to Celtic, it's a great club, but isn't currently in the same weight class as the Liverpools and Manchester clubs. Van Dijk's move from Celtic to Southampton indicates that Celtic has the quality of a relegation-level or midtable English club.
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LucasBryant
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Lol, Van Dijk’s move to Southampton doesn’t indicate anything relevant to Celtic’s quality, that’s really another shallow thinking and illogical opinion on your behalf. Celtic is whatever Celtic is regardless of where Van Dijk transferred to. Bayern has signed numerous Celtic players and one Roy Keane’s transferred to Celtic from ManU so does that say anything about either club? No, neither case does.
Van Dijk is top defender in the world and has been for arguably three years. By far, the general consensus agrees from his peers, legends and present day coaches...some are even saying he’s the best defender in the history of the Premier league. You don’t have to like it but that’s the reality.
clement
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- Jun 29, 2021
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to be honest the sloppy defense that i started seeing more and more is one of the biggest reasons why i stopped watching soccer
i used to value this part off the game a lot, but over the last few years i started noticing less and less teams having good defense
i think the best defender i ever saw in 1 vs 1 situations was carles puyol
not many come close
clement
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lyon fans angry after very promising young left back melvin bard gets sold for only 3 millions to nice after not getting a chance to get a starting position
https://www.foot01.com/mercato/officiel-stupeur-a-l-ol-melvin-bard-signe-a-nice-382515
https://www.foot01.com/mercato/officiel-stupeur-a-l-ol-melvin-bard-signe-a-nice-382515
grandmaster
Newbie
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- Jul 2, 2011
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- 83
All the goalkeepers and defenders that finished top 3 in the Ballon d'Or since 1969...
VVD (CB) - 6-3½, 192lb
Neuer (GK) - 6-3½, 203lb
Buffon (GK) - 6-3½, 201lb
Cannavaro (CB) - 5-8½, 163lb
Roberto Carlos (LB) - 5-6, 165lb
Kahn (GK) - 6-2, 198lb
Maldini (LB) - 6-1, 183lb
Sammer (SW) - 5-10½, 165lb
Matthaus (SW) - 5-8½, 159lb
Baresi (CB) - 5-9, 154lb
Breitner (LB) - 5-9, 161lb
Krol (LB) - 6-0, 174lb
Beckenbauer (CB) - 5-11, 174lb
Viktor (GK) - 5'11, 176lb
Zoff (GK) - 5-11½, 172lb
Moore (CB) - 6-0, 159lb
VVD (CB) - 6-3½, 192lb
Neuer (GK) - 6-3½, 203lb
Buffon (GK) - 6-3½, 201lb
Cannavaro (CB) - 5-8½, 163lb
Roberto Carlos (LB) - 5-6, 165lb
Kahn (GK) - 6-2, 198lb
Maldini (LB) - 6-1, 183lb
Sammer (SW) - 5-10½, 165lb
Matthaus (SW) - 5-8½, 159lb
Baresi (CB) - 5-9, 154lb
Breitner (LB) - 5-9, 161lb
Krol (LB) - 6-0, 174lb
Beckenbauer (CB) - 5-11, 174lb
Viktor (GK) - 5'11, 176lb
Zoff (GK) - 5-11½, 172lb
Moore (CB) - 6-0, 159lb
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