The two everyone keeps mentioning (Brown and Rufus), I will never forget Costa's recovery tackle on a clean through Eider Gudjohnson (sp?) plus, probably not an over popular choice, Konch's against Chelsea when he had just returned from his Spurs loan. He thundered into their player late on and the home end, which hadn't exactly welcomed him home, erupted.
Paul Miller at the Battle of the Bridge. Sixth minute of injury time. West seemed to have broken clear but Miller recovered, slid in ferociously, and appeared to karate chop him too. The ref, who had bottled the whole match, deemed it fair, and blew up for full time, leaving West in a crumpled heap on the turf. Paul Miller literally fought his way down the tunnel. I never liked him but that was an epic end to a match winning performance which was crucial to the club's survival.
Me and my brother still talk about a couple of Scott Parker tackles. One was against Everton (I think) just before half time. He rattled the player so hard he ended up doing a headstand, and didn't reappear for the second half. I can't remember who the second one was against, but he went in from behind and the player ended up arched over the top of him. Scotty got up, leaving the player in the same position for what seemed like an age. Properly wiped out.
Are you sure it weren't Lee Naylor of Wolves? He asked him to put ball out as we had one injured, Naylor carried on Parker chased him 40 yards and crunch, ball and man. Naylor got treatment as ht whistle went and never returned second hakf.
Me and my brother still talk about a couple of Scott Parker tackles. One was against Everton (I think) just before half time. He rattled the player so hard he ended up doing a headstand, and didn't reappear for the second half. I can't remember who the second one was against, but he went in from behind and the player ended up arched over the top of him. Scotty got up, leaving the player in the same position for what seemed like an age. Properly wiped out.
Are you sure it weren't Lee Naylor of Wolves? He asked him to put ball out as we had one injured, Naylor carried on Parker chased him 40 yards and crunch, ball and man. Naylor got treatment as ht whistle went and never returned second hakf.
Stevie Brown's was probably the most significant. The one that always sticks in my mind though was Rufus away at Birmingham in about 96. Rose tinted hindsight is probably exaggerating it's brilliance in my mind, but one of their strikers, who was quite a speed merchant, was clean through about 25 yards from goal slightly right of centre. All looked lost, then to the left of us and out of nowhere (in my memory he literally wasn't even in my field of vision) came Rufus - he was a blur he was moving so fast. He covered what seemed like about 50 yards in the time it took a pretty fast striker to cover about 15 and then executed the perfect sliding tackle to nick the ball just as he was about to shoot. Roof lost a little bit of pace after his injuries, but at his physical peak he really was lightning across the ground. He had his flaws technically but there can't have been many more agile defenders in Europe at the time.
I always knew Rufus was a very good player, but that was the moment I fell in love with him.
I think Rufus's main flaw was his distribution...........but then I generally don't want my central defenders trying to play like Bobby Moore and prefer then to have pace & win a clean tackle.
Maybe the one thing that held him back from getting a big move or England caps Golf. Utterly criminal that he never got a call up though. To think the player like Ryan f'ing Shawcross and Matthew Upson have caps (multiple caps in Upson's case) and Roof doesn't have a single one, make me die a little inside.
Rufus' as above, or I remember a 'great' Shirtliff tackle where he leapt at two opponents simultaneously and took out both, one leg each, can't remember the game but he wasn't even booked.
Parker vs Silvan Wiltord who was at his peak, just back from decent World Cup, reputedly quick. Scotty who I never realised had pace, tracked a breakaway for about 70 yards caught him and came away with the ball. His sucess at ball winning I think was down to pace that people didn't realise he had.
Comments
Browns was more important, but not as impressive.
It would still be the Roof for me.
Anyone have a tape/dvd of it?
I always knew Rufus was a very good player, but that was the moment I fell in love with him.
After a couple of minutes he put the tricky Forest left winger (annoying just cant remember his name) into the East Stand with a mighty thud!!
Ah think it was Ian Woan!
Rufus v Spurs for me, but all those mentioned worthy contenders.