Tony Adams was a quality defender. Alan Shearer once said he was the best he ever played against.
Personally, I wouldn’t have him on a list of best centre backs I have seen play - I would rate Mark Wright, Gary Pallister and Alan Hansen as much better than Adams
I thought Mark Wright was very good when he played for Derby against us.
Out of Wright, Pallister and Hansen, it’s a close run thing, and I am tempted to go for Hansen, but I will go with Wright, as I never saw him have a bad game against us, and he was excellent in Italia 90
I rate them better than Adams, as whilst Adams was a good defender, he doesn’t (IMO) have the all round game that those 3 had i.e. they were more than well organised good tackling defenders, quite happy with the ball at their feet, good in the air, had ‘vision’, distributing the ball well etc etc
Sir Alf in 1966 to me set the template for centre backs, the big aggressive lump alongside the more nimble footballer. One to deal with the aerial and physical side, the other with the pace (or intelligence) to pinch the ball and better able to bring it out
You'll have to go a long way to find a better partnership than Vidic and Ferdinand at their peak. Keown and Campbell was a great combo too.
Against us at the Valley - I go for Giggs. He always the stand out performer on the day.
I will also put a mention in for Alan Ball who came to the Valley with Southampton. What a good footballer.
Against us at the supermarket - Gazza...(with special mention to Des Walker as the best defender)
It was wonderful to see Best play live for United, Fulham, and for Charlton in the Les Berry testimonial.
One player I don't think mentioned yet and who I had the pleasure of seeing in his full pomp and glory - Denis Law. I'm not old enough to claim to have been at the legendary 7-6 game at the Valley which Law played in for Huddersfield under Bill Shankley. But I did see him at Old Trafford destroy a very good Spurs team. He wasn't just a fantastic footballer (recognised as the best in the world in the early 60s). It was his presence on the pitch....electric. The Stretford End would bow in adoration to him after each goal he scored.
A mention to the greatest player my dad said he ever saw - Duncan Edwards. A titan on the pitch.
Dennis Law is a good shout. Like Frank Worthington he was creative, innovative, brave to try things. Regrettably however I never saw him play live. Certainly would've been able to cut it in any era of football.
I realise you go back a LOT further than me, but Di Canio was head and shoulders above our squad at the time.
Not doubting that but the thread asked who was the best player you’ve seen play live not the best CHARLTON player. You you must have seen Ronaldo or Henry mate, in their prime, no?
Read the OP mate
So you’ve got Bergkamp above the two I’ve mentioned and Neville Southall over the likes of PeterSchmeichel It’s all about opinions mate but Elfie, come on 😉.
Bergkamp's goal for Holland v Argentina, plus his hat-trick for Arsenal at Leicester. Southall was THE man in the 80's. As you say Uncle Chaser, all about opinions.
I realise you go back a LOT further than me, but Di Canio was head and shoulders above our squad at the time.
Not doubting that but the thread asked who was the best player you’ve seen play live not the best CHARLTON player. You you must have seen Ronaldo or Henry mate, in their prime, no?
Read the OP mate
So you’ve got Bergkamp above the two I’ve mentioned and Neville Southall over the likes of PeterSchmeichel It’s all about opinions mate but Elfie, come on 😉.
Bergkamp's goal for Holland v Argentina, plus his hat-trick for Arsenal at Leicester. Southall was THE man in the 80's. As you say Uncle Chaser, all about opinions.
He wasn't brilliant when he was at Chelsea but Andriy Shevchenko was good to see in the flesh. especially after growing up watching football Italia on channel 4.
Makes me think of a friendly we played with QPR back in the early 90s at The Valley pre season.
I remember Ray Wilkins came on for a cameo of sideways 5 yard passes for 15 mins, but the guy sitting behind me sounded like he was about to shoot his load every time he touched the ball.
Every time Ray so much as farted, this guy stood up, applauded, and with a wry grin said 'he's still got it.... oh my god he's still got it'.
This is me and my late Dad at Wembley, May 1980. One of Maradona's early games for Argentina in which he did the 'run' that was then replicated to even better effect in 1986 against England.
Saw this yesterday, apparently the best European XI as voted for by fans.
Shows fans talk bollocks - Bergkamp?! Bottom half of the pitch is OK but I'd have to include Cruyff & Best in the midfield/on the wing instead of Modric & Bergkamp, at the very least.
Anyone else got any preferences? Are there arguments for Van Basten, Baresi, Platini?
I saw Chris Waddle play for may hometown club when I was a lad. He was old, slow, and past it, but still had a footballing brain that put him on a different planet from anyone else around him.
Benito Carbone would be another - famous for spending hours after training every day, desperately trying to get the other strikers at the club up to his level, sadly to no avail.
An interesting and varied list. Best would certainly make my team and whilst there's no doubting Bergkamp's quality, you wouldn't find many Dutch putting him above Cruyff. Arguably the most talented European footballer of them all.
An interesting and varied list. Best would certainly make my team and whilst there's no doubting Bergkamp's quality, you wouldn't find many Dutch putting him above Cruyff. Arguably the most talented European footballer of them all.
Comments
I rate them better than Adams, as whilst Adams was a good defender, he doesn’t (IMO) have the all round game that those 3 had i.e. they were more than well organised good tackling defenders, quite happy with the ball at their feet, good in the air, had ‘vision’, distributing the ball well etc etc
Its all about opinions of course
Of the ones I've seen live, I wouldn't put him above Vidic or Stam though.
You'll have to go a long way to find a better partnership than Vidic and Ferdinand at their peak. Keown and Campbell was a great combo too.
Loved Mendonca though, used every ounce of the talent he had.
Beast of a defender - fantastic footballer.
I will also put a mention in for Alan Ball who came to the Valley with Southampton. What a good footballer.
Against us at the supermarket - Gazza...(with special mention to Des Walker as the best defender)
It was wonderful to see Best play live for United, Fulham, and for Charlton in the Les Berry testimonial.
One player I don't think mentioned yet and who I had the pleasure of seeing in his full pomp and glory - Denis Law. I'm not old enough to claim to have been at the legendary 7-6 game at the Valley which Law played in for Huddersfield under Bill Shankley. But I did see him at Old Trafford destroy a very good Spurs team. He wasn't just a fantastic footballer (recognised as the best in the world in the early 60s). It was his presence on the pitch....electric. The Stretford End would bow in adoration to him after each goal he scored.
A mention to the greatest player my dad said he ever saw - Duncan Edwards. A titan on the pitch.
Like Frank Worthington he was creative, innovative, brave to try things.
Regrettably however I never saw him play live.
Certainly would've been able to cut it in any era of football.
I remember Ray Wilkins came on for a cameo of sideways 5 yard passes for 15 mins, but the guy sitting behind me sounded like he was about to shoot his load every time he touched the ball.
Every time Ray so much as farted, this guy stood up, applauded, and with a wry grin said 'he's still got it.... oh my god he's still got it'.
Me and my mate crack up about it to this day.
This is me and my late Dad at Wembley, May 1980. One of Maradona's early games for Argentina in which he did the 'run' that was then replicated to even better effect in 1986 against England.
Zidane
C Ronaldo
Sergio Ramos
Gazza
Del Piero
Shows fans talk bollocks - Bergkamp?! Bottom half of the pitch is OK but I'd have to include Cruyff & Best in the midfield/on the wing instead of Modric & Bergkamp, at the very least.
Anyone else got any preferences? Are there arguments for Van Basten, Baresi, Platini?
I would also have Canavaro ahead of The Kaiser.
Moore as captain!
This is an interesting story though https://www.sportsjoe.ie/football/when-george-best-welcomed-johan-cruyff-to-ireland-with-an-outrageous-nutmeg-71279