sky sports best premier league side

yabadabado

Cienciano wrote: »

Pretty much everyone in european football has been talking up Pogba over the last 2 years.

My point was Zidane is constantly talking up players so not to be using that as some sort of proof.He will have another greatest whenever it suits him.

greendom

larchielads wrote: »

Schmeichel
g nev Terry stam Cole
Ronaldo Scholes Keane giggs
shearer Henry.

In a few years I'd probably change Henry for Rooney cos he'll break his goal scoring record by loads.That's what bein a cf is all about, goals

Henry's goal to game ratio is better though

SlickRic

Shearer was everything Drogba was, and scored prolifically.

basillarkin

In a 433

Cech

Zabalata Terry Campbell Cole

Scholes viera lampard

Ronaldo Augero Henry

Soft Falling Rain

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Drogba is one of the greatest big game players I have ever seen.

I remember one season Liverpool where playing Chelsea in the semis of the CL. I think the first leg was at the Bridge and Chelsea were bringing a 1-0 lead to Anfield (I think).

I remember the game had barely started and Drogba jumped on the ground in "agony". He rolled off the pitch and the ref pays no attention and what does the Drog do? Rolls back onto the pitch of course.

For all of his quality that's unfortunately what I'll remember when someone mentions Didier Drogba. I think many others feel the same way, otherwise you'd seem in much more "best of" XIs.

Not that it matters, he's made his money and won his trophies so fair play to him.

Chrissybhoy

efb wrote: »

10/13 were penalties

And 10 assists (8 from set play)

Right so we'll take all the pens off Lampard and Shearer because they don't count they'll have to do up all time goalscoring charts again. As for set plays vital part of the game and having someone with a good delivery from them is as good as anything in the game

Chrissybhoy

yabadabado wrote: »

My point was Zidane is constantly talking up players so not to be using that as some sort of proof.He will have another greatest whenever it suits him.

That was my point when you replied to my post

Andersonisgod

Soft Falling Rain wrote: »

I remember one season Liverpool where playing Chelsea in the semis of the CL. I think the first leg was at the Bridge and Chelsea were bringing a 1-0 lead to Anfield (I think).

I remember the game had barely started and Drogba jumped on the ground in "agony". He rolled off the pitch and the ref pays no attention and what does the Drog do? Rolls back onto the pitch of course.

For all of his quality that's unfortunately what I'll remember when someone mentions Didier Drogba. I think many others feel the same way, otherwise you'd seem in much more "best of" XIs.

Not that it matters, he's made his money and won his trophies so fair play to him.

it's so funny you should mention those games because I remember a different story. I remember a Chelsea side pinned back, really struggling to get out of their half and up at the other end of the pitch is Didier Drogba battling with 4 defenders, he's literally occupying an entire backline on his own, he's winning throw ins, he's winning free-kicks, he's holding up the ball, he's running at defenders, he's bringing them down channels, that tie is one of my defining memories of Didier Drogba, over two legs he was the decisive factor in that tie, just as he has been so often for Chelsea through the years. You can name me any BPL striker, I'd have traded none for Drogba, Chelsea's perfect striker, a marvel who is worth far more than just the goals he scores and every single Chelsea fan knows it.

PhlegmyMoses

Andersonisgod wrote: »

it's so funny you should mention those games because I remember a different story. I remember a Chelsea side pinned back, really struggling to get out of their half and up at the other end of the pitch is Didier Drogba battling with 4 defenders, he's literally occupying an entire backline on his own, he's winning throw ins, he's winning free-kicks, he's holding up the ball, he's running at defenders, he's bringing them down channels, that tie is one of my defining memories of Didier Drogba, over two legs he was the decisive factor in that tie, just as he has been so often for Chelsea through the years. You can name me any BPL striker, I'd have traded none for Drogba, Chelsea's perfect striker, a marvel who is worth far more than just the goals he scores and every single Chelsea fan knows it.

I loved Drogba and I loved his antics but Shearer was better than him at pretty much everything. He was incredible.

PhlegmyMoses

Skylinehead wrote: »

Drogba? Doesn't deserve a mention really - everything he had, Alan Shearer had. And more so. Drogba had a few great seasons and a few decent ones, and a few downright poor ones. You can make arguments for Henry, (the best for me) van Nistelrooy etc, but Drogba, at least in Premier League terms, was just a poor mans Shearer.

As for Bergkamp, for me he's my favourite ever player and certainly I can't think of anyone with better technique than him in the league. Was never a striker though, so he can't really be compared to the others. Shoe in for No10.

Begrkamp is like Cantona and Zola. Loved by the fans of clubs they played for but there has always been players that are realistically better than them.

Andersonisgod

PhlegmyMoses wrote: »

I loved Drogba and I loved his antics but Shearer was better than him at pretty much everything. He was incredible.

Can we really say that? Great goalscoring record but at a time when the league was pretty weak. Didn't produce in Europe, though his opportunities were limited. Personally I'd much rather Drogba.

PhlegmyMoses

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Can we really say that? Great goalscoring record but at a time when the league was pretty weak. Didn't produce in Europe, though his opportunities were limited. Personally I'd much rather Drogba.

The league wasn't weak. He played against the United treble winners, Arsenal invincibles and Mourinho's record breakers. That is revisionism at its finest. In 98, the PL was top 3 in Europe, as it is now. And he did it all with an at best decent team. He was incredible

I'd have Shearer over Drogba every day of the week. It's not even close.

Andersonisgod

PhlegmyMoses wrote: »

The league wasn't weak. He played against the United treble winners, Arsenal invincibles and Mourinho's record breakers. That is revisionism at its finest. In 98, the PL was top 3 in Europe, as it is now. And he did it all with an at best decent team. He was incredible

That's conveniently missed out on the first 6-7 years of his Premier League run when he scored quite a few goals when the league was average.

I'd absolutely argue that the quality in depth in the league today is far better than it was in 98.

PhlegmyMoses

Andersonisgod wrote: »

That's conveniently missed out on the first 6-7 years of his Premier League run when he scored quite a few goals when the league was average.

I'd absolutely argue that the quality in depth in the league today is far better than it was in 98.

It's okay for you to argue that, it still doesn't make Drogba better. It's a ridiculous argument anyway. English league now is stronger than Brazilian league in the 50s therefore Drogba >Pele.

Finishing: Shearer, Heading: Shearer, Hold-up play: close but Shearer, Long shots: Shearer, Free-kicks: Shearer, Pace: Shearer pre-injuries, Drogba maybe shades it later. Penalties: Shearer, Goalscoring record: Shearer, Consistency: Shearer.

It's hard to see what Drogba did better.

Drogba had two prolific seasons. Shearer had probably treble that.

AdamD

Andersonisgod wrote: »

There's very few things in football I hate more than the Arsenal invincible season myth. Yes they did go unbeaten and yes they fully deserved to win the league that season but it gets far too much credit. Loads of draws, eliminated in the league cup and fa cup semi finals that season and the champions league quarter finals (by Chelsea).

The following season Chelsea amassed records for fewest goals conceded, most clean sheets, most wins in a season, most consecutive away wins and most points in a season. Indeed Chelsea only lost once that season and performed better in the cups.

Yet here we are a decade later and that Chelsea side is sadly overlooked in the annals of history time after time. That same Chelsea group would go on to retain the title the following season too but these things have been airbrushed from history in favor of the Arsenal narrative.

You're actually such a bastion of objectivity. lol.

Giggsy11

rarnes1 wrote: »

Drogba had two prolific seasons. Shearer had probably treble that.

Exactly. Drogba had 2 great seasons, especially 2009-10 season where he was damn good. But for some reason he is rated among the great strikers in the league. Apart from those 2 seasons his record is just average that too playing as lone striker for Chelsea. He had perfect send off so maybe that's why he is overrated. Very good player but also overrated.

Compare that to shearer, he scored 30 plus goals in 3 out of 4 seasons playing for Blackburn and multiple seasons where he scored more than 20 goals.

Giggsy11

AdamD wrote: »

You're actually such a bastion of objectivity. lol.

Anything to do with Barca, Chelsea, Spain then it's one of the best ever. Apart from that everything is not that great.

Dante

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Schmeichel

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Neville

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Terry

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Ferdinand

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Cole

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Keane

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Scholes

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Lampard

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Ronaldo

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Henry

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Suarez

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Shearer at his best was that little bit before my time. I wanted to shoehorn Van Nistlerooy in there out of shameless bias but it wasn't to be.

Blatter

Van Nistelrooy also pissed all over Drogba during their spells in the PL.

150 goals in 219 appearances against 157 goals in 341 appearances for Drogba (his first spell at Chelsea)

It's not even close.

SlickRic

Drogba better than Shearer?

Seriously, the shark has officially been jumped.

Also, he was scoring when the League was weak? Let's say that's true (which it's not, but anyway), the lad played for Newcastle, not Mourinho's or Ancelotti's Chelsea.

Henry is quite literally the only Premier League striker you can mention in the same breath as Shearer.

TheDoc

Don't think you ever get a universally agrees beat 11 since its all based on opinion and there is bias all over the place.

Gerrard doesn't come near a best 11 for me. Keane, Viera, Scholes,Alonso and Gilberto Silva would be jossling for my midfield two. Then its down to Gerrard and co.

Ashley Cole at left back is a strong choice. I'd always go Irwin though. Without Irwin you'd never have an Ashley Cole. He modernised fullbacks in England.

Shearer and Henry probably always edges it. Se top strikers in the premier league. Good shouts for Bergkamp,Van Nistelroy, Rooney etc. Must admit I'd struggle to NOT fit Bergkamp into my best 11. Remarkable player.

n32

When a best premiership xi is picked and it doesnt have Roy Keane, Paul Scholes or Alan Shearer it doesnt warrant discussion!

Blatter

TheDoc wrote: »

Don't think you ever get a universally agrees beat 11 since its all based on opinion and there is bias all over the place.

Gerrard doesn't come near a best 11 for me. Keane, Viera, Scholes,Alonso and Gilberto Silva would be jossling for my midfield two. Then its down to Gerrard and co.

Ashley Cole at left back is a strong choice. I'd always go Irwin though. Without Irwin you'd never have an Ashley Cole. He modernised fullbacks in England.

Shearer and Henry probably always edges it. Se top strikers in the premier league. Good shouts for Bergkamp,Van Nistelroy, Rooney etc. Must admit I'd struggle to NOT fit Bergkamp into my best 11. Remarkable player.

Gilberto Silva? Are you serious?

Don't think he comes close to the other CMs mentioned.

Bobby Baccala

Michael Ballack deserves a shout imo

PhlegmyMoses

P4DDY2K11 wrote: »

Michael Ballack deserves a shout imo

He wasn't the same player in the PL as he was in Germany.

digzy

I can't believe guys argue about something so subjective. It's gold for chat forums and lads siting around scoffing a few beers.

Take Roy Keane for example,
Could anyone argue that he wasn't one of the leagues most influential players?
However anybody picking this 'team' is picking individuals. To be fair Roy wasn't the most technical of players...

Chrissybhoy

Blatter wrote: »

Gilberto Silva? Are you serious?

Don't think he comes close to the other CMs mentioned.

I agree there's plenty ahead of Silva

Chrissybhoy

digzy wrote: »

I can't believe guys argue about something so subjective. It's gold for chat forums and lads siting around scoffing a few beers.

Take Roy Keane for example,
Could anyone argue that he wasn't one of the leagues most influential players?
However anybody picking this 'team' is picking individuals. To be fair Roy wasn't the most technical of players...

Good post digzy.

Frankie Lee

Gilberto Silva was world class and definitely deserves to be in the reckoning.

wandatowell

How can anybody argue against Bergkamp is beyond me.

Frankie Lee

wandatowell wrote: »

How can anybody argue against Bergkamp is beyond me.

Apart from maybe Henry and Ronaldo every other position is extremely arguable.

Blatter

Frankie Lee wrote: »

Gilberto Silva was world class and definitely deserves to be in the reckoning.

Gilberto was good but not in the same class as Keane, Vieira, Makelele, Scholes, Essien, Alonso, Yaya Toure etc.

Skylinehead

Blatter wrote: »

Gilberto was good but not in the same class as Keane, Vieira, Makelele, Essien, Alonso, Yaya Toure etc.

To be fair he's not even comparable to Yaya Toure, Vieira, Essien, Alonso, as none of those were defensive midfielders. Even Keane only converted to that role late on. The Invisible Wall was very underrated and integral to that Arsenal team, what I'd do for him now

Blatter

Skylinehead wrote: »

To be fair he's not even comparable to Yaya Toure, Vieira, Essien, Alonso, as none of those were defensive midfielders. Even Keane only converted to that role late on. The Invisible Wall was very underrated and integral to that Arsenal team, what I'd do for him now

Agree he was more of a specialist DM in comparison to the above but I don't think he comes anywhere close to taking one of the two deeper CM positions.

If you were going to select a specialist CM, Makelele would be a considerable distance ahead of him imo.

Frankie Lee

Blatter wrote: »

Gilberto was good but not in the same class as Keane, Vieira, Makelele, Scholes, Essien, Alonso, Yaya Toure etc.

I disagree, he was a crucial part of the invincible team and when injured the following season Arsenal started to fall apart. Like Petit before him he was instrumental in getting the best out of Vieira.

Blatter

Frankie Lee wrote: »

I disagree, he was a crucial part of the invincible team and when injured the following season Arsenal started to fall apart. Like Petit before him he was instrumental in getting the best out of Vieira.

The above may be true but it doesn't prove he was better than the names I mentioned.

Billy86

Deleted User wrote: »

The problem with quotes like that is that (i) some of them provide little insight - I mean, Eidur Gudjohnsen saying Scholes is one of his favourites is hardly huge - (ii)some of them throw their allegiances around like confetti - Zidane also said Gerrard was the best in the EPL while Vieira said Keane was the best he played - and (iii) some of them are not great endorsements - like Messi saying his name was mentioned a lot - and so on. You could probably find a bunch of quotes about any player mentioned in this thread.

Having said all that, he was undoubtedly a fine player.

Eidur's point is valid in that you could never get near him - a lot of is this almost weird trick Scholes had where he would be getting closed down, would just tap the ball behind him with a backheel, and take a step backwards. Sounds basic as f*** but I don't know if it was fear of his passing range and vision or something else, but it would get him an extra 2 yards of space pretty much 99% of the time - then again that's typically Scholes. Basically he's not as big a name as the others I quoted, but it's a very solid assessment.

As for Messi, it bears more weight considering the comments also coming from Iniesta (" if you had to pick out only one, then for their history and for all that they have achieved it would have to be Paul Scholes or Ryan Giggs. They are two shining examples for any player"), Xavi and Guardiola all of whom have been highly involved in La Masia and likewise have nothing but the biggest praise for him.

Billy86

P4DDY2K11 wrote: »

How are people picking Drogba over the likes of shearer, henry, Bergkamp, suarez even van nistleroy to an extent.

Drogba had one outstanding season in 09-10 in terms of league goals, the rest being average

Drogba's overall play was outstanding for almost all of his time at Chelsea, with one or two shaky seasons. I wouldn't have him in an all time XI either, but to say he was average for the most part is simply wrong.

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Top scorer in two Premier League seasons, an unstoppable force in 2009/2010, that he didn't win all of the individual honours that season us nothing short of a travesty. Chelsea's main man from the time he arrived to the time he left, heckler he's still doing it in big games now. He's a monstrous player, far more important than Bergkamp, more complete than Shearer, like Cech, Carvalho, Makelele and Lampard he doesn't get his due.

...that said, I wouldn't call Drogba more complete than Shearer was in the mid 90s. Not a knock on Drogba at all, but Shearer was phenomenal before injuries slowed him down.

PhlegmyMoses wrote: »

The league wasn't weak. He played against the United treble winners, Arsenal invincibles and Mourinho's record breakers. That is revisionism at its finest. In 98, the PL was top 3 in Europe, as it is now. And he did it all with an at best decent team. He was incredible

At Shearer's peak though (93-96) the league definitely was a good bit weaker than it was through Drogba's time, but as you said the fact he remained productive at an older age, and also that he was doing very well internationally (Euro 96 top scorer, and 11 goals in 14 games in 1996 & 1997).

digzy wrote: »

I can't believe guys argue about something so subjective. It's gold for chat forums and lads siting around scoffing a few beers.

Take Roy Keane for example,
Could anyone argue that he wasn't one of the leagues most influential players?
However anybody picking this 'team' is picking individuals. To be fair Roy wasn't the most technical of players...

Actually Roy Keane was a more attacking player for most of his earlier years than a lot of people remember, after his knee injury he came to the decision that he would need to play more disciplined to get the best out of himself. And if I recall, nearly every year from around 1995-2004 or so (barring the one he missed most of, of course) he tended to be right up the top of the passing charts every season, which is a big reason there were so many questions about if Scholes could run a midfield when he returned from his eye problems (one he obviously answered emphatically). But Keane was far, far more than someone who just ran around a bunch, protected the backline and shouted orders at team mates.

efb

Chrissybhoy wrote: »

Right so we'll take all the pens off Lampard and Shearer because they don't count they'll have to do up all time goalscoring charts again. As for set plays vital part of the game and having someone with a good delivery from them is as good as anything in the game

Backtrack much? You can't talk about a midfielder getting so may goals when 76% were penalties

Chrissybhoy

efb wrote: »

Backtrack much? You can't talk about a midfielder getting so may goals when 76% were penalties

Through his career I doubt that precentage were pens

Donnielighto

digzy wrote: »

I can't believe guys argue about something so subjective. It's gold for chat forums and lads siting around scoffing a few beers.

Take Roy Keane for example,
Could anyone argue that he wasn't one of the leagues most influential players?
However anybody picking this 'team' is picking individuals. To be fair Roy wasn't the most technical of players...

Well this is a discussion forum I suppose.

yohan the great

wandatowell wrote: »

How can anybody argue against Bergkamp is beyond me.

Shearer was better in the PL easily

BMMachine

Liverpool fan here

Kompany for Adams (I like Adams but think about the level Adams got to and what Kompany is at. Kompany = arguably the best CB in the world atm)
Scholes for Gerrard - Scholes is one of the best midfielders pretty much ever. Gerrard, Yeah absolutely love him and think hes incredible, but there is a noticeable difference between the two
Shearer for Bergkamp. Sorry, but Shearer was so f'n good. I hate him as a pundit but as a striker, wow. The numbers tell more than I can

Charlie19

BMMachine wrote: »

Liverpool fan here

Kompany for Adams (I like Adams but think about the level Adams got to and what Kompany is at. Kompany = arguably the best CB in the world atm)
Scholes for Gerrard - Scholes is one of the best midfielders pretty much ever. Gerrard, Yeah absolutely love him and think hes incredible, but there is a noticeable difference between the two
Shearer for Bergkamp. Sorry, but Shearer was so f'n good. I hate him as a pundit but as a striker, wow. The numbers tell more than I can

Yeah like the amount of assists in fewer appearances.

Donnielighto

Charlie19 wrote: »

Yeah like the amount of assists in fewer appearances.

Hey, any idea when they started to keep track of those assists? Pretty sure that it's well after scholes was a mainstay in the utd team. Also he would have been on less dead balls than stevie wouldnt he?

TheCitizen

There mustve been a better full back than Gary Neville for that team that his Sky colleagues picked.

Kirby

Donnielighto wrote: »

Hey, any idea when they started to keep track of those assists? Pretty sure that it's well after scholes was a mainstay in the utd team. Also he would have been on less dead balls than stevie wouldnt he?

Yup. Scholes was already playing for United before Opta even existed. He made his debut in 94 and Opta only started recording stats in 97.....and they weren't exactly as thorough as they are today. They obviously retroactively adjusted the stats but its hard to think of them as "official".

Regardless of the stats, its obvious who was the better player.

yohan the great

TheCitizen wrote: »

There mustve been a better full back than Gary Neville for that team that his Sky colleagues picked.

If it was picked in 10 years time, I could see Zabaleta or Ivanovic replacing him