Rio Ferdinand?

DoctorEdgeWild

Following on from the Dream Team topic and not wanting to drag it OT, I noticed that Rio made it into the majority of people's dream teams. But is he actually that good? I'm a United fan but dont really think that much of Rio. He undoubtedly has great ability, thats not in question. To me though, he is just so freakin casual on the ball. That is the style of some players of course, see Cantona and Rui Costa but a casual centre back?

Maybe I'm just old fashioned but I cant see Rio fighting until the last second like Bruce and Pallister did. Ferdinand has got attributes that those guys could only dream of but I know who I preferred at centre back in my United team.

Since we are subject to the English medias perception of him as a lion in all white restoring pride to a nation(!), I was just wondering what others opinions were of him, presuming that I am in the minorty as he didnt make my dream team.

Guy:Incognito

I reckon hes overrated, not that hes not good, he's just very over-hyped by the media. He centainly wouldnt be in my team of the season. Going on form and not reputation (which it should be) Terry and Carra should be the two England centre-halfs.

jesus_thats_gre

I dont know whether he is actually up with the best but his presence alone seems to make a big difference for United.

super_furry

For me, Ferdinand is technically a very, very gifted player but like you say, he's not a fighter. It seems to me that he lacks the kind of heart desire that would see other defenders throw their bodies in the way of a ball if he thought he would get hurt. The kind of player that would rather duck out of the way of a ball rather than stop it with his face for example.

DoctorEdgeWild

super_furry wrote:

For me, Ferdinand is technically a very, very gifted player but like you say, he's not a fighter. It seems to me that he lacks the kind of heart desire that would see other defenders throw their bodies in the way of a ball if he thought he would get hurt. The kind of player that would rather duck out of the way of a ball rather than stop it with his face for example.

Thats exactly how I feel about him. He is so over hyped by the media. I do see jesus' point about the United defence being stronger with him in it but out of United's defence, only Heinze really plays like a true United defender. Possibly if Neville wasnt such a moany fcker he'd make the grade.

He reminds me funnily enough of Figo, gifted player but just doesnt seem to care sometimes. Maybe its all a product of the modern football world where 100 grand a week is demanded by agents (looking at you Pini Zahavi) for players not fit even to wear the jersey.

PHB

Thats not the type of CB he is.
There are two types of CB's

Terry is one type. Total and utter committment. Good Header, Good tackler, crap footballer in a sense. If you put him in midfield or up front he would be utter ****e. But as a CB, for the mould he is in, he is utterly fantastic.
However he lacks distribution and a certain composure on the ball.
Thats where Carvalho comes in, who is a similar player to Rio.

He might not be the most amazing defender, not likely to throw himself at everything, but he reads and udnerstands the game much more than Terry does. He will cut out the attack before it happens rather than stop it at the goal line, which obviously doesnt gain as much credit. He also is the start of the entire Man Utd attack and his distribution is great.

I honastly think he is one of the best CB's in the entire world.

p.s.

Rio would take th eball in the face if it stopped the ball going in, lest not be stupid.
Its just he'd rather cut it out before that happens, and he normally does.

uberwolf

a number of years ago I watched a programme on de telly that was running some kinda special on Rio.

Standard shots of him training etc, cut to interview, bit o chit chat. Then he came out with "people forget, I'm a footballer who can dance"

FFS. Now that has nothing to do with his ability as a player, but thats his character.

Zaph

As a Leeds fan I have to say that Rio was a great bit of business. He's a good player, but he's not worth £30 million, or even the initial £18 million Leeds paid for him. I actually think he was more consistent at Leeds than he has been at Man U.

LegacyUser

Absolute class. Really really top.

jank

Over rated imo, good footballer but terry and campell are better than him imo.

Next year he will be with the rent boys anyway.

DoctorEdgeWild

Terry certainly but Campbell? For me, he is possibly the only player more over hyped than Rio. I really dont see what it is about him that people are impressed with. He tackles clumsily and is slow. He is great in the air, but I don't see him as a top defender at all.

On current form, Terry and Carragher are the top two in Premiership.

jank

Campbell hasnt been around as much this season becuase of injury and I agree he hasnt been the best this season.

But when Arsenal lost him to injury they lost the league twice. Wasnt he voted in the euro 2004 team aswell?

Terry and Campbell are very alike. Both as rock solid as they come. I have yet to see someone beat him in a challenge. Yes he is not the fastest but Terry proves that you dont have to be.

Gangsta

DoctorEdgeWild wrote:

Terry certainly but Campbell? For me, he is possibly the only player more over hyped than Rio. I really dont see what it is about him that people are impressed with. He tackles clumsily and is slow. He is great in the air, but I don't see him as a top defender at all.

On current form, Terry and Carragher are the top two in Premiership.

What Campbell not quick?His pace is really high in CM!!;)

But seriously, Campbell is a fantastic defender. He is strong, an excellent header and tackler and also inspires the team. True is composure isn't as good as Rio but he is a better DEFENDER.

Also I agree Terry and Carra have been the best this season. Campbell injured for most of it and I don't rate Rio as world class.

TOPDAWG

When watchin the match THE match tues night this kept comin up every time carra did something. As everyone is saying, at the moment the only two cbs you could want in your team are Carra and Terry. One bleeds Red of liverpool and the other Blue for chelsea (altho i was made aware by a buddy that he doesnt bleed blue when he got busted durin the man city game) Not taking away the fact that Rio has talent would you rather see your centreback tryin to beat players with nut megs and shimmys or would you rather see them giving their all and standing in the way of freight trains to protect their net?!

Id also (on curent from) have Hyypia ahead of rio but it seems this is more of an "english" CB thread.

p.s. Liverpool are currently adding backpockets to Carra's and Hyppias shorts for Shevvy and co!!!

DoctorEdgeWild

I'm a long time fan of Hyypia, hes an old style hard ass centre back. Who would have thought you'd find one in Finland?

As for Campbell, this season its unfair to judge him because of injury. At international level he excels for England but I'm yet to be convinced by him as a premiership star. However, he is pretty much fearless and does indeed bleed the french blood of Arsenal so in that way, he is perhaps an asset to the team.

Terry and Carragher are the CBs of the season but I just hope United unearth someone to add some steel to that backline. As we all know, if a defence even has a reputation as dodgy, teams will have a go at it.

MisterAnarchy

Rio Ferdinand is the most overated defender of all time.
He fancies himself as some sort of Snoop Dogg lookalike .
He just isnt a good defender.
He is a bad tackler,a poor reader of the game ,leaves nearly all the tackling to Silvestre,and is very poor goals wise.

wheres me jumpa

good player, but if you look back at recent weeks, he has proved a point about himself. against newcastle alan shearer won a header against him because ferdinand but his foot to the ball rather than head it, which lead to a goal.

there was another incident like this that happened lately, im hoping somebody can remember it but it lead to a goal too.

he needs to toughen up a bit and be a defend at all costs defender and not be afraid to hoof the ball every now and again.

very good player but i didnt think he was worth the money leeds paid for him never mind what man united paid.

jumpa

LegacyUser

MisterAnarchy wrote:

He is a bad tackler,a poor reader of the game ,leaves nearly all the tackling to Silvestre,and is very poor goals wise.

And how come when United do not have him they are ridiculous at the back?

Big Ears

cheesedude wrote:

And how come when United do not have him they are ridiculous at the back?

Poorer replacements .

Terry , Carragher and Campbell are 3 English defenders that are better than him , I would also rate Hypia and Carvalho ahead of him aswell .

In the recent game against Newcastle Rio had some many problems against Ameobi it was unreal and if it wasn't for his constant fouling of him Ameobi would have been clean through 3 times .

Doesn't seem like the type of player to put his face in the way of a shot either .

Also Terry's distribution and reading of the game is brilliant , its why he's such an alround great centre-back and up until he was about 18 was a central midfielder .

smuckers

Can't understand why some people thinks JT's distrubtion is poor, does anyone not remember the pin point ball to Gudjohnsen in the 5-1 hammering of Hammers a few yrs ago?
Carvallho started off the season trying to do the same but it didn't work so he stuck to 5 yard passes, until he finally gained the composure.
Ferdinand is a pretty nifty footballer but not a world class defender.

Gangsta

smuckers wrote:

Can't understand why some people thinks JT's distrubtion is poor, does anyone not remember the pin point ball to Gudjohnsen in the 5-1 hammering of Hammers a few yrs ago?

Lol he's done it once and you think he's great?
I don't think his or Campbell's distribution is bad at all.

smuckers

It can be good, Lebouef had his faults but his passing was magnificant.