I agree with the defenders era, coupled to the fact that offensive players are WAY more protected now. Just imagine what Ronaldo R9 would have done with that type of protection in the 90s. CR7 and Messi would NEVER have these stats in the 90s. Also remember how a very old Zanetti put Messi in his pocket in 2010? That was a thing of beauty. How you gonna cite Dante tho, lmao.
Essential The Official Football (Soccer) Thread - Life and Death for South America, Pre-Season for Europe: The Club World Cup
Ukbrotha
Superstar
If City can do I don't see what is so special about premier League teams to stop them catching that L to Madrid and Barca. We've seen sevilla,celta,valencia give english teams that work too so.
Kunty McPhuck
Scust Szn has Returned
Davids a midfielder, Grosso 
. Dante
cult legend, yes. Nothing more than that.Naming inferior Samuel and Stam before Thuram and Desailly
.Ramos the most overrated defender EVER, excellent footballer, as a straight up defender he's alright, just a GQ Gary Cahill.
Trajan
Veteran
I think you're underestimating how long Messi and CR7 have been around. They done it to most of those guys. And they've only got better with age
Puyol.. Cannavaro... R Carlos... Ashley Cole..Rio Ferdinand.. John Terry
All got that work
Also what group of world class defenders was Pele embarrassing week in week out
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African_brehda
Superstar
TobiOT
Veteran
Ronaldo could get a ban for that celebration against Atletico Madrid
Kunty McPhuck
Scust Szn has Returned
Defending/Defensive play is down in all sports, why? Sports have evolved and changing of the rules in favour of attacking play. Team Sports become more quicker and athletes have become more athletic, better tekkers, more healthier and have access to more advanced sports science and analysis then ever before. Sport in general has become more mechanical and about repetition, that reading and instincts have become secondary.
The romanticism of defending in previous eras is nice, but people forget, you could get away with the dark arts of intimidation with common assault challenges back in the day and all you would get is a telling off, don't do it again. Nowadays athlete safety is more endorsed.
At the elite level, the evolution of the back 5 has required then to do more than what the forwards have to do. As forwards/wingers have always had to track back, but not all defenders have had to initiate attacks.
Keepers have to be able to control the ball like a midfielder and pass the ball and not just launch it. CB's have to pass and bring the ball out, CB's have to play higher line. FB's have to pushed up and be wingers. Ask defenders to do more and more mistakes will happen.
The romanticism of defending in previous eras is nice, but people forget, you could get away with the dark arts of intimidation with common assault challenges back in the day and all you would get is a telling off, don't do it again. Nowadays athlete safety is more endorsed.
At the elite level, the evolution of the back 5 has required then to do more than what the forwards have to do. As forwards/wingers have always had to track back, but not all defenders have had to initiate attacks.
Keepers have to be able to control the ball like a midfielder and pass the ball and not just launch it. CB's have to pass and bring the ball out, CB's have to play higher line. FB's have to pushed up and be wingers. Ask defenders to do more and more mistakes will happen.
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I hope Man Utd bring plenty of lube in their champions league games.
Van Dijk. He’s better than Ramos. I’m not 100% sure Ramos is a great defender. Too many red cards, too violent. The greats never accumulated cards like him. And a lot of his attacking comes from corners not in game transitions.
Varane has a similar CV to Ramos. He’s a better player. Pique is a better player than Ramos.
Do agree it is the weakest era of defenders. Coincidentally think Ramos is the best example of that.
Why do u rate a tourni that comes around every 4 years rather than football that is played constantly through each year
Ronaldo n Messi are top 2, for me Messi is better.
And
Chielinni >>> Puyol ..zambrotta grosso and costacurta
Bboystyle
Bang Bang Packers gang!
You notice how Ronaldo is compared to Messi, while Messi is compared to Pele and Maradona?that alone should tell you something
How is Ronaldo with Juventus and you have the nerve to talk about someone being in a weak ass league?
nikkas keep bringing up CL like Messi has never even won one.
We got to witness both of them in the same league for like 9 years,facing the same opposition and watch Messi consistently body him. Won best La Liga player 7 fukking times, while your mans won 2.
Barca always had a better team the Real during thier clashes, stop it. Cron owns the CL and 3 other leagues while messi stays on a team built around him.
Let's not act like real wasn't built around Ronaldo
Ronaldo only comes alive in the final 3rd , that's fact
Barca team was built within, the main stars came from the youth team
Ini
Xavi
Sergio b
Pique
Pedro
The list goes on
All came through at the perfect time.
TobiOT
Veteran
Luis Suarez might miss the first leg 
Ukbrotha
Superstar
Luis Suarez might miss the first leg
Yeah, hopefully that means they'll only beat us 3-0 not 5-0.
