How good was Rio Ferdinand? | …….

[adexkola]

Not so sure about that. Rio would do a last ditch tackle if necessary, but he rarely found himself in that situation because he read the game so exceptionally well.

I also can't recall Rio leaving us in a lurch like Vidic did TWICE against Liverpool, by getting sent off fairly early. Vidic was tremendous, but I have a clear preference for Rio, myself.

That's a cliche. Regardless of how well you can read the game, you're going to have to tackle someone eventually. Sometimes you'll go to ground and it's not always because you "didn't read the game well".

Rio never reached his full potential until he was paired with Vidic, because Vidic handled the tackling and one man wrecking crew duties, and Rio mopped up, intercepted passes, nicked balls off attackers and started our transition attack.

Nothing wrong with having a preference between the two, mind. It's choosing between your left and right bollock.

 

[unitedforeveral]

in terms of going into the box and taking on the headers, Vidic was one of the best but Rio always assured no one countered and organised our back line from the get go. Two different players, two different styles.

 

[TheBiggest]

The best reader of the game I've ever seen.

Ever see Rio make a last-ditch brilliant tackle? No? Exactly. Never needed to.


Anyone who thinks Vidic was a better centre-half is watching an entirely different game to me.

 

[Billy Blaggs]

The best reader of the game I've ever seen.

Every see Rio make a last-ditch brilliant tackle? No? Exactly. Never needed to.


Anyone who thinks Vidic was a better centre-half is watching an entirely different game to me.

That's about all that needs to be said. It was just the perfect partnership. The bloodhound and the pitbull.

 

[totaalvoetbal]

One of the best centre backs I have ever seen. He is an anomaly. Usually when you are fast you use your athleticism to try and defend and are susceptible to errors, if you are slow you are better at reading the game but you reduce the defensive line to avoid being caught out with pace.

He was fast, but you wouldn't know it because he put out fires before they even started similar to great centre backs like Maldini, Baresi, Nesta and Costacurta.

His composure under pressure is almost second to none and he could play in any defensive system such as a high line or a low defensive block becaue he was exceptional defending his own 6 yard box.

For me a centre back that had no weakness at his peak and you could see his understanding of the game was exceptional once he lost his pace. Not only that, he could command a defensive line.

Arguably the most complete central defender of the modern era (post 92/93) and a player that was underrated perhaps because he was English and English defenders have a reputation for being only good in their 6 yard box and having no finesse on the ball. No central defender playing today is close to his level.

 

[freshibal]

He had some insane record where he didn't give away a foul for like 14 games or so.

 

[Raees]

Funnily enough, Rio's biggest weakness was probably his ball-playing skills which for me wasn't on the same level as the other all time great 'ball-playing' Cb's. Bobby Moore's ability on the ball was a different class for example.

 

[Rossa]

Nesta and Maldini are probably just as good, or even better, but from my limiting viewing that circles mostly on the PL and the sh*thouse that is the Norwegian league, which I'm now completely ignoring, Rio Ferdinand was, at his best, the most complete, and overall best centre back I've ever seen. Most centre backs had difficulties with certain type of players, or struggled if dragged out wide for instance. Vidic struggled a lot with fast players and if he was dragged out wide. He was simply a little slow. Rio was lightning at his prime - I think I read he was faster over distance than Giggs, and he certainly outpaced a prime Eto'o and made mince meat out of Torres at his prime. Then he would go on to have Drogba in his pocket the next match.

Also, we often talk about how Scholes dictated play from midfield, which he did of course like a maestro, but Rio dictated play from the back. He started hoofing it a little more in his last two seasons, but before that, his ball control, dribbling at the back, passing and running past players with the ball were all sublime parts of play that Stones, Lord have mercy on him, seem to try and emulate.

 

[Infordin]

You have ruined that list by having Puyol in it. An overrated donkey for me who had the benefit of not having to do much defending due to his team having 80% possession.

Barcelona wasn't founded in 2008.

Puyol was easily as good as Ferdinand

 

[Rossa]

He had some insane record where he didn't give away a foul for like 14 games or so.

Yeah, but didn't the free kick he made after all those matches actually result in a goal? That must have been annoying!

 

[Raees]

Barcelona wasn't founded in 2008.

Puyol was easily as good as Ferdinand

Puyol was a great player, to call him a donkey shows a great deal of disrespect. I wouldn't rate him above Rio in pure CB terms, but quality player.. brilliant record for club and country, and very versatile too.

 

[Infordin]

Puyol was a great player, to call him a donkey shows a great deal of disrespect. I wouldn't rate him above Rio in pure CB terms, but quality player.. brilliant record for club and country, and very versatile too.

I agree. There was very little to split Puyol, Ferdinand and Stam IMO. You could put them in just about any order. Nesta and Cannavaro were both a bit better.

 

[giorno]

Rio, Maldini >>>> Thaigo Silva.

not in terms of peak. Thiago Silva was unbelievable at milan, in fact i'm not even sure Nesta was better than him

if i have to judge them on their career as CB then

1. Nesta
2. Thuram
3. Cannavaro
4. Maldini, Rio, Thiago Silva, Stam, Terry
5. Puyol, Lucio
6. Campbell, Samuel, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Pique, Chiellini, Godin, Montero

i'm sure i'm forgetting someone, but those are the ones i can think off the top of my head

Is Stam a bit over-rated? Great for us no doubt, but only for three years. Then he failed a drug test at Lazio (which nobody ever seems to mention, perhaps it wasn't particularly serious) and joined the OAPs at Milan. How did he get on in Serie A, was he one of the best players in the league during his time there?

was 32 when milan signed him, and only gave them one season before declining, but he was better than Nesta and Maldini that season. In general, he was the best CB in serie A between 2003 and 2005.

Barcelona wasn't founded in 2008.

Puyol was easily as good as Ferdinand

Heh. It's close

 

[adexkola]

Barcelona wasn't founded in 2008.

Puyol was easily as good as Ferdinand

For me, Maldini > Nesta = Ferdinand > Puyol. The game is poorer now that all those names are retired.

 

[balaks]

An excellent player but not an all-time great defender the likes of Nesta, Cannavaro, Maldini, etc. he was a good level or more below them. Still superb though.

 

[PhilMcD79]

Barcelona wasn't founded in 2008.

Puyol was easily as good as Ferdinand

Puyol and Ferdinand are like chalk and cheese. Puyol couldn't read a game to save his life, he was a last ditch tackle merchant. As soon as a game kicked off he was out of position. A game, willing and honest player I will grant you but in no way shape or form was he a top notch defender.

 

[PhilMcD79]

Puyol was a great player, to call him a donkey shows a great deal of disrespect. I wouldn't rate him above Rio in pure CB terms, but quality player.. brilliant record for club and country, and very versatile too.

Puyol was a Spanish Carragher no better no worse. Another example of his similarity to Carragher is in their supposed versatility in that they were both average in more than one position.

 

[crossy1686]

I think we easily forget how good Rio actually was because we were completely spoiled by excellent CB's under Fergie. Ferdinand is one of the best CB's England has ever produced and one of the best modern CB's the world has ever seen.

You put Ferdinand in any team and he would improve their backline instantly. There isn't a single top flight team in Europe that wouldn't have had him in their team.

 

[Raees]

@giorno disagree with Campbell in tier 6.. he was superior defender than Puyol imo, one of England's greatest ever defenders and a beast at international level for us. I'd have him equal to Rio in his pomp.. he was so complete.

 

[WhoDaGOAT]

not in terms of peak. Thiago Silva was unbelievable at milan, in fact i'm not even sure Nesta was better than him

if i have to judge them on their career as CB then

1. Nesta
2. Thuram
3. Cannavaro
4. Maldini, Rio, Thiago Silva, Stam, Terry
5. Puyol, Lucio
6. Campbell, Samuel, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Pique, Chiellini, Godin, Montero

i'm sure i'm forgetting someone, but those are the ones i can think off the top of my head

was 32 when milan signed him, and only gave them one season before declining, but he was better than Nesta and Maldini that season. In general, he was the best CB in serie A between 2003 and 2005.


Heh. It's close

Thiago Silva a big, fat myth. The greatest tale of the modern game.

I wouldn't put him anywhere near the list.

 

[giorno]

@giorno disagree with Campbell in tier 6.. he was superior defender than Puyol imo, one of England's greatest ever defenders and a beast at international level for us. I'd have him equal to Rio in his pomp.. he was so complete.

At his best yeah. Career as a whole, don't think so

 

[Skills]

@giorno disagree with Campbell in tier 6.. he was superior defender than Puyol imo, one of England's greatest ever defenders and a beast at international level for us. I'd have him equal to Rio in his pomp.. he was so complete.

Yeah Sol is quite underrated these days. Think he suffers from his lack of European pedigree - as do most players who wasted their careers at Arsenal.

 

[walkinhop]

pretty damn good

 

[PhilMcD79]

Thiago Silva a big, fat myth. The greatest tale of the modern game.

I wouldn't put him anywhere near the list.

I've got to agree with this too another hugely overrated player. Considering the players he got to play alongside at Milan you'd have thought he'd have learned a thing or two about defending.

 

[WhoDaGOAT]

Yeah Sol is quite underrated these days. Think he suffers from his lack of European pedigree - as do most players who wasted their careers at Arsenal.

Anyone who joined Arsenal after 2006, yeah. Sol was there during the good times.

 

[Skills]

Anyone who joined Arsenal after 2006, yeah. Sol was there during the good times.

Still didn't achieve much in Europe though. And unlike vieira or henry, doesnt have much internationally as well.

 

[Eriku]

That's a cliche. Regardless of how well you can read the game, you're going to have to tackle someone eventually. Sometimes you'll go to ground and it's not always because you "didn't read the game well".

Rio never reached his full potential until he was paired with Vidic, because Vidic handled the tackling and one man wrecking crew duties, and Rio mopped up, intercepted passes, nicked balls off attackers and started our transition attack.

Nothing wrong with having a preference between the two, mind. It's choosing between your left and right bollock.

It's a cliché, but it's true. Of course he had to tackle someone eventually, and sure it doesn't necessarily mean you failed to read the game. Hence my using the word "rarely". And Rio was capable of last ditch tackles as well.

They complimented each other well, but it's not as if once you have someone like Vidic tackling and heading like a boss, anybody else can roll in and deal with simple interceptions and steals of the ball. A lot of the time Vidic wouldn't enter the equation at all, it would just be an attack that Rio nipped in the bud by shepherding the player and then nicking the ball with a minimum of fuss.

As you say, it's a matter of preference... and I just prefer a defender jiu-jitsuing the attacker and with grace and poise defusing the situation.

 

[WhoDaGOAT]

Still didn't achieve much in Europe though. And unlike vieira or henry, doesnt have much internationally as well.

Scored in a final though. I'm sure he's happy enough with his career. He won everything domestically and had the added bonus of winning an FA Cup final with Portsmouth. That was a great move for him, as his last 18 months at Arsenal were very strange. Off the field issues (gay rumours and marital problems).

Sol would have had only won a League Cup had he remained loyal to Spurs.

 

[B20]

Agree that Puyol was basically of similar level to carragher. Not as good positionally, but more athletic. Both made up for much with their effort and mentality.

Ferdinand was better than both though. Like Hyypia, didn't need to break sweat when defending.

 

[Infordin]

Puyol was a Spanish Carragher no better no worse. Another example of his similarity to Carragher is in their supposed versatility in that they were both average in more than one position.

Since I can't convince you to change your mind, maybe you should read this thread and the opinions of people who were watching Puyol live, from a thread back in 2006:

http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/nesta-terry-cannavaro-or-puyol.340103/

He didn't look out of place in a discussion involving Nesta and Cannavaro. But sure, he was average.

 

[B20]

Since I can't convince you to change your mind, maybe you should read this thread and the opinions of people who were watching Puyol live, from a thread back in 2006:

http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/nesta-terry-cannavaro-or-puyol.340103/

He didn't look out of place in a discussion involving Nesta and Cannavaro. But sure, he was average.

Both Puyol and Carragher were class defenders who would have been able to hold their own in any team. But they weren't of the very top tier.

 

[Infordin]

Both Puyol and Carragher were class defenders who would have been able to hold their own in any team. But they weren't of the very top tier.

If Carragher was born 10 years later, he'd be the first centerback on the current England team sheet.

But I still think Puyol was better than Jamie and pretty close to Rio. 2005/06 from Puyol was as good as any season I've seen from Ferdinand.

 

[B20]

If Carragher was born 10 years later, he'd be the first centerback on the current England team sheet.

That can be said of a lot of English centrebacks from 10 years ago.

But I still think Puyol was better and pretty close to Ferdinand in his prime. 2005/06 from Puyol was as good as any season I've seen from Ferdinand.

Puyol had way too many mistakes in him for me to rate him that high. People talk about keepers making saves for the cameras, Puyol made last ditch tackles the same way because he needed to recover far more often than other top centrebacks due to his erratic positioning skills.

Ferdinand had a decent claim to being the best centreback in the world at some point. Can't say that for either Puyol or Carragher.

 

[KM]

Rio was the best central defender in the world during the period of 2006-2008. Our second best player after Ronaldo in that great Ferguson team which dominated England and got to two CL Finals in row.

 

[Fortitude]

1. Nesta
2. Rio
3. Carvalho
4. Terry
5. Vidic

Of the mid 00's and beyond.

Nesta has an argument to be the best defender of all time, to be second to him is a compliment to Rio. Rio's biggest weakness was massive CF's (Drogba's), for those, he needed Vidic, but apart from that, there wasn't a type that could beat him at his peak.

 

[B20]

1. Nesta
2. Rio
3. Carvalho
4. Terry
5. Vidic

Of the mid 00's and beyond.

Nesta has an argument to be the best defender of all time, to be second to him is a compliment to Rio. Rio's biggest weakness was massive CF's (Drogba's), for those, he needed Vidic, but apart from that, there wasn't a type that could beat him at his peak.

I could buy that. I always felt terry was a bit overrated, carvalho a bit underrated, ferdinand a bit underrated and vidic a bit overrated.

 

[siw2007]

Thought he was the best defender in the world back in his day. He was imperious in 2008 in our double winning campaign. Unfortunately for him, those injuries curtailed his career and never really recovered post 2009. But on the flip side, Vidic upped his game around this point and took over as our number 1 centre half so we got away with it.

 

[Manny]

From 4:45

Great vid, really enjoyed that.

Quite noticeable that all the clips were from the big games, Chelsea, Barca, Liverpool, Arsenal and some CL games. Just shows how important his reading of the game and composure was against the better and trickier opponents.

 

[Minimalist]

One of the best centre backs in Europe for at least 4-5 years (top 5). Not much interested in where he ranks specifically, everyone has their preferences.

 

[Inter Yer Nan]

Great player and I'd say the best of the Ferguson era. Obviously the Vidic partnership is the best in PL history. Too bad we let Stam go in 2001. Between 2002-2005 would have been nice to see him with Rio.