Yea, those clearances with his "other/wrong foot"
Who are the top five Premier League CBs?
- Thread starter Klopper76
- Start date
In no particular order:
Virgil Van Dijk
Jan Vertonghen
Nicolas Otamendi
Toby Alderweireld
Chris Smalling
According to whoscored.com; however, the top 10 centre backs were in order of ratings were:
Shkodran Mustafi
James Tomkins
Jan Vertonghen
Chris Smalling
James Tarkowski
Phil Jones
Cesar Azpilicueta
Shane Duffy
Nicolas Otamendi
Kurt Zouma
Virgil Van Dijk
Jan Vertonghen
Nicolas Otamendi
Toby Alderweireld
Chris Smalling
According to whoscored.com; however, the top 10 centre backs were in order of ratings were:
Shkodran Mustafi
James Tomkins
Jan Vertonghen
Chris Smalling
James Tarkowski
Phil Jones
Cesar Azpilicueta
Shane Duffy
Nicolas Otamendi
Kurt Zouma
Agreed. I like him, but he is overrated, and I think that's why Jose went with Smalling a lot of the time last season over Bailly.
This season, Woodward has probably said that Mourinho has to play the two centre backs he bought and see how they get on before spending money on another centre back. After all, they are his signings.
I’m surprised to see people naming Rudiger in this thread. Granted, I don’t watch Chelsea often, but he never really stood out when I did. I rate Christensen higher, tbh. Maybe one of the Chelsea fans can help me out?
And Maguire in top 5? I’m not saying he isn’t good or anything, but have you really watched Leicester more than a handful of times last season?
I’d say Verthongen, Alderweireld, Vvd, Otamendi are thereabouts. Kompany too, obviously, but he’s more injured than not these days. Bailly could get there, but he needs to stay fit.
And Maguire in top 5? I’m not saying he isn’t good or anything, but have you really watched Leicester more than a handful of times last season?
I’d say Verthongen, Alderweireld, Vvd, Otamendi are thereabouts. Kompany too, obviously, but he’s more injured than not these days. Bailly could get there, but he needs to stay fit.
Saw Mustafi on that second list and knew the rest wasn't worth reading.
Jones
Smalling
Rojo
Lindelof
Bailly
JK but honestly Azpi is the best defender in the league by miles
Smalling
Rojo
Lindelof
Bailly
JK but honestly Azpi is the best defender in the league by miles
VVDJK
Vertonghen
Kompany (when fit)
Alderweireld
Smalling
Expect the likes of Stones, Laporte, Bailly and Maguire to be in and about this list at the end of the season.
Vertonghen
Kompany (when fit)
Alderweireld
Smalling
Expect the likes of Stones, Laporte, Bailly and Maguire to be in and about this list at the end of the season.
Is Lacelles any good, keep hearing him mentioned but I've never really noticed him?
What kind of defender is he?
What kind of defender is he?
Entirely my own opinion (without looking at any stats):
1. van Dyke
2. Stones
3. Sanchez
4. Maguire
5. Luiz (he'll have a good season under Sarri)
Worth a shout:
Lascelles
1. van Dyke
2. Stones
3. Sanchez
4. Maguire
5. Luiz (he'll have a good season under Sarri)
Worth a shout:
Lascelles
CB is one of the positions whoscored's rating system struggles to quantify. The other are goalkeeper and playmaking holding midfielder like Xabi Alonso and Carrick.
VVD
Toby Alderweireld
Azpeilicueta
Vertonghen
Smalling
Toby Alderweireld
Azpeilicueta
Vertonghen
Smalling
I still think Smalling can be in the top 5. I rate him highly and he was a monster under LVG.
Noticing it's getting harder to compare centre backs than it used to. It's hard to say which is the better CM between Kante and Pogba, or who's the best striker between Crouch and Defoe, because they have vastly different roles despite playing the same position. Now it's the same with CBs. Put Smalling into City for Otamendi and they concede a lot more. Put Otamendi in for Smalling for us, and we concede a lot more. So, how do you tell which is better?
Kompany
Vertonghen
Bailly
Lascelles
Van Dijk
Vertonghen
Bailly
Lascelles
Van Dijk
Otamendi 
FFS.
Stick any half decent defender in instead of him into the City team of last season and it make little to no difference to them.
He's like the Ringo Starr of defenders, lucky to be part of something great.
FFS.Stick any half decent defender in instead of him into the City team of last season and it make little to no difference to them.
He's like the Ringo Starr of defenders, lucky to be part of something great.
No chance is Van Dijk top 5. He is terrible, seems to get over rated by pundits for a few reasons. 1 he plays for Liverpool, 2 he is good with the ball, 3 his £75m price tag.
He always has a mistake in him and because Liverpool are always attacking and mainly in the opponents half they rarely have to defend. Put him in this United team and he would be no better than Lindelof Bailly or Smalling.
He always has a mistake in him and because Liverpool are always attacking and mainly in the opponents half they rarely have to defend. Put him in this United team and he would be no better than Lindelof Bailly or Smalling.
Kompany plays as much as Bailly. Why not him?
Let's put it this way — why him? He's good, so is Bally, so are a few others without any stand out. It's not a peak Kompany
Virgil Van Dijk
Vincent Kompany
Vertonghen
Stones
Laporte
Vincent Kompany
Vertonghen
Stones
Laporte
Yeah that's nonsense. With City's extremely high line, you have to be good at snuffing out threats before they materialize, and also be available for the outlet pass.Otamendi
Stick any half decent defender in instead of him into the City team of last season and it make little to no difference to them.
He's like the Ringo Starr of defenders, lucky to be part of something great.
100% agree with your list. Bailly for me is underrated primarily because Mourinho dropped him with very little justification and caftards have internalised that. But like so many in our squad he's not a Mourinho type player. Mou thinks football matches are won by the team who make the fewest mistakes, and that if you make no mistakes you will win every match. This is patently untrue - you must take risks to win most football games. Bailly does have the odd mistake in him, but these are massively outweighed by the number of very proactive interventions he will successfully make when other very good CBs would not have got involved at all.
VVD
VVD's head
VVD's right leg
VVD's left leg
VVD's cock
VVD's head
VVD's right leg
VVD's left leg
VVD's cock
Hate putting this up as none are ours, probably why Jose wanted another one.
VVD
Vertonghen
Alderweireld
Rudiger
Stones/Maguire (can’t split them)
VVD
Vertonghen
Alderweireld
Rudiger
Stones/Maguire (can’t split them)
Okay, stick anybody with half decent pace and technical skills in there. If he stayed fit, Phil Jones would probably do just as well and half the Caf wants rid of him.
Are you nuts, Azpi has been one of the best defenders in the league last 4 years
Rudiger is an absolute monster physically - I think he was logged as the 8th fastest player in the league last year? He's also extremely good in the air and a huge threat on set plays. On top of that, his range of passing is superb and he's generally very comfortable on the ball - he really has all the tools you'd look for in a modern CB.
Christensen is more refined overall and is perhaps a better short passer - his positional sense may also be slightly better, but Rudiger can overcome missteps due to his ridiculous athleticism. I also think that last year it was easier for Christensen to stand out a bit more - as the central CB, he did a very good job of being a vocal presence / organizer, and I'm not sure Rudiger could have played that role as well. In a 4 man backline though, I think Rudiger has the higher upside overall and is a good shout for top 5 in the league (shows how far standards have fallen tbf).
Reading some of the names in this thread makes me wonder why we struggled for goals last season.
Bailly
Jones
Smalling
Lindeloff
Tuanzebe
Where is my top red award
Jones
Smalling
Lindeloff
Tuanzebe
Where is my top red award
He's top 5, easily. He's comfortably better than the three you listed.
Vincent Kompany, John Stones, Nicolas Otamendi, Aymeric Laporte, Eliaquim Mangala.
That’s a fantastic summary, mate. Thanks.
I’ll keep an eye out for him on saturday.
Still think Christensen will become one of the best in the league, though.
Vertonghen
Van Dijk
Stones
Azpilicueta
Smalling
Van Dijk
Stones
Azpilicueta
Smalling
It kind of all depends do you mean a CB in a 2 or a 3. In a three, Azpi is very, very good. Wouldn’t trust him in a back 2. Same with Luiz. VDV, Alderweireld and Maguire are really the only three I trust to rate the top in a back 2. There rest all have their faults.
He turns to shite under the slightest of pressure though. As he has been for years.
He really isn’t. It seems to be the cliche that everyone is sticking with at the moment.
Hyped up by a few pundits and a huge price tag and everyone thinks he is world class. Along with Liverpool being the media and pundits darling club where no player can do any wrong.
He is not great at all.
Alderweireld
Vertonghen
Laporte
Otamendi
Kompany
Maguire
Azpilicueta.
All the above are better and have proven it, all looked better than him last season.
He was riddled with mistakes last season. I am sorry but he is not top 5 CB in the PL. Yes he is good on the ball but pure defending he is not that great, which is first and foremost the most important trait for a CB.
No problem - fully expect an absolute clanger from him now that I've jinxed it, mind!
You can't be shit under pressure and play in a high line.
People citing players like Rudiger and Otamendi in their top 5 don't really understand defending i feel. Both utter dross.
Smalling. If he could pass he would be the best in the league. Even with his downfalls there id still put him top 5.
Vertonghen alderweireld vvd smalling kompany in no order
City wouldnt concede more with smalling. They wouldnt score as many though