Best defensive unit ever

[RedTillI'mDead]

Reading about how good Ferdinand was, it got me thinking about who has had the best defence ever!

United have had some quality back 4s + GK, hard to choose the best

99 back five
Schmeichel, Neville, Irwin, Stam, Johnsen

08 back five
VDS, Neville, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic

Early 90s Arsenal
Seaman, Winterburn, Dixon, Adams, Keown

Invincibles 04 Arsenal
Lehmann, Lauren, Campbell, Toure, Cole

95 point Chelsea 05
Cech, Carvalho, Bridge/ Johnson, Terry, Gallas (hard to ignore Makelele as a big contributor)

 

[giorno]

Tassotti-Baresi-Costacurta-Maldini

/thread

 

[Invictus]

Milan's back 4 - as mentioned above. That's the cream of the crop, really.

Also, Juventus' Zona Mista defense with Zoff behind them - that's just a brilliant back 5. And the infamous Burgnich + Guarneri + Facchetti + Picchi Catenaccio defense under Herrera for Internazionale - which kind of defined an era.

Not just at club level - where they set records, won a lot of league titles and European Cup(s), but the big elements of these defenses reached World Cup and European Championship finals - Inter's lot won EURO 1968 and reached the final of the 1970 World Cup against the best Brazilian team of all time, Juventus' bunch was the foundation for Italy's 1982 World Cup triumph, and Maldini + Baresi (injured, but made a comeback in the final) played varying roles in Italy's 1994 World Cup final appearance - apart from reaching the semis in 1990.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

08 back five
VDS, Neville, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic

It was mostly Brown at RB that season, wasn't it? IIRC Neville missed all of 07/08, and made a few appearances in 08/09.

Brown was solid that season.

 

[krazyrobus]

Tassotti-Baresi-Costacurta-Maldini

/thread

//Thread

 

[Raees]

What about Italy 1982? or France 98-00. or Germany 1974.. England's defence in the noughties wasn't to be sniffed at either.

Meier >> Galli
Vogts >> Tasotti
Beckenbauer > Baresi
Schwarzenbeck > Costacurta
Breitner < Maldini

 

[RedSky]

Didn't Rafael and Evans feature loads in that side with the longest clean sheet record?

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Reading about how good Ferdinand was, it got me thinking about who has had the best defence ever!

United have had some quality back 4s + GK, hard to choose the best

99 back five
Schmeichel, Neville, Irwin, Stam, Johnsen

08 back five
VDS, Neville, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic

Early 90s Arsenal
Seaman, Winterburn, Dixon, Adams, Keown

Invincibles 04 Arsenal
Lehmann, Lauren, Campbell, Toure, Cole

95 point Chelsea 05
Cech, Carvalho, Bridge/ Johnson, Terry, Gallas (hard to ignore Makelele as a big contributor)

Also, probably Chelsea 2014/15 under Mourinho,

Courtois
Ivanovic Cahill Terry Azpilicueta

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...son-Review-Chelsea-dominate-start-finish.html

It was mostly Brown at RB that season, wasn't it? IIRC Neville missed all of 07/08, and made a few appearances in 08/09.

Brown was solid that season.

Wes Brown. He was amazing that season, especially in the Champions League. Claimed the RB his own.

Manchester United 2008

Van der Sar
Brown Ferdinand Vidic Evra​

 

[2 man midfield]

Cafu--Costacurta-Nesta-Maldini

Neville-Ferdinand-Vidic-Evra

Thuram-Dessailly-Blanc-Lizarazu

Never saw that back 4 for France actually play but it looks good on paper anyway.

 

[Enigma_87]

Cafu--Costacurta-Nesta-Maldini

Neville-Ferdinand-Vidic-Evra

Thuram-Dessailly-Blanc-Lizarazu

Never saw that back 4 for France actually play but it looks good on paper anyway.

It was even better at the time with Stam in the place of Costacurta.

 

[DanClancy]

Tassotti-Baresi-Costacurta-Maldini

/thread

Best in my time of watching football, the Milan back 4 of Cafu, Stam, Nesta & Maldini wasn't a formidable back 4 too.

I'm sure Fergie looks back in 99 and questions why he didn't go out and buy a world class left back and why in 2008 he didn't buy a world class right back.

 

[dakingpin1999]

This annoying bunch haha, Westerfeld carragher henchoz hyypia babbel in 2001-The Mighty treble winners

 

[padr81]

Tassotti-Baresi-Costacurta-Maldini

/thread

This. The real Italian wall, not that there is much wrong with Juve's current one but this was as good as it gets.

 

[Jacko21]

2004-05:

Cafu - Nesta - Stam - Maldini

That's as good as I have witnessed. In fact, that Milan side as a whole was remarkable. Leaders of men, flat-track bullies and incredible guile.

As an aside, I do think Atletico under Simeone have been a joy to watch defensively - watching them defend as unit against Bayern last year was something else.

 

[2 man midfield]

It was even better at the time with Stam in the place of Costacurta.

I thought about putting Stam but put Costacurta for no real reason other than he was there first. Can't say I watched either of them enough to say who was better mind you.

 

[freeurmind]

Thuram-Blanc-Desailly-Lizarazu was unbelievable in that 98-2000 run.
Also that Ajax team of De Boer, Blind, Reizeger with VDS behind them and Davids screening was also great.

 

[Deleted member 101472]

The Milan one as mentioned is probably the best, but Barcelona have had a few good ones in the last decade

Alves
Puyol/mascherano
Pique
Abidal

To think united weren't too far away from having

G Neville
Stam
Ferdinand
Evra

Now that would have been some unit

 

[Thisistheone]

What about Italy 1982? or France 98-00. or Germany 1974.. England's defence in the noughties wasn't to be sniffed at either.

Meier >> Galli
Vogts >> Tasotti
Beckenbauer > Baresi
Schwarzenbeck > Costacurta
Breitner < Maldini

Aye, France is a good shout.

Lizarazu--Blanc--Desailly--Thuram

So good they made a top career for Barthez.

 

[Vialli_92]

Pique

The Milan one as mentioned is probably the best, but Barcelona have had a few good ones in the last decade

Alves
Puyol/mascherano
Pique
Abidal

To think united weren't too far away from having

G Neville
Stam
Ferdinand
Evra

Now that would have been some unit

Pique and Mascherano are not natural centre backs.

They don't have that same defensive instinct as other great defenders have had.

 

[Gio]

France's 1998 defence looked almost impenetrable. But Italy's 1990 back line was the most imperious for me. Didn't concede a goal in the whole tournament until deep into the second half of the semi-final, and even that was purely a keeper error. As well as fielding Baresi, Maldini, Bergomi and Ferri in the same defence, they were also able to boast Ferrara and Vierchowod on the bench.

 

[OldTrevil]

Aye, France is a good shout.

Lizarazu--Blanc--Desailly--Thuram

So good they made a top career for Barthez.

All he needed to do was save some 30 yarders, only thing he was world class at.

 

[schwalbe]

2004-05:

Cafu - Nesta - Stam - Maldini

That's as good as I have witnessed. In fact, that Milan side as a whole was remarkable. Leaders of men, flat-track bullies and incredible guile.

As an aside, I do think Atletico under Simeone have been a joy to watch defensively - watching them defend as unit against Bayern last year was something else.

That first leg defensive performance was immense from them. If i remember that correctly we only had one or two real chances in the whole first leg.

 

[Enigma_87]

That first leg defensive performance was immense from them. If i remember that correctly we only had one or two real chances in the whole first leg.

Indeed. This Atletico side is incredible in terms of defence. Last year they've conceded a mere 18 goals in La Liga with 24 clean sheets.

2 CL finals, 1 La Liga, 1 Cup with a team costing a fraction of what Barca and Real spend is really immense.

They are onto another CL semi (should go past Leicester) conceding only 4 goals in 8 games.

 

[redman5]

Liverpool's title winning side of 1978/79 had a defensive unit of Clemence (GK) Neal (RB) Hansen (CB) Thompson (CB) Kennedy (LB)

Just 16 goals conceded in 42 league games. Only 4 conceded at home with 51 goals scored by Liverpool at Anfield. That's pretty impressive in any era.

 

[K2K]

Milan's back 4 - as mentioned above. That's the cream of the crop, really.

Also, Juventus' Zona Mista defense with Zoff behind them - that's just a brilliant back 5. And the infamous Burgnich + Guarneri + Facchetti + Picchi Catenaccio defense under Herrera for Internazionale - which kind of defined an era.

Not just at club level - where they set records, won a lot of league titles and European Cup(s), but the big elements of these defenses reached World Cup and European Championship finals - Inter's lot won EURO 1968 and reached the final of the 1970 World Cup against the best Brazilian team of all time, Juventus' bunch was the foundation for Italy's 1982 World Cup triumph, and Maldini + Baresi (injured, but made a comeback in the final) played varying roles in Italy's 1994 World Cup final appearance - apart from reaching the semis in 1990.

Weren't they torn to pieces in that final?

 

[Enigma_87]

Weren't they torn to pieces in that final?

They were.

They also employed negative tactics in that game which gave Brazil a lot of time on the ball and allowed them to boss the game.

 

[Orni]

Tassotti-Baresi-Costacurta-Maldini

/thread

Maldini and Baresi only conceded 23 goals in the 196 games the played together, simply outstanding!

 

[Invictus]

Weren't they torn to pieces in that final?

Yes, but they were facing the greatest World Cup attack of all time in a one-off game - and Brazil dominated the midfield region with Gérson and Rivelino and Clodoaldo - with Alberto having a fair deal of freedom on the right, so they were always on the backfoot, especially since Italy couldn't link up their own attack and allowed too much room instead of hustling Brazil - which invited all sorts of pressure on the defense. That doesn't detract from the overall quality of the defense, though - because they were proven on a very broad spectrum at both club and international level, and one game vs. Pelé, Tostão, Jairzinho and co. in scintillating form wasn't going to be their defining legacy.

 

[Jacko21]

That first leg defensive performance was immense from them. If i remember that correctly we only had one or two real chances in the whole first leg.

Yeah, the first leg in particular. I can't recall another game where I've been totally transfixed on watching the defence and the defence alone.

 

[Raees]

Maldini and Baresi only conceded 23 goals in the 196 games the played together, simply outstanding!

That is a sensational stat.

 

[harms]

Obviously Milan's late 80s/90s backline is in the first place.

Actually, their backline of 2000 wasn't bad at all - Maldini, Nesta, Stam, Cafu

Juventus' backline with
Cabrini - Brio - Scirea - Gentile
Zoff
(and basically the same for Italy + Collovati and Bergomi) was also great

And Inter's catenaccio, obviously
Facchetti - Guarneri - Burgnich
------------Picchi

A hipster vote - Parma from the late 90's +- Bennarivo, Ze Maria
Cannavaro - Sensini - Thuram
------------- Buffon

If we turn away from the italians, we can consider Bayern's/Germany's backline of the 70's, absolutely amazing, although it's beauty was first and foremost in attacking (Breitner + Kaizer )

Breitner-Schwarzenbeck-Beckenbauer-Vogts
------------------- Maier

 

[harms]

Maldini and Baresi only conceded 23 goals in the 196 games the played together, simply outstanding!

That is a sensational stat.

Also not true.

 

[Raees]

Also not true.

Fake News!

 

[harms]

Fake News!

It's some strange stat that counts only the goals that came from their zone when they were playing together iirc. Sensationalist, in other words, and I don't see the point - that Milan's backline was amazing enough in real life

 

[MorraGambit]

The thread is about defensive unit which includes the goalkeeper, not just back 4s.

Reading about how good Ferdinand was, it got me thinking about who has had the best defence ever!

United have had some quality back 4s + GK, hard to choose the best

99 back five
Schmeichel, Neville, Irwin, Stam, Johnsen

08 back five
VDS, Neville, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic

Early 90s Arsenal
Seaman, Winterburn, Dixon, Adams, Keown

Invincibles 04 Arsenal
Lehmann, Lauren, Campbell, Toure, Cole

95 point Chelsea 05
Cech, Carvalho, Bridge/ Johnson, Terry, Gallas (hard to ignore Makelele as a big contributor)

Also,

Tassotti-Baresi-Costacurta-Maldini

I couldn't remember, who was their GK?

 

[Snow]

Have to seperate defenses according to eras. In 1989 players could clatter one another without a hint of red and they could pass the ball back to the keeper that was allowed to pick it up. Hardly comparable to this day where you can get sent off like Huddlestone or Herrera recently and the pitch is better for dribblers.

 

[Raees]

The thread is about defensive unit which includes the goalkeeper, not just back 4s.



Also,

I couldn't remember, who was their GK?

Galli. Not known as one of the all time great Italian keepers.

 

[harms]

I couldn't remember, who was their GK?

Galli. Rijkaard did more to get a mention there though

 

[Enigma_87]

Galli. Not known as one of the all time great Italian keepers.

Still better than Dida tho.

 

[Raees]

Have to seperate defenses according to eras. In 1989 players could clatter one another without a hint of red and they could pass the ball back to the keeper that was allowed to pick it up. Hardly comparable to this day where you can get sent off like Huddlestone or Herrera recently and the pitch is better for dribblers.

Do you think that rule made a huge difference i.e. a quality defender in that era would still be a quality defender post back pass rule.. i.e. Maldini? Baresi a better player than anyone that has come since, likewise Beckenbauer.. I reckon they'd have been just at home in the modern era and more so than any of the modern day defenders.