Yeah, Pique's studio Kerad Games is at MWC which is in Barcelona.
He is now. Wasn't at the time though, so agree with your reasoning.I love pique but that stupid sport bible on Facebook said on those comments, only "sir Alex could tell you why he never had a consistent run". The reason was rio Ferdinand and Nemenja Vidic....
I love pique but he's not a patch on those two in their prime
Maybe in a world where he played Liverpool every week. Vidic is on another planet defensively.He is now. Wasn't at the time though, so agree with your reasoning.
To expand, I think peak Piqué is better than a peak Vidić, but behind Rio, though I think Rio and Vidić complemented each other perfectly.
Why not ? He could have played anywhere. He was decent with the ball nothing more nothing less, and his strengths lie elsewhere anyway. And it's not like Barcelona only played flawless ball playing defenders over the years. But it's true they flourished as much as they did because they played their best football in a league which suited them.Vidic at his peak was probably a better all round defender but the Serb would've never be able to play in this or Pep's Barcelona side. The modern central defender has to both be a good defender but just as good on the ball as well
The solution as Fergie established was to play a ball playing centre back next to him. Rio and Vida in that guardiola side would have won 3 trebles on the trot.Vidic at his peak was probably a better all round defender but the Serb would've never be able to play in this or Pep's Barcelona side. The modern central defender has to both be a good defender but just as good on the ball as well
I agree with Bob here. Pique is quite underrated on here. He is among the greatest centre backs of all time IMO.He is now. Wasn't at the time though, so agree with your reasoning.
To expand, I think peak Piqué is better than a peak Vidić, but behind Rio, though I think Rio and Vidić complemented each other perfectly.
If you are going to play with a deep traditional defence, I am afraid you are talking nonsense. Piqué is not even close to those two, nor is he to Terry or the Italian masters. If we are talking for that specific Barcelona style; high line, possession based, positional game; Piqué is as good as anyone in world football over the past 10 years or so. So he would never have gotten ahead of Vida for us but Vida would never have been able to do the job Piqué does for Spain and Barcelona. A bit like comparing Busquets and Keane if you will.He is now. Wasn't at the time though, so agree with your reasoning.
To expand, I think peak Piqué is better than a peak Vidić, but behind Rio, though I think Rio and Vidić complemented each other perfectly.
In a parallel universe I would've liked to have seen Pep's Barca with either T.Silva or Rio...for that matter MaldiniThe solution as Fergie established was to play a ball playing centre back next to him. Rio and Vida in that guardiola side would have won 3 trebles on the trot.
Wasn't really talking about a specific role, but I'd agree with that. I think Piqué's defensive ability is very underrated though - he's not as good at defending as Vidić but he's not a scrub, he's been (for me) the best centre back in the world since the beginning of 2015.If you are going to play with a deep traditional defence, I am afraid you are talking nonsense. Piqué is not even close to those two, nor is he to Terry or the Italian masters. If we are talking for that specific Barcelona style; high line, possession based, positional game; Piqué is as good as anyone in world football over the past 10 years or so. So he would never have gotten ahead of Vida for us but Vida would never have been able to do the job Piqué does for Spain and Barcelona. A bit like comparing Busquets and Keane if you will.
They don't even need a keeper. Am i doing this right?I'm sorry but he's really not a patch on vidic, barca don't have to defend and when they do they have always shipped goals. Vidic would have been just as good in any team in the world in his peak. Stick Pique in this Utd team and I don't think he'd be that great.
We don't need a coach too, from what people have been saying. FFS.They don't even need a keeper. Am i doing this right?
I agree that he is underrated. It's a bit like when they had Valdes who is not Buffon or Schmeichel but he still was not the clueless he was made out to be. The thing for me is that with the exception of skillful attacking players who can carry the ball and go past people, I really think it's impossible to judge any player outside of the role they are required to play. They are all reliant on their teammates, system, formation and so on which is why I think just as much as the best defenders and midfielders make the best teams, the best teams provide a perfct platform for those players to look even better than they are. Look at Busquets who I think is an outstanding individual and among the best midfielders in the history of the game, but put him in a team with two midfielders, two wingers, a deep defence and two up top. A team that is built on spreading the ball to the wingers and bypassing the middle like ours between 2007 and 2009 and I am not so sure he would do better than Carrick did for us. That's not to say of course that Carrick is better than him, it's just that the defenders and midfielders who stand out are nearly always helped or hampered by the way their team is set up. Piqué is a perfect example for that. For Bacelona, he is probably 9/10 defender, for a Chelsea side with Terry and Mourinho, I am not sure he would be more than a 6 or 7. So saying who is the best always boils down to asking "in which context".Wasn't really talking about a specific role, but I'd agree with that. I think Piqué's defensive ability is very underrated though - he's not as good at defending as Vidić but he's not a scrub, he's been (for me) the best centre back in the world since the beginning of 2015.
For example, what @TrustInJanuzai said above is complete crap.
Anyone could play in Barca's defense.Vidic at his peak was probably a better all round defender but the Serb would've never be able to play in this or Pep's Barcelona side. The modern central defender has to both be a good defender but just as good on the ball as well
Anyone's grandma can manage Barcelona.We don't need a coach too, from what people have been saying. FFS.
Boss as usual. Van Dijk who.
Got a lot of criticism at the start of the season after several blunders, but has been rock-solid since then.Best defender in the world this season.
Its difficult to remember something that didn’t happen. We sold him because we had the two best centre backs in the world.Remember when we sold him to bring through Johnny fecking Evans...
No. He was sold because he deserved to be playing first team football for a great team, and there's no way he would have had that at United because we had the best defensive partnership in the world in Rio and Vidic at that time.Remember when we sold him to bring through Johnny fecking Evans...
Yeah wasn’t long after that we sold Ronaldo to make room for Valencia and then pressured Fergie to quit so we could get Moyes in.Remember when we sold him to bring through Johnny fecking Evans...
Just the excuse people came up with to make out he wasnt a big loss.Remember when we sold him to bring through Johnny fecking Evans...
That’s not quite the full story, though, is it? Context is everything...Remember when we sold him to bring through Johnny fecking Evans...
That was a tongue in cheek post.Remember when we sold him to bring through Johnny fecking Evans...
Because we had Rio Ferdinand and Nemenja Vidic in their prime ffs! They were miles fecking better then him and he hasnt even come close to how good they were in their prime.That was a tongue in cheek post.
But did think we didn't give him any where near enough chances.