Comfortably better than Cole in my opinion.
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
When it comes to attacking, he's even better than any winger in the world.
He's just a ridiculous player. How many times has he produced performances like that when it matters most? Probably as good as any left back I've seen tbh. Sure not as good defensively as some, but Madrid need his offensive abilities way more then someone who would be more solid at the back (not like he's bad defensively anyway).
He is the best in the world. Alaba and Alba would be next for me.
Defensively Cole much better, offensively, Marcelo much better. Depends what you want from a full back really.
Definitely. RM got the best attacking full backs in the world.
One of the best performances I've seen from any player
Comfortably the best full back in the world. What an absolute monster.
I've noticed it at several points in his career, that when he is on form he looks like the best left back that ever played the game, sort of a maldini/Roberto Carlos hybrid. Haven't seen his highlights from tonight but look forward to catching them
Did he ever play as a winger?
His stamina is insane man, dude just keeps blazing down that left wing.
In terms of full backs he's offensively up there with the best ever. He beats his marker as much as most wingers do.
Priceless the way he played attacking mid in the last 5 minutes.
Brazil have some incredible depth at left back, Marcelo, Alex Sandro and Filipe Luis could all legitimately be in the conversation for the best left back in the world.
He's one of the best attacking LBs. He's that good, could attack the left side all day long.
The vast majority of full backs in the youth level in Brazil are wingers too. Or midfielders.
That guy Danilo who is bench in Madrid as rb, for example, was a really good midfielder. He was rb too, but was far better as "interior", can score with both legs.
A guy like Willian(chelsea) probably would end as rb, if had stayed in Brazil.
I know I'm biased but the guy is an absolute animal. He has been so consistently good too. Tonight was just a masterclass.
He's basically a winger, he bombs up and down the wing all game long. Has been a bit of a double edged sword at times because imo he's not the greatest defensively, but in terms of offence he's immaculate.
Dont know if he is the best at attacking but almost sure he is the worst at defending
The same Filipe Luis that couldn't get into the Chelsea first eleven?
On topic: I think Marcelo is the best left back overall, not only in an attacking sense.
Yes the same who won La Liga 2014, was in the Champions League Final in 2014 and 2016 and was good enough for Leicester, not his fault that Mou didn't used his potential like Simeone, anyway maybe the problem is in the Premier League more than Filipe.
I agree. Those guys keep winning international trophies and CLs and yet we keep talking about how they fail or might fail in the PL. You hear Marcelo being so bad defensively for example. If whatever he is is a bad thing, I am not sure I want a good defender. It is true that Marcelo might in fact struggle in the PL just like Filipe did but again that would say more about the league than them.
In the case of Luis he certainly defends better than Marcelo but is miles away in offensive terms.
I blame Mourinho and of couse maybe Luis was more adapted to Spain, but I keep hearing that when players fail in England they are awfull, overrated and so on, but at international level they perform, that is why I say that maybe the problem is in the quality of football played today in the EPL.
One just needs to look to the quality (ok forget for a moment Victor Kasai) of play between Real and Bayern and then look to Leicester and Atletico, to be fair to Leicester, Atletico is the Leicester of Spain, they don't care if they have to play ugly.
What I mean is, putting aside the referees, does anyone really believe Chelsea or Spurs are on the same level as Real, Bayern, Juventus, Atletico or Barcelona?
If United wants to chalenge them it will not be on the amount of money spent, that is what England has been doing in the last years and does not translate inside the pitch, of course it is only my opinion.
Is he better than Evra at his peak?
He's been involved in some truly embarassing defensive performances with some incredibly inept pieces of defensive play, but he has been the driving force of a lot of their biggest successes. As a creative force he's probably as good as any Brazilian fullback since Pélé's generation. Only Roberto Carlos and Junior are comaparable.
He's been involved in some truly embarassing defensive performances with some incredibly inept pieces of defensive play, but he has been the driving force of a lot of their biggest successes. As a creative force he's probably as good as any Brazilian fullback since Pélé's generation. Only Roberto Carlos and Junior are comaparable.
This.
2 goal line clearances
9/10 dribbles succeeded,
11/16 duels won
8 chances created
4 interceptions
1/1 tackles won
and of course the assists for Ronaldo's hattrick and Cristiano's 100th UCL goal.
Absolute monster
9/10 dribbles succeeded,
11/16 duels won
8 chances created
4 interceptions
1/1 tackles won
and of course the assists for Ronaldo's hattrick and Cristiano's 100th UCL goal.
Absolute monster
Not the first time he's done that against Bayern either...
Totally noticed that, guy ended up playing as no.10 and didn't look lost. Insane talent.
I'd agree with that, watching the game I was in awe. People are going to be asking in a few years who is the next Marcelo?
Unbelievable performance from him yesterday.
Compared to Marcelo he is. That's why.
To be fair, Shaw was a big threat going forward in the few games before his injury last season.
To me he has been not only the best offensive left back, but the outstanding overall left back in the world for some time now. He's been one of Real's prime creative players for years.
He isn't perfect defensively, but better than he gets credit for by many people. Despite the occasional blunder, he largely held his own on Real's left flank during the last years - mostly without support from Ronaldo.
So his offensive value by far outweighs the missing percentages in defense for me.
He isn't perfect defensively, but better than he gets credit for by many people. Despite the occasional blunder, he largely held his own on Real's left flank during the last years - mostly without support from Ronaldo.
So his offensive value by far outweighs the missing percentages in defense for me.
He is the best in the world in his position, no doubt about it.
Good post. Sums it up perfectly. Specially the bolded part.
The greatest part about him for me is his sheer confidence against any opposition in his own ability and those around him, he takes on world class defenders like a top attacking player would, never for a second he believes he's not good enough to beat any of them and that's great to watch in a fullback. A true heir to Roberto Carlos!
Nah that's just not true. Especially under Mourinho when they played proper counter attacking football, Cristiano usually was in support.
IMHO I don't think he is no. That's not taking anything away from Marcelo though as I think he has been excellent over the years, and still is to this day. I think peak Evra (not the lazy one we had in his last season here that wouldn't track back) was better defensively than Marcelo.
Well, I said 'during the last years'. I started watching Real under Ancelotti and that's the time frame I can talk about; by now it's been almost four seasons after all. Fair enough if Ronaldo was a proper defensive support prior to that, I can neither judge Marcelo's nor Ronaldo's earlier Real days.
One of the best performances I have ever seen from any one player. His goal line clearances, interceptions, not to mention the man is unreal going forward. I remember watching him when Brazil got tanked by Germany and thought he was a mess. He is on another level when playing with Real Madrid