He's not as flashy in possession, but he reads the game so well.
It was hard not to include Varane or Ramos, so I get the Skriniar omissions.
VVD
Diaz
Marquinhos
Skriniar
Chiellini
Who are the top 5 centre-backs in the world?
- Thread starter Fortitude
- Start date
It was hard not to include Varane or Ramos, so I get the Skriniar omissions.
VVD
Diaz
Marquinhos
Skriniar
Chiellini
Let me get this right. I got it. Maguire coming back from injury against Leicester. Was clearly not dispossessed. And Tielemans shot was a deflection that hit a very small bird and the ball came down into De Gea's net.
Not Maguire's fault. Too early in the season. Done.
You forgot that de Gea his pass was weak.. cant blame poor Harry.
Damn. I knew I missed something.
Now they've got an actual top class defender you would hope this pretence Maguire is one will stop.
Even if he plays like one the majority of the time (he doesn't) he makes far too many mistakes to be considered amoungst the best.
I mean he could move for the ball and not just wait for it.
Let me get this right. I got it. Liverpool had their best win of the season today and your first thought was to rabidly bump a 2 month old thread to make a really unfunny post.
Never have I claimed Maguire is the best defender, and if you read my actual post in this thread you will see I've actually said Maguire falls into that bracket of players who when in good patches of form are actually considered up there. This is quite obviously one of those periods of form where he’s at his lowest — hence why he’s not a guarantee.
Not that I need to explain myself to you, anyway. I can say with some assurance you are the worst poster on this website.
He is also easily dribbable, and for whatever reasons, I have seen him getting more times nutmegged than the rest of United CBs combined. Somehow, he has managed to get nutmegged more than once in the 6 yard box.
That is fairly obvious, he has no acceleration and turns like a truck.
He's just too panicky which is a trait you would never associate with a top defender.
I still can't get over his defending for Tottenham's first goal in the 6-1. Not even David Luiz at his most mental ever hit that low.
He gets it so easy by the media as well given he's captain of the biggest club in the country.
Whoever you decide to include in your list, please don’t include Maguire in there. He’s not a Top 5 center back.
Virgil
Virgil Van Dijk
VVD
Van dijk
Big Virg
Virgil Van Dijk
VVD
Van dijk
Big Virg
We really missed Rudiger's presence yesterday against Brentford. I think he's been the best defender in the PL this season and deserves his place on the list.
He's not even top 10 if we're being honest.
1) Van Dijk - He’s been the best since Ramos started getting injuries. Pains me to say considering the club he plays for but he is literally world class at everything. Aerial ability, speed, positioning, scoring from corners. He hasn’t lost a step after 10 months out which is freakishly good.
2) Marquinhos - Phenomenal defender. Utterly world class. It says a lot that he’s played for PSG since 2013 and they haven’t once thought about replacing him, and he’s instead progressed to become captain. One of the only players in the PSG team who aren’t bottlers that wilt in big games. Watch his performances in the CL final against Bayern or against City in the semis last season. Best player on the park.
3) Varane - Still delighted that we signed him. 1 clean sheet in his first 6 games is no reflection on him whatsoever. It is a commonly peddled phrase but he is the definition of a Rolls Royce defender. As fast as Van Dijk and plays the game at his pace. He is Champions League Varane, but his best achievement for me isn’t his trophies, it’s the way he filled Ramos’ boots in becoming Madrid’s main defender so easily. A true winner, the type we lack in our dressing room.
4) Dias - His impact since joining City has been absolutely ridiculous. For a defender who albeit highly rated, had never played out of Portugal, I did expect him to turn out a bit like Lindelof. Nice and tidy, but not good enough to win the title. Unfortunately, I was way off with that. World class defender, although I feel Varane is still better than him due to his trophies and calmness compared to Dias’ tendency to be rash.
5) De Ligt - There are far too many lazy opinions on him flying around football at the moment imo, namely that he has flopped. Trust me, this guy has far from flopped. He has carried Juve’s defence after a tough bedding in period, and it says a lot that he starts over one of the Euro-winning Italian legends. He is a bit sluggish at times, but his positioning is excellent to counteract that, and his passing is up there with the best in the world for defenders. A generational defender who will be the best in the world in no time.
Honourable mentions:
6) Ramos - One of the best defenders to ever live but is injured too often these days.
7) Rudiger - Probably top 3, let alone top 5, based on performances in 2021. However, he was very inconsistent before Tuchel and is extremely dirty in his tackling at times. Few more months of top performances and he will be in the top 5 though.
2) Marquinhos - Phenomenal defender. Utterly world class. It says a lot that he’s played for PSG since 2013 and they haven’t once thought about replacing him, and he’s instead progressed to become captain. One of the only players in the PSG team who aren’t bottlers that wilt in big games. Watch his performances in the CL final against Bayern or against City in the semis last season. Best player on the park.
3) Varane - Still delighted that we signed him. 1 clean sheet in his first 6 games is no reflection on him whatsoever. It is a commonly peddled phrase but he is the definition of a Rolls Royce defender. As fast as Van Dijk and plays the game at his pace. He is Champions League Varane, but his best achievement for me isn’t his trophies, it’s the way he filled Ramos’ boots in becoming Madrid’s main defender so easily. A true winner, the type we lack in our dressing room.
4) Dias - His impact since joining City has been absolutely ridiculous. For a defender who albeit highly rated, had never played out of Portugal, I did expect him to turn out a bit like Lindelof. Nice and tidy, but not good enough to win the title. Unfortunately, I was way off with that. World class defender, although I feel Varane is still better than him due to his trophies and calmness compared to Dias’ tendency to be rash.
5) De Ligt - There are far too many lazy opinions on him flying around football at the moment imo, namely that he has flopped. Trust me, this guy has far from flopped. He has carried Juve’s defence after a tough bedding in period, and it says a lot that he starts over one of the Euro-winning Italian legends. He is a bit sluggish at times, but his positioning is excellent to counteract that, and his passing is up there with the best in the world for defenders. A generational defender who will be the best in the world in no time.
Honourable mentions:
6) Ramos - One of the best defenders to ever live but is injured too often these days.
7) Rudiger - Probably top 3, let alone top 5, based on performances in 2021. However, he was very inconsistent before Tuchel and is extremely dirty in his tackling at times. Few more months of top performances and he will be in the top 5 though.
Matip is still the best centre back at Liverpool this season. We'll discuss this when you lot have cottoned on in a season or two. Or 5.
Rudiger plays in a back three in a defensive team, so looks good. He has often been exposed in a back two in the past. Still a great defender but you didn't add context to why he's looking awesome right now.
Rudiger under Sarri played in a back two and played well. Ruidger has had one bad season with us which was under Lampard, although he was also coming back off some bad injuries at that time.
Underrating players because they play in a system that suits them perfectly is silly. There seems to be a train of thought that you can only be a good defender if you are best suited to a back 4. We also aren't a defensive team, it's something that mainly Liverpool fans like to throw at us simply because they don't like us.
Sorry defensive is harsh. I should have said in a team that has more defensive players on the pitch than outright attacking ones.
Maguire, for example, would look a very good player in a 3 man defensive unit next to an Azpilecueta and Silva.
The defensive team thing is a myth, as your very own Carragher said there's a difference between being defensive and defending well (not that we're doing that this season).
I think you'd take one of those three now. Too late, you can have Soyuncu instead.
I'm obviously biased but I'd put Thiago Silva, Christensen and Rudiger in the top 5 currently.
You forgot Chalobah and Colwill.
Not sure about top 5, but I know for certain Maguire makes the bottom 5, that's not just professional footballers, but every person on earth. Lindelof makes it too.
Not named Maguire
Not named Maguire
Not named Maguire
Not named Maguire
Not named Maguire
Not named Maguire
Not named Maguire
Not named Maguire
Not named Maguire
Cuti Romero will be in this top soon
It's thinking like this that we went through in the 90s that saw us never win a league title for 30 years. You're nearly ten years into that with this line of thought. Sheer insanity is around us for sure.
Van Dijk
Thiago Silva
Ruben Dias
Marquinhos
KALIDOU KOULIBALY
Might be a bit biased, but I really rate them above all a bit. The next 5 are much tougher to point out.
Thiago Silva
Ruben Dias
Marquinhos
KALIDOU KOULIBALY
Might be a bit biased, but I really rate them above all a bit. The next 5 are much tougher to point out.
Eder Militao, Marquinhos, and Ruben Dias are top-3.
Certainly played well in the AFCON final against Mo Salah. Do wonder why no 'giant' club has ever been in for him, but then, I do vaguely remember him having a bit of a nightmare against one of the English sides in the CL? Might have been Liverpool, ironically.
I think he was outpriced for a move by the Napoli owner a few seasons running when he was at his peak?
Marquinhos
Van Dijk
Koulibaly
For me, these 3 are obvious standouts. They are what (Ramos, Chiellini, T Silva) were for over 10 years. Now they have been so consistent for years.
The rest is very debatable, you can make an argument for up to 10 players being worthy of the last 2 spots, including Dias, Rudiger, T Silva, Varane, Alaba, Hummels, Bonucci, de Ligt, Skriniar, De Vrij. Maybe Rudiger.
Van Dijk
Koulibaly
For me, these 3 are obvious standouts. They are what (Ramos, Chiellini, T Silva) were for over 10 years. Now they have been so consistent for years.
The rest is very debatable, you can make an argument for up to 10 players being worthy of the last 2 spots, including Dias, Rudiger, T Silva, Varane, Alaba, Hummels, Bonucci, de Ligt, Skriniar, De Vrij. Maybe Rudiger.
Maguire!!!!!
And rewarded too, with massive wages
Anyways, this season? VvD, Marquinhos, Rudiger, Militao, Koulibaly
Dias
Van Dijk
Koulibaly
Thiago Silva
Varane
Marqinhos
I know that's 6..
Van Dijk
Koulibaly
Thiago Silva
Varane
Marqinhos
I know that's 6..
There was one summer a couple of seasons ago, I think 2017, where he was one of our top targets, we placed several high bids for him. The highest we were willing to go was around £50m but Napoli completely priced him out and we went with Rudiger at £28m instead.
Thiago Silva has been at least as good as Rudiger this season, probably a bit better.
Dias - 14 goals conceded this season, enough said.
Van Dijk - not as good as he once was, but still very, very good.
Silva - I thought he was too old and he didn't start well but since he's settled in he's the calming presence they need.
Varane - the only bright spot in our mess of a club, his class is still evident.
I struggle with the fourth.
Koulibaly is a popular pick but living in Italy and watching Serie A he is still as prone to errors as he ever was.
Marquinhos too, as he's still not had the opportunity to show himself against proper opposition this season. The two City games they got battered even if they did fluke a win in the first one. Need to wait until they're further into the CL.
Van Dijk - not as good as he once was, but still very, very good.
Silva - I thought he was too old and he didn't start well but since he's settled in he's the calming presence they need.
Varane - the only bright spot in our mess of a club, his class is still evident.
I struggle with the fourth.
Koulibaly is a popular pick but living in Italy and watching Serie A he is still as prone to errors as he ever was.
Marquinhos too, as he's still not had the opportunity to show himself against proper opposition this season. The two City games they got battered even if they did fluke a win in the first one. Need to wait until they're further into the CL.