Jon Obi Mikel. Never gave the ball away and was so jacked players pressing him never got close to the ball because he shielded it so well. There is a reason he was a mainstay in the DM role at Chelsea in an era when we were actually good and excellent defensively.
Who is the most press resistant midfielder of all time?
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He always looked so relaxed and like he was just cruising. Effortless is the prefect description
Scholes,singlehandedly beat the press against the best Barcelona side in Nou Camp.
Xavi
Iniesta
Busquets
Modric
Kroos
Are the ones I’d consider in their own tier when it comes to that. If we don’t go by midfielders only: Messi stands alone.
Iniesta
Busquets
Modric
Kroos
Are the ones I’d consider in their own tier when it comes to that. If we don’t go by midfielders only: Messi stands alone.
Agree on Dembele. He was amazing at beating the press and then just striding away with the ball.
Pirlo for me. He played in teams that were constantly put under pressure and he always looked so calm…
That’s harder than the 3 Barcelona magiciens. They played together for the team that was putting the opponents under pressuring…
That’s harder than the 3 Barcelona magiciens. They played together for the team that was putting the opponents under pressuring…
Between Xavi and Modric. Iniesta is a good shout too.
This, by a huge margin.
Busquests is good but somewhat overrated. Technically, he is brilliant, but he lacks speed, and that is his main handicap. This was evident in a number of games most notably vs Liverpool.
Genuinely shocked that @Yagami hasn't enlightened us yet.
How can it be modern and all-time at the same time?
I thought your Roy Keane was pretty immune from the press. He really didn’t care about their questions from what I remember.
@Yagami will tell us it is Arthur Melo ?
Xavi
Roman Riquelme, Fernando Redondo
Yaya
Xavi Veratti Modric Busquets Riquelme Zidane
Yes you couldn't press Dembele, too strong physically and too good of a dribbler.
This - I remember screaming to the tv - just foul the bastard and get the god damn ball! Amazing player in that regard.
He certainly was.
Michael Laudrup.
Good fecking luck.
Good fecking luck.
Biscuits for me. The guy is able to plan 4 passes ahead, good luck trying to pressure him.
My top would be Iniesta and Busquets. Verratti Xavi and Pirlo just behind. Van Hanegam could also be a shout and Didi.
No one said Frenkie de Jong yet?
for my money, i don’t think they’ve been born yet.
Of the barca 3, Busquets and Xavi could probably do it more consistently, but Iniesta could do a lot of damage quickly once he turned.
I'm going for Xavi. I'd pick him out even amongst that classic Barca midfield just because he seemed to be the most instrumental to my eyes. I think he was the most important player in probably the most important midfield trio of all time. They used him the most and he had ample opportunities to feck things up as a result, yet he never did.
Pretty sure Xavi is the only correct answer.
Xavi was the least press resistant of barca's midfield, for the record. The one that relied the most on his teammates to get out of jail, as it were. Iniesta was the one you absolutely couldn't press aggressively because he'd kill you. Busquets was a monster in terms of not losing the ball but not as dangerous as Iniesta
AI.
Of all time it's a bit too much, too many years, too many players. From more recent times, from the top of my head, players that also made press resistant and holding the ball big part of their game (sometimes too much): Redondo, Riquelme, Zidane and a bit less Busquets (because he lacked dribbling ability in comparison, but oozes timing and technique)...I chose those because when they decided to shield the ball under their feet good luck to taking it from them without a foul, it's a question of strength, cunning too, not just technical ability, that of course they had in spades.
Xavi (apart from his initial over use of turning) based his game in using his mates as decoys the whole time and constant passing, of course he was great when pressed, but he wasn't as great as the mentioned when those even decided to allure sometimes more than even two players to them to just keep it.
Another case are the Iniestas, Laudrups, Modrics etc would always preffer to create the moment, space and progress, they know that even as great and resourceful that they can be, they do not have the physique, nor even the will to keep it.
And with the upper echelon Geniuses like Pele, Diego, Messi, R9 etc...of course they are beyond real on any aspect, but they would tend to take the initial advantaged created and go for it sometimes even ending under the rival´s net.
Xavi (apart from his initial over use of turning) based his game in using his mates as decoys the whole time and constant passing, of course he was great when pressed, but he wasn't as great as the mentioned when those even decided to allure sometimes more than even two players to them to just keep it.
Another case are the Iniestas, Laudrups, Modrics etc would always preffer to create the moment, space and progress, they know that even as great and resourceful that they can be, they do not have the physique, nor even the will to keep it.
And with the upper echelon Geniuses like Pele, Diego, Messi, R9 etc...of course they are beyond real on any aspect, but they would tend to take the initial advantaged created and go for it sometimes even ending under the rival´s net.
Since you're such a fan, I'll reply just for you <3 (& @Pintu )
Beckenbauer the rare times he played in midfield. Actually, scrap that. Just Beckenbauer in general as he was basically a midfielder in possession anyway.
Mario Coluna. When you look back at that great Benfica team, Eusebio is the one remembered but Coluna was incredible. People talk about Mousa Dembele who was very press resistant but he also had a very limited passing range. Coluna was just as strong as him, as good a dribbler, as agile, but was great outside of that, too.
Sir Bobby Charlton. Is remembered for being such a goal threat that his abilities outside of that are overlooked/forgotten. For me, that was one of the best things about our first European Cup win in 68 against Benfica. Not many could get near Coluna, but 'r Bobby managed it, and what a battle it was.
Zidane. I'm mainly talking Juventus Zidane.
Iniesta.
As for right now, the top three are Verratti, Arthur and de Jong, but they are all lacking compared to the aforementioned greats. These three can resist pressure through their dribbling and body positioning which usually results in winning fouls, but, outside of that, all three are underwhelming. None are goal threats and all three have a limited passing range. That's what separates them from the greats as they could do what they do with the dribbling and smart body positioning, but had a range of other top tier attributes on top of that.
Lothar Matthaus.
If it was a vote, I'd vote Sergio Busquets. But of course these things are never straightforward. Too large a sample size to choose a best from. And there's always outliers like Moussa Dembele who was out of this world too.
Xavi use of the ball was superb, but Modric can run with it too. Iniesta tops them both but he wasn't really a pure CM.
Alltime, Iniesta and Modric. For current era, I'd say Frenkie De Jong
Not sure about all time but one of the modern era who gets a bit overlooked is Fabregas.