[Archived] Champions League

[dazmaz]

I was actually thinking of players to include who weren't attack-minded, but I was struggling to come up with any. Do you have any suggestions?

cant think of his name, barcelona's CB, not puyol. seen him play a few times (and read on barcs forums) he has been very solid this season. not had many bad games

[LeChuck]

So your nomination for the world's best player is someone whose name you don't know? Hmm.

Would Essien count as a defensive player? There don't seem to be as many (any?) elite defenders in football at the moment, since the likes of Maldini, Cannavaro, Thuram, Carlos etc in their pomp.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Also, I much prefer Torres to Villa. His all round game is better and I'd even suggest his finishing is as well. His goal record for LIverpool is absolutely phenomonal.

I take the completely opposite view in that I would take Villa over Torres. Villa's goalscoring record is better both at club and international level. I think if you ask fans of the spanish national team who is more important to them i think the majority would say Villa.

Both are great players but i prefer Villa.

[dazmaz]

So your nomination for the world's best player is someone whose name you don't know? Hmm.

Would Essien count as a defensive player? There don't seem to be as many (any?) elite defenders in football at the moment, since the likes of Maldini, Cannavaro, Thuram, Carlos etc in their pomp.

that wasn't my point, my point was player of the year hardly ever goes to a defender

the player i was refering to is Pique. just woke up

[Silencio]

cant think of his name, barcelona's CB, not puyol. seen him play a few times (and read on barcs forums) he has been very solid this season. not had many bad games

Pique, who is excellent.

Agree with the person who said there are a lack of elite defenders around at the moment. I can't think of any who would match up against Malidini, Thuram or Cannavaro when they were in their pomp.

[braddock]

keith andrews

[Hughesy]

Clarke Carlisle in defence

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeast in goal.....

[philipl]

Haven't seen enough of Xavi but Inesta, Fabregas and Torres were the 3 Spaniards I had in mind.

[G Somerset Rover]

Haven't seen enough of Xavi but Inesta, Fabregas and Torres were the 3 Spaniards I had in mind.

Cesc has started more recently but he still plays second fiddle to Xavi and Iniesta in the Spanish team.

Their strength in depth is frightening.

[Harry Balls]

No doubt Torres' all round game is better but Villa is the better finisher. Take a look at his goal record for Valencia and Spain too. It's second to none. Torres gives defenders the run around and Villa's there to put them away.

As Tugs said I can't see anything other than a Spanish World Cup victory.

I'm also probably on my own but I believe Kaka to be slightly overrated. Great player but not what many in world football have hyped him up to be. Madrid fans are finding this out.

The really frightening thing is that it odds on that Villa will be joining Barcelona this summer. Imagine a front 3 of Ibrahimovic, Villa and Messi with Xavi and Iniesta in behind them... Barcelona also have a fairly young guy called Pedro who's broken through this year and is keeping Henry out of the side. He's another one of these Messi type players; small, quick, amazing close control, loves to hug the touchline and cut inside to cause chaos. Their academy is something else!

Speaking of Barcelona, no-one has included Ibrahimovic in their top 10's. I wouldn't have him in my top 3 but I'd definitely rate him as one of the top 10. An extremely rich man's Berbatov in my opinion. Higuain is another one who can't stop scoring at the moment. As for defenders, Pique is absolutely world class. I bet ManUre regret not holding onto him. And I agree on Kaka; I too think he's overated! I try to catch as many Barcelona and Real Madrid games as possible and he seems like a pretty selfish footballer with no extraordinary ability other than his pace which seems to be withering away now.

[tcj_jones]

Would Essien count as a defensive player?

Essien is the only name that came immediately to mind, but he's had so many problems with injuries that he hasn't been able to fully establish himself in the world's top ten.

I take the completely opposite view in that I would take Villa over Torres. Villa's goalscoring record is better both at club and international level. I think if you ask fans of the spanish national team who is more important to them i think the majority would say Villa.

Both are great players but i prefer Villa.

Fair dos, RVR. I didn't actually realise that Villa's goal record was better than Torres's. I actually find incredible. Still, I rate Torres so highly that I'd have him over Villa. Maybe I haven't seen enough of the latter.

the player i was refering to is Pique. just woke up

Pique is a quality CB, but I'm not sure you could put him in the top ten.

[Hughesy]

... Barcelona also have a fairly young guy called Pedro . Their academy is something else!

Speaking of Barcelona, no-one has included Ibrahimovic in their top 10's.

I dont rate Ibra at all - Eto is a better striker

As for their 'something else' academy - its not that hard if you can afford to buy the best kids!

[speeeeeeedie]

As for their 'something else' academy - its not that hard if you can afford to buy the best kids!

Not really, the majority of the kids are local. Messi was brought over from Argentina aged 12, but you still have a good few who came from the local area; Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Pique, Pedro, Busquets, Valdes, Krkic, and not forgetting Fabregas and Merida who went to Arsenal. There was some article in 4-4-2 about it a while ago. If ours produced a quarter of what they have we'd be sitting pretty.

[joey_big_nose]

The Spanish team, if everyone is fit, is arguably the best group of players in a single side since the seventies?

Villa,Torres, Fabregas, Iniesta, Xavi, Alonso, Senna, Puyol, Pique, Casillas. Only weaknesses are full back and left wing.

Utterly takes the p***. We only have one player who can touch that lot. If they don't win the world cup I will eat my hat.

[roversfan99]

Their fullbacks are Capedevilla(probably the biggest weakness) and Ramos(a great full back on his day). And their left wing is Silva, or Mata so that aint a weakness.

[Tom]

I'm just grateful the likes of Messi exist, a true joy to watch.

The only player this generation for me that comes close to the God that is Zidane

[T4E]

The Spanish team, if everyone is fit, is arguably the best group of players in a single side since the seventies?

Villa,Torres, Fabregas, Iniesta, Xavi, Alonso, Senna, Puyol, Pique, Casillas. Only weaknesses are full back and left wing.

Utterly takes the p***. We only have one player who can touch that lot. If they don't win the world cup I will eat my hat.

I forgot about Alonso and Senna. Their midfield is unbelivable.

Sergio Ramos is awesome, by the way.

[Harry Balls]

I forgot about Alonso and Senna. Their midfield is unbelivable.

Sergio Ramos is awesome, by the way.

I think Busquets is slowing taking over the defensive midfield role from Senna. He's awesome but Senna's no chump either. The amount of talent in their squad is ridiculous!

I think their weakest position is left back with Capdevilla. Even then, it's pretty frightening to think that the only players that we have that would get into their side are Cashley and Rooney.

[Harry Balls]

I dont rate Ibra at all - Eto is a better striker

As for their 'something else' academy - its not that hard if you can afford to buy the best kids!

Well Guardiola doesn't think so.

And regarding their academy, it think it's a bit unfair to say that they buy the best kids. From what I know it seems that it's the other way around; the best kids go to Barcelona because they have such an incredible academy. Even then, many the mainstays in their current squad are Spanish nationals that were products of their own academy. Valdes, Pique, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Pedro and Bojan are just a few of them and that's not even taking into consideration the countless others who are playing for top tier sides throughout the rest of the world.

[neekoy]

Maybe Arbeloa might fit in to left back, he has playing a lot there at Madrid

[Hughesy]

And regarding their academy, it think it's a bit unfair to say that they buy the best kids. From what I know it seems that it's the other way around;

Speak to Maji - he will probably make it clear to you that they buy/ tap up the best young kids!

[Majiball]

Barca's academy does have an incredible budget, Messi for example was one hell of an expensive gamble at the time. They have serious funds and use them, but they are also a good development centre. Facilities are some of the best I've seen and the coaches really know there stuff as well.

Busquets, joined Barca at 17, Bojan came through though. Pique also spent a long time at United during some crucial development years, so they can't claim sole development on all their new stars. Fabregas will be mentioned next, but Wenger saw it all before anyone else and thats why he's with them instead. He wasn't that highly rated until after that U18's (????, youth) competition, where he basically played like a god, but Wenger had nipped in long before and Fab came to the gunners as he was wanted more. Barca had a world class, prodigy right under there noses and Wenger saw it first. Thats almost as embarrassing to forgetting to renew a top class youth players contract?????? Cough, Madrid.....

Its well worth knowing that at Youth level all of them, Barca are always challenged and very often beaten by their lowly neighbours Espanyol.

Yes they have produced a golden generation akin to United's, and fair play to them. But with a populace of 7.1M in Catalonia and them being by far the premier club, they hardly have serious competition for kids.

Not one club in england has access to that many kids, solely. Espanyol compete on the pitch but no way financially and so it can be a lure to sign for Barca, instead.

But Barca is so much more than a football club, they are a community club and have many sporting teams, not just football. Not many clubs in the world can claim that, we don't see Manchester United Rugby Club for instance, but we do have Barcelona basketball team. With such a high range of cross-transferable fundamental skills in the sports they provide. They have a perfect environment to nurture great young footballers/sport people, that even coincides with science findings.

But all the Spanish clubs, in the main have strong youth set-ups just look at Athletic Bilbao, now thats a serious youth set-up, given the restrictions they place on the club.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Lyon vs Bordeaux

Bayern vs Utd

Arsenal vs Barcelona

Inter vs CSKA Moscow

Semi finals:

Winner of Bayern/United v Winner of Lyon/Bordeaux

Winner of Inter/CSKA v Winner of Arsenal/Barcelona.

United v Barca final?

[Majiball]

Arsenal V Barca, I'm rubbing my hands together that could be one hell of a game or two.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Arsenal V Barca, I'm rubbing my hands together that could be one hell of a game or two.

Should be a cracking game. If Barca play to their full potential i think they should beat Arsenal. They both play a similar style of football but i would give Barca the edge, they have this ruthless efficiency to go along with the pretty football I’m not sure Arsenal have that.

United will probably get through though Bayern won't be easy. With Robben and Ribery on the wings they have the players who could win a game.