Post by Kieran on Feb 17, 2013 23:56:06 GMT
Hello, welcome to the Premier League Draft Game. Basically, 16 players have spent the last few weeks picking players to make a team (you can see how they did it in this thread pldraftgame.freeforums.net/index.....isplay&thread=2 ). and they are now ready to go head-to-head against each other to win your vote - which do you think is the better team? The voter has both the squad-sheet and the bios/tactics to consider!
The key rule for this edition of the game is that players are to be judged on the basis of their performances in the Premier League - so what they did in other leagues, in cup competitions or on the international stage is not directly relevant here.
Additionally, voters are requested to please justify the votes you cast: an explanation of why you voted for the team you did would be much appreciated and would add to the game as a whole. If you vote but don't justify your selection, then that vote may be discarded when totting up the final results. Please vote and adhere to the rules on each match thread.
Good luck to KK and Ben!
KK- Formation/bio/tactics:
Ben- Formation/bio/tactics:
The key rule for this edition of the game is that players are to be judged on the basis of their performances in the Premier League - so what they did in other leagues, in cup competitions or on the international stage is not directly relevant here.
Additionally, voters are requested to please justify the votes you cast: an explanation of why you voted for the team you did would be much appreciated and would add to the game as a whole. If you vote but don't justify your selection, then that vote may be discarded when totting up the final results. Please vote and adhere to the rules on each match thread.
Good luck to KK and Ben!
KK- Formation/bio/tactics:
Bergkamp:
Bergkamp has been described as having "the finest technique" of any Dutch international and a "dream for a striker". With Arsenal, he won three Premier League titles, four FA Cup trophies and reached the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final. With the Netherlands national team, Bergkamp surpassed Faas Wilkes's record to become the country's top goalscorer of all time in 1998, a record later eclipsed by Patrick Kluivert. In 2007, he was inducted into the FIFA Hall of Fame, the first and so far only Dutch player ever to receive such a honor.
RVN:
Following his move to United, Ruud Van Nistelrooy won the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup ,FA Community Shield and was awarded the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award, hitting 150 goals in just 219 games leading to him being United's all time European record goal scorer. In addition, he won the Dutch footballer of the year twice, a spot in the PFA team of the year twice and several other accolades.
Desailly:
For only £4.6m, Marcel Desailly was quite the bargain for the Blues. Even though the French powerhouse only managed to win an FA cup during his time at Chelsea, his performances were anything but lacking. Chelsea's captain at the time, along with Frank Lebouef formed one of the most formidable CB partnerships the Prem has ever seen.
Bale:
His move from left back to left winger was basically the key to unlocking Bale's "treasure chest" of skill. The heir to the label of "The Flying Welshman", Gareth Bale showed his true quality against Italian giants Internazionale in the group stages of the 10/11 Champions League when he skinned, then best right back in the world, Maicon not once, not twice, but three times to bag a hattrick. Since then, the Welshman has been putting in impressive performances week in week out, attracting the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid in the process. (Please appreciate the fact that, even though it pains me, I highlighted his massacre of Maicon)
Poyet:
Snapping up Gus on a free transfer, Chelsea went on to bring out the best of the Uruguayan's talents. Poyet 's first taste of glory came when he aided Chelsea in beating Stuttgart to claim the Cup Winners' Cup. On his 2nd season, he went on to score 14 goals, making him the club's 2nd highest goal-scorer of the season and helping his team qualify to the Champions League. After scoring the winner for Chelsea in the 1998 UEFA Super Cup against Spanish giants Real Madrid, Gus continued his prolific form by scoring 18 goals in his next season (also making him the club's 2nd highest goal-scorer) with memorable goals such as the scissors kick volley against Sunderland, a long range strike against Lazio and both of Chelsea's goals in the FA cup semi-final against Newcastle which led to Chelsea qualifying to the final and then winning the FA cup. Surplus to requirements with Ranieri's arrival, Poyet moved to Tottenham, scoring 14 goals in his debut season.
Keown:
3 Premier League trophies, 3 FA cups, 3 FA Community Shields, 1 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and 311 appearances for Arsenal mark this tough Centre Back's career.
Petrescu:
A gloomy day at the Bridge, Petrescu backheels the ball to Dennis Wise who immediately gives it back to the Romanian, Dan Petrescu takes on a Southampton player before impressively chipping the ball over the goalkeeper from a distance of approximately 19 yards. A goal which reflects the Romanian's raw talent and effectiveness at Chelsea which resulted in Chelsea winning the FA cup, League Cup, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and the UEFA Super Cup.
David James:
784 appearances, 53 caps and the record for most clean sheets (173). Ever-present.
Nemanja Vidic:
4 Premier Leagues, 3 League Cups, 4 times in the PFA TOTY, 2 times Barclays Player of the Year and voted as the Players' Player of the year in 08/09. What more can I say? Powerhouse.
Parlour:
The "Romford Pele" as he was infamously labeled, Parlour was a prime example of an 'unsung hero'. 339 appearances with Arsenal proved to be fruitful as they won the Premier League 3 times and were runners-up 4 times. In addition, Parlour won the FA cup 4 times, the League Cup, the FA Community Shield 3 times and the European Cup Winners' Cup.
Fabregas:
His ability not only to string wonderful passes to his teammates but to also be on the receiving end, slotting in goals, are the two significant attributes that make Fabregas the player he is. The then Arsenal captain concluded his fruitful time with the Gunners with an FA cup win, two times PFA Team of the Year spot, two Premier League Player of the Month awards, two times UEFA Team of the Year spot and PFA Young Player of the Year award, bagging 35 goals and providing 77 assists in the process.
Bergkamp has been described as having "the finest technique" of any Dutch international and a "dream for a striker". With Arsenal, he won three Premier League titles, four FA Cup trophies and reached the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final. With the Netherlands national team, Bergkamp surpassed Faas Wilkes's record to become the country's top goalscorer of all time in 1998, a record later eclipsed by Patrick Kluivert. In 2007, he was inducted into the FIFA Hall of Fame, the first and so far only Dutch player ever to receive such a honor.
RVN:
Following his move to United, Ruud Van Nistelrooy won the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup ,FA Community Shield and was awarded the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award, hitting 150 goals in just 219 games leading to him being United's all time European record goal scorer. In addition, he won the Dutch footballer of the year twice, a spot in the PFA team of the year twice and several other accolades.
Desailly:
For only £4.6m, Marcel Desailly was quite the bargain for the Blues. Even though the French powerhouse only managed to win an FA cup during his time at Chelsea, his performances were anything but lacking. Chelsea's captain at the time, along with Frank Lebouef formed one of the most formidable CB partnerships the Prem has ever seen.
Bale:
His move from left back to left winger was basically the key to unlocking Bale's "treasure chest" of skill. The heir to the label of "The Flying Welshman", Gareth Bale showed his true quality against Italian giants Internazionale in the group stages of the 10/11 Champions League when he skinned, then best right back in the world, Maicon not once, not twice, but three times to bag a hattrick. Since then, the Welshman has been putting in impressive performances week in week out, attracting the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid in the process. (Please appreciate the fact that, even though it pains me, I highlighted his massacre of Maicon)
Poyet:
Snapping up Gus on a free transfer, Chelsea went on to bring out the best of the Uruguayan's talents. Poyet 's first taste of glory came when he aided Chelsea in beating Stuttgart to claim the Cup Winners' Cup. On his 2nd season, he went on to score 14 goals, making him the club's 2nd highest goal-scorer of the season and helping his team qualify to the Champions League. After scoring the winner for Chelsea in the 1998 UEFA Super Cup against Spanish giants Real Madrid, Gus continued his prolific form by scoring 18 goals in his next season (also making him the club's 2nd highest goal-scorer) with memorable goals such as the scissors kick volley against Sunderland, a long range strike against Lazio and both of Chelsea's goals in the FA cup semi-final against Newcastle which led to Chelsea qualifying to the final and then winning the FA cup. Surplus to requirements with Ranieri's arrival, Poyet moved to Tottenham, scoring 14 goals in his debut season.
Keown:
3 Premier League trophies, 3 FA cups, 3 FA Community Shields, 1 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and 311 appearances for Arsenal mark this tough Centre Back's career.
Petrescu:
A gloomy day at the Bridge, Petrescu backheels the ball to Dennis Wise who immediately gives it back to the Romanian, Dan Petrescu takes on a Southampton player before impressively chipping the ball over the goalkeeper from a distance of approximately 19 yards. A goal which reflects the Romanian's raw talent and effectiveness at Chelsea which resulted in Chelsea winning the FA cup, League Cup, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and the UEFA Super Cup.
David James:
784 appearances, 53 caps and the record for most clean sheets (173). Ever-present.
Nemanja Vidic:
4 Premier Leagues, 3 League Cups, 4 times in the PFA TOTY, 2 times Barclays Player of the Year and voted as the Players' Player of the year in 08/09. What more can I say? Powerhouse.
Parlour:
The "Romford Pele" as he was infamously labeled, Parlour was a prime example of an 'unsung hero'. 339 appearances with Arsenal proved to be fruitful as they won the Premier League 3 times and were runners-up 4 times. In addition, Parlour won the FA cup 4 times, the League Cup, the FA Community Shield 3 times and the European Cup Winners' Cup.
Fabregas:
His ability not only to string wonderful passes to his teammates but to also be on the receiving end, slotting in goals, are the two significant attributes that make Fabregas the player he is. The then Arsenal captain concluded his fruitful time with the Gunners with an FA cup win, two times PFA Team of the Year spot, two Premier League Player of the Month awards, two times UEFA Team of the Year spot and PFA Young Player of the Year award, bagging 35 goals and providing 77 assists in the process.
Tactics:- The Reverse Purple Crossbow.
Whichever one of Drogba / Fowler plays the more central role will be man marked by Desailly. The other will be limited by an interchanging combination of Vidic/Keown + Ray Parlour. To restrict Ginola and Giggs from having much effect on the wings, Bale and Petrescu will be tasked at forcing them to go central where the CB's + Parlour will thereupon prevent any attacking threat they pose. If Bale/Petrescu were put under a pressured situation with either one of Giggs/Ginola, one of Keown/Vidic (Dependent on which WB is being pressured) will go on to aid them. Zola will not be able to find much space, given that Parlour will be tasked at keeping him quiet and if on any occasion Zola slips from Parlour, one of the 3 CBs (Whichever is in the appropriate position) will help out. Poyet and Fabregas will contribute defensively when needed but mainly interchange at moving forward and stringing out passes to Bergkamp and RVN and attempting to add to the team goal tally. Also, Bale and Petrescu (If covered well at the back) will, on occasions, burst forward when needed. Bergkamp will play a free role, moving left/right or forward dependant on the situation at hand. RVN will be asked to remain in the opposition half and will thus be vital at possible counter attacks by always making his presence known amongst Ben's defenders.
Whichever one of Drogba / Fowler plays the more central role will be man marked by Desailly. The other will be limited by an interchanging combination of Vidic/Keown + Ray Parlour. To restrict Ginola and Giggs from having much effect on the wings, Bale and Petrescu will be tasked at forcing them to go central where the CB's + Parlour will thereupon prevent any attacking threat they pose. If Bale/Petrescu were put under a pressured situation with either one of Giggs/Ginola, one of Keown/Vidic (Dependent on which WB is being pressured) will go on to aid them. Zola will not be able to find much space, given that Parlour will be tasked at keeping him quiet and if on any occasion Zola slips from Parlour, one of the 3 CBs (Whichever is in the appropriate position) will help out. Poyet and Fabregas will contribute defensively when needed but mainly interchange at moving forward and stringing out passes to Bergkamp and RVN and attempting to add to the team goal tally. Also, Bale and Petrescu (If covered well at the back) will, on occasions, burst forward when needed. Bergkamp will play a free role, moving left/right or forward dependant on the situation at hand. RVN will be asked to remain in the opposition half and will thus be vital at possible counter attacks by always making his presence known amongst Ben's defenders.
Ben- Formation/bio/tactics:
Team Line-up
I’ve gone through all my player profiles to make sure it’s more concise and up to date. One of my main worries from previous rounds is that people don’t actually remember how good my older players were. Hendry was pivotal to and vice-captained Blackburn to win the league, Radebe captained unfancied Leeds to 3rd and 4th, while David Ginola turned down Barcelona’s approaches after Johan Cruyff remarked that Ginola was the best player in the world at the time. I hope the fact my team is not ‘current’ will not be a factor in voting.
Peter Schmeichel
The best goalkeeper English football will ever see. The 4 time UEFA Goalkeeper of the year was unanimously selected as the 20 season’s fantasy goalkeeper by both pundits and fans. Schmeichel proved a commanding presence in goal for Man Utd and has the greatest clean sheets to game ratio (42%) in Premier League history! Nicknamed ‘The Great Dane’ Schmeichel could do the impossible and is the holder of ‘The Save of the Premier League’ against Newcastle.
Man Utd’s most famous Champions League success (1999) was captained Schmeichel, who also managed to win the Euro Championships with very unfancied Denmark, where he was once again selected in the team of the tournament. The Danish team did not have a brilliant defence but Schmeichel managed to marshal them to success. A man for the big occasions, Schmeichel didn’t make mistakes that haunt so many goalkeepers and is a reliable backbone to my team. The PFA selected Schmeichel as the best goalkeeper of the Century and the public voted him the best goalkeeper ever (ahead of Lev Yashin and Gordon Banks). Schmeichel made 310 Premier League appearances between the sticks.
Lucas Radebe
To those who didn’t notice Radebe, or are too young to notice Lucas Radebe this is for you.
'Rhoo', as is he is famously known, began his career as a goalkeeper before first being converted to a midfielder and then later arguably one of the greatest central defenders in the world. Regarded as the jewel in the Elland Road crown, Leeds United’s former captain and Bafana Bafana skipper Lucas Radebe is widely acknowledged to have been one of football's best ever defenders.
Pacey and athletic, with positional intelligence which meant he rarely needed to go to ground, Radebe was the archetype for the 21st-century centre half, despite the fact his best years were in the 1990s. His defensive capabilities are only highlighted by the generally low calibre of centre-back partners he had at Leeds. He had that ability which pundits associate with regularly associate with Tony Adams, the ability to bring the best out of his colleagues. Playing alongside Radebe, the likes of Robert Molenaar, David Wetherall and Michael Duberry became world beaters.
Radebe was a key part of the South African team that found success in the 1996 African Nations Cup. Subsequently he claimed the centre-back position at Elland Road - occasionally operating as a man-marker - and his commitment and skill in this position have made him a living legend.
The greatest ever Leeds player in history (voted for by fans in 2002) is one of the most underrated performers in Premier League history. His loyalty to Leeds United may have limited him from silverware and the recognition from public 10 years on. Many top managers such as Alex Ferguson knew the quality of Radebe and tried countless times to sign him. Radebe turned down the chance to move to Manchester United, A.C. Milan and Roma with offers of almost £10 million (which at the time would have been a record for a defender). Alex Ferguson commented at the time "Everyone should be interested in Lucas". Surely this basically shows that Radebe was not a mug and was talked about as one of the best defenders in the league. He also turned down Fabio Capello at Roma citing his strong relationship with the Leeds fans as the reason. The sad thing is, Radebe is twice the player of someone like Steve Bould, but will not get the recognition from those who didn’t watch him.
Radebe’s key strengths are his reading of the game, pace, tackling and man marking. A leader of men, Radebe captained Leeds to their most successful time in the Premier League narrowly missing out on the Championship making 31 appearances when they finished 3rd. Overall Radebe made 197 Premier League appearances before an injury cut short his career. Radebe was extremely versatile and he also played as goalkeeper, sweeper, right-back, left-back and defensive midfield.
Radebe’s quality should be assessed not by his silverware but by his accolades from those who would work with him and watch him weekly. He should be mentioned among the all-time Premier League elite. Leeds named their mascot ‘Lucas’ after Radebe and have a suite called the Radebe Entrance. A Leeds brewery once created a new beer called the Radebeer in gratitude of their idol. Nelson Mandela famously said his hero in life was Lucas Radebe while the Kaiser Chiefs took their band name from Lucas’ old club due to the influence he had on them as young men. He was voted 54th in the Top 100 Greatest South Africans.
To put his achievement of captaining Leeds to 3rd place in perspective, here is a list of the only other players to captain a team to 3rd: RVP, Tevez, Fabregas, Terry, Gallas, Gerrard,Roy Keane, Shearer, Wise, Ince, Adams. This clearly shows Lucas is in good company although his achievement is possibly greater as the calibre of the players around him were lower.
Graeme Souness said upon Radebe’s retirement “Throughout his Leeds United career he has been without doubt one of the best centre-backs in the world.”
Colin Hendry
Colin ‘Braveheart’ Hendry was an immense figure in the Rovers team of the nineties. As well as being one of my personal favourite all-time players, he was a rock at the centre of defence, without which the Premiership title would never have been won.
With 218 Premier League appearances, Colin Hendry is an experienced true battler that every team needs... He achieved success wherever he played and was a big, tough bastard that didn’t think twice about putting his body on the line to stop the opposition scoring. The former Scotland captain is known for his strength and marking as well as his important headed goals from set pieces. He scored 44 career league goals, which is almost unrivalled for a centre back that does not take free kicks/penalties.
Voted the 2nd best Blackburn player of all time (behind Alan Shearer), Hendry was pivotal behind unfancied Blackburn Rovers winning the Premier League in 1995. Hendry started every match for Blackburn and then manager Kenny Dalglish said that Hendry was the driving force behind the success. The brave hearted Scot with very bad hair was the cornerstone of Blackburn’s defence and would very rarely lose a battle when up against the top strikers. He is a good leader, commanding at the back, and at 6ft 1in also a major threat in the air from set-pieces.
With Hendry’s best years being around 1994-97 I hope that this won’t be a detriment to him. Hendry moved on to Rangers for £4 million and won the Treble, including winning the title at Celtic, and I captained his country at a World Cup, having many highlights in his career. He will be remembered as a legend for both club and country.
Hendry was the vice-captain of a Premier League winning team, which only Tevez, Giggs, Lampard, Henry, Viera and Schmeichel can also claim. This company Hendry is in shows the standard he was playing, and although it was in 1995, the long time ago it was should NOT discount how good he was.
Hendry would “tackle like a man possessed to ensure a clean sheet”. Hendry`s presence at the back was instrumental in Blackburn’s Premier League win and won him a place in the PFA Premiership team of the season. He was part of a defensive unit who were the rock on which the Premiership was won. Colin still holds a very dear place in the hearts of all blue and white blooded Rovers. When they needed a goal, there was Hendry. When they needed a clean sheet, there was Hendry. And when they needed someone to fight to the death and show no regard for his own safety, there was Colin 'Braveheart` Hendry. The greatest defenders Blackburn has ever seen, and perhaps the bravest of them all.
Gael Clichy
Mr Consistent is lightening quick, comfortable on the ball and a superb man marker. Clichy is the youngest player to win a Premier League medal and one of few to have won the League with 2 different clubs. Surviving a lung problem that caused his heart to stop beating, Clichy’s desire is vital to his game.
Rarely makes mistakes Clichy is a reliable full back who’s achieved success and is starting to get the recognition he deserves. He’s appeared in PFA Team of the year and captained Arsenal on a few occasions. A success wherever he has been Clichy had made 249 Premier League appearances. He has shown he can use his attributes to mark some of the world’s top players out of games and really limits threats by his sheer persistence, pace and man marking ability.
Des Walker
It's funny how history remembers some players more kindly than others. Names like Tony Adams and Terry Butcher routinely crop up in debates about greatest England teams of the modern era, somehow their vastly superior contemporary Des Walker passes many people by!
Let’s not forget that Walker was - certainly during his 90's pomp - widely saluted as the greatest defender on the planet, a level of acclaim not bestowed on any other English defender since Bobby Moore.
Walker established himself as arguably the best and most popular player in Forest's history. A defensive colossus who would utilise his gazelle-like pace and astonishing athleticism to maximum effect as Forest enjoyed a welcome renaissance as a top four club. Walker wasn't just about pace. He could read a game brilliantly, had an unflappable temperament, and could tackle with surgical-like precision. His powers of recovery were so exceptional that he was regularly required to cover right across the back line to bail out colleagues in distress and - in the belief that they were hailing a player superior to anyone that could be put up against him - "You'll never beat Des Walker" became the staple anthem of the Forest fans. And, more often than not, it was true!
Des Walker made 264 Premier League appearances and is regarded by many as the most gifted English defender of his generation, capable at both Right Back and Centre Back. Des Walker did have an unsuccessful spell in Italy it’s worth noting, but that’s because the slippery Swede Sven Goran Erikson decided to play him as a left wing back (YES LEFT WING BACK)….needless to say Sven didn’t get anywhere in football..
Rio Ferdinand selected him in his dream team saying “I used to love him when I was a kid. For an England player to have a song about you that goes You'll never beat Des Walker says it all really. He was brilliant and the back four at the time relied on him a lot to cover up a lot of other people's mistakes - that's my own personal opinion. That's why he gets in my team and he was very hard to play against, I can imagine; quick, strong and determined, so he would be wearing number six.” – not bad coming from someone the calibre of Ferdinand.
Despite not being the tallest defender he could leap to beat the tallest players in the air and his pace meant even the quickest and most skilful forwards very rarely got any change from him. He was often used as a key man to mark the opposition’s biggest attacking threats due to his stamina and pace. It has been noted by some voters that Des Walker was not a success at right back which is not true, he struggled when he was required to attack and take on players as a full back which is not needed for me as I want to play to his strengths. His super defensive performances in the Premier League made Sheffield Wednesday fans vote Des as their greatest ever defender.
Today he would be a £30 million man, and would still walk into the England side. Sergio Ramos and Branislav Ivanovic and the rest have their qualities and their fans but frankly, they're no Des Walker. The fans were right. If only for a few glorious seasons, you really couldn't beat him! (unless you’re doing driving over 54mph)
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Des Walker was deployed as a right back come man marker by both Brian Clough and Bobby Robson (who know what they are talking about). Walker has all the attributes to mark the world’s elite players and he did this countless time, marking players such as Van Basten, Klinsmann, and Roberto Baggio out of games.
Didi Hamann
Consistency, Stamina and Reliability are keys to Didi Hamann’s success in the Premier League. Didi was often used as a shield for the defence for Liverpool and did a tremendous job every time.
Liverpool fans fondly remember Hamann as the catalyst for Liverpool winning the 2005 Champions League Final. Hamann's substitution at half time after being 3–0 down to bring the game back to 3–3. This is because Hamann’s ability to shield the defence allows more attacking players the freedom to attack which Gerrard, Smicer and company profited with. Hamann also showed a great amount of composure and bravery, as he took and converted the first LFC penalty with a broken foot.
Explaining how Hamann helped him, Steven Gerrard said, “He was my safety net. The reason people speak about me and how I played with Didi (Hamann) was because he was there.”
He continued, “He allowed me to go forward, score and set up goals, and he did all my defensive work and tackling for me.”
Gerrard also commented on how Liverpool had ‘Didi’ during the best years of the German midfielder’s career, “At the time we had him, he was in his prime and he was up there with the best holding midfielders in the world.”
Hamann could score outrageous long strikes and scored the last ever goal at the old Wembley. His goal against Portsmouth in 2004 is regarded as one of the best power volleys in recent time. Ultimately Hamann’s defensive strength, height and distribution success mean he is pivotal in any team in a disciplined role. Hamann made 268 Premier League appearances.
Ryan Giggs
Where to start with Ryan Giggs? Voted the best player in Premier League history in the 20 Seasons Awards, Giggs’ trophy cabinet must be some sight. Named by many as the greatest player to grace the Premier League Giggs was the Ultimate Winger and surely one of the best Wingers that have ever lived. Giggs has shown so many qualities such as pace, vision, trickery, crossing accuracy, even defensively Giggs does his bit. His stamina is so good and it epitomised with ‘that goal’ in FA Cup semi-final extra time dribbling around the whole Arsenal team before scoring. It’s worth noting that Peter Schmeichel saved a Dennis Bergkamp penalty before that…
Known for his tireless running, ball possession and ability to create goal scoring opportunities for those around him, Giggs is the most decorated player in Premier League history. 12 Premier League winner's medals, four FA Cup winner's medals, three League Cup winner's medals and two Champions League winner's medals. He has two runner-up medals from the Champions League, three FA Cup finals and two League Cup finals, as well as being part of the team five times when it finished second in the Premier League. In recent years, Giggs has captained the team on numerous occasions.
Giggs is the first player in history to win consecutive PFA Young Player of the Year awards and later won the PFA Player of the Year award. He is only player to have played and scored in every season of the Premier League. He was elected into the PFA Team of the Century in 2007, the Premier League Team of the Decade in 2003, as well as the FA Cup Team of the Century. Giggs holds the record for the most assists in Premier League history, with 271.
Giggs was named in the Football League 100 Legends (the last active player in the list), he was appointed an OBE in the Queen's 2007 Birthday Honours List, and was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2005. He was named as BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2009. Giggs was named Manchester United's greatest ever player by a worldwide poll conducted by United's official magazine and website. He was honoured with the 2011 Golden Foot Award.
A leader, a true pro, a battler with stamina, Giggs has never been sent off when playing for Manchester United. He has won a record 12 top division English league titles as a player, Most Premier League appearances for a player, with 611. Most Premier League assists and the only player to have played and scored in every Premier League campaign.
He is the only player to have scored in 16 different Champions League tournaments. He has scored the most goals by a British player in the Champions League/European Cup proper history. He has made the most appearances for Manchester United (starting in 781 games). He is the first player to score 100 Premier League goals for Manchester United. He is the Second midfielder to have scored 100 goals in the Premier League for a single club and one of four Manchester United players to win two Champions League Medals. Giggs is the oldest player to score in the Champions League.
I haven’t even managed to name half the accolades Giggs has picked up its genuinely scary, but it’s safe to say that it will never be repeated. Ryan Giggs will go down as the best outfield player in English Football history. Giggs can beat defenders for fun and with his pace he can outwit anyone and produce amazing run’s, shots and crosses. His running and crossing ability providing Drogba and Fowler with chances will hopefully result in many goals. On my left side he will torment defenders, provide razor sharp passing and show his strong influence he has on games.
David Ginola
The enigma Ginola took the Premier League by storm making 195 appearances. He starred in a wide role on either side of midfield, extremely capable with both feet. He is renowned for his "magical" touch on the ball and his ability to get past players from any type of position and then manage to score or create a goal. While playing in the Premier League in 1999, Dutch legend Johan Cruyff remarked that Ginola was the best player in the world. Barcelona had bids rejected for the French ace, further showing just how good he was.
Ginola was part of Newcastle’s most successful Premier League squad, scoring many goals and assisting even more. A former winner of the French Player of the Year as well as twice selected in the PFA Team of the Year. Ginola won BBC sport goal of the season and PFA Players’ Player or the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year in 1998-99. His individual accolades can only emphasise his abilities.
The Man can cross with either foot, ditto for shooting. He has the upper body strength to shrug off defenders but retains the grace of a ballet dancer. During his success in the Premier League Has embarrassed fullbacks, especially the Neviller, countless times. Bobby Robson once said of Ginola “You need 3 or 4 players to try and mark David, and they still will fail”.
Gianfranco Zola
The Magical Italian import remains one of the best foreigners to have graced the English Premier League. He joined club Chelsea in late 1996 blessed with outrageous skills, vision and open demeanour. The “little genius” lit up the Premier League for a good seven years making 229 appearances scoring 59 goals and assisting 89 goals.
Zola was instrumental in Chelsea’s resurgence in the late 1990s and the club have unofficially retired his number 25 jersey when the Italian left in 2003. At the end of his first season in the Premier League, Zola was voted the Football Writers Player of the Year, making him not only the first Chelsea player to win the accolade, but also the only player to win it without playing a full season. In the 1997-98 season, Chelsea won a cup treble of the League Cup, Cup Winners Cup and the Super Cup, owing much of this success to the displays put in by Zola. Zola was Chelsea’s Player of the Year twice winning countless Goals of the Month awards and was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame before being selected in Chelsea’s best team of the century.
During his time at Stamford Bridge, Zola won two FA Cups, a League Cup and a Cup Winners' Cup, Super Cup, Charity Shield becoming the club's most successful import. He was integral to all this glory and was voted the 2nd best Chelsea player of all time (behind Didier Drogba) in October 2012.
Zola’s low centre of gravity makes him extremely difficult to mark and causes nightmares to defences with his stamina and movement. An intelligent big game player is currently showing his mental attributes as a manager with Watford (and previously West Ham). He understands the game and he see’s things that make him and those around him successful.
Didier Drogba
The Ultimate Big Game Player, Drogba is at his best when it really matters! Check out these stats of Drogba when it counts - www.thechels.co.uk/2121-the-record-of-didier-drogba-the-chelsea-legend/
He has scored in all but 1 of the final’s he has played in for Chelsea
Voted by Chelsea supporters as the club's greatest ever player, Drogba is a complete striker with no weaknesses. The Big player for the big-games, never before has the Premier League had such a consistent scorer in the most important matches. His key attributes include his physical strength, ability in the air, and his ability to retain possession of the ball
Drogba scored 101 Premier League goals including 2 seasons winning the Golden Boot. Often described as unplayable, Drogba was the spearhead of Chelsea’s charge to their first Premier League crown in 50 years. Drogba has a rare work ethic for a top player which is symbolised by his defensive clearances from set pieces.
Drogba’s running off the ball allows space for others and his runs with the ball may go unnoticed. Opposing defenders will have nightmares preparing for the constant demands of Drogba. In times where possession was key Drogba would come deep for the ball and drift wide holding up play - not bad for a ‘centre’ forward. Drogba left Chelsea after winning the Champions League final (pretty much on his own), finishing with 226 Premier League appearances.
Drogba managed 86 Premier League goal assists which for a goal scoring striker is scary but just emphasises how much of a team player he is. Add into that his impressive haul of three Premier League titles, three F.A Cups, two league cups and a whole host of individual honours and the former Marseille man can stake a pretty convincing claim to being the best African player to play in the Premier League of all time.
Robbie Fowler
Fowler has scored more Premier League goals than any of the players left in the draft. Fowler is the 4th highest goal scorer of all time in the history of the Premier League with 163 goals. Twice the PFA Young Player of the Year, Fowler was voted Liverpool’s “greatest goal scorer of all time”.
Throughout his career Fowler has consistently scored goal and is widely acknowledged by Liverpool fans as being one of the greatest players in the club's history - no mean feat given that Liverpool remain one of the most successful clubs on the planet.
Throughout the mid and late 1990s, Fowler was widely considered to be the most natural finisher playing in England. Fowler sealed this reputation as he scored more than 30 goals for three consecutive seasons, up to 1997. He remains the only player to have scored 30 plus goals in his first three full seasons in England scoring 98 goals with a total of 116 in 3 and a half years
Sky commentator Martin Tyler once referred to Fowler as a 'goal-scoring genius'. They are three words that quite aptly sum up Robbie Fowler. His game is simply based on finding the back of the net by any means.
He will always be referred to by Liverpool fans as 'God' and you'd have to go a long way to find higher praise than that. Fowler helped Liverpool win their treble of the League Cup, FA Cup and the UEFA Cup back in 2001, and was part of the squad that were Champions League runners-up in 2007. Fowler made 378 Premier League appearances and was a natural finisher from any position. Fowler’s pace was an asset to pick up passes, rebounds and loose balls converting them into goals.
I’ve gone through all my player profiles to make sure it’s more concise and up to date. One of my main worries from previous rounds is that people don’t actually remember how good my older players were. Hendry was pivotal to and vice-captained Blackburn to win the league, Radebe captained unfancied Leeds to 3rd and 4th, while David Ginola turned down Barcelona’s approaches after Johan Cruyff remarked that Ginola was the best player in the world at the time. I hope the fact my team is not ‘current’ will not be a factor in voting.
Peter Schmeichel
The best goalkeeper English football will ever see. The 4 time UEFA Goalkeeper of the year was unanimously selected as the 20 season’s fantasy goalkeeper by both pundits and fans. Schmeichel proved a commanding presence in goal for Man Utd and has the greatest clean sheets to game ratio (42%) in Premier League history! Nicknamed ‘The Great Dane’ Schmeichel could do the impossible and is the holder of ‘The Save of the Premier League’ against Newcastle.
Man Utd’s most famous Champions League success (1999) was captained Schmeichel, who also managed to win the Euro Championships with very unfancied Denmark, where he was once again selected in the team of the tournament. The Danish team did not have a brilliant defence but Schmeichel managed to marshal them to success. A man for the big occasions, Schmeichel didn’t make mistakes that haunt so many goalkeepers and is a reliable backbone to my team. The PFA selected Schmeichel as the best goalkeeper of the Century and the public voted him the best goalkeeper ever (ahead of Lev Yashin and Gordon Banks). Schmeichel made 310 Premier League appearances between the sticks.
Lucas Radebe
To those who didn’t notice Radebe, or are too young to notice Lucas Radebe this is for you.
'Rhoo', as is he is famously known, began his career as a goalkeeper before first being converted to a midfielder and then later arguably one of the greatest central defenders in the world. Regarded as the jewel in the Elland Road crown, Leeds United’s former captain and Bafana Bafana skipper Lucas Radebe is widely acknowledged to have been one of football's best ever defenders.
Pacey and athletic, with positional intelligence which meant he rarely needed to go to ground, Radebe was the archetype for the 21st-century centre half, despite the fact his best years were in the 1990s. His defensive capabilities are only highlighted by the generally low calibre of centre-back partners he had at Leeds. He had that ability which pundits associate with regularly associate with Tony Adams, the ability to bring the best out of his colleagues. Playing alongside Radebe, the likes of Robert Molenaar, David Wetherall and Michael Duberry became world beaters.
Radebe was a key part of the South African team that found success in the 1996 African Nations Cup. Subsequently he claimed the centre-back position at Elland Road - occasionally operating as a man-marker - and his commitment and skill in this position have made him a living legend.
The greatest ever Leeds player in history (voted for by fans in 2002) is one of the most underrated performers in Premier League history. His loyalty to Leeds United may have limited him from silverware and the recognition from public 10 years on. Many top managers such as Alex Ferguson knew the quality of Radebe and tried countless times to sign him. Radebe turned down the chance to move to Manchester United, A.C. Milan and Roma with offers of almost £10 million (which at the time would have been a record for a defender). Alex Ferguson commented at the time "Everyone should be interested in Lucas". Surely this basically shows that Radebe was not a mug and was talked about as one of the best defenders in the league. He also turned down Fabio Capello at Roma citing his strong relationship with the Leeds fans as the reason. The sad thing is, Radebe is twice the player of someone like Steve Bould, but will not get the recognition from those who didn’t watch him.
Radebe’s key strengths are his reading of the game, pace, tackling and man marking. A leader of men, Radebe captained Leeds to their most successful time in the Premier League narrowly missing out on the Championship making 31 appearances when they finished 3rd. Overall Radebe made 197 Premier League appearances before an injury cut short his career. Radebe was extremely versatile and he also played as goalkeeper, sweeper, right-back, left-back and defensive midfield.
Radebe’s quality should be assessed not by his silverware but by his accolades from those who would work with him and watch him weekly. He should be mentioned among the all-time Premier League elite. Leeds named their mascot ‘Lucas’ after Radebe and have a suite called the Radebe Entrance. A Leeds brewery once created a new beer called the Radebeer in gratitude of their idol. Nelson Mandela famously said his hero in life was Lucas Radebe while the Kaiser Chiefs took their band name from Lucas’ old club due to the influence he had on them as young men. He was voted 54th in the Top 100 Greatest South Africans.
To put his achievement of captaining Leeds to 3rd place in perspective, here is a list of the only other players to captain a team to 3rd: RVP, Tevez, Fabregas, Terry, Gallas, Gerrard,Roy Keane, Shearer, Wise, Ince, Adams. This clearly shows Lucas is in good company although his achievement is possibly greater as the calibre of the players around him were lower.
Graeme Souness said upon Radebe’s retirement “Throughout his Leeds United career he has been without doubt one of the best centre-backs in the world.”
Colin Hendry
Colin ‘Braveheart’ Hendry was an immense figure in the Rovers team of the nineties. As well as being one of my personal favourite all-time players, he was a rock at the centre of defence, without which the Premiership title would never have been won.
With 218 Premier League appearances, Colin Hendry is an experienced true battler that every team needs... He achieved success wherever he played and was a big, tough bastard that didn’t think twice about putting his body on the line to stop the opposition scoring. The former Scotland captain is known for his strength and marking as well as his important headed goals from set pieces. He scored 44 career league goals, which is almost unrivalled for a centre back that does not take free kicks/penalties.
Voted the 2nd best Blackburn player of all time (behind Alan Shearer), Hendry was pivotal behind unfancied Blackburn Rovers winning the Premier League in 1995. Hendry started every match for Blackburn and then manager Kenny Dalglish said that Hendry was the driving force behind the success. The brave hearted Scot with very bad hair was the cornerstone of Blackburn’s defence and would very rarely lose a battle when up against the top strikers. He is a good leader, commanding at the back, and at 6ft 1in also a major threat in the air from set-pieces.
With Hendry’s best years being around 1994-97 I hope that this won’t be a detriment to him. Hendry moved on to Rangers for £4 million and won the Treble, including winning the title at Celtic, and I captained his country at a World Cup, having many highlights in his career. He will be remembered as a legend for both club and country.
Hendry was the vice-captain of a Premier League winning team, which only Tevez, Giggs, Lampard, Henry, Viera and Schmeichel can also claim. This company Hendry is in shows the standard he was playing, and although it was in 1995, the long time ago it was should NOT discount how good he was.
Hendry would “tackle like a man possessed to ensure a clean sheet”. Hendry`s presence at the back was instrumental in Blackburn’s Premier League win and won him a place in the PFA Premiership team of the season. He was part of a defensive unit who were the rock on which the Premiership was won. Colin still holds a very dear place in the hearts of all blue and white blooded Rovers. When they needed a goal, there was Hendry. When they needed a clean sheet, there was Hendry. And when they needed someone to fight to the death and show no regard for his own safety, there was Colin 'Braveheart` Hendry. The greatest defenders Blackburn has ever seen, and perhaps the bravest of them all.
Gael Clichy
Mr Consistent is lightening quick, comfortable on the ball and a superb man marker. Clichy is the youngest player to win a Premier League medal and one of few to have won the League with 2 different clubs. Surviving a lung problem that caused his heart to stop beating, Clichy’s desire is vital to his game.
Rarely makes mistakes Clichy is a reliable full back who’s achieved success and is starting to get the recognition he deserves. He’s appeared in PFA Team of the year and captained Arsenal on a few occasions. A success wherever he has been Clichy had made 249 Premier League appearances. He has shown he can use his attributes to mark some of the world’s top players out of games and really limits threats by his sheer persistence, pace and man marking ability.
Des Walker
It's funny how history remembers some players more kindly than others. Names like Tony Adams and Terry Butcher routinely crop up in debates about greatest England teams of the modern era, somehow their vastly superior contemporary Des Walker passes many people by!
Let’s not forget that Walker was - certainly during his 90's pomp - widely saluted as the greatest defender on the planet, a level of acclaim not bestowed on any other English defender since Bobby Moore.
Walker established himself as arguably the best and most popular player in Forest's history. A defensive colossus who would utilise his gazelle-like pace and astonishing athleticism to maximum effect as Forest enjoyed a welcome renaissance as a top four club. Walker wasn't just about pace. He could read a game brilliantly, had an unflappable temperament, and could tackle with surgical-like precision. His powers of recovery were so exceptional that he was regularly required to cover right across the back line to bail out colleagues in distress and - in the belief that they were hailing a player superior to anyone that could be put up against him - "You'll never beat Des Walker" became the staple anthem of the Forest fans. And, more often than not, it was true!
Des Walker made 264 Premier League appearances and is regarded by many as the most gifted English defender of his generation, capable at both Right Back and Centre Back. Des Walker did have an unsuccessful spell in Italy it’s worth noting, but that’s because the slippery Swede Sven Goran Erikson decided to play him as a left wing back (YES LEFT WING BACK)….needless to say Sven didn’t get anywhere in football..
Rio Ferdinand selected him in his dream team saying “I used to love him when I was a kid. For an England player to have a song about you that goes You'll never beat Des Walker says it all really. He was brilliant and the back four at the time relied on him a lot to cover up a lot of other people's mistakes - that's my own personal opinion. That's why he gets in my team and he was very hard to play against, I can imagine; quick, strong and determined, so he would be wearing number six.” – not bad coming from someone the calibre of Ferdinand.
Despite not being the tallest defender he could leap to beat the tallest players in the air and his pace meant even the quickest and most skilful forwards very rarely got any change from him. He was often used as a key man to mark the opposition’s biggest attacking threats due to his stamina and pace. It has been noted by some voters that Des Walker was not a success at right back which is not true, he struggled when he was required to attack and take on players as a full back which is not needed for me as I want to play to his strengths. His super defensive performances in the Premier League made Sheffield Wednesday fans vote Des as their greatest ever defender.
Today he would be a £30 million man, and would still walk into the England side. Sergio Ramos and Branislav Ivanovic and the rest have their qualities and their fans but frankly, they're no Des Walker. The fans were right. If only for a few glorious seasons, you really couldn't beat him! (unless you’re doing driving over 54mph)
.Des Walker was deployed as a right back come man marker by both Brian Clough and Bobby Robson (who know what they are talking about). Walker has all the attributes to mark the world’s elite players and he did this countless time, marking players such as Van Basten, Klinsmann, and Roberto Baggio out of games.
Didi Hamann
Consistency, Stamina and Reliability are keys to Didi Hamann’s success in the Premier League. Didi was often used as a shield for the defence for Liverpool and did a tremendous job every time.
Liverpool fans fondly remember Hamann as the catalyst for Liverpool winning the 2005 Champions League Final. Hamann's substitution at half time after being 3–0 down to bring the game back to 3–3. This is because Hamann’s ability to shield the defence allows more attacking players the freedom to attack which Gerrard, Smicer and company profited with. Hamann also showed a great amount of composure and bravery, as he took and converted the first LFC penalty with a broken foot.
Explaining how Hamann helped him, Steven Gerrard said, “He was my safety net. The reason people speak about me and how I played with Didi (Hamann) was because he was there.”
He continued, “He allowed me to go forward, score and set up goals, and he did all my defensive work and tackling for me.”
Gerrard also commented on how Liverpool had ‘Didi’ during the best years of the German midfielder’s career, “At the time we had him, he was in his prime and he was up there with the best holding midfielders in the world.”
Hamann could score outrageous long strikes and scored the last ever goal at the old Wembley. His goal against Portsmouth in 2004 is regarded as one of the best power volleys in recent time. Ultimately Hamann’s defensive strength, height and distribution success mean he is pivotal in any team in a disciplined role. Hamann made 268 Premier League appearances.
Ryan Giggs
Where to start with Ryan Giggs? Voted the best player in Premier League history in the 20 Seasons Awards, Giggs’ trophy cabinet must be some sight. Named by many as the greatest player to grace the Premier League Giggs was the Ultimate Winger and surely one of the best Wingers that have ever lived. Giggs has shown so many qualities such as pace, vision, trickery, crossing accuracy, even defensively Giggs does his bit. His stamina is so good and it epitomised with ‘that goal’ in FA Cup semi-final extra time dribbling around the whole Arsenal team before scoring. It’s worth noting that Peter Schmeichel saved a Dennis Bergkamp penalty before that…
Known for his tireless running, ball possession and ability to create goal scoring opportunities for those around him, Giggs is the most decorated player in Premier League history. 12 Premier League winner's medals, four FA Cup winner's medals, three League Cup winner's medals and two Champions League winner's medals. He has two runner-up medals from the Champions League, three FA Cup finals and two League Cup finals, as well as being part of the team five times when it finished second in the Premier League. In recent years, Giggs has captained the team on numerous occasions.
Giggs is the first player in history to win consecutive PFA Young Player of the Year awards and later won the PFA Player of the Year award. He is only player to have played and scored in every season of the Premier League. He was elected into the PFA Team of the Century in 2007, the Premier League Team of the Decade in 2003, as well as the FA Cup Team of the Century. Giggs holds the record for the most assists in Premier League history, with 271.
Giggs was named in the Football League 100 Legends (the last active player in the list), he was appointed an OBE in the Queen's 2007 Birthday Honours List, and was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2005. He was named as BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2009. Giggs was named Manchester United's greatest ever player by a worldwide poll conducted by United's official magazine and website. He was honoured with the 2011 Golden Foot Award.
A leader, a true pro, a battler with stamina, Giggs has never been sent off when playing for Manchester United. He has won a record 12 top division English league titles as a player, Most Premier League appearances for a player, with 611. Most Premier League assists and the only player to have played and scored in every Premier League campaign.
He is the only player to have scored in 16 different Champions League tournaments. He has scored the most goals by a British player in the Champions League/European Cup proper history. He has made the most appearances for Manchester United (starting in 781 games). He is the first player to score 100 Premier League goals for Manchester United. He is the Second midfielder to have scored 100 goals in the Premier League for a single club and one of four Manchester United players to win two Champions League Medals. Giggs is the oldest player to score in the Champions League.
I haven’t even managed to name half the accolades Giggs has picked up its genuinely scary, but it’s safe to say that it will never be repeated. Ryan Giggs will go down as the best outfield player in English Football history. Giggs can beat defenders for fun and with his pace he can outwit anyone and produce amazing run’s, shots and crosses. His running and crossing ability providing Drogba and Fowler with chances will hopefully result in many goals. On my left side he will torment defenders, provide razor sharp passing and show his strong influence he has on games.
David Ginola
The enigma Ginola took the Premier League by storm making 195 appearances. He starred in a wide role on either side of midfield, extremely capable with both feet. He is renowned for his "magical" touch on the ball and his ability to get past players from any type of position and then manage to score or create a goal. While playing in the Premier League in 1999, Dutch legend Johan Cruyff remarked that Ginola was the best player in the world. Barcelona had bids rejected for the French ace, further showing just how good he was.
Ginola was part of Newcastle’s most successful Premier League squad, scoring many goals and assisting even more. A former winner of the French Player of the Year as well as twice selected in the PFA Team of the Year. Ginola won BBC sport goal of the season and PFA Players’ Player or the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year in 1998-99. His individual accolades can only emphasise his abilities.
The Man can cross with either foot, ditto for shooting. He has the upper body strength to shrug off defenders but retains the grace of a ballet dancer. During his success in the Premier League Has embarrassed fullbacks, especially the Neviller, countless times. Bobby Robson once said of Ginola “You need 3 or 4 players to try and mark David, and they still will fail”.
Gianfranco Zola
The Magical Italian import remains one of the best foreigners to have graced the English Premier League. He joined club Chelsea in late 1996 blessed with outrageous skills, vision and open demeanour. The “little genius” lit up the Premier League for a good seven years making 229 appearances scoring 59 goals and assisting 89 goals.
Zola was instrumental in Chelsea’s resurgence in the late 1990s and the club have unofficially retired his number 25 jersey when the Italian left in 2003. At the end of his first season in the Premier League, Zola was voted the Football Writers Player of the Year, making him not only the first Chelsea player to win the accolade, but also the only player to win it without playing a full season. In the 1997-98 season, Chelsea won a cup treble of the League Cup, Cup Winners Cup and the Super Cup, owing much of this success to the displays put in by Zola. Zola was Chelsea’s Player of the Year twice winning countless Goals of the Month awards and was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame before being selected in Chelsea’s best team of the century.
During his time at Stamford Bridge, Zola won two FA Cups, a League Cup and a Cup Winners' Cup, Super Cup, Charity Shield becoming the club's most successful import. He was integral to all this glory and was voted the 2nd best Chelsea player of all time (behind Didier Drogba) in October 2012.
Zola’s low centre of gravity makes him extremely difficult to mark and causes nightmares to defences with his stamina and movement. An intelligent big game player is currently showing his mental attributes as a manager with Watford (and previously West Ham). He understands the game and he see’s things that make him and those around him successful.
Didier Drogba
The Ultimate Big Game Player, Drogba is at his best when it really matters! Check out these stats of Drogba when it counts - www.thechels.co.uk/2121-the-record-of-didier-drogba-the-chelsea-legend/
He has scored in all but 1 of the final’s he has played in for Chelsea
Voted by Chelsea supporters as the club's greatest ever player, Drogba is a complete striker with no weaknesses. The Big player for the big-games, never before has the Premier League had such a consistent scorer in the most important matches. His key attributes include his physical strength, ability in the air, and his ability to retain possession of the ball
Drogba scored 101 Premier League goals including 2 seasons winning the Golden Boot. Often described as unplayable, Drogba was the spearhead of Chelsea’s charge to their first Premier League crown in 50 years. Drogba has a rare work ethic for a top player which is symbolised by his defensive clearances from set pieces.
Drogba’s running off the ball allows space for others and his runs with the ball may go unnoticed. Opposing defenders will have nightmares preparing for the constant demands of Drogba. In times where possession was key Drogba would come deep for the ball and drift wide holding up play - not bad for a ‘centre’ forward. Drogba left Chelsea after winning the Champions League final (pretty much on his own), finishing with 226 Premier League appearances.
Drogba managed 86 Premier League goal assists which for a goal scoring striker is scary but just emphasises how much of a team player he is. Add into that his impressive haul of three Premier League titles, three F.A Cups, two league cups and a whole host of individual honours and the former Marseille man can stake a pretty convincing claim to being the best African player to play in the Premier League of all time.
Robbie Fowler
Fowler has scored more Premier League goals than any of the players left in the draft. Fowler is the 4th highest goal scorer of all time in the history of the Premier League with 163 goals. Twice the PFA Young Player of the Year, Fowler was voted Liverpool’s “greatest goal scorer of all time”.
Throughout his career Fowler has consistently scored goal and is widely acknowledged by Liverpool fans as being one of the greatest players in the club's history - no mean feat given that Liverpool remain one of the most successful clubs on the planet.
Throughout the mid and late 1990s, Fowler was widely considered to be the most natural finisher playing in England. Fowler sealed this reputation as he scored more than 30 goals for three consecutive seasons, up to 1997. He remains the only player to have scored 30 plus goals in his first three full seasons in England scoring 98 goals with a total of 116 in 3 and a half years
Sky commentator Martin Tyler once referred to Fowler as a 'goal-scoring genius'. They are three words that quite aptly sum up Robbie Fowler. His game is simply based on finding the back of the net by any means.
He will always be referred to by Liverpool fans as 'God' and you'd have to go a long way to find higher praise than that. Fowler helped Liverpool win their treble of the League Cup, FA Cup and the UEFA Cup back in 2001, and was part of the squad that were Champions League runners-up in 2007. Fowler made 378 Premier League appearances and was a natural finisher from any position. Fowler’s pace was an asset to pick up passes, rebounds and loose balls converting them into goals.
Team Tactics
Another hard fought win vs. Adi. Good game, Adi had a very strong team with the best 2 outfield players in Premier League History in Giggs and Henry. I am excited to now have the legend Ryan Giggs to terrorise the opposition for my team. Now it’s the Semi-Final and a very tough match against a strong team from KK. I think it will be a tight game and will be relied on some magic from the best players to create and score goals.
I have tried to build a team of players who played their best football in the Premier League and have experience throughout my team with every player playing over 195 games in this division. I think the experience mixed with the undoubted stamina and leadership in my team will stand me in good stead. With the exception of Ginola, I believe each of my players has captained their respective teams in the Premier League showing the strong character that will be needed in facing KK.
The team is built on a quality back 4 in front of undoubtedly the best ever Premier League Goalkeeper by far Peter Schmeichel. I want my defenders to ensure they do not get caught out of position and to maintain a line together. My central defence is Lucas Radebe and Colin Hendry, both of whom have the qualities to work well together. I expect Hendry to attack high balls and produce many clearances, while Radebe will use his reading of the game and pace to deal with attacking threat. My fullbacks Gael Clichy & Des Walker have pace and man marking ability, and will help to limit the attacking of KK’s team providing a reliable backbone to my team.
Didi Hamann will shield the back four throughout. Big man Hamann can play as anchor man and can pick out a pass. He rarely loses the ball and has a very calm exterior which can only benefit those around him. He is great at distribution and can hold the ball up when needed; he is a pivotal part of my system.
Ryan Giggs is my choice on the Left of Midfield. The best Premier League player to play this position, Giggs has all the attributes. He has attacking qualities such as pace, trickery, crossing ability, vision etc. Giggs has also shown in recent years he can help out with defensive work and can play deeper when needed to retain possession. I expect Giggs’ stamina to be again vital here and him to know when to make runs himself or to pick out others while staying relatively deep. His intelligence is one of his biggest assets and he knows when to stick or twist. Giggs has more assists than anyone in the Premier League and I will expect him to use his quality to my advantage. David Ginola is an old fashioned winger that will run, pass, cross, shoot being a nightmare to deal with. I expect him to be running in behind Bale causing Bale to have to run and defend as I don’t believe KK’s team is built on pace. He has the freedom because in the tight system my team will play to create sparks out of nothing and supply the formidable strike force.
Gianfranco Zola will be played in a relatively advanced position where I expect him to profit in the gaps between Parlour and KK’s defence. Zola has 89 assists and 59 goals and is very hard to mark. He will interchange positions with Ginola to provide running and creativity to my Strikers. He is possibly the best technical player the Premier League has ever seen. He will play in just behind Drogba and he will link the passes between them as well as getting forward himself.
I like to think my strike partnership of Drogba and Fowler will cause any defence problems. Drogba can hold the ball up can pick a pass, attack headers, while Fowler has pace, awareness and is the most natural finisher the Premier League has seen. Fowler can score off scraps while Drogba can take players out of the game and win the ball aerially every time. With 264 Premier League goals between there is not a higher scoring strike force left in the draft and I think they can complement each other. Drogba achieved 86 assists and will be trouble for any defence.
I have a strong big team when it comes to set pieces with the likes of Hendry and Drogba attacking aerial balls. I also have gifted dead ball specialists in Giggs, Zola, and even Drogba. I think it may be important to be strong at set pieces both attacking and defensively. Drogba is vital at both ends, he will help use his height to defend set pieces with Zola, Ginola and Fowler to be outlets to try and counter.
Specific Match Tactics vs. KK
Defensive Tactics
Limiting Bale and Fabregas
KK has many solid players in his team but I’d like to point out Fabregas and Bale as the main creative players that I will try and limit. I don’t know whether Bale will be playing as a wing back or out and out winger, but either way I will be trying to restrict him free runs and my defence. Bale will be constantly marked by my fullback Des Walker who has man marked some of the best players in the world. Walker will be helped out by Radebe who again has the pace and match reading to slow down Bale and produce timed tackles. I also have Didi Hamann who has played against all the best players in the world and limited their chances. Hamann will be shielding the defence but will be shifted slightly right to deal with Bale when he is on the ball. Although Hamann won’t drift fully out wide I’ll instruct him to use his height and tackling ability to stop Bale cutting in and having time and space. Bale will therefore have 3 men with different instructions.
To deal with Fabregas I have Clichy, Hamann, and to an extent Hendry. I think Fabregas has the ability to cause problems to most teams but I’ll look to limit his supply. Hamann will be key to slowing down Fabregas and when Cesc is on the ball I expect Hamann to remain on his feet, supported by Giggs, Hendry and Clichy to help dispossess him and briskly regain an attack.
Stopping supply to RVN/Bergkamp
I do believe KK to have one of the best strike forces in the draft. I almost chose RVN for my team but I chose Fowler instead due to his better goal record and pace. I think Bergkamp may be played a bit deeper than RVN to supply and hold up the ball, and I have Hamann and Clichy to help deal with this. If KK lines up how I expect, Petrescu will be employed as a Right Wing Back – although I doubt he will get much chance to attack with having to deal with Giggs. This would leave super stamina man Clichy to help out when needed with Hamann, Radebe and Hendry.
I don’t expect to be beaten by pace from KK’s attack I think it will be more methodical and rely on time to pick out passes. I chose players that are renowned for great stamina’s, and they will be constantly trying to stifle build up as soon as possible. If I can limit Fabregas and Bale I believe I can stand in a good position.
Ultimately my defensive tactics rely on closing Bale and Fabregas down and winning the ball back with my players’ renowned work-rate. Hopefully this will reduce the service that Bergkamp and RVN will get, and have the best goalkeeper in Premier League History in Schmeichel to call on if needed.
Attacking Tactics
Pace
KK has 3 good defenders. Vidic is especially good, Desailly had undoubted class but joined the Premier League as a 31 year old. Keown was good but during success he was often the understudy to others such as Steve Bould. In Arsenal’s 3 Premier League wins Keown made 18 appearances in 1997/98, 22 appearances in 2001/02 and 24 appearances in 2002/03. I believe this defence is not the quickest and will be looking to exploit this with creative balls and runs from my fast players Giggs, Fowler and Ginola.
Zola creativity
When I have the ball I think I will pose a threat. I have lots of variety and dimensions in attack. Gianfranco Zola will be deployed just behind Parlour, who I rate but I will try to get him trying to run around after Zola. Parlour usually had another defensive midfielder (Viera) alongside him and I am not sure how he would deal with having the main defensive responsibility. Zola assists/scores so many goals and produces magic and vision from anywhere.
Wingers
Depending on how KK will line up, Giggs and Ginola will have different roles. I will assume KK will line up with Bale and Petrescu as Wing Backs. I expect Ginola to be tirelessly trying to run behind Bale exploiting the space and attempting to get Bale to have to defend limiting Bales attacking. I will utilise the best Winger in Premier League history Giggs, by using his trickery and vision to get behind Petrescu and run to the by-line producing crosses. I will try to get my Wingers to supply my strike force hopefully resulting in goals.
Drogba
Drogba can play so many roles for my team, he can be the target man, hold up the ball, score from all angles, and attack crosses. One of the most underrated aspects of his game was when possession was key; he comes deep for the ball and drift wide holding up play - not bad for a ‘centre’ forward.
Fowler Instinct
Regularly considered the most natural finisher in the Premier League, Fowler has scored more goals than any player left in the draft. He doesn’t score too many spectacular goals but scores goals a plenty. I think he can profit from the creativity of Zola, Crosses from Wingers, and knockdowns from Drogba. Another potential key for Fowler is David James in the opposing goal. There’s a reason he is nicknamed ’Calamity James’, and it’s because he makes high profile mistakes. I expect Fowler’s goal scoring prowess to again be useful here to basically stick the ball in the net
In Summary
KK has a great team, no doubt about it. I have outlined how I plan to deal with this and also produce him problems too. Good luck KK, let’s have a clean match.
Another hard fought win vs. Adi. Good game, Adi had a very strong team with the best 2 outfield players in Premier League History in Giggs and Henry. I am excited to now have the legend Ryan Giggs to terrorise the opposition for my team. Now it’s the Semi-Final and a very tough match against a strong team from KK. I think it will be a tight game and will be relied on some magic from the best players to create and score goals.
I have tried to build a team of players who played their best football in the Premier League and have experience throughout my team with every player playing over 195 games in this division. I think the experience mixed with the undoubted stamina and leadership in my team will stand me in good stead. With the exception of Ginola, I believe each of my players has captained their respective teams in the Premier League showing the strong character that will be needed in facing KK.
The team is built on a quality back 4 in front of undoubtedly the best ever Premier League Goalkeeper by far Peter Schmeichel. I want my defenders to ensure they do not get caught out of position and to maintain a line together. My central defence is Lucas Radebe and Colin Hendry, both of whom have the qualities to work well together. I expect Hendry to attack high balls and produce many clearances, while Radebe will use his reading of the game and pace to deal with attacking threat. My fullbacks Gael Clichy & Des Walker have pace and man marking ability, and will help to limit the attacking of KK’s team providing a reliable backbone to my team.
Didi Hamann will shield the back four throughout. Big man Hamann can play as anchor man and can pick out a pass. He rarely loses the ball and has a very calm exterior which can only benefit those around him. He is great at distribution and can hold the ball up when needed; he is a pivotal part of my system.
Ryan Giggs is my choice on the Left of Midfield. The best Premier League player to play this position, Giggs has all the attributes. He has attacking qualities such as pace, trickery, crossing ability, vision etc. Giggs has also shown in recent years he can help out with defensive work and can play deeper when needed to retain possession. I expect Giggs’ stamina to be again vital here and him to know when to make runs himself or to pick out others while staying relatively deep. His intelligence is one of his biggest assets and he knows when to stick or twist. Giggs has more assists than anyone in the Premier League and I will expect him to use his quality to my advantage. David Ginola is an old fashioned winger that will run, pass, cross, shoot being a nightmare to deal with. I expect him to be running in behind Bale causing Bale to have to run and defend as I don’t believe KK’s team is built on pace. He has the freedom because in the tight system my team will play to create sparks out of nothing and supply the formidable strike force.
Gianfranco Zola will be played in a relatively advanced position where I expect him to profit in the gaps between Parlour and KK’s defence. Zola has 89 assists and 59 goals and is very hard to mark. He will interchange positions with Ginola to provide running and creativity to my Strikers. He is possibly the best technical player the Premier League has ever seen. He will play in just behind Drogba and he will link the passes between them as well as getting forward himself.
I like to think my strike partnership of Drogba and Fowler will cause any defence problems. Drogba can hold the ball up can pick a pass, attack headers, while Fowler has pace, awareness and is the most natural finisher the Premier League has seen. Fowler can score off scraps while Drogba can take players out of the game and win the ball aerially every time. With 264 Premier League goals between there is not a higher scoring strike force left in the draft and I think they can complement each other. Drogba achieved 86 assists and will be trouble for any defence.
I have a strong big team when it comes to set pieces with the likes of Hendry and Drogba attacking aerial balls. I also have gifted dead ball specialists in Giggs, Zola, and even Drogba. I think it may be important to be strong at set pieces both attacking and defensively. Drogba is vital at both ends, he will help use his height to defend set pieces with Zola, Ginola and Fowler to be outlets to try and counter.
Specific Match Tactics vs. KK
Defensive Tactics
Limiting Bale and Fabregas
KK has many solid players in his team but I’d like to point out Fabregas and Bale as the main creative players that I will try and limit. I don’t know whether Bale will be playing as a wing back or out and out winger, but either way I will be trying to restrict him free runs and my defence. Bale will be constantly marked by my fullback Des Walker who has man marked some of the best players in the world. Walker will be helped out by Radebe who again has the pace and match reading to slow down Bale and produce timed tackles. I also have Didi Hamann who has played against all the best players in the world and limited their chances. Hamann will be shielding the defence but will be shifted slightly right to deal with Bale when he is on the ball. Although Hamann won’t drift fully out wide I’ll instruct him to use his height and tackling ability to stop Bale cutting in and having time and space. Bale will therefore have 3 men with different instructions.
To deal with Fabregas I have Clichy, Hamann, and to an extent Hendry. I think Fabregas has the ability to cause problems to most teams but I’ll look to limit his supply. Hamann will be key to slowing down Fabregas and when Cesc is on the ball I expect Hamann to remain on his feet, supported by Giggs, Hendry and Clichy to help dispossess him and briskly regain an attack.
Stopping supply to RVN/Bergkamp
I do believe KK to have one of the best strike forces in the draft. I almost chose RVN for my team but I chose Fowler instead due to his better goal record and pace. I think Bergkamp may be played a bit deeper than RVN to supply and hold up the ball, and I have Hamann and Clichy to help deal with this. If KK lines up how I expect, Petrescu will be employed as a Right Wing Back – although I doubt he will get much chance to attack with having to deal with Giggs. This would leave super stamina man Clichy to help out when needed with Hamann, Radebe and Hendry.
I don’t expect to be beaten by pace from KK’s attack I think it will be more methodical and rely on time to pick out passes. I chose players that are renowned for great stamina’s, and they will be constantly trying to stifle build up as soon as possible. If I can limit Fabregas and Bale I believe I can stand in a good position.
Ultimately my defensive tactics rely on closing Bale and Fabregas down and winning the ball back with my players’ renowned work-rate. Hopefully this will reduce the service that Bergkamp and RVN will get, and have the best goalkeeper in Premier League History in Schmeichel to call on if needed.
Attacking Tactics
Pace
KK has 3 good defenders. Vidic is especially good, Desailly had undoubted class but joined the Premier League as a 31 year old. Keown was good but during success he was often the understudy to others such as Steve Bould. In Arsenal’s 3 Premier League wins Keown made 18 appearances in 1997/98, 22 appearances in 2001/02 and 24 appearances in 2002/03. I believe this defence is not the quickest and will be looking to exploit this with creative balls and runs from my fast players Giggs, Fowler and Ginola.
Zola creativity
When I have the ball I think I will pose a threat. I have lots of variety and dimensions in attack. Gianfranco Zola will be deployed just behind Parlour, who I rate but I will try to get him trying to run around after Zola. Parlour usually had another defensive midfielder (Viera) alongside him and I am not sure how he would deal with having the main defensive responsibility. Zola assists/scores so many goals and produces magic and vision from anywhere.
Wingers
Depending on how KK will line up, Giggs and Ginola will have different roles. I will assume KK will line up with Bale and Petrescu as Wing Backs. I expect Ginola to be tirelessly trying to run behind Bale exploiting the space and attempting to get Bale to have to defend limiting Bales attacking. I will utilise the best Winger in Premier League history Giggs, by using his trickery and vision to get behind Petrescu and run to the by-line producing crosses. I will try to get my Wingers to supply my strike force hopefully resulting in goals.
Drogba
Drogba can play so many roles for my team, he can be the target man, hold up the ball, score from all angles, and attack crosses. One of the most underrated aspects of his game was when possession was key; he comes deep for the ball and drift wide holding up play - not bad for a ‘centre’ forward.
Fowler Instinct
Regularly considered the most natural finisher in the Premier League, Fowler has scored more goals than any player left in the draft. He doesn’t score too many spectacular goals but scores goals a plenty. I think he can profit from the creativity of Zola, Crosses from Wingers, and knockdowns from Drogba. Another potential key for Fowler is David James in the opposing goal. There’s a reason he is nicknamed ’Calamity James’, and it’s because he makes high profile mistakes. I expect Fowler’s goal scoring prowess to again be useful here to basically stick the ball in the net
In Summary
KK has a great team, no doubt about it. I have outlined how I plan to deal with this and also produce him problems too. Good luck KK, let’s have a clean match.
