A strong CB partnership or a top class defensive midfielder? Any successful team needs one or the other, some have both. A strong center back partnership is a common platform for successful footballing sides. The premiership is a great example of this; Manchester United and Chelsea have recently won the league with a couple of stellar center backs. These players not only excel individually, but as a cohesive partnership. John Terry/Ricardo Carvalho and Rio Ferdinand/Nemanja Vidic are great examples of this. One center back is known for attacking the ball on the ground and in the air and the other for sweeping up behind the backline. One high and one low, power and finesse.
Not every team has the luxury of two world-class center backs, while even fewer teams have the luxury of a world class center back partnership. So what is a viable solution? A combative, all action, dominating defensive midfielder. These individuals are a 'dime a dozen' and once a team finds one, it is rare they let him go. I am of the belief that this type of player is a must for any possession-driven, attacking footballing side. Barcelona is a great example of this. When comparing Carlos Puyol and Gerard Pique to Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, you would have to agree that Manchester United have a far superior center back partnership. But Barcelona have a rare animal that Manchester United have not possessed for many years: a combative defensive midfielder. Yaya Toure - the finest defensive midfielder in the world. He is strong in the tackle, dominant in the air, composed, and highly technically gifted with the ball at his feet.
Manchester United have enjoyed a great amount of success with out a defensive midfielder, and I am sure they will continue to in the years to come (maybe not, with out CR7, er CR9). They are a rock solid defensive unit, capable of deadly counter attacks. Barcelona, on the other hand are a possession based, fluid attacking team much like AC Milan in their most recent hay day. They are capable of lulling you to sleep with their triangle passing until an opening is found or launching wave after wave of attack until their opposition's resistance is broken.
Which method will be more successful in the years to come?
Monday, July 13, 2009
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I'm sure this will be the first of many soccer debates we get into on this blog. so why don't we get right into it...
ReplyDeleteSomething told me the first football post would not pertain to arsenal... and what do ya know? 'Yaya Toure - the finest defensive midfielder in the world.' i have to respectfully disagree. the best DM in the world currently resides at Chelsea and just came back from knee surgery looking better than ever... none other than Michael Essien.
Toure is good i agree. and had he been suspended like Darren Fletcher was I am sure it would have made for a very interesting and high scoring match.
I actually think that the DM can be even more important than the center backs. If I had to give an example we can use Arsenal to start. The season that Flamini left is a good one. The center back combination of Gallas and Toure is woeful at best; however, they benefitted greatly from Flamini in front of them. So I agree that if you have a suspect backline then the best way to help them out is to cover them up with a tanacious DM a la Toure, Mascherano, Fletcher, or my personal pick Essien.