1FF's all time Premier League XI

[Avatar]

not having Peter Schmeichel over Cech. Also, Zabaleta deserves to be in there ahead of Neville. Drogba ahead of Shearer every day of the week.

 

[G.B]

who the hell voted for warren barton?

 

[JimJams]

I think the more apt question is who the fuck didn't?!

 

[Mr. Scruff]

not having Peter Schmeichel over Cech. Also, Zabaleta deserves to be in there ahead of Neville. Drogba ahead of Shearer every day of the week.

Clearly not old enough to remember those players in their prime.

First 11 -

Roy Keane doesn't hold a candle to Patrick Vieira unless you're a United supporter.

Nonsense

 

[ColB]

Clearly not old enough to remember those players in their prime.



Nonsense

United supporter? Thought so.

 

[thespus]

Clearly not old enough to remember those players in their prime.

I agree re: Neville, but Cech > Schmiechel is much too close to patronise someone. What did Schmeichel do better than Cech did/does? How is that enough to dismiss someone's opinions without even offering supporting details?

 

[Six pints of STELLA]

Schmeichel

Neville Ferdinand Terry Cole

Scholes Lampard

Ronaldo Bergkamp Henry

Shearer

 

[ColB]

Despite the huge influx of foreign players in the Premier League it's interesting to see that there are many English players in most people's best 11. Just goes to show how much England underachieved when we had the likes of Terry, Ferdinand, Campbell, Gerrard, Lampard, Scholes, Beckham and Owen to call upon.

 

[thespus]

Despite the huge influx of foreign players in the Premier League it's interesting to see that there are many English players in most people's best 11. Just goes to show how much England underachieved when we had the likes of Terry, Ferdinand, Campbell, Gerrard, Lampard, Scholes, Beckham and Owen to call upon.

Foreign players tend not to spend as long of a time in the league and longevity is considered for this selection.

Cech
Sagna, Vidic, Stam, Evra
Ronaldo - Vieira - Keane - Giggs
Drogba - Henry

I think that team in their prime bests any All English XI. The likes of Hyypia, Pires, Begkamp, Fabregas, David Silva, Van Persie, and Aguero all in contention. England has probably still underachieved, mind.

 

[JimJams]

Well yeah, but any 'best of' side made up of the leagues absolute best will beat any prime All Spanish/German/Italian side and whatnot.

 

[ColB]

Foreign players tend not to spend as long of a time in the league and longevity is considered for this selection.

Cech
Sagna, Vidic, Stam, Evra
Ronaldo - Vieira - Keane - Giggs
Drogba - Henry

I think that team in their prime bests any All English XI. The likes of Hyypia, Pires, Begkamp, Fabregas, David Silva, Van Persie, and Aguero all in contention. England has probably still underachieved, mind.

Seaman
G. Neville - Ferdinand - Terry - A. Cole
Beckham - Scholes - Gerrard - McManaman
Shearer - Owen

Think it would be a hell of a competitive game myself. McManaman is the biggest let down, as good a winger as he was for Liverpool.

 

[thespus]

Well yeah, but any 'best of' side made up of the leagues absolute best will beat any prime All Spanish/German/Italian side and whatnot.

Oh, I agree - I just though the original observation about England's underachievement's based on the presence of English players arbitrarily voted into an English Premier League best XI primarily by Englishmen was odd.

 

[Hurrikeen]

David Seaman

Rio Ferdinand - Tony Adams - Sol Campbell

David Beckham - Paul Scholes - Steven Gerrard - Ashley Cole

Wayne Rooney

Alan Shearer - Michael Owen
​

What a team that would be. The likes of John Terry, Gary Neville, Frank Lampard, Andy Cole, Robbie Fowler et all to call up on.

 

[ColB]

David Seaman

Rio Ferdinand - Tony Adams - Sol Campbell

David Beckham - Paul Scholes - Steven Gerrard - Ashley Cole

Wayne Rooney

Alan Shearer - Michael Owen
​

What a team that would be. The likes of John Terry, Gary Neville, Frank Lampard, Andy Cole, Robbie Fowler et all to call up on.

Not sure about Cole as a left winger though.

Also, it's hard to leave Rooney out but I think Teddy Sheringham would be a better selection in that role.

 

[Mr. Scruff]

United supporter? Thought so.

I hate to use the old this player said such and such so you're wrong routine but even Gerrard (in a recent interview) when questioned who was the best midfielder out of Scholes, Vieira, Lampard and Keane went for Keane as his number 1.

Quite frankly I think the two are inseperable and the 5 players I've mentioned in this post are all there or there abouts and any selection of them can be justified. But this idea thaqt only United fans would choose Keane over Vieira is nonsense at best. Keane was a phenomonal player and was in no way vastly inferior to anyone.

I agree re: Neville, but Cech > Schmiechel is much too close to patronise someone. What did Schmeichel do better than Cech did/does? How is that enough to dismiss someone's opinions without even offering supporting details?

I and those old enough to remember Schmeichel know that the big dane was just a much better shot stopper than Cech. The number of unbelievable saves he made on a seasons basis far out numbered that Cech made. On top of that he was better at distrubuting the ball and better at dealing with crosses. He was just a beast in one on ones too.

Schmeichel was more error prone especially in his last year or two but he was just a level above cech. He would make saves that Cech just wouldn't

You can throw save ratio stats at me but the stats can't compensate for seeing it with your own eyes. Cech played behind a much more defensive side with a meaner defence. Such defences are much more likely to lead to poor chances and easy saves. Who knows what percentage of easy saves Cech's were compared to Schmeichel.

Your obviously entitled to your opinion but I know you're a good few years younger than me and I just dont think you'll remember Schmeichel at his best. All the stats in the world wont tell you what a collosus the man was. All the older lads on here will have him in the team because he was about as intimadating a goalkeeper an opposition striker could face.

 

[JimJams]

I'd agree with that. He closed down players so fast in 1v1s it wasnt the nailed on opportunity it would be against anyone else. Unless you're Davor Suker.

 

[Avatar]

Cech is the best goalkeeper in premier league history, period. I hate Chelsea, but Even I have to admit Drogba won the champions league on his own and was the reason Chelsea won the league with record points. He had much better technique than shearer, far better with his back to goal and is far more compete. Shearer played in an era of long ball football where the gulf between clubs was Massive. And as for Neville, he was the best English fullback of his generation, but he played behind an orthodox box to box winger (like David beckham) in a 4-4-2, he was not the modern fullback that we come to expect. Looking back with rose tinted spectacles a bit mate. Neville scored 4 goals in 12 years. Imagine a top class fullback who couldn't attack or give width and couldn't provide a goal threat as the best ever player!

Cech played under a fair few attacking managers between mourinhos stints and he was just as good. Unbeatable at times and for me the best keeper the Prem has ever seen. Funny you say Cech isn't as good because Chelsea were more defensive, but schmeichel wasn't tested week-in and week out in the prem like cech was. How often did we see him tested against top class opposition?

 

[Mr. Scruff]

If the prem was so uncompetetive back then why did the league winners usually win it with less points than in modern times? Not sure how Schmeichel wasn't tested week in week out, the gap betweeen top and bottom has got wider if anything.

If I'm looking back with rose tinted specs you‘re just not looking back (or I'd wager not remembering) at all. I'm not sure how Gary Neviile provided no attacking threat. He's probably the best crosser of a ball in premier league history as a full back. He certainly isn;t a ball carrier or dribbler as many modern full backs are but then neither was Ashley Cole and you aren't objecting to him.

If anyone is looking back with rose tinted' it's you and Cech. Lets not forget he wasn't all that for a few years post head injury. Really he's never got back to his best which is why replacing him with courtois has never looked the wrong decision. I don't know where to draw the line exaclty but he wasn't just as good throughout his whole Chelsea career at all and looked a shadow of his former self at one point.

Schmeichel played regulary in the Champions league at a time when quality was more evenly spread across Europe. He also played regulary at European and world Cups for a good Danish side. To say he wasn't tested at the top level is laughable.

 

[Stagat]

Neville scored 4 goals in 12 years.

This is a great point. Schmeichel scored more than Cech too.

 

[ColB]

I hate to use the old this player said such and such so you're wrong routine but even Gerrard (in a recent interview) when questioned who was the best midfielder out of Scholes, Vieira, Lampard and Keane went for Keane as his number 1.

Quite frankly I think the two are inseperable and the 5 players I've mentioned in this post are all there or there abouts and any selection of them can be justified. But this idea thaqt only United fans would choose Keane over Vieira is nonsense at best. Keane was a phenomonal player and was in no way vastly inferior to anyone.

He was for me. I'm by no means saying that Keane wasn't a very good player, a great leader and a United legend, because he was all of those, but in terms of natural ability Patrick had far more.

 

[johnnytodd]

as predicted load of shit

 

[G.B]

If the prem was so uncompetetive back then why did the league winners usually win it with less points than in modern times? Not sure how Schmeichel wasn't tested week in week out, the gap betweeen top and bottom has got wider if anything.

If I'm looking back with rose tinted specs you‘re just not looking back (or I'd wager not remembering) at all. I'm not sure how Gary Neviile provided no attacking threat. He's probably the best crosser of a ball in premier league history as a full back. He certainly isn;t a ball carrier or dribbler as many modern full backs are but then neither was Ashley Cole and you aren't objecting to him. Cole also has 4 career goals.

If anyone is looking back with rose tinted' it's you and Cech. Lets not forget he wasn't all that for a few years post head injury. Really he's never got back to his best which is why replacing him with courtois has never looked the wrong decision. I don't know where to draw the line exaclty but he wasn't just as good throughout his whole Chelsea career at all and looked a shadow of his former self at one point.

Schmeichel played regulary in the Champions league at a time when quality was more evenly spread across Europe. He also played regulary at European and world Cups for a good Danish side. To say he wasn't tested at the top level is laughable.

All well and good producing a genuine argument mate, but the lad said "period", so he wins the debate by default obviously.

 

[Avatar]

not having Peter Schmeichel over Cech. Also, Zabaleta deserves to be in there ahead of Neville. Drogba ahead of Shearer every day of the week.

This is a great point. Schmeichel scored more than Cech too.

the best fullback EVER to play in the premier league should be a danger going forward, no?

 

[G.B]

Of course, a defenders primary role is to score the goals. That's why PL all time top scoring fullback David Unsworth is universally recognised as one of the greatest players ever produced by an Englsh club.

Also a respectful nod of the head to number 5 on the list of goal scoring fullbacks, Julian Dicks. What a fucking player he was, soaring down the wing like a prime Cafu. Utterly majestic in his day.

Ashley Cole was a shitcunt though. 17 goals in 500 odd games. No wonder wor Cheryl left him.

 

[G-Dragon]

Just cuz Cech joined Arsenal he is suddenly the best ever in premier league...smh arsenal fans. Was a great keeper but not the best ever that played.

 

[Stagat]

the best fullback EVER to play in the premier league should be a danger going forward, no?

By a danger going forward, do you mean purely scoring goals? As Scruff already pointed out, Neville was a danger going forward. Width, overlaps, crosses etc. Of course a few more goals to his name would have made him even better. Goes without saying. I'm never going to mark him down for his lack of goals though. But I'm not going to try convincing you that you shouldn't, if that's how you really feel.

I will say though that Zabaleta, your pick, has only scored on average one league goal a season himself. I bet City would really miss those if they'd had Neville instead.

For clarity, I watched a lot more Premier League in Neville's day than I do now, so I can't argue if you reckon Zabaleta deserves the nod here. I simply haven't seen enough of him (or if I have, been in a mood to care enough) to compare him fairly with Neville.

Would you say you saw enough of Neville, in his prime and at the time, not on highlight packages now, to compare him fairly with Zabaleta though? Genuine question.

I'm more than happy to agree to disagree on this tbh mate. Better than going round in circles.

 

[Avatar]

By a danger going forward, do you mean purely scoring goals? As Scruff already pointed out, Neville was a danger going forward. Width, overlaps, crosses etc. Of course a few more goals to his name would have made him even better. Goes without saying. I'm never going to mark him down for his lack of goals though. But I'm not going to try convincing you that you shouldn't, if that's how you really feel.

I will say though that Zabaleta, your pick, has only scored on average one league goal a season himself. I bet City would really miss those if they'd had Neville instead.

For clarity, I watched a lot more Premier League in Neville's day than I do now, so I can't argue if you reckon Zabaleta deserves the nod here. I simply haven't seen enough of him (or if I have, been in a mood to care enough) to compare him fairly with Neville.

Would you say you saw enough of Neville, in his prime and at the time, not on highlight packages now, to compare him fairly with Zabaleta though? Genuine question.

I'm more than happy to agree to disagree on this tbh mate. Better than going round in circles.

Fair play. TBH, I realized that I hated Gary Neville with a passion when he was a player, and now love the guy.