Caulker scores on his England debut

[Donki]

Well done to Stephen, he is a fantastic prospect and already a very good player, so proud he came through our Academy.

BTW, Hoddle is definitely our greatest homegrown player, but for injuries King might have come close, but Hod was a footballing genius a creator and an artist.

Ledley, for all his qualities, even if he was mainly injury-free couldn't match Hodd.

The greatest players are always the attackers, the creators the artists, Pele Puskas Cruyff Maradona Messi, etc.

Ahhhem a certain George Best.

 

[Mackay6]

Ahhhem a certain George Best.

Well he was a creator, artist etc, so that just supports my argument.

Best is certainly not up there with the very greatest, Puskas Pele Maradona and now Messi,

but Best was brilliant without doubt.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Well he was a creator, artist etc, so that just supports my argument.

Best is certainly not up there with the very greatest, Puskas Pele Maradona and now Messi,

but Best was brilliant without doubt.

Game of opinions I guess. I know many people who say that for at least a few years George Best was arguably the greatest of all time. I can't comment due to my age, but from what I've seen highlights wise it's difficult to argue with them.

I think it's wrong to say that the greatest players can only be attackers. The most entertaining yes, but that spits in the face of the guys who have been able to stand up to those attackers and keep them quiet. People like Maldini, Beckenbaur, Moore and in my probably biased but attemptedly objective opinion, King.

 

[Mackay6]

Fair enough BBLG, all about opinons I guess.

To me Best is way below the level of the true all-time greats of Puskas Pele and Maradona, and I've added in Messi alongside those three giants, because I've think he's done enough now to show by the end of his career he will be up there right at the very top.

Also for me, the defenders can never match the creators, the artists at the very pinnacle of football, and I think I'm right to say that.

Beckenbauer can be considered as a top artist and creator because of the role he played, and so along with players like Best and Cruyff I'd rank him in the second tier of the greats, but because of Beckenbauer's and Cruyff's far greater achievements in the game I'd rank them well ahead of Best within that tier.

Incidentally I'd rank my man Mackay as way ahead of King, and in club football certainly, ahead of Moore. I actually think he was better than Moore full stop, but because of 1966 and all that, Moore will always get the nod.

Dave, like Franz, could do the both, he could attack as well as defend. Mackay was arguably the most gifted technically player of the double side as well as undoubtedly the most ferocious.

To me Mackay was our greatest-ever player, but alas because he played for Scotland and in only one European Cup campaign, he'll never get the international recognition he deserves.

 

[Donki]

Game of opinions I guess. I know many people who say that for at least a few years George Best was arguably the greatest of all time. I can't comment due to my age, but from what I've seen highlights wise it's difficult to argue with them.

I think it's wrong to say that the greatest players can only be attackers. The most entertaining yes, but that spits in the face of the guys who have been able to stand up to those attackers and keep them quiet. People like Maldini, Beckenbaur, Moore and in my probably biased but attemptedly objective opinion, King.

There is the problem, the drink even from an early age had the hold of him and obviously the footballer lifestyle at that time didn't help him. To do what he done on the football pitch when most of the time "half lit" was astounding, the sad thing is we will never know how much better he could of been.

Pele himself called Best "the greatest footballer in the world".

 

[chinaman]

IMO he looks better than Ledly did at the same age, certainly less error prone. Obviously Ledders developed into the beast he was and we all lived happily ever after, apart from his knees, so I have high hopes for Caulker.

Right now there is only 1 area where he is inferior to Ledley, and sadly it is an area where I don't think he'll catch up to Ledley. It is pace. He is at least 2 steps slower.

 

[Donki]

Right now there is only 1 area where he is inferior to Ledley, and sadly it is an area where I don't think he'll catch up to Ledley. It is pace. He is at least 2 steps slower.

True, lets hope he can do a Woodgate and develop his reading of the game and his positional awareness so his pace is less of an issue.

 

[JimmyG2]

Right now there is only 1 area where he is inferior to Ledley, and sadly it is an area where I don't think he'll catch up to Ledley. It is pace. He is at least 2 steps slower.

Caulker should settle this matter straight away
by challenging Ledders to a race over, say the width of a football pitch
I know who my money is on.
Slower than King indeed.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Right now there is only 1 area where he is inferior to Ledley, and sadly it is an area where I don't think he'll catch up to Ledley. It is pace. He is at least 2 steps slower.

I'm sorry but only pace? I actually think pace wise, as he showed v Torres, Caulker is just fine, even if not Ledley. But how can you say that that's the only area where he's inferior to Ledley? Ledley in his pomp was playing cross field passes with pin point accuracy, he was playing through balls with vision none of our current midfielders, he was dribbling either down the wings or through the middle past several players in one go and he had the best first touch I've ever seen on a defender. Caulker is a competent distributor of the ball, he is confident in possession and he is fairly clever, but he's no King in that respect. Also, King never made tackles because he was positioned perfectly at all times. Caulker also never makes tackles, but there's been several occasions (see Man Cities first goal) where this has been a poor decision.

Caulker has one stand out quality that I'd agree is on a King like level, he reads things beautifully so he cuts out so many through balls and crosses. But to say he is only inferior to Ledley in one area is ridiculous.

 

[lillywhites61]

Very good debut, I really rate this lad, he looks like he will be mustard! I think we have a future star on our hands

 

[ravo]

Caulker should settle this matter straight away
by challenging Ledders to a race over, say the width of a football pitch
I know who my money is on.
Slower than King indeed.

Not saying I know who's faster, but remember this?



That is pace.

 

[Hot-Spur]

 

[Mackay6]

There is the problem, the drink even from an early age had the hold of him and obviously the footballer lifestyle at that time didn't help him. To do what he done on the football pitch when most of the time "half lit" was astounding, the sad thing is we will never know how much better he could of been.

Pele himself called Best "the greatest footballer in the world".

Pele says all sorts of things, I don't believe for one moment that he thinks Best was better than him.

Anyway Best clearly wasn't, there's a huge gulf between Pele and Best, Best isn't even close.

 

[Wick3d]

Not saying I know who's faster, but remember this?



That is pace.

Sad to think about what happens right after.

 

[ravo]

Sad to think about what happens right after.

We win the game?

 

[sim0n]

my only concern is that it seems whenever he scores,.... his team loses the match... let's see that change

 

[hughy]

my only concern is that it seems whenever he scores,.... his team loses the match... let's see that change

Like against Villa?



I really think he could be an 8-10 goals a season CB if he could fix down a regular position. It's been a while since we had a regular goal-scoring CB, and now it looks like we have 2 with Caulker and Vertonghen. Even Kaboul will chip in with a few hopefully.

 

[sim0n]

Like against Villa?



I really think he could be an 8-10 goals a season CB if he could fix down a regular position. It's been a while since we had a regular goal-scoring CB, and now it looks like we have 2 with Caulker and Vertonghen. Even Kaboul will chip in with a few hopefully.

fair enough,... so what about this?

considering the form walker is showing at RD and verts slowing down a bit at LD, maybe Spurs would field a back 4 of kaboul RD, caulker CD, verts CD, and BAE LD?... when kaboul and BAE come back of course,...

 

[Donki]

Pele says all sorts of things, I don't believe for one moment that he thinks Best was better than him.

Anyway Best clearly wasn't, there's a huge gulf between Pele and Best, Best isn't even close.

I simply dont agree . I have never EVER seen a guy look so comfortable on the ball as best did, Ginola was close but fuk me Best could move with the ball at his feet. Good to discuss thou, your wrong so a debate is erelevant.

I dont believe he means it ether but he said it .

 

[Mackay6]

I simply dont agree . I have never EVER seen a guy look so comfortable on the ball as best did, Ginola was close but fuk me Best could move with the ball at his feet. Good to discuss thou, your wrong so a debate is erelevant.

I dont believe he means it ether but he said it .

Fair play mate, but Best is not only not on the same page as Pele, he isn't even in the same chapter

Pele Maradona Messi Cruyff Di Stefano Puskas are so so far ahead it's embarrassing for anyone thinking Best is at their level

In fact Ronaldo is way in front of Best, that's how sad it is for for anyone who thinks Best is close to pinnacle of world football

I could name twenty better than Best without even breaking sweat

the other Ronaldo, Jair, Charlton, I could go on and on, easy, it's not even close

Bill Shankly rated Tom Finney better than Best, and I don't blame him

Best did a few good years, but to compare him with the immortals of football is, frankly hilarious