Varane is the best CB in the world and there is nothing you can say it about it

danyjr wrote:But you can't deny the fact that he relies heavily on his physical god given talent that are pace and strength.

like 99% center backs lol. Like being tall sturdy and strong isn't the bread and butter of centerbacks in Europe lol

I agree, but my preference is intelligent and skilful defenders, as I value those aspects more than the physicality. Maldini didn't have much of a pace but he read the game so well that he was still playing close to top level at 41.

Watching Arsenal at Emirates in my teenage years, I remember Clichy quite well as the epitome of a guy with no sense of positional awareness but with so much pace he could recover and be an acceptable defender. Without that pace he would have been selling fake Chanel bags at the old port of Marseille or at best serving lukewarm croissants at a Parisian patisserie.

"Maldini did not have much pace" revisionist historian strike again.

Elite defenders who was pace or physical presence are very few

Mr Nick09 wrote:"Maldini did not have much pace" revisionist historian strike again.

Elite defenders who was pace or physical presence are very few

Who said that lol? He was fast as hell lol, hell he was more of a LB because of this.

Just read it lol, the only time Maldini wasn't fast was when he was 35+ as is the case for any footballer who has ever existed.

It's your fellow barca fan Danyjr who somehow remembers watching Clichy but does not remember how quick Maldini was lol

Mr Nick09 wrote:It's your fellow barca fan Danyjr who somehow remembers watching Clichy but does not remember how quick Maldini was lol

Is he a Barca fan? I was under the impression he's more of a Boca fan who watches Spanish football.

He's very critical of both Barca and Madrid to give off a feeling of fandom to know, he can correct me if he likes though.

I was probably 3 when Maldini had pace. From when I remember he was pretty slow. Not Mertesacker slow, but still slow.

Also Madrid fans thinking I'm a Barcelona fan cause I criticise their fraudster club occasionally. Same reason probably why they think you're a Barça fan @Great Leader Sprucenuce

I assumed you were a Barca fan as well, to be honest. I don't even know why. Think I've seen you post more in the Barca section than anywhere else.

danyjr wrote:I was probably 3 when Maldini had pace. From when I remember he was pretty slow. Not Mertesacker slow, but still slow.

Also Madrid fans thinking I'm a Barcelona fan cause I criticise their fraudster club occasionally. Same reason probably why they think you're a Barça fan @Great Leader Sprucenuce

danyjr wrote:I was probably 3 when Maldini had pace. From when I remember he was pretty slow. Not Mertesacker slow, but still slow.

Also Madrid fans thinking I'm a Barcelona fan cause I criticise their fraudster club occasionally. Same reason probably why they think you're a Barça fan @Great Leader Sprucenuce

i thought you were a spurs fan tbh.

Maldini had a lot of pace in his bursts in fact, just seldom had to really use it given he was on the clock in position before the opposition could blow past him. Thats how good he was.

danyjr wrote:I was probably 3 when Maldini had pace. From when I remember he was pretty slow. Not Mertesacker slow, but still slow.

Also Madrid fans thinking I'm a Barcelona fan cause I criticise their fraudster club occasionally. Same reason probably why they think you're a Barça fan @Great Leader Sprucenuce

Tbf to them the reason they did that is because i watched them all the time because i enjoyed watching them pre middle of Pep era.

But i haven't really done that for a long time.

maldini was the best LB that ever lived.

Ashley Cole was a better LB than Maldini. Maldini is still a top 5 CB of all time though

danyjr wrote:
Watching Arsenal at Emirates in my teenage years, I remember Clichy quite well as the epitome of a guy with no sense of positional awareness but with so much pace he could recover and be an acceptable defender. Without that pace he would have been selling fake Chanel bags at the old port of Marseille or at best serving lukewarm croissants at a Parisian patisserie.

Excellent point.

It feels like Varane hasn't improve since that Classico where he had Messi in his pocket in 2012–13(?). People were projecting him to be a WC defender with all the attributes. Should be at Virgil van Dijk level by now, but Varane is a defender unable to read the game Nor properly put a tackle in he will be back in Ligue 1 once Goatmos retires.

RealGunner wrote:Ashley Cole was a better LB than Maldini. Maldini is still a top 5 CB of all time though

lordy lord

Prime Evra > Ashley cole

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Tbf to them the reason they did that is because i watched them all the time because i enjoyed watching them pre middle of Pep era.

Same, and also the fact that I found Barcelona section had some of the most interesting posts by the then-regulars like @The Franchise.

PS: Oh and I watched Madrid as much when they had Higuaín and di María.

Mr Nick09 wrote:Prime Evra > Ashley cole

lordy lordy lordy lord

Mole was a self-admitting Barca fan on the goal.cok forums tbh

Wait Mole isn't a Barça fan?

Arquitescu wrote:Wait Mole isn't a Barça fan?

He's not. But between Barça and Madrid, he surely prefers the former.

Best way of describing it lol.

Mole is the most hardcore neutral from GL. Being a Newcastle fan means being neutral nowadays.

So much so that i struggle to care about anyone

nasir6371 wrote:


Excellent point.

It feels like Varane hasn't improve since that Classico where he had Messi in his pocket in 2012–13(?). People were projecting him to be a WC defender with all the attributes. Should be at Virgil van Dijk level by now, but Varane is a defender unable to read the game Nor properly put a tackle in he will be back in Ligue 1 once Goatmos retires.

What? Do you actually follow Varane outside of the odd CL tie? Serious question because this post tells me you don't. Varane is an elite CB, no two ways about it.