The centre-back has long been a paradox of a position. If so important, why is so little attention or money spent on it?
A team may win a title without a 20 goal a season striker, it may also challenge for honours without a creative spark in midfield. But you can count on one hand the amount of times a team in England has won the Premier League without an excelllent central defence.
Arsenal’s invincibles had Campbell/Adams, United’s treble winners relied upon Stam/Johnsen, Mourinho’s Chelsea could count on Terry/Carvalho. The list goes on and on.
This is why it is so peculiar that no transfer records have ever been broken on defenders and why player of the year awards are rarely won by the men at the back.
For these reasons, i’m going to attempt to name, in my opinion, my top three central defenders in the world right now and give them some much needed coverage. They deserve it.
3. Gerald Pique- Fergie must regret sending back the Spaniard to Catalonia every single day. The Barcelona man has grown in stature over the past three seasons to become a regular for both the best club and national sides in the world. As comfortable with the ball at his feet as he in the air, Pique has all the grace and ball control of a Maldini together with the strength and sheer passion of a younger John Terry.
2. Vincent Kompany- The best defender in England since his move from Hamburg, Kompany has grown into a leader at City. Now the captain of both club and country at a relatively young age, The Belgium could go onto dominate the centre back position for years to come. The former Anderlecht player is a mountain of a man who has yet to find his match out of all the top forwards he has faced. Like Pique, he is not scared to bring the ball out of defence and you would fancy him in a aerial duel with any player in the world.
1- Thiago Silva- In a league known for it’s defenders, Thiago Silva has been nothing short of extraordinary for AC Milan over the past few years. The Brazilian’s magnificent sense of anticipaton, superb acceleration, excellent positiong and fantastic reading of the game have made him the world’s best defender. With the ageing Alessandro Nesta beside him, he has been forced to do the work of two players on occasions, which he has naturally just taken in his stride. Continually linked with Barcelona and Real Madrid, the 27 year-old has constantly rejected the approaches of the world’s biggest clubs in order to fulfill his dream of becoming the Rossoneri’s first non-Italian captain in the modern era. I’ll leave you with two quotes from the Brazlian’s coach and team-mate, as well as a stat that shows just how much of a powerhouse of a defender Silva is-
“He is arguably the strongest center back in the world. He has demonstrated great things, he is still maturing, and is showing in every game that he’s practically a monster.” Massimiliano Allegri.
“Thiago belongs to the elite group of players who are born maybe once in a century.” Fillipo Inzaghi.
Silva’s 66 Serie A games (as of beginning of the season)
Goals conceded-49
Clean sheets-32
Last 66 games without Silva
Goals conceded-65
Clean sheets-20
@paulhill3
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