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Best DM ever - past & present

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My_Blood_Bleeds_Red

My_Blood_Bleeds_Red

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Defensive midfielder. Holding midfielder. Water carrier. Sweeper. Deep-lying playmaker. Volante. They are called many names.

They have excellent positional sense, work rate, tackling ability, and anticipation (of player and ball movement). They also possess excellent passing skills and close control to hold the ball in midfield under sustained pressure. Most importantly, defensive midfielders have great stamina as they are normally required to cover the greatest distance during a match. Some especially the deep-lying playmakers possess a good first touch under opposition pressure and have the uncanny ability to play long crossfield passes to attacking players further upfield. (shamelessly copied and edited from Wikipedia).

But that's not the point. The point is - who do you think is the all-time best ?

For me, it's Frank Rijkaard. He may have a hobby of spitting but nobody can deny his enormous presence on a football field. He can tackle, pass, score and dictate play - and he's a winner everywhere he goes. Midfield dynamo. Lynchpin. The likes of Viera could only dream of emulating.
 
I think most of those tags refer to different players that don't all fall into the same category.
 
I think it's Davids or Makelele, isn't it?

I'd take Jan ahead of either but I wouldn't have seen him as a true DM - though I guess he fits a lot of the criteria.
 
WTF?

You named at least 4 totally different positions there. As for the best DM ever that's a tough one for an Irish man. Not.
 
There's a strange pattern emerging of two posters being in perpetual agreement with each other...
 
Dreambeliever said:
WTF?

You named at least 4 totally different positions there. As for the best DM ever that's a tough one for an Irish man. Not.
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Oh really ? How's that so ?

Define a DM then.

In my definition, today's modern DM has morphed from a one-dimensional player whose sole responsibility is to only defend (as the name blatantly suggests) to a multi-faceted, versatile and dynamic player who doesn't only defend and break up play.

Hence, the reason why a lot of teams find a DM a compulsory asset to the team sheet, if you'd have noticed already.

Or does this come across as too radical ? I don't think so.
 
So basically a defensive midfielder has morphed in to a normal midfielder in today's game.

Wow.

Cutting edge.
 
Wizardry said:
I think it's Davids or Makelele, isn't it?

I'd take Jan ahead of either but I wouldn't have seen him as a true DM - though I guess he fits a lot of the criteria.
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He misses out one or two of the key ones though, namely work rate and tackling. Despite his size, the defensive side of his game was light years behind the rest. If someone was foolish enough to kick him he could get mad and use his bulk more, but he wouldn't bother otherwise.

Going by that Wiki definition I've never seen a better DM than Souness.
 
DM is a made up position. They are just central midfielders who can't score many

I get annoyed when players like Masher, Parker et al get an allowance for hardly contributing going forward but provide a so called wall for the centre halves. Bollox they don't need it , all midfield players should attack and defend especially the central ones.

It's a cover for lack of skill. If you cannot assist goals or score 5 at least a year yourself but are great at tackling, be a defender.

DM my arse
 
Judge Jules said:
He misses out one or two of the key ones though, namely work rate and tackling. Despite his size, the defensive side of his game was light years behind the rest. If someone was foolish enough to kick him he could get mad and use his bulk more, but he wouldn't bother otherwise.

Going by that Wiki definition I've never seen a better DM than Souness.
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But Souness scored goals. No DM is allowed to score goals!!!! *All* they do is provide cover for the defence and pass the ball 5 yards to someone better!
 
Masher was so good they moved him to defence as tackling was his best thing

All midfielders should contribute going forward and score. Keane and vierra scored plenty.
 
Fox said:
Masher was so good they moved him to defence as tackling was his best thing
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Barcelona have also played Yaya Toure and Adriano amongst others at CB - it's not really any indication of a player being useless in their natural position.

Either way, the fact that some defensive minded midfielders had the ability to get the odd goal doesn't detract from the fact that players like Makalele (who pretty much everyone agrees that Real Madrid sorely missed when he left) and De Jong (who City have missed) can also be valuable in midfield.
 
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