Premiership Best and Worse XI

by **VDT** Tue 19 Mar 2013, 7:46 am

England Best and Worst XI seemed to spark some good debate, so here is the Premiership Best and Worst XI - Best taken from BBC.com - Worst taken from TOTALFOOTBALL.com

Best XI
GK: Schmeichel
RB: Neville
CB: Terry
CB: Adams
LB: Cole
RW: Ronaldo
CM: Keane
CM: Gerrard
LW: Giggs
CF: Henry
CF: Shearer

Worst XI
GK: Massimo Taibi
RB: Pascal Cygan
CB: Titus Bramble
CB: Jean Alain Boumsong
LB: Frank Sinclair
RW: Luke Chadwick
CM: Eric Djemba-Djemba
CM: Alberto Aquilani
LW: Bruno Cheyru
CF: Ali Dia
CF: Ade Akinbyi

by CFCNick Tue 19 Mar 2013, 8:30 am

Gerrard being there is a joke. He was only great for 4 seasons and the only reason he still looks good is because he's at Loserpool.

I'm gonna copy and paste from the comparisons thread.

Don't let Chelsea's success deny Lampard's quality, I honestly think without Lampard's contribution we wouldn't of won maybe a third of the trophies we've won under Roman's reign. He's scored 13 or more goals in all competitions for the last TEN seasons including a run of 19 in 04-05, 20 in 05-06, 21 in 06-07, 20 in 07-08 & 08-09, and 27 in 09-10, that's 117 goals in 6 seasons. He also has 89 assists in that time too.

by **VDT** Tue 19 Mar 2013, 9:10 am

Agreed - either Lampard, Scholes or Vieria in place of Gerrard. Got a feeling Gerrard is only there because the team is a bit Man Utd heavy!

Maybe Desailly in CB!

by GSC Tue 19 Mar 2013, 9:42 am

Gerrard there on merit for me

by sodhat Tue 19 Mar 2013, 9:47 am

Gerrard would get in the conversation for a place in my best XI too, no question. Same with Lampard, Scholes, Vieira, Keane et al.

The bigger exercise will be to do a best XI without Arsenal, United, Chelsea or Liverpool players...a best of the rest perhaps.

by CFCNick Tue 19 Mar 2013, 10:09 am

sodhat wrote:Gerrard would get in the conversation for a place in my best XI too, no question. Same with Lampard, Scholes, Vieira, Keane et al.

The bigger exercise will be to do a best XI without Arsenal, United, Chelsea or Liverpool players...a best of the rest perhaps.

That's a good idea but it would be unfair to players like Zola.

by sodhat Tue 19 Mar 2013, 11:52 am

Yeah, maybe just no United or Arsenal players, because they seem to be the spine of the side really.

by Nakatomi Plaza Tue 19 Mar 2013, 2:42 pm

The best side is in line with what I'd pick. I might find room for Scholes in place of Gerrard though.

Slightly amusing that the worst side only contains two players who has suffered a relegation. Surely members of the Swindon 93/94 team, Howard Wilkinson's Sunderland side, or Derby County 07/08 side should have been included.

by NickisBHAFC Tue 19 Mar 2013, 6:07 pm

Best

GK Schmeichel
RB Gary Neville
LB Ashley Cole
CB Sol Campbell
CB Rio Ferdinand
RM David Beckham
LM Ryan Giggs
CM Frank Lampard
CM Steven Gerrard
ST Eric Cantona
ST Cristiano Ronaldo

by **VDT** Wed 20 Mar 2013, 7:10 am

Spanish Dave wrote:Best

GK Schmeichel
RB Gary Neville
LB Ashley Cole
CB Sol Campbell
CB Rio Ferdinand
RM David Beckham
LM Ryan Giggs
CM Frank Lampard
CM Steven Gerrard
ST Eric Cantona
ST Cristiano Ronaldo

How about:
GK Schmeichel
RB Gary Neville
LB Dennis Irwin
CB Steve Bruce
CB Rio Ferdinand
RM David Beckham
LM Ryan Giggs
CM Roy Keane
CM Paul Scholes
ST Eric Cantona
ST Cristiano Ronaldo

Lol thumbsup

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Wed 20 Mar 2013, 8:12 am

I'd have Viera over Keane everyday of the week

Other than that not many complaints

by Stella Wed 20 Mar 2013, 8:42 am

Best:

Schmeichel

Neville
Campbell
Ferdinand
Cole

Keane
Gerrrard
Scholes

Ronaldo
Shearer
Henry

Subs:

Seaman
Terry
Lampard
Viera
Bergkamp

by Stella Wed 20 Mar 2013, 9:00 am

Almost impossible to name the worst XI.

Whenever I watch old matches/highlights of games from the 90's, there are players who I've never even heard of.

by **VDT** Wed 20 Mar 2013, 9:28 am

Nakatomi Plaza wrote:The best side is in line with what I'd pick. I might find room for Scholes in place of Gerrard though.

Slightly amusing that the worst side only contains two players who has suffered a relegation. Surely members of the Swindon 93/94 team, Howard Wilkinson's Sunderland side, or Derby County 07/08 side should have been included.

Guessing the worst is mostly made up of players that cost a lot of money but didn't live up to the hype!!! Rather than they're skill as footballers!!!

by spencerclarke Wed 20 Mar 2013, 9:41 am

I cant really see how you can leave out cantona. The likes of him zola, bergkamp, ginola even would make a mockery of teams now with tackling going out of the game (well apart from gbh cos thats still allowed apparently!)

by spencerclarke Wed 20 Mar 2013, 9:44 am

Id have michael brown on the worst list because anyone that tackles the way he has over his career can not really be called a footballer.

by spencerclarke Wed 20 Mar 2013, 9:56 am

Frank sinclair is a tad harsh. How about brolin, silenzi, jeffers, marlet, bebe for starters

by Stella Wed 20 Mar 2013, 10:05 am

spencerclarke wrote:I cant really see how you can leave out cantona. The likes of him zola, bergkamp, ginola even would make a mockery of teams now with tackling going out of the game (well apart from gbh cos thats still allowed apparently!)

Cantona has lots of competition. He was a fine player, and Utd won a lot when he was there, but imo, Bergkamp and Zola were better..............just.

by Soldier_Of_Fortune Wed 20 Mar 2013, 10:09 am

My Best XI
GK: Peter Schmeichel
RB: Garold Neville
CB: Sami Hyypia
CB: Rio Ferdinand
LB: Cashley Cole
RW: Ronaldo
CM: Patrick Viera
CM: Steven Gerrard
LW: Ryan Giggs
SS: Dennis Bergkamp
CF: Thierry Henry

Worst XI
GK: Lionel Perez
RB: Winston Bogarde
CB: Titus Bramble
CB: Igor Stepenov
LB: Andre Santos
RW: Luke Chadwick
CM: Eric Djemba-Djemba
CM: Carlton Palmer
LW: Bernard Diomede
CF: Jason Lee
CF: Stephane Guivarch

by spencerclarke Wed 20 Mar 2013, 11:50 am

I do think that Carlton Palmer gets a little too much stick for his domestic career as I feel there are much worse players about now. A fair few teams lower down the league would probably take him on. However I do like what Dave jones had to say about him in his time at Southampton "He covers every blade of grass out there, but that's only because his first touch is so crap".

by Nakatomi Plaza Wed 20 Mar 2013, 12:04 pm

My worst XI

GK - Fraser Digby
RB - Vladimir Kinder
CB - Valerien Ismael
CB - Roque Junior
LB - Francis Benali
RM - David Bellion
CM - Dan Smith
CM - Salif Diao
LM - Tomas Brolin
CF - Trevor Benjamin
CF - Ali Dia

by Stella Wed 20 Mar 2013, 12:06 pm

Palmer did play for England, so couldn't have been that bad.

by Soldier_Of_Fortune Wed 20 Mar 2013, 12:35 pm

Palmer is probably the worst player to play for England aswell. He just had terrible technique. His second touch was a tackle most of the time.

Nakatomi Plaza wrote:My worst XI

GK - Fraser Digby
RB - Vladimir Kinder
CB - Valerien Ismael
CB - Roque Junior
LB - Francis Benali
RM - David Bellion
CM - Dan Smith
CM - Salif Diao
LM - Tomas Brolin
CF - Trevor Benjamin
CF - Ali Dia

Nice team. Valerien Ismael actually had quite a succesful career after he left Palace, ended up laying for Bayern at one point.

Left back was wrecking my head for ages and Benali slipped my mind. But he was a ever present for Southampton and Santos was just woeful!

I didnt want to include Ali Dia in my team as he only played around 20mins of premier league football Laugh

I know he was probs the worst player ever to grace the prem but I was looking for players that actually got a game and where still woeful.

Funny story on Roque Junior when was playing against Everton and Ferguson taurmented the lad all game and even said to him at one point "how the f**K did you ever win the World Cup", which had Rooney Wee weeing himself.

by Gregers Wed 20 Mar 2013, 12:50 pm

GK - Cech
CB - Adams
CB - Vidic
CB - Terry
DCM - Makelele
RW - Ronaldo
CM - Lampard
LW - Giggs
CAM - Zola
CF - Henry
CF - Bergkamp

Would be my best, reluctantly leaving Cashley out as not playing a left back. Alternatively him over Giggs

by Stella Wed 20 Mar 2013, 12:57 pm

I would have Pires over Giggs. Possibly only showed his best for a couple of years, but he was sublime.

by dummy_half Thu 21 Mar 2013, 2:33 pm

Gregers wrote:GK - Cech Not a chance - Schmeichel was way better and more consistent, and I'd make a case for Dave Seaman as well.

CB - Adams
CB - Vidic
CB - Terry Again, not even close for me, although I'd be picking four at the back with Neville and Cole as FBs

DCM - Makelele A rather forgotten man, but the epitome of someone who just got on with his job and did it tremendously effectively. One of those guys that makes the rest of the team play better
RW - Ronaldo
CM - Lampard
LW - Giggs
CAM - Zola
CF - Henry
CF - Bergkamp Not sure you need (or could have) DB and Zola in the same side. Drop 1 + Terry and pick two FBs - as for which one to drop, that's almost just a matter of personal taste as both were fantastic technicians but Zola was probably for me the more skilled and Bergkamp slightly more physical.

by **Dolphin Ziggler** Thu 21 Mar 2013, 9:59 pm

Its pretty hard not to pick a United team, but they have been dominant.

Schmeichel

Neville
Stam
Rio
Cole

Ronaldo
Keane
Scholes
Giggs

Henry
Van Nistlerooy

Honorable mentions for Irwin, Sheringham, Makelele who all could make this team without being in anyway glamorous

by GSC Thu 21 Mar 2013, 10:34 pm

Everyones entitled to their opinion but if Henry doesn't make your best XI its wrong.

by CFCNick Thu 21 Mar 2013, 10:53 pm

spencerclarke wrote:Frank sinclair is a tad harsh. How about brolin, silenzi, jeffers, marlet, bebe for starters

I'd give Jeffers a vote. He's not even a good player in League 2. Had virtually an open at Northampton the other week and hit it straight at Nicholls. http://www1.skysports.com/footballleague/league-two/video/8555094/Northampton-2-0-Accrington

by Il Gialloblu Fri 22 Mar 2013, 10:47 am

Agree that picking 'worst' players is tough because nobody remembers the very worst. Like William Prunier for one! Ha! But seriously, there must be even worse than him that nobody remembers. And what is 'worst' anyway? Being a disappointment? Just being rubbish? Not even getting off the bench?

No way can it be quantified in the same way 'best' can.

Speaking of which. In my view, overall influence has to play as much a part as individual records. In a nutshell, Cantona would be one of the strikers in my XI.

Henry and Shearer would compete to partner Eric.

Bergkamp, van Nistelrooy, Zola. All behind the aforementioned triumvirate. And Ronaldo would be in my midfield. With Scholes over Gerrard too.

by Il Gialloblu Fri 22 Mar 2013, 10:49 am

Stella wrote:I would have Pires over Giggs. Possibly only showed his best for a couple of years, but he was sublime.

Again, depends on your criteria, but I'd have him under Giggs for that reason.

by TopHat24/7 Fri 22 Mar 2013, 5:42 pm

Scholes ahead of Gerrard 100%. Wouldn't argue with the Best XI otherwise.

Re worst XI, as bad as Bramble and Chadwick were I cannot believe they were genuinely the worst in their positions.

Does anyone remember, for example, the guy Re or Wreh (I think) who fraudulently mispresented himself as a nephew of the great George Weah and got signed to Southampton?

Sub'd on in the second half, sub'd off 20 mins later.

Would be tempted to suggested Bakayoko too, in the context of what a game winning legend he was on Championship Manager 97/98 and a disappointment for Everton.

by TopHat24/7 Fri 22 Mar 2013, 5:46 pm

Whoops, turns out it was Ali Dia and everyone already had him!

by Guest Fri 22 Mar 2013, 6:17 pm

GK - Schmeichel

LB - Cole
CB - Adams
CB - Ferdinand
RB - Neville

LM - Pires
CM - Vieira
CM - Gerrard
RM - Ronaldo

ST - Bergkamp
ST - Henry

If any of you guys have the time and the inclination..

https://www.606v2.com/t9535-your-premier-league-dream-25-man-squad

by Guest Fri 22 Mar 2013, 6:47 pm

My best XI

----------------------Schmeichel-------------

--G.Neville-----Kompany-----Adams-------A.Cole---

-----Ronaldo-------Keane------Gerrard------Giggs-------

----------------------Van Nistelrooy----Henry----------------------

WORST XI

----------------------------Taibi------------------

---Josemi----------Cygan------Bogarde------F.Sinclair----

-----Chadwick-------Djema-Djemba---Cheyrou----Brolin-------

------------------------Jeffers----------Benjani----

by The Special Juan Fri 22 Mar 2013, 7:05 pm

I don't think any team can include both Lampard and Gerrard because, if it's a team that has to work together, we all know those two can't really.

I've gone for:

Schmeichel
Neville - Ferdinand - Vidic - Cole
Ronaldo - Scholes - Keane - Giggs
Henry - Van Nistelrooy

Schmeichel gets in because he's probably in the top 3 greatest goalkeepers of all time and the best PL goalie I've seen (except Jaaskelainen Whistle

)

I went for the CB combo of Vidic and Ferdinand because they work exceptionally well together and I can't think of many better partnerships that could rival them except for Terry and Carvalho who were awesome in the mid 00s.

The FB's could both attack but both defend. They might be.... disliked... but I think no one reads the game better than Neville and Cashley, for all his many faults, is a good player.

Ronaldo gets in because he's, in my view, the best player ever to play in the PL. You can mention your Zola's, Cantona's, Di Canio's etc but none were really close to Ronaldo and he's since gone on to become the 2nd best player in the world.

Giggs gets in because, although he might not be the greatest ever player (but is still pretty darn good!!), his longevity and consistency are worthy of a place in the team.

Scholes and Keane get in because, like Vidic and Ferdinand, they are/were a partnership which worked well. Scholes is the best passer of the ball I've ever seen and Keane has that steel in midfield and the leadership on the park.

Henry and Van Nistelrooy get in because of their differing qualities. Henry was an absolutely phenomenal striker who could make goals out of nothing at all and was an absolute genius in his pomp. Arsenal selling him to Barca just after he'd peaked was a great piece of business. Van Nistelrooy might not have had those qualities but he is/was one of the best finishers I have ever seen and is my favourite ever player.

by JamesLincs Fri 22 Mar 2013, 7:37 pm

some of these pick themselves

anyone who chooses gerrard over scholes is not only an idiot but a biased liverpool fan.

schmeichel
ashely cole
scholes
giggs
henry
shearer

id also add bergkamp, vieira, rio ferdinand, g neville and tony adams. i first started watching football in 1995

those unlucky not to be included. zola, vidic, ronaldo, pires, cantona, beckham, seaman, ian wright, gerrard, lampard, andy cole, vinnie jones and neil ruddock.

the list is endless

van nistelrooy, im just wondering, had anyone ever nicknamed him van pistolrooy?

by JamesLincs Fri 22 Mar 2013, 7:47 pm

also, im sorry. but ronaldo (or tronaldo as i accidently spelled it before editing it, not a bad nickname either) although world class, so overrated, and his time in the prem was no way near as good as henry's

by Stella Fri 22 Mar 2013, 7:48 pm

Ronaldo has to be in the team......well imo.

by Stella Fri 22 Mar 2013, 7:49 pm

As above

by Guest Fri 22 Mar 2013, 7:50 pm

Neil Ruddock?

by JamesLincs Fri 22 Mar 2013, 7:51 pm

how on earth did arsenal not manage to win a european cup?

by TopHat24/7 Fri 22 Mar 2013, 9:33 pm

because their cheating German goalkeeper threw it all away for them??

by **Crimey** Sun 24 Mar 2013, 12:37 pm

Arsenal selling him to Barca just after he'd peaked was a great piece of business.

I'm not sure it was, well done for selling him then, but I believe they received a world record bid the year before and rejected it, only to sell him for £16 million the next year.

by The Special Juan Sun 24 Mar 2013, 1:07 pm

Crimey wrote:
Arsenal selling him to Barca just after he'd peaked was a great piece of business.

I'm not sure it was, well done for selling him then, but I believe they received a world record bid the year before and rejected it, only to sell him for £16 million the next year.

I didn't know that (I just looked it up, they were offered £50m but refused). £16m wasn't bad for a player who had peaked and had an injury hit season, plus it's easy to say in hindsight that Arsenal should have accepted £xm.

by **Crimey** Sun 24 Mar 2013, 1:17 pm

The Special Juan wrote:
Crimey wrote:
Arsenal selling him to Barca just after he'd peaked was a great piece of business.

I'm not sure it was, well done for selling him then, but I believe they received a world record bid the year before and rejected it, only to sell him for £16 million the next year.

I didn't know that (I just looked it up, they were offered £50m but refused). £16m wasn't bad for a player who had peaked and had an injury hit season, plus it's easy to say in hindsight that Arsenal should have accepted £xm.

I agree that if they had waited any longer it'd have been bad business, but I think most felt they should have accepted the £50m, which was a crazy amount for a player who by all accounts had already peaked.

by **Dolphin Ziggler** Sun 24 Mar 2013, 4:58 pm

Vinnie Jones and Neil Ruddock?

by Guest Sun 24 Mar 2013, 5:30 pm

chris.wilkerson13 wrote:Vinnie Jones and Neil Ruddock?

To think that Ruddock won and England cap and Steve Bruce never. Shocking really.

by The Special Juan Tue 26 Mar 2013, 6:58 pm

Savic has to be in any "worst" team. He was rank Laugh

by westisbest Sat 30 Mar 2013, 8:21 am

Being a bit biased, but I would have McGrath in the best team.

Yes I know he was on the way out, but even so think he was one of the best centre backs to grace the prem.

If we're talking worst in reguards amout payed, then Bosko Balaban may be a contender for the worst team

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