SEE YOU! A brand spanking new modern fitba thread 2021/22

Yeah they're a mess. Not sure who they can get in as a replacement and they've been so poor this season.

 

Maradona is undoubtedly the best dribbler ever. Johan Cruyff would be a good contender for second best, I think? Albeit he had an ability to just glide by guys in such an effortless way that it didnt always read as being as eye catchingly skillful as some other guys

 

I dunno, that highlights video X posted last week showing Pele's dribbling skills was pretty nuts I have to say.

 

Wasn't Pele also dribbling like that on pitches that were pretty shitty too? That's astounding.

I don't think there's much separation between Pele/Maradona/Messi in dribbling. All three incredible at controlling the ball - like its glued to their feet.

One observation - it seems Pele was the most explosive athlete of the three. Like he had greater acceleration than they had.

I think Best was on par with them in dribbling. There was one clip where Best splits three defenders that was just sick!

 

Ever pondered an alternate dimension where Johan Cruyff is born as a fenian pisshead with zero discipline?

 

He does look Cruyff-lite.

 

Yep both Pele and Maradona (Pele more so) played in eras with some horrendous pitches. Messi came through in an era where the majority of pitches are like carpets, barring the odd cup match where he would have played a team a few divisions down.

Yeah I'd agree for dribbling ability Best is right up there with anyone, I think any kid learning to play the game should study his feints, it was just so natural and graceful and would catch out the best defenders of any era.

 

None of the three ever got it done on a cold rainy night in Stoke.

 

Stoke are shit.

 

I'd pay to see one of those teams travel to Stoke on one of these cold wet Tuesdays and BATTER Stoke.

Just to put all the shit to rest.

Stoke and their Tuesdsays are the Ronda Rousey of soccer.

A figment of an overactive imagination and BS public relations.

 

Jadon Sancho looks good AF from his highlights. How's he been playing?

 

He's not been great since his move to Man Utd when he's had a chance to play. To be fair to him the whole team has been underperforming massively, some really talented individuals but a shit manager who can't get them to play well.

 

Very odd vibe around town...as youd expect i guess. Pretty much everyone has gone back to wfh so the place is eerily dead apart from 20,000 cops and the odd foreign journalist with a travel bag. Oh and a different protest in george square each day, none of which seem to have anything to do with COP26...the sikh's were protesting some Indian farming law then the iranians were protesting the jailing of some journalist and so on. Im guessing most the spillover/ action is in finnieston so I'll take a walk after work and get myself a whisky at ben nevis, see if there are any amazonian tribesmen to chat to.

 

Quality, that.

MTF

 

Why didn't McCourt live up to his potential?

 

Basically lazy (on and off the field) and liked a drink too much. But he'll always be a bit of a cult idol

 

Watching clips of another legend... Bobby Charlton.

Jesus that MF could play! Looked like an English Maradona at times.

 

Probably the greatest English player of all time.

MTF

 

Charlton was a badass, two-footed and he could really hit that ball with some power.

 

Yes, the clips back that.

 

Not bad for a guy who looked 74 years old

 

I was fooled, and it was definitely his appearance that fooled me. I was expecting to see a guy who played like an old man.

Instead, I come to see that the guy looked like a white Maradona out there.

 

There was an even older fella called Stanley Matthews who is in the same bracket. The 'Wizard of Dribble', he was called. He is the other player likely to crop up in the same conversation.

I'm genuinely not sure who else might have an argument as the best English player ever. Some would say Bobby Moore - a rare circumstance where a defender is considered. You'll also see probably Gordon Banks - one of the best goalies of all time - in the conversation. Can't think of anyone else.

MTF

 

Jimmy Greaves?

 

Greaves was an absolute beast. Shearer is maybe the best pure striker I've seen in my lifetime, his Premier League goalscoring record is close to untouchable, and then you realise Greaves is like 100+ goals ahead of Shearer's total. Mental.

 

Arguably England's greatest goalscorer. Very arguably so. I draw distinctions between great goalscorers and great players. C. Ronaldo is the best example of this IMO. He is arguably the greatest goalscorer in history, and that puts him near the top of the greatest players list, but he is not the greatest player IMO, or even close to it.

Similar with Greaves. Fantastic goalscorer, probably the best English version ever, and arguably a top-10 English player ever, but not in consideration for #1 IMO.

MTF

 

Overall, from researching and watching clips, it really does seem Pele was the best. Greatest? Yeah I guess there's a strong case for Maradona and Messi over him. But it just seems like Pele was the most gifted guy to ever step on the pitch. The Ray Robinson of football.

 

I honestly think that the little cheating fat cunt was more gifted and that he proved it at a higher level. Pele spent most of his career playing in Brazil for Santos, which even then was a poorer relation (albeit less so then than now) for the better quality leagues in Europe.

It's a subjective decision, ultimately. They are #1 & #2 and there is very little between them IMO.

MTF

 

Yeah, the little cokehead sure was gifted as fuck.

 

More amateur hour stuff at NUFC, as they publicly embarrass themselves in their search to find a new manager. The signs aren't exactly great so far. These goons appear to have limitless money but absolutely no acumen whatsoever.

MTF