Would Duffer play left wing in the best....

[gally]

made up team of current european players....

If so, any other Irish nominations, Shay perhaps......

[Colbert Report]

duff would definately be on the pitch, roy on the bench

[Plastic Paddy]

Take the green-tinted glasses off, lads. The most Duff could hope for would be a place in the squad for a best-of-Europe team. Shay likewise. As for "Roy" (and I presume you meane Keane and not Carroll :p ), kitman maybe? :rolleyes:

:ball: PP

[brine3]

Who would be ahead of him as left winger then??

Robben has been injured for the best part of a year and is out of form.

Giggs is warming the bench at Man United.

Cristiano Ronaldo's form is patchy, to say the least.

I'd say it would be between Etxeberria, Vicente and Duff for a place on the left wing.

[Plastic Paddy]

Robben has been injured for the best part of a year and is out of form

Well Briney, I'd expect them to all be out-of-form at the moment... :p


Cristiano Ronaldo's form is patchy, to say the least.

Really? Did you actually watch him at all last season? Have a look here and see if you qualify: http://www.oasis.gov.ie/health/dental_optical_and_aural_services/optical_and_ophthalmic_services.html

:p :D


I'd say it would be between Etxeberria, Vicente and Duff for a place on the left wing.

I'm mellowing... I must be because I agree with you on Vicente. I would add Ronaldo in though instead of Etxeberria, who has had his time. I'd say both players would prove pretty stiff competition for Duff on their day(s).

I back what I said above, though. I don't honestly think that any other Irishman would get in the team. And before anyone says Shay (who I think would make the squad)... Buffon? Casillas?

Enough said.

:ball: PP

[superfrank]

What about Joaquin?

Not taking away from Duffer he's my favourite Chelsea and Eire player but he's not as fast as others.

[gustavo]

joaquins a right winger!
but he would make the right wing spot.
roy keane would make the team though but only if gattuso , emerson , xavi , essien , gerrard , vieira , alonso and makelele all got injured

[Qwerty]

joaquins a right winger!
but he would make the right wing spot.
roy keane would make the team though but only if gattuso , emerson , xavi , essien , gerrard , vieira , alonso and makelele all got injured

I do seem to remember that even though people keep writing Roy off, in the head to head games last season he usually came out ahead of Viera and well ahead of the hugely overrated Gerrard. On his day in his advanced years he could best all of those players.

Given is an average enough keeper, one could name 20-30 others as good as him to be honest.

Duff is class, hard to find genuine wingers these days.

[jimbob117]

Given is an average enough keeper, one could name 20-30 others as good as him to be honest.




Disagree, you'd struggle to name 10 yet alone 30, the only keepers ahead of him in the premiership are cech, and possibly cudicini.Id love to hear the other 20 odd ones u think are better or as good as him.

[jorge]

Theres no need for wingers(A.C.Milan)but what about Ze Roberto,Solari,Camoranesi would beat Duffer What about Jefferson Farfan?

[Tony Montana]

joaquins a right winger!
but he would make the right wing spot.
roy keane would make the team though but only if gattuso , emerson , xavi , essien , gerrard , vieira , alonso and makelele all got injured


Emerson is Brazilian! :p Thought is was a European team?

[gustavo]

sorry my mistake!
sure just take emerson and essien out of that list.

[Qwerty]

Disagree, you'd struggle to name 10 yet alone 30, the only keepers ahead of him in the premiership are cech, and possibly cudicini.Id love to hear the other 20 odd ones u think are better or as good as him.

Here are 15 keepers that are as good or better than Shay - Buffon, Kahn, Cassillas, Cech, Van der Sar, Valdes, Toldo, Niemi, Lehmann, Robinson, Cudicini, Hildebrand, Nikopolidis, Sörensen, Martyn.

Shay is a very fine keeper and the best we have had for a long time.

[Slash/ED]

Here are 15 keepers that are as good or better than Shay - Buffon, Kahn, Cassillas, Cech, Van der Sar, Valdes, Toldo, Niemi, Lehmann, Robinson, Cudicini, Hildebrand, Nikopolidis, Sörensen, Martyn.

Shay is a very fine keeper and the best we have had for a long time.

Robinson and Cudichini, no way.

Lehmann - hahahahahahahahaha. Yeah, sure.

Kahn isn't what he was, I'd take Given over him now. I'd take him over Valdes too.

[jimbob117]

Here are 15 keepers that are as good or better than Shay - Buffon, Kahn, Cassillas, Cech, Van der Sar, Valdes, Toldo, Niemi, Lehmann, Robinson, Cudicini, Hildebrand, Nikopolidis, Sörensen, Martyn.

Shay is a very fine keeper and the best we have had for a long time.

Id agree with Buffon,Cassillas,Cech,Toldo and cudicini. Kahn and van der sar were class a few yrs back but i dont think they are any more. Niemi,Martyn and Robinson are decent but not as good as given.Im shocked u could even think that Sorenson,Nikopolidis,Valdes,Hildebrand.. and most astoundingly lehmann are even considered when rivalled to Given.

[Slash/ED]

I missed Sorenson, not even close.

And again completley disagree with Cudichini. Imo the most over rated keeper in the premiership, superb shot stopper but so unreliable and error prone it's unbeliveable. They spent money on another keeper for a reason.

[Qwerty]

Sorensen is a good keeper - he even saved a penalty which Shay seems to have trouble with, most of the blokes playing in the Premership are good, even James! Yes! Take off your green-tinted glasses. All those named all fall into that meaty part of the bell curve.

Let me add Proto, Abbiati, Green, Jaaskeleinen, Schwarzer ( very good season ), Kiraly, Klos, Frey.

My point is simply - Given is in the pack along with most of those named, I'll agree he is towards the front, no question. Only Buffon , Toldo & Cech strike me as being clearly ahead. The purpose of the thread was to suggest Irish players who would make a European All-Start selection, For me Given = no chance.

[Stuttgart88]

Of the keepers Qwerty just mentioned above Shay is a cut above most. Kiraly, for example, is a great shot stopper in a team that is on the back foot all the time, but has no command of his box & is brutal in the air. Schwarzer has had his best year but doesn't have the winner's mentality IMO. And who suggested Sorensen? Just look at Villa vs Brimingham (x2) this year, Denmark vs England in Japan...

But you're right - Given is only in the pack, towards the front. He needs to play in a big, successful side before he can be perceived as being one of the best.

Would I have any other 'keeper in our side though? Not at all - I think he's a totally accomplished international 'keeper, arguably the best we've ever had.

As for Duff: best left-winger I've seen in Europe, bar Robben maybe. Duff was clearly the outstanding wide player in this year's CL in my opinion. Ronaldo's final ball is nowhere near the quality of Duff's but Ronaldo is a far more "glamorous" or marketable figure so this would put him ahead on most hypothetical European selections. What was it Tom Humphreys said: the tanned muscular figure of Ronaldo vs the palest player ever to play football?

Who would Mourinho pick? Duff always I'd say.

[eirebhoy]

Most European's would have Robben on the left wing but imo Duff is the better player. I seen most of Chelsea's matches last season and Duff was better than Robben in most the matches they played together. Robben was made look a lot better because the team played a lot better with him in it. They wouldn't have played much better with him in it and Duff out of it. They need both players. Anyway, I've yet to see Robben play well against a top team in the premiership.

I just wish Mourinho would leave Duff the way he is now. At the end of the season Duff couldn't beat a man, it seemed he forgot how to. What makes Duff is beating players but Mourinho wants him to use his brain a bit more and become more multi-dimensional. Every time Robben gets the ball he runs with it and I want Duffer to be the same. Last season was Duff's worst in years imo because Mourinho won't let him do what he does best. 6 goals and 6 assists is way below Duff's standard. Since he started most games he should be getting at least double that.

[carnstien]

Some of the crap being posted in this thread is hilarious!

In fairness people are just listing off players they know who have 'cool' names and play in forgien leagues. The list of keepers "better" than Shay, I nearly fell off my chair! Lehmann!

Juaquin and Etxeberria are right wingers. Vicente is nowhere near as good as Duff, nor are Ze Roberto, Solari, Camoranesi. Solari and Camoranesi aren't even regulars at their club sides and Ze Roberto hasn't perfromed since he left Leverkusen.

The list of players supposedly better than Roy is a joke too. Its like people are just pulling lists of players from Championship Manager and posting them up.

Give me a break and stop underating your own player. Duff, Keane and Given are as good as any players in Europe in their positions!

[jorge]

Solari and Camoranesi aren't even regulars at their club

Yes they are.

[eirebhoy]

Duff is without a doubt better than Solari and Camoranesi.

[carnstien]

Yes they are.
No they are not. Solari is certainly not first choice for Real Madrid and when he is played he is often used as a defender and I remember Camoranesi coming off the bench in several Champions League games.

[John83]

It's academic anyway - Camo's a right winger. Besides, until this season (he's done well under Capello), Juve fans thought him inconsistant and a bit shït.

[gustavo]

real have been trying to get rid of him for the last three years . he was offered in exchange for ronaldo in 2002 and for lampard this year. he is a popular character though .

[eirebhoy]

real have been trying to get rid of him for the last three years . he was offered in exchange for ronaldo in 2002 and for lampard this year. he is a popular character though .
Only Chelsea would turn down £20m + Owen + Solari for Frank bloody Lampard.

[Qwerty]

Some of the crap being posted in this thread is hilarious!

In fairness people are just listing off players they know who have 'cool' names and play in forgien leagues. The list of keepers "better" than Shay, I nearly fell off my chair! Lehmann!

Juaquin and Etxeberria are right wingers. Vicente is nowhere near as good as Duff, nor are Ze Roberto, Solari, Camoranesi. Solari and Camoranesi aren't even regulars at their club sides and Ze Roberto hasn't perfromed since he left Leverkusen.

The list of players supposedly better than Roy is a joke too. Its like people are just pulling lists of players from Championship Manager and posting them up.

Give me a break and stop underating your own player. Duff, Keane and Given are as good as any players in Europe in their positions!

Well carnstien whatever you do don't actually read any of the postings just skim them, I said 'as good as or better than', I did not say Lehmann or Sorensen are better than Given but I don't see any significant daylight between them, their performances are rougly on a par. Take a look at the stats for 2004/2005 for they are worth http://actim.pa.press.net/top100_prem.shtml

If Given is as good as Irish people say he is, then last season at Newcatle was a great opportunity to show how good he was, he opined a lot to the media but didn't reach a level of performance that was notable IMHO.

In fairness only a keeper or coach can really rate or appreciate how good a keeper is, it is very much a specialist position and you have to play there to know what it is like, to play the game in your head for 90 minutes.

It is true that players from less fashionable countries don't get the recognition they deserve. Roy Keane for one I feel has been undervalued at the European level. Duff deservedly made the World Cup selection.

[eirebhoy]

If Given is as good as Irish people say he is, then last season at Newcatle was a great opportunity to show how good he was, he opined a lot to the media but didn't reach a level of performance that was notable IMHO.
Given had more single outstanding games than any other keeper that I can think of in the prem last season although that was probably because I was keeping tabs on him. Don't you remember the Arsenal game in Highbury? He got a load of praise after that game and only for him it would have been a huge scoreline.

[Slash/ED]

I can't believe anyone would try and compare Lehmann to Given, it's laughable, Lehmann is a joke. He's better than Almunia or whatever his name is but that's not saying much. Too error prone, poor kicker and a complete headcase.

[tricky_colour]

made up team of current european players....

If so, any other Irish nominations, Shay perhaps......

I think I would stick him on the right with Reidy on the left :D

[gustavo]

Only Chelsea would turn down £20m + Owen + Solari for Frank bloody Lampard.
i would too!
lampard scored more goals from midfield than owen did all season

[carnstien]

Given had more single outstanding games than any other keeper that I can think of in the prem last season although that was probably because I was keeping tabs on him. Don't you remember the Arsenal game in Highbury? He got a load of praise after that game and only for him it would have been a huge scoreline.
Couldn't agree more. Given's performance against Arsenal in that game is without a doubt the single best performance I have EVER seen from a keeper. It was a truely amazing string of spectacular save after spectacular save.

Cech is the only other keeper in The Premiership who would have been capable of such a performance.

And Qwerty, I wouldn't take too much notice of those stats espectially when you consider that Lee Carsely is higher than Gerrard and Robben.

[carnstien]

Actually, I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned Finnan as a candidate, the right back for the European Champions and argueably their most consistent player?

You could spout off the guys with fancy names, Feirrera, Cafu, Salgado, etc. but I think Finnan is better than them all. Puyol and Thuram are the only two players I might put ahead of him although Thuram isn't as good as he used to be and plays centre back anyway these days...

[gustavo]

puyol plays centre back too so theres really not much competition!

[carnstien]

puyol plays centre back too so theres really not much competition!
Fair enough, he started his career at right back though and played there for Spain in Euro 2004 where I thought he was outstanding.

[gustavo]

yeah thats true he is a great player and can play there very effectivly usually plays rightback for barcelona now since they bought belletti.

[Stuttgart88]

but I think Finnan is better than them all.

Hear Hear

[eirebhoy]

i would too!
lampard scored more goals from midfield than owen did all season
A lot of that was down to the fact that Lampard did feck all off the ball for most of the season and would just stand around in positions where he would get the ball. A striker will be marked for the whole match while Lampard could just sneak into good positions. He did start to do a lot of work off the ball at the end of the season though when Tiago got dropped. £20m + Owen + Solari. I'd swap most players for that amount never mind a pussy midfielder who wouldn't dare get stuck in. :)

[gustavo]

well chelsea dont need the money ! and they dont need another left winger so it would have been a bad deal for them:)

[tetsujin1979]

If Chelsea have a player they want, no amount of money is going to force them to see. The likes of Terry, Lampard, Robben, Duff and Cech could conceivably finish their careers at Stamford Bridge, assuming no dramatic loss of form. If Real (or whoever) even come in with a 100 million offer for Lampard, and 120,000 a week contract, Abramovich can just say, here's a 140,000 a week contract to stay, and here's 120 million for Ronaldo - ok, that's highly unlikely but you get my idea. Money is nothing to Chelsea now.

[Stuttgart88]

You gotta hand it to Lampard though Eirebhoy - for a midfielder his finishing is superb. But if you look at Duff's goal input in the winter nearly every goal he got was the first goal whereas a lot of Lampard's were the 3rd or 4th. I used to slate Lampard but I've had to acknowledge his improvement. Chelsea make up for the lack of a genuine goalscorer upfront by scoring a lot of goals from midfield, wingers & set pieces. If only Ireland could get more goals from midfield.

(Edit: I might add about Lampard that in several games, most notably Portsmouth at home, Lampard was careless in the extreme & only poor finishing let hiom off the hook)

There seems to be a lot of Shaun W-P to Chelsea talk at the moment.

Thankfully, when it really mattered both Lampard & Joe Cole fell short of the standard required. Hopefully the same will apply in WC06, which they've officially already qualified for according to the British press, despite having a home game against the group leaders and two tricky away derby matches to overcome. In fact on paper we probably have an easier remaining route to Germany. Poland are bang in form, France are woefully out of sorts. I'd rather have Switzerland at home than Wales away if I was English.

[eirebhoy]

You gotta hand it to Lampard though Eirebhoy - for a midfielder his finishing is superb. But if you look at Duff's goal input in the winter nearly every goal he got was the first goal whereas a lot of Lampard's were the 3rd or 4th. I used to slate Lampard but I've had to acknowledge his improvement. Chelsea make up for the lack of a genuine goalscorer upfront by scoring a lot of goals from midfield, wingers & set pieces. If only Ireland could get more goals from midfield.

If you asked someone why Lampard beat Henry in the player awards even though Henry scored double the amount of goals and got the same amount of assists. They would tell you that Lampard is a midfielder while Henry is a striker. Lampard for most of the season had it easier than Henry. Henry would be marked for 90 minutes while Lampard could stand in open space. I have studied Lampard's game. He stands around, even when the opposition was close to him he expects someone else to get it. Tiago got dropped and Chelsea played with Lampard-Makelele in midfield. Lampard did a lot off the ball, he wasn't letting players by him. He hadn't got too many shots on goal but Sky described him as "not at his best". Lampard gets a goal and he's a bloody great player. Nonsense. He has fabulous technique but so does Henry who wasn't close to getting player of the year.

[Stuttgart88]

Hey, all I said was that you've got to admit his finishing is superb!:)

I'd pay no attention to Player of the Year. Lampard & Joe Cole took Chelsea over the finishing line when most of the hard work was done but it was Robben, Duff and Cech that were the outstanding individuals in taking charge of the league in the first place. Your performances count double when you're English. All I heard since February / March on SKY was "Lampard this / Terry that" forgetting the impact people like Robben made.

It made me mad when Rooney won YPLOTY in his first season. He only played about 12 games, not even full games, whereas John O'Shea played nearly the whole season at left back in MUFC's league winning year. Admittedly the two's fortunes have contrasted markedly since but Rooney's award was a scandal.

[carnstien]

It made me mad when Rooney won YPLOTY in his first season. He only played about 12 games, not even full games, whereas John O'Shea played nearly the whole season at left back in MUFC's league winning year. Admittedly the two's fortunes have contrasted markedly since but Rooney's award was a scandal.
Didn't Jermaine Jenas win the award that year? Rooney came second and O'Shea third.

[Slash/ED]

Even worse if so. Hugely over rated player is Jenas.