Asim wrote:
Agree that he is slightly on the wane now, but he has been superb for a long time, I don't think the standard of defenders generally is that high at the moment and he has every right to be thought of as right up there.
I agree. Fullbacks in particular are in short supply with an all-round game. Far too many of them have their defensive deficiencies overlooked in favour of their attacking qualities. Most talk of Cole, Evra, Ramos, Alves, and Maicon as the best in the world (and rightly so IMO), but in all honesty I don't think they are fit to black Cafu and Maldini's boots. It's what the compact midfield has done to the fullback role. Even domestically, the dominant Man Utd side of the 90s had fullbacks (Parker/Neville and Irwin) that were more well-rounded than the current crop. In 10-15 years the fullback role (along with the linked decline in the number of 'proper' wingers) has probably changed more than any other position.