no doubt its fergie at his mind games, trying to push rio that extra 5%......
Stam V Vidic
- Thread starter Cheltenham Red
- Start date
Thank you sir.
Well it's a tough call as they're slightly different but all i'd say is we've been lucky to have both of them. Defenders of that quality, stature and you won't be doing much wrong
I can't argue with that.
He is the best header of the ball in the world for my money.
But he is also more than that, Vidic's positioning and tackling are first rate. They have to be otherwise players with pace would have him for breakfast but they don't - only Bellamy in the liverpool game and thats when he came back from injury. Kaka in the Milan game too.
no doubt its fergie at his mind games, trying to push rio that extra 5%......
If Rio improves any further, he might actually just explode.
I think what we are now seeing is Rio Ferdinand at the absolute peak of his powers. I don't see how he could really improve anymore.
good old fergie, as predictable as a drunken scotsman going past a chippy
its a hard one to call, vidic has the benefit of rio beside him, stam either had johnsen or berg. id go with stam at his very very best though, just
I don't think it's entirely fair to Nemanja to compare him with Stam just yet.
We haven't seen 15's best yet. Once we have then comparisons can be made. He's still learning his trade.
We haven't seen 15's best yet. Once we have then comparisons can be made. He's still learning his trade.
Erm, is he? Pique/Evans they are defenders that are learning their trade. Vidic is a world class defender.
I think if you asked Vidic his opinion, he'd say he's still learning. That's what sets world-class defenders apart from the rest, they are tireless workers seeking to perfect their art. Nemanja's best is yet to come I believe.
Of course - Everyone can improve and Vidic will also continue to improve but his performances over the last 3 years have already shown him to be a world-class defender. There is no denying this.
Vidic was arguably our best player in the Champions League final. He has shown he is already world class.
he is "world class", but can still improve......
by the way, where did that term originate (world class)??? football manger 1995 or something? its the most clueless description of a players talent ever imo
Problem with the term "World Class", similar to "Legend" is that it is used too frequently. It one of those phrases that people band about too loosely. Both have been around longer than "football manager 1995" but the problem is it's just all just subjective.
To me world class is if you could get into a world football eleven.
I can see Ronaldo, Ferdinand and possibly Evra making it and although Vidic is a great player i dont think he is that extra yard just yet.
I think Stam has reached that level at times in his career.
I can see Ronaldo, Ferdinand and possibly Evra making it and although Vidic is a great player i dont think he is that extra yard just yet.
I think Stam has reached that level at times in his career.
I don't think Vidic could lead a back line in the way Stam did. And many seem to be forgetting that Stam had it all - pace, power, strength, awareness.
Most of you are wearing rose tinted specs when it comes to Stam. He was a good CB with great physical presence and amazing pace for a big man. Once the pace diminished his limitations were brutally exposed and selling him for big bucks was a good decision.
Vidic is the perfect partner for Rio who is probably the best CB in the world at the moment. What more do you want?
Vidic is the perfect partner for Rio who is probably the best CB in the world at the moment. What more do you want?
Come on now, you try playing in a back four with an aging Irwin, an error prone Silvestre, a raw and error prone Brown, an oft-injured Johnsen, that crazy Berg, and many others SAF had to use next to Stam before and after his injury. He never had that dependable partner Vidic has with Rio. The only constant was Gary and even he had his mental lapses back in the day.
The current back four is about as constant as a club could wish for.
The current back four is about as constant as a club could wish for.
It's too close to call for me. I'm old enough to have watched them both as an adult, and I wouldn't be able to choose between them.
Stam and Vidic and two similar yet different prospects. Stam's reading of the game and positioning was much better than Vidic's. Stam was no real threat from corners and the such (didn't he only score one goal?) but as an out an out defender Stam was more like Ferdinand than Vidic, in my opinion.
Adding to that i think that Stam Vidic would be a terrifying prospect for any attack.
Adding to that i think that Stam Vidic would be a terrifying prospect for any attack.
Stam was a lot of things, but a leader he was not. And I think his tactical nous and positional sense was found wanting on several occasions. Vidic is brilliant in that respect.
That is a good point.
Stam was better than Vidic. The latter still has nother level or two to go before he can be compared.
Btw, Vidic was much better than Rio against Pompey.
Vidic, without question for me.
Besides, we should let their respective songs decide..."Yip Jaap Stam" or "He comes from Serbia, he'll fecking murder ya!"
Easy decision really.
Besides, we should let their respective songs decide..."Yip Jaap Stam" or "He comes from Serbia, he'll fecking murder ya!"
Easy decision really.
word
I'm sorry but why does everyone seem to think Vidic doesn't have good positioning and reading of the game? His positional game is awesome, for a guy who can get outpaced by most forwards they rarely ever get past him because his positional play is so spot on. People seem to think that all he does is head things out the way and knock strikers over. The guy can do it all, his passing is also underrated imo.
It isn't close. Stam was a dominant stabilising force in the defence. In the Vidic-Ferdinand relationship Ferdinand I argue is the dominant force. Vidic is a great player - there is nothing wrong with him - but you wouldn't claim he is the best defender in the world just yet. You could claim that Stam was!
That's the difference.
That's the difference.
In our last game against Portsmouth, a physically brutal fixture, Vidic was miles better than Rio. He won EVERYTHING in the air and his positioning as always was exceptional. IMO without a doubt we need Vidic more in these fixtures. It's Rios biggest weakness and in the pre-Vida days we really struggled.
Because I still can not believe people are discussing this.You've said the same thing four or five times in this thread
Stam is the greatest ever defender ever to have player for United. I will also McGrath to the list. Rio went up in my estimations after his performance against Roma last seaon along with a second string defence and easily the best CB in the world. But still I would rate Stam over him.
I dont think Rio or Vidic could've held to gether a defence along with Berg, G.Neville, Berg, Johnsen and others against some greatest attacking players we faced in late 90's. Also Rio commited his fair share of feckups taken for cleaners by lesser players, lack of aggression or whatever it is before raising his game to a different level in the last couple of seasons. Nevertheless only after Vidic joined the team, Rio was more settled.
The logic that Stam lost his pace completely during his final days at United is piece of another bull. I've seen him play for Lazio as RB and his debut for Milan(Cafu was injured and he played as the RB)..He had nuff pace to survive as RB although by his own admission he never really enjoyed playing there.
I dont think Rio or Vidic could've held to gether a defence along with Berg, G.Neville, Berg, Johnsen and others against some greatest attacking players we faced in late 90's. Also Rio commited his fair share of feckups taken for cleaners by lesser players, lack of aggression or whatever it is before raising his game to a different level in the last couple of seasons. Nevertheless only after Vidic joined the team, Rio was more settled.
The logic that Stam lost his pace completely during his final days at United is piece of another bull. I've seen him play for Lazio as RB and his debut for Milan(Cafu was injured and he played as the RB)..He had nuff pace to survive as RB although by his own admission he never really enjoyed playing there.
Rio's ability in the air is just unreal. It's not even close to being a weakness.
Its not unreal. If its unreal how would you describe that of Vidic's game? Rio's game is prone to cracks when faced with physically tough away games. Before Vidic came along, as a united supporter, you almost feared those games. Away at Middlesborough or Pompey for example. Our defence would lose a lot in the air letting teams have a right go at us. Thats changed now. We're no longer bullied. Because unlike Rio, Vidic cant be bullied. Not saying hes the better defender, but in this respect he is.
Apologies if i'm mistaken but i think last season, when Rio was at his best, Vidic was injured for the game at Boro. And again, yes we struggled. Alfonso Alves caused our defense serious problems.
He's not, though. I bet you didn't watch McGrath live, but he was better. . .and I'd say Rio's better than both.