Technically much better too, way more complete. Mbappe is a pace merchant playing for dominant teams and scorign plenty, but similar to Haaland, without the team, hes not that exciting except for pace.
Technically much better too, way more complete. Mbappe is a pace merchant playing for dominant teams and scorign plenty, but similar to Haaland, without the team, hes not that exciting except for pace.
I think that’s mostly nostalgic nonsense. People love to claim that. But I think what really happened is that the way teams play has changed drastically and so have the skills we require from defenders. There’s nothing wrong with defenders today. They just play differently.
I would argue very differently. Teams are far more organised and fit today, you get less time on the ball and space, Individualism is harder today than back then.
Whilst refereeing has favoured attackers more recently I do think you have down played tactics and athleticism which has made attacking more difficult in the modern game . I don't believe defences were better then, teams just defend just as well (or better) through better organisation and tactics now imo.
A couple of you seem to think I said defences were better then, rather than defenders. Seriously, we’re talking about back when you had the likes of Puyol, Terry, Ferdinand, Vidic, Maldini, Nesta, Cannavaro, etc. Today you’d struggle to make a list of players that will make history like they did, and defenders before that. They were better at the defending part of the game, IMO. It makes sense, seeing as defenders are asked to play differently and have different skill sets today. Which, btw, also means they play with higher risk, which also affords more opportunities for strikers.
I don’t know, maybe I’m full of shit. Just my two cents. At any rate I think saying Mbappe’s a better player than Henry was is premature.
