I think I'm mostly just disgusted he could not be bothered to shoehorn Le Tissier in.
Xavi - The manager
- Thread starter Red00012
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I get it, he probably doesn't know enough about British players. But FFS why answer a question that you know little about.
JPRouve's all time british 11.
GK Gordon Banks
CB Bobby Moore
CB Rio Ferdinand
CB John Terry
RW David Beckham
CM Bryan Robson
CM Paul Scholes
LW Ryan Giggs
AM Bobby Charlton
ST Dennis Law
ST Kenny Dalglish
I mean, Walcott and Rooney would probably be deadly duo. remember the through balls Rooney used to feed Hernandez with? and how we thought it will work against Barca in that final? 
Walcott was just insanely fast and Xavi did learn that himself when they played against Arsenal. I remember Pep being similarly impressed with his pace after the match. he could have just put Shearer, but he obviously went for what got stuck in his mind after those games rather than Shearer's goal stats.
the shocking thing isn't him choosing Walcott, it's him being such a big fan of Scholes while "ignoring" a natural left winger from the same team so he could put Gerrard there. why would anyone switch them?
Walcott was just insanely fast and Xavi did learn that himself when they played against Arsenal. I remember Pep being similarly impressed with his pace after the match. he could have just put Shearer, but he obviously went for what got stuck in his mind after those games rather than Shearer's goal stats.
the shocking thing isn't him choosing Walcott, it's him being such a big fan of Scholes while "ignoring" a natural left winger from the same team so he could put Gerrard there. why would anyone switch them?
Much better
also, he was born in 1980. he obviously never watched Law or Dalglish and didn't want to include such players.
Bobbins that
I don't feel great not having Bale in all time British XI's but it's hard to fit him in. Maybe it's sacrilege but him over Beckham?
Frastee Forster had some amazing games against Barcelona, so that's probably why he's in. This Messi even said he's never seen a goalkeeper perform that well
In general I don't think that Bale is a better player but in the formation that I chose, there is no way that I pick Bale over Beckham, the later was extremely hard working and disciplined while also providing elite skills.
Beckham was a more complete player.
I wasn't really speaking on the formation, but I think there's a real case Bale was a better player than Beckham or at least that it's very close between the two (although as you said if getting into specific positions there will be differences).
I know what you meant which is why I mentioned both that I don't think was a better player and I wouldn't put him above Beckham in that formation anyway.
Love Beckham but agree entirely. I also think that at his absolute peak Bale was better than Giggs. Obviously didn't sustain it for anything like as long mind.
Beckham:
-better engine
-better passer/crosser
-world class set piece taker
- good ball striker but not a tremendous goal threat (position played a part)
Bale
- World class athlete with pace and strength that few could rival
- Better take on threat
- Better finisher and goal threat
Achievements are pretty similar: Bale has the 5 CL's (really 4 as the last one he didn't even play in) and 3 La Liga's, Beckham has 6 PL titles and 1 CL along with 1 La Liga. Beckham was the UEFA best in Europe choice in '99, but Bale was never going to rival that award because of the Messi/Ronaldo era he played in. Both had around an 8 year peak where they were at their best ('97 or so to 2005, 2011-18 for Bale probably). Bale more injury prone, but also one of the best big game players of his generation.
It's close I think. They played different roles obviously so it's difficult to really compare them as apples to apples.
Okay that's fine, I do.
Beckham is generally a lot more technical and more intelligent.
Technical how? Beckham was never some brilliant dribbler or tight space wizard, both had good touch, and as I said he was a better passer/crosser while not being the pure ball striker Bale was.
More intillegent is just basically making up another trait. Both were UCL and league champions for the best teams in the world, of course they were plenty intelligent and neither was some Xavi esque professor on the pitch. Like I said though, both were absolute monsters and I think equally underrated for how great they really were in their eras.
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It will be Forster due to the night Celtic beat Barcelona and Forster saved shot after shot. Pretty sure he ended up on the front pages of the Spanish sports papers for his performance that night.
Frastee the goalman,
was happy in his goal,
With his saving tricks,
between the sticks,
Xavi's favourite in the keeper role.
Beckham had a better touch and close control, though neither were a technical dribbler.
And just because you played for a top team doesn't make you an intelligent player. Beckham pulled the strings for teams with his intelligent passing, positioning, and reading of the game.
By that logic any midfielder will "look more intelligent" than a forward because the position requires far more touches and influence on the general flow of a match. Maybe it's true and maybe it's not. My point is it's stupid to speculate between two elite players who won everything on who was more "intelligent" when neither was known for being some unbelievable reader of the game and we don't have actual evidence or knowledge because you and I didn't play with either of them ourselves
I would say intelligence is more common for midfielders, but not alwa. For example I would say Nani is quite dumb but Welbeck is pretty intelligent.By that logic any midfielder will "look more intelligent" than a forward because the position requires far more touches and influence on the general flow of a match. Maybe it's true and maybe it's not. My point is it's stupid to speculate between two elite players who won everything on who was more "intelligent" when neither was known for being some unbelievable reader of the game and we don't have actual evidence or knowledge because you and I didn't play with either of them ourselves
Did you just say with a straight face that Beckham wasn’t as good a ball striker as Bale?
Pickle having a mare here
Really don't think it's that outlandish. At his peak (again, which was MUCH shorter and less consistent than Giggs) I do think Bale was a better player.
Yeah I didn't think it would be much of a debate. No doubt to me that at their best Bale was better.
Indeed. I would say that both Beckham and Bale clearly had a higher peak than Giggs. Beckham 99-01, and Bale with his last season at Spurs and first couple at Real. Both of them were genuinely one of the best players in the world in those periods, which is a level Giggs never really reached despite his incredible longevity.
Beckham's peak vs Bale's peak is a closer battle and I can see arguments for both.
Wasn't Bale sent left winger at Spurs? His prime was about 2 minutes, great player though, but longevity has to come into this. Also it's strange seeing 3412 formations.
Beckham was rarely injured. Game over
Bale was a better finisher?
Go see some of Beckham's non-free kick goals.
Also, Bale a better athlete?
Did you even watch Beckham play?
I think the two are comparable on both fronts, for sure. Bale was an excellent finisher and scored a more varied set of goals than Beckham did imo. In terms of athleticism, it depends what you privilege I suppose... Bale was significantly quicker, both in terms of top speed and acceleration, whereas Beckham had the better engine.
Becks was a ridiculous finisher. He could lob the keeper whilst running onto a long range pass, could bend the ball into the side netting and obviously smash it in when needed.
Now, it's obvious Bale was rapid, but Becks was no slouch.
There are stories of him getting ridiculous scores on the bleep test.
Also, athleticism must include ability to stay fit, no?
If one is injured a lot, then you are not as athletic as one who stays fit for most of the time.