Crow Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 10 hours ago, Molotov said: The peak decade of the EPL for me was around 1992-2002. Some of the players during that time across so many clubs were absolutely incredible. Zola, Bergkamp, Henry, Pires, Beckham, Giggs, Van Nistelroy, Ronaldo, Scholes, Yorke, Collymore, Fowler, Owen, Shearer. The list goes on. The Arsenal of that period I believe would piss all over today’s squad. Same with Manchester United. Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool, Chelsea, Villa, Blackburn and even Everton all had significant quality. Even teams like Sheffield Wednesday had Di Canio and Carbone. I think that period was certainly more competitive across the league. Plus the FA cup still had status in the game. Now it’s just an afterthought as a tournament. I’m not so sure - there has been an English team in the Champions League final in 5 of the last 6 seasons - 2 in 2021 and 3 different winners. Man City and Liverpool have posted points totals never seen in English football before. I would also argue the FA Cup has regained status. The League Cup certainly has. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonS Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 7 hours ago, SH Panda said: Only Ashley Cole comes close and even then Robertson is certainly far more creative. As for Irwin? Not a chance for me, for the same reason Steve Bruce or Gary Pallister aren't as good as Van Dijk. The standard is far better now, as is what is expected of a full back. As for Patrice Evra - a wild take, even Evras mum would accept Robbo is a far better player. I think you have more than a slice of recency bias. The idea that the standard is higher now just isn't true. Andy Robertson's basic level of technique isn't great, that's why he wasn't spotted as a top class player at Queens Park, Dundee Utd or Hull. He was always known for quality crosses but that's about it and Liverpool signed him as cover for Moreno. He more than makes up for his limitations through boundless energy and excellent decision making. As for Van Dijk, excellent as he is, I saw someone recently suggesting he might be the best Dutch player ever. Apart from the obvious, I wouldn't say he's even one of their two best centre halves - Rijkard and Koeman fill those spots. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkoRaj Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 1 minute ago, GordonS said: I think you have more than a slice of recency bias. The idea that the standard is higher now just isn't true. Andy Robertson's basic level of technique isn't great, that's why he wasn't spotted as a top class player at Queens Park, Dundee Utd or Hull. He was always known for quality crosses but that's about it and Liverpool signed him as cover for Moreno. He more than makes up for his limitations through boundless energy and excellent decision making. Absolute shite 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonS Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 14 hours ago, DG.Roma said: How about this then - who's been the best Left Back in the English Premier League since Andy Robertson left Dundee United? It's Andy Robertson. I agree with that. I also think he's Scotland's best player since the 1980s and our best left back ever. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topcat(The most tip top) Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 (edited) Both recency bias and it's counterpart misty eyed nostalgia can both distort ones view but there's another problem to contend with There's an underlying assumption that because it's reasonable to say some players are better than some other players every player must be better or worse than any given other player and therefore there must be a single player that's better than all the others. Which makes more sense in individual sports but is a weaker assertion in team sports where the very appeal is that the whole performance can be more than the sum of the individual parts. Sometimes if two players swapped clubs it would leave both clubs weaker And in an era where players at top clubs are under more and more detailed direction from their managers the "quality" of a player is even more subject to how well they fit that club. Lists of top X players in position Y since arbitrary cut off date Z should probably be treated with the same seriousness as the 100 hottest celebrities Edited April 15 by topcat(The most tip top) 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Ferguson's Hat Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 Codswallop. These things are binary and Andrew Reynolds Fraudertson is little more than a jobber. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eez-eh Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 Everything is either the best it’s ever been or the worst it’s ever been. No in between is allowed. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMMjag Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 I was pleased to see Paul Merson taking a more active role in Ford Super Sunday coverage. Keano, Nev and Carra can generate the clickbait, but as a legacy fan, sometimes I just want to sit back and watch a top pro speaking nothing but common sense. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozam76 Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 9 minutes ago, AMMjag said: I was pleased to see Paul Merson taking a more active role in Ford Super Sunday coverage. Keano, Nev and Carra can generate the clickbait, but as a legacy fan, sometimes I just want to sit back and watch a top pro speaking nothing but incoherent nonsense. FTFY 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wee-Bey Posted April 15 Author Share Posted April 15 The hottest of hot takes in here. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jives Miguel Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 2 hours ago, GordonS said: I think you have more than a slice of recency bias. The idea that the standard is higher now just isn't true. Andy Robertson's basic level of technique isn't great, that's why he wasn't spotted as a top class player at Queens Park, Dundee Utd or Hull. He was always known for quality crosses but that's about it and Liverpool signed him as cover for Moreno. He more than makes up for his limitations through boundless energy and excellent decision making. As for Van Dijk, excellent as he is, I saw someone recently suggesting he might be the best Dutch player ever. Apart from the obvious, I wouldn't say he's even one of their two best centre halves - Rijkard and Koeman fill those spots. Do you really think this is true? That the standard of EPL player of today isn't considerably better than the one of 25 years ago? I think you're dead wrong tbh. Its a bit cliche, but sports science, nutrition, and the level of professionalism expected of a footballer today has increased exponentially. The level of finance available to clubs, and the receptiveness of clubs to sign non-uk players has increased the potential player pool, and as a result the skill floor required to be an EPL is also higher. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topcat(The most tip top) Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 2 hours ago, eez-eh said: Everything is either the best it’s ever been or the worst it’s ever been. No in between is allowed. Great Post! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topcat(The most tip top) Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 (edited) 2 hours ago, eez-eh said: Everything is either the best it’s ever been or the worst it’s ever been. No in between is allowed. Worst post ever Edited April 15 by topcat(The most tip top) 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeartsOfficialMoaner Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 3 hours ago, Jives Miguel said: Do you really think this is true? That the standard of EPL player of today isn't considerably better than the one of 25 years ago? I think you're dead wrong tbh. Its a bit cliche, but sports science, nutrition, and the level of professionalism expected of a footballer today has increased exponentially. The level of finance available to clubs, and the receptiveness of clubs to sign non-uk players has increased the potential player pool, and as a result the skill floor required to be an EPL is also higher. The biggest difference now is the managers they are bringing in. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claudia Gentile Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 Good luck to Chelsea, against those pesky, financial cheats Everton tonight. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozam76 Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 That is a lovely goal. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jives Miguel Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 Big Branflakes at the back for Everton is just a gangly Harry Maguire. 100 million they want for him 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Tunbridge Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 6 hours ago, AMMjag said: I was pleased to see Paul Merson taking a more active role in Ford Super Sunday coverage. Keano, Nev and Carra can generate the clickbait, but as a legacy fan, sometimes I just want to sit back and watch a top pro speaking nothing but common sense. Loved pre match when he was saying because Villa hadn’t won a trophy in 30 years they would rather win the conference league than qualify for the champions league so it would be a walkover for Arsenal. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrewDon Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 If you are Gareth Southgate, you are surely giving Cold Palmer a first-class seat on the flight to Germany. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Tunbridge Posted April 15 Share Posted April 15 Everton are proper jobby, so lucky the three promoted teams had no interest in making the relegation battle competitive this year. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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