Players to Watch

[mr_dude]

Before you say Messi and CRonaldo, I'm not talking about overall playing ability. I was thinking of putting this in the Strategy section actually.
Anyway, I'm talking about really specific things (like not best dribbler, but best control while sprinting or best outside cuts or something like that) and how they fit in to create I guess the "ideal player" in each position, or the player you want to become. For example, the inspiration for me starting this topic, the way Hernan Crespo can destroy a defence just with his positioning. His off the ball runs always create opportunities, it helps that he's a damn good finisher, but in all honesty, he gets himself in such good positions that the average non-pro can probably put most of them away.
What are your opinions? Who has the best long range shots? Who is the best slide tackler? Who has the best life-saving deliberate fouls? Who has the best through pass? Long ball? Ability to save a high shot? Etc.
Maybe if I get enough posts I'll try to organize everyone's ideas into something like Technique vs. Tactics and have like an index or something.

[Evan]

Ah Crespo...my first "Favorite player". I have his adidas 2006 World Cup Argentina jersey and an old Chelsea jersey of his. Great player, even at his age now. I remember watching him before A.C. Milan, and also watching while he was at A.C. Milan, Chelsea, and even Inter. Wonderful striker, I always enjoyed watching him.

[Croatianblood1]

Speaking of positioning, how about Pippo Inzaghi? He always finds a way to beat the offside trap and score goals. Even at his old age he can still score goals because of ability to position himself in the right place at the right time.

[panchester07]

Speaking of positioning, how about Pippo Inzaghi? He always finds a way to beat the offside trap and score goals. Even at his old age he can still score goals because of ability to position himself in the right place at the right time.

very true.. with his positioning he just receives, cuts one at the most and scores.. many times just 2 touches, and tap ins, great heading..

I think a player that has great long range shot is Riquelme. He has scored many goals from 3/4 of the field, and i would say 80% of his goals are from outside the box.

[footy_oaf]

best long shot???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poPo3YjwIfc

well, also gerrard

[mr_dude]

Ahh the Seedorf goal, it gets more fun to watch every time.
So far we have:

Riquelme/Gerrard/the Seedorf goal/C. Ronaldo for long shots.
Beckham/Juninho/Cristiano Ronaldo for free kicks.
Crespo/Inzaghi for offensive positioning (interestingly I think they're the 2 players most called offside in history)
Xavi for passing vision.

Puyol for 1v1 defending.
Chiellini for defensive positioning.

Any others?

[klc123]

Im sure many people will hate me saying it, but C Ronaldo is in my opinion one of the best long distance shooters, as well as any distance to be honest...a good player to model yourself on as he has good power and absolute PERFECT technique.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqpbMHc5XVU

[MSILancer7]

Best one on one defender:

Carlos Puyol

When was cristiano ronaldo the most frustrated he ever was in his life. The champions league final vs Barca. Who covered him. Puyol. 'nough said

[mrbeankid22]

Gael Kakuta of the Chelsea Academy.. and well now the Reserve's and possibly making some appearances for the first team.

[INTER1908]

Chiellini is the player I want to most be like. His positioning is good and he is there the whole game.

[soccer11]

Gael Kakuta of the Chelsea Academy.. and well now the Reserve's and possibly making some appearances for the first team.

I have to agree with that. I haven't seen him play a lot of game but from what I have seen and the highlights I've seen, he has an amazing amount of potential and I think it's a star in the making. I think he's the future of French football.

[mr_dude]

Ronaldo does in fact have great technique in his shots, I don't think anyone would argue that.
Puyol will be added. Not to start anything, but Ronaldo was about as frustrated against Davide Santon at Old Trafford. Just saying...
Chiellini, good positioning, alright will be added.
As for Kakuta, what about him? Is there something specific he seems good at? Really what I'm trying to do in this topic is take the best players at something (like all the guys with good long range shooting, and all the tactical things like positioning) to make an ideal player.

[panchester07]

yeah seriously two moderators that cant even read the topic right, in another case it would be each rated a 1 and maybe more than once.... and criticized: "God damn new people, they cant even read the topic"

best player with through balls:

Xavi Hernandez... the amount of assist he has for barca and spain is ridiculous, he can pass ground balls, air balls, chips, everything, he is the most complete passer in the game for me.

Best finisher. Ronaldo Luiz Nazario De Lima #9. He is the absolute master of the ones on ones against the goalie, while 75% of the strikers tend to get nervous and miss or finish with a pass to the net, Ronaldo will face the goalie 1 on 1 and beat him 95% of the time. He is a monster, no one can stop him, give him the ball in the box and he will score one way or another, maybe he will dribble through 6 people, or maybe he will turn around and shoot. That box is his. When he was younger, the whole field was him and we can remember with Barcelona when he would take the ball in the midfield and just run with it and score. Now he receives the ball, beats a man or two and shoots, the point is he will put the ball in the net. Best finisher, Ronaldo.

[MUFC1994]

Best freekicks: either Beckham, CR9, or Juninho. these guys are the definition of dead ball specialists. can score from anywhere at anytime.

[shahensha]

yaya toure, his touch is brilliant. It allows him to control the midfield.