My Ashley Cole view and my top 7 left-backs in world football
Ashley Cole has been left out of the England squad for the World Cup, so I've heard both sides of the argument.
Roy Hodgson has picked Shaw over Cole mainly because he wants to look to the future, and Cole hasn't been playing many games this season. But ask yourself this...if Baines somehow gets a really bad injury in the opening game of the World Cup, would you trust a player like Shaw to defend properly against Italy and Uruguay? If England go through to the Quarter Finals, would you feel 100% certain that Luke Shaw will do a good job against the big teams? I don't. Ashley Cole has always been reliable for the national team, and for that reason, I would have picked Cole over Shaw. I would have also picked Cole because this would have been his last international tournament, and Shaw is still very young. Shaw will be in the national set up for 10+ years, missing this tournament wouldn't have meant much for his career in that sense, but for Cole, this would have been a great way to bow out of international football.
My top 7 left-backs right now are:
1. Philip Lahm (he plays left-back for Germany, he's versatile)
2. Leighton Baines
3. Filipe Luis (Atletico Madrid)
4. Alaba
5. Ashley Cole
6. Jordi Alba
7. Marcelo
I personally think Jordi Alba and Marcelo are too attacking for my liking. They need to improve defensively. The number of chances Baines creates is ridiculous. I would have put Ashley Cole as No. 3 if he played more games this season, but he's still a very reliable left-back. I think Ashley Cole is the best defensive left-back, but in this day and age, you need a bit of both.
What's your opinion on Ashley Cole? And name your top 7 left-backs in world football right now.
Roy Hodgson has picked Shaw over Cole mainly because he wants to look to the future, and Cole hasn't been playing many games this season. But ask yourself this...if Baines somehow gets a really bad injury in the opening game of the World Cup, would you trust a player like Shaw to defend properly against Italy and Uruguay? If England go through to the Quarter Finals, would you feel 100% certain that Luke Shaw will do a good job against the big teams? I don't. Ashley Cole has always been reliable for the national team, and for that reason, I would have picked Cole over Shaw. I would have also picked Cole because this would have been his last international tournament, and Shaw is still very young. Shaw will be in the national set up for 10+ years, missing this tournament wouldn't have meant much for his career in that sense, but for Cole, this would have been a great way to bow out of international football.
My top 7 left-backs right now are:
1. Philip Lahm (he plays left-back for Germany, he's versatile)
2. Leighton Baines
3. Filipe Luis (Atletico Madrid)
4. Alaba
5. Ashley Cole
6. Jordi Alba
7. Marcelo
I personally think Jordi Alba and Marcelo are too attacking for my liking. They need to improve defensively. The number of chances Baines creates is ridiculous. I would have put Ashley Cole as No. 3 if he played more games this season, but he's still a very reliable left-back. I think Ashley Cole is the best defensive left-back, but in this day and age, you need a bit of both.
What's your opinion on Ashley Cole? And name your top 7 left-backs in world football right now.
Original post by AnharM
x
If you're going to put Lahm first on your list when left-back is his third position these days, surely Azpi should be ahead of Cole, at least according to your manager?
My list?
1. Alaba
2. The rest
Original post by Kenan and Kel
If you're going to put Lahm on your list when left-back is his third position these days, surely Azpi should be ahead of Cole on your list according to your manager?
My list?
1. Alaba
2. The rest
My list?
1. Alaba
2. The rest
Azpilicueta is forced to play too defensive for my liking. Mourinho shouts at him if he goes beyond Hazard...and because he hardly ever goes forward, I don't know how good he is in crossing, creating chances etc. I think the only time I saw Azpilicueta go forward was against Galatasary away in the Champions League, when he assisted Torres to score.
Alaba is amazing, especially considering his age
Original post by AnharM
Azpilicueta is forced to play too defensive for my liking. Mourinho shouts at him if he goes beyond Hazard...and because he hardly ever goes forward, I don't know how good he is in crossing, creating chances etc. I think the only time I saw Azpilicueta go forward was against Galatasary away in the Champions League, when he assisted Torres to score.
Azpilicueta is sensational. To have a player with that defensive discipline, willing to sacrifice his attacking role to protect the CB's, and who storms up when Mourinho gives him the shout = immense. He's very tactically astute, and sacrifices the highlights for the team.
I reckon if Cole leaves, that CFC would buy another left-back, and Azpilicueta'd be freed on the right-side having fully developed his defensive side. He's very solid attacking too.
I'd agree re: Cole btw. I'd trust him to deal with the Messi's and Ronaldo's over Shaw.
Original post by Yawn-er
Azpilicueta is sensational. To have a player with that defensive discipline, willing to sacrifice his attacking role to protect the CB's, and who storms up when Mourinho gives him the shout = immense. He's very tactically astute, and sacrifices the highlights for the team.
I reckon if Cole leaves, that CFC would buy another left-back, and Azpilicueta'd be freed on the right-side having fully developed his defensive side. He's very solid attacking too.
I'd agree re: Cole btw. I'd trust him to deal with the Messi's and Ronaldo's over Shaw.
I reckon if Cole leaves, that CFC would buy another left-back, and Azpilicueta'd be freed on the right-side having fully developed his defensive side. He's very solid attacking too.
I'd agree re: Cole btw. I'd trust him to deal with the Messi's and Ronaldo's over Shaw.
Azpilicueta is brilliant defensively, but I need to know if he can cross with his left foot (he's right footed) and create chances for the strikers, and Mourinho doesn't allow him to do that. The players I've mentioned have all been given the freedom to go up. I seriously think that Azpilicueta should be the one to put in the crosses instead of Ivanovic. Iva's crosses rarely goes to the right man, so his end product is quite bad, but I'm sure Azpilicueta will do better in the right-back position.
Think Kieran Gibbs is pretty solid, shame he never gets much game time for one reason or another.
Original post by Amphiprion
Think Kieran Gibbs is pretty solid, shame he never gets much game time for one reason or another.
hes a little brittle.
Jordi Alba is the best LB in the world. To say Leighton Baines is better is ridiculous, and Alba is 5 years younger. No LB has Alba's energy of attacking prowess. Alba can defend as well.
Original post by AnharM
Azpilicueta is forced to play too defensive for my liking. Mourinho shouts at him if he goes beyond Hazard...and because he hardly ever goes forward, I don't know how good he is in crossing, creating chances etc. I think the only time I saw Azpilicueta go forward was against Galatasary away in the Champions League, when he assisted Torres to score.
Maldini would be too densive for your liking.
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