Best Defensive Midfielder

Who are the best defensive midfielder in the world?

I´ve been very impressed by Owen Hargreaves in Man Utd, and I´ve always been a fan of Gennaro Gattuso. :yo:

Maybe not the best yet, but Yaya Touré from Barça is quickly emerging into one of the best in the game. He's so strong and smart, always in good position and great technique and agility. And the boy has got a pretty decent shot as well (http://youtube.com/watch?v=YHlV8CYxvqE).

Michael Essien.

Who are the best defensive midfielder in the world?

I´ve been very impressed by Owen Hargreaves in Man Utd...

OMG, even to mention him as the best midfielder in the world.:biglaugh:
Laughable. He was mainly a substitute in munich.

Michael Essien.
Definitely.

Maybe not the best yet, but Yaya Touré from Barça is quickly emerging into one of the best in the game. He's so strong and smart, always in good position and great technique and agility. And the boy has got a pretty decent shot as well (http://youtube.com/watch?v=YHlV8CYxvqE).

I know I'll be accused of being a "fanboy" for this one, but I agree. This guy has it all. He's got a booming shot, he can pass the ball really well, he can dribble the ball and he's so strong and has great stamina. He really is the total package and I'd love to see him replace an injured Deco someday. All things considered, I don't think I'd trade him even up for any other DM out there right now. Essien would be the only other guy I'd consider.

Toure is everything I wanted Momo to be.

The other guys worth at least a mention are Gattuso, Mascherano, Vieira, and Diarra. Makelele too, but he doesn't get much run anymore.

The term is certainly open to interpretation, though. One may think Essien has too much offensive skill to be strictly termed as a "defensive midfielder." I don't feel that way, but I'm sure people do. Defensive midfielder is my favorite position on the field, FWIW. Just like a great #10, they can change a game all by themselves.

Easily Essien.

Essien, As I predicited years ago and got laughed at.

This time, I predict that when Jérémy Toulalan will move to the EPL, he won't last more than a few posts before his name is dropped in a topic like this.

Gattuso.

Mascherano

WHEN he is healthy, it's still Vieira, quite easily.

Yes when healthy, Vieira is terribly hard to play against.
But he's almost never healthy.

Essien and the healthy Viera.

After those there´s a good bunch including Gattuso, Frings & friends.

I dream of Essien and Toulalan in Chelsea's midfield.

Toure is everything I wanted Momo to be.

The other guys worth at least a mention are Gattuso, Mascherano, Vieira, and Diarra. Makelele too, but he doesn't get much run anymore.


Torsten Frings belongs to be mentioned, as well.

Best DM= Mikael Essien.

I dream of Essien and Toulalan in Chelsea's midfield.
Oh my, how many broken legs for the opposition?

The other day against Nice, a midfielder was coming up the field with his head down (just like hockey) and Toulalan arrived at full speed and went to contact with both players with a foot on the ball. The other guy fell right down and you could hear the ball being SMASHED.
What a bruiser.

Torsten Frings belongs to be mentioned, as well.
Forgot him because of his injury. I have a bit of a tendency to do that.

Who are the best defensive midfielder in the world?

I´ve been very impressed by Owen Hargreaves in Man Utd, and I´ve always been a fan of Gennaro Gattuso. :yo:

I'd say even though hes retired, Roy Keane would eat most of these guys for breakfast. He was amazing in his prime for United & Ireland.

Momo Sissoko:biglaugh:

Torsten Frings.

/homer

Hargreaves was mainly a substitute in munich.

Was he?

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/players/stats?id=12654&cc=5739

Was he?

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/players/stats?id=12654&cc=5739

Yeah, we have 34 games at a Bundesliga saison, you know?

One guy who hasn't been mentioned who really is up there among the best is Esteban Cambiasso.

He's hard work in the midfield has really been the backbone for Inter the last couple of years. He's become one of my absolute favourite players.

Mastroeni

Yeah, we have 34 games at a Bundesliga saison, you know?

He looks like mainly a starter, not a substitute.

14 starts - 0 subs last year
16 - 3
26 - 7
32 - 0
22 - 7
27 - 8

Roy Keane and Vieira stand out for me. Vieira is still the best player I have ever seen live. His box to box coverage is not properly captured on TV.

Today, there are quite a few good ones. I may be a bit biased but I do like Essien. He is a machine.

Essien

He looks like mainly a starter, not a substitute.

14 starts - 0 subs last year
16 - 3
26 - 7
32 - 0
22 - 7
27 - 8

Yes, he was mainly a starter, but not always.
He wasn't anything special in the Bundesliga.
No comparisiation to Frings or Kehl.

One guy who hasn't been mentioned who really is up there among the best is Esteban Cambiasso.

He's hard work in the midfield has really been the backbone for Inter the last couple of years. He's become one of my absolute favourite players.

+1 :handclap:

Javier Mascherano... He's fantastic, he's just like what Makele used to be when he was younger.

Scott Parker, absolutely fearless centre mid. Never gives less than 100% and always lets the opposition know he is there.

I´ve been very impressed by Owen Hargreaves in Man Utd

Agreed. I've watched about five games with United this year, and he has been their best player in all of them IMO. He was also named England's best player in World Cup '06, and "Man of the Match" in the quarter final against Portugal. Very underrated player.

Best in a few years and most potential would have to be Daniele De Rossi for Roma and Ricardo Montolivo for Fiorentina.

Just as a side note, Frings is not playing as a defensive midfielder in Bremen, he is playing there for the national team and it worked out quite well, but Schaaf prefers to field him in a half-right lateral and more attacking position. In his early years in Bremen Frings was playing in a number 10 position, Schaaf was btw one of the main reasons why Frings made the move back to Bremen and he is probably the coach who knows him best.

Steven Gerrard

Timmy Simons deserves a mention. It's rediculous how underrated he is.