Rio Ferdinand

Re: his hoofing. Was his distribution any better in his younger days?

From what I remember it may seem like he had better distribution back then because he carried the ball upfield more often and didn't need resort to hoofing. I don't remember his long passing per se being a lot more accurate before. He doesn't have the legs to carry the ball upfield anymore which just exacerbates the situation, I think.
 
Absolutely outstanding today. While Jonny was having a bit of a mare at times, Rio stood strong and dealt with everything. Rolls Royce of a defender.

Get this man another contract!
 
Some of his touches were absolutely ridiculous.
 
Nothing new tho is it Cutch, it's always been in his game... sometimes he can pull of quite the pass. Rio will go down as a Legend for me, don't care about the contract dispute/drugs test/etc...
 
Sam said:
Absolutely outstanding today. While Jonny was having a bit of a mare at times, Rio stood strong and dealt with everything. Rolls Royce of a defender.

Get this man another contract!
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He's been utterly brilliant this season! He doesn't get nearly half the praise he deserves from United fans though. It's like a tomb in here after all of his good and great matches, but if he slips up once or is outpaced by one of the fastest players in the league, he's too old and over the hill.

His class on the ball is such a joy to watch, although I agree that his distribution is a bit erratic - it used to be brilliant, didn't it?
 
afrocentricity said:
Nothing new tho is it Cutch, it's always been in his game... sometimes he can pull of quite the pass. Rio will go down as a Legend for me, don't care about the contract dispute/drugs test/etc...
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Yeah. Rio at his best was literally the most dominant I've ever seen a defender. He made the best strikers on the planet look decidedly average. Actually, he still does most days :devil:
 
AttackingFlair said:
Fergie says this is his best ever season
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Ridiculous. 07/08 was possibly the best season I've ever seen a CB have. His form since Boxing Day has been impressive, enough to earn him a new contract, but before that he was creaking like nobody's business.
 
Yeah, agree regarding 07/08 season. Also he was fantastic before his ban in 03/04 with Silvestre.
 
We should make a 'Fergie exaggerates' thread. Rio's best ever season, Phil Jones potentially our best player ever, Van Persie's goal the best of the century, playing like champions after a decent point against west ham, probably loads more. Been a strange season for Fergie quotes.
 
shaggy said:
We should make a 'Fergie exaggerates' thread. Rio's best ever season, Phil Jones potentially our best player ever, Van Persie's goal the best of the century, playing like champions after a decent point against west ham, probably loads more. Been a strange season for Fergie quotes.
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And his comments post the City match.
 
shaggy said:
We should make a 'Fergie exaggerates' thread. Rio's best ever season, Phil Jones potentially our best player ever, Van Persie's goal the best of the century, playing like champions after a decent point against west ham, probably loads more. Been a strange season for Fergie quotes.
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Could've been killed you know!
 
Chabon said:
Ridiculous. 07/08 was possibly the best season I've ever seen a CB have.
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And yet John Terry was named UEFA Defender of the Year in 2008. I couldn't stop laughing when they announced that, it was so ridiculous.
 
Chabon said:
Ridiculous. 07/08 was possibly the best season I've ever seen a CB have. His form since Boxing Day has been impressive, enough to earn him a new contract, but before that he was creaking like nobody's business.
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In the context of a being 5 years older and working with the injuries and problems he has, its probably a bigger achievement to get to the level he has been this time around.

I wouldnt disagree that he was on a higher level overall that season, and a couple of others as well if we are honest, but Fergie sees much more than just the on pitch performances, you also have to remember he wants Rio to sign for another year, encouraging him he still good enough, very publicly, can also be a part of good management.
 
Nogbadthebad said:
In the context of a being 5 years older and working with the injuries and problems he has, its probably a bigger achievement to get to the level he has been this time around.

I wouldnt disagree that he was on a higher level overall that season, and a couple of others as well if we are honest, but Fergie sees much more than just the on pitch performances, you also have to remember he wants Rio to sign for another year, encouraging him he still good enough, very publicly, can also be a part of good management.
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You're quite right because this was the actual quote:

"Rio Ferdinand has had his best ever season at the club. We have had continual problems with the centre-backs being fit. Nemanja Vidic has missed half a season, Chris Smalling has missed most of the season, Phil Jones missed a good bit and Jonny Evans missed parts. But Rio has managed his situation very well. Although we have left him out of certain games because we have managed him the right way, at the most important times he has been there."
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I think SAF is looking at it contextually with our other CBs being injured, but I think he's forgetting that the reason Carrick had to drop into defence early in the season is because Rio too was injured for a bit. Either way it's exaggerative though and like you said it probably is words of encouragement as the contract negations are going on to tell Rio he's still contributing a lot.

SAFs new favourite phrase has gone from "that mob" to "best ever". Everything this season has been the best ever. The squad, Phil Jones, Rio's form... I'm sure there is more!
 
I agree with Ferguson. In 2008 he was probably the best central defender in European football....but he had the rock that is Vidic next to him all season long.

This season Rio has had to marshall a constantly changing, often relatively inexperienced rearguard (I include De Gea in this)...and he has done it with utter class, using all his experience, talent and nous.

The guy is one of our best ever players....THE blueprint for the modern defender. He still doesn't get the credit he truly deserves, though quite frankly he doesn't need it. Should definitely hold his place in the pantheon of United greats.
 
Chabon said:
Ridiculous. 07/08 was possibly the best season I've ever seen a CB have. His form since Boxing Day has been impressive, enough to earn him a new contract, but before that he was creaking like nobody's business.
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OK????

He was very good before Boxing Day also, but he struggled with a partner and our whole defense didn't seem like they played together. Several of our players played very well indivdually, like a proper City or Chelsea team, but our defense wasn't a cohesive unit.

Certainly he has been one of our very best players this season, but it's not his best season ever. In his best season ever he would have kept up with Bale for that goal ;)
 
We conceded 27 goals in 19 games up to boxing day. Jonny's been consistently good all season, but Rio was poor for long stretches until Vidic's return.
 
Siorac said:
And yet John Terry was named UEFA Defender of the Year in 2008. I couldn't stop laughing when they announced that, it was so ridiculous.
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I'm pretty sure it was Rio and Vida in the PL team of the year too. Ridiculous.
 
He is having good season, but he had better season last year easily.
 
He was at least as good as Ronaldo during 07/08, maybe better. He stood a clear head above Vidic who was amazing in his own right. The context up there is unclear but there's just no way he's been better than that. Some of his performances have been reminiscent of that season though and he's been mostly excellent whenever he's played.

Was thinking the other day that someone really needs to do a compilation of all the times Ferdinand has made his defender look like a complete retard. So funny just seeing him nonchalantly lobbing the ball over a defender's head and casually strolling out of defence as if what he did was nothing untoward. I swear he's been doing something like that 2/3 times a game recently..it's just sheer piss-taking when he's at his best.
 
KingEric7 said:
He was at least as good as Ronaldo during 07/08, maybe better. He stood a clear head above Vidic who was amazing in his own right. The context up there is unclear but there's just no way he's been better than that. Some of his performances have been reminiscent of that season though and he's been mostly excellent whenever he's played.

Was thinking the other day that someone really needs to do a compilation of all the times Ferdinand has made his defender look like a complete retard. So funny just seeing him nonchalantly lobbing the ball over a defenders head and casually strolling out of defence as if what he did was nothing untoward. I swear he's been doing something like that 2/3 times a game recently..it's just sheer piss-taking when he's at his best.
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The same Ronaldo that scored 42 goals and won World Player of the Year? OK :wenger: Ferdinand was superb but Ronaldo was on another level to anyone on the planet.
 
KingEric7 said:
Was thinking the other day that someone really needs to do a compilation of all the times Ferdinand has made his defender look like a complete retard. So funny just seeing him nonchalantly lobbing the ball over a defenders head and casually strolling out of defence as if what he did was nothing untoward. I swear he's been doing something like that 2/3 times a game recently..it's just sheer piss-taking when he's at his best.
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Still waiting for the GIFs from the Arsenal match, when he did it about four times. Having settled the title against Villa, he obviously felt like the shackles were off. It was great to watch.
 
RonaldoVII said:
The same Ronaldo that scored 42 goals and won World Player of the Year? OK :wenger: Ferdinand was superb but Ronaldo was on another level to anyone on the planet.
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Yes, that one. :confused: Don't be an arsehole about it when your logic is essentially cliche and lazy. Let's have a look at the World Player of the Year awards since 1991:

1991: Matthäus
1992: van Basten
1993: Baggio
1994: Romário
1995: Weah
1996: Ronaldo
1997: Ronaldo
1998: Zidane
1999: Rivaldo
2000: Zidane
2001: Figo
2002: Ronaldo
2003: Zidane
2004: Ronaldinho
2005: Ronaldinho
2006: Cannavaro
2007: Kaká
2008: C. Ronaldo
2009: Messi

There is a bit of a trend there.

That season by Rio is the best season I have ever seen by any defender. Ronaldo was always going to win that award but it doesn't mean he was better - it's certainly not the best season I've ever seen by a forward or wide player, that's for sure. I'd say Rio was comfortably better performance wise than Ronaldo that year but in terms of influence there was nothing between them.
 
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Classy.

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Remember when he went a season only having conceded one foul, or something along those lines.

Such a class player, the fact that people are even mentioning his 34 year current season in the same breath as his peak 08 season illustrates how brilliantly he's performed. Worthy of much praise.
 
Brightonian said:
Still waiting for the GIFs from the Arsenal match, when he did it about four times. Having settled the title against Villa, he obviously felt like the shackles were off. It was great to watch.
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Ha yeah, absolute cruise control. I know he had a reputation when he was younger but it's pretty stunning how few mistakes he's actually made given how he plays.
 
I remember the first year or so after he came here, he could be so so relaxed at times and he had nothing like the authority in his game that he's shown over the past 6-7 years. I think the signing of Vidic improved Rio as a player.
 
Rolls Royce of a defender!

I think the day he decides to hang it up we will really see just how good he has been for us these last 10 years. Its going to be close to impossible replacing someone of his calibre.
 
Fergie's made some strange statements this season.

As good as Rio'd been this season (bar a few poor performances in the early months anyway) 07/08 was his best season by far. He was immense. Our second best player that year behind you know who.
 
Probably just making this statement so he can persuade him to sign a new deal for next year and carry on for another year.
 
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