Players You Love / Players You Hate?

[Average Joe]

As it's going to be fairly quiet on here while the internationals are on, thought make a thread that popped in to my head.

Name a player you love and why. Name a player you hate and why.

Love: Gattuso. Gave 100% every game, did whatever he had to to get the win. A pain in the **** to play against but I doubt there are many midfielders that would not want him to play next to them. Seems humble when he talks, heres a few quotes :

"I can play a certain manner and I don't consider myself a star. I know every side needs people like me, but i cannot be compared to people like Zidane or Ronaldinho"

"I can only ever dream of the kind of skill Ronaldinho has. To put us on a par is an insult to football"

Made some funny comments too :

"I don't know if the editor of der Spiegel has some sort of problem because he got beaten up by an Italian as a child or his wife has been cheating on him with an Italian Stallion"



Hate: Dennis Wise. As a kid this bloke used to wind me up when I watched him. Comparable to Gattuso in some ways, aggressive play style, not the biggest of blokes but there was something that narked me about him.

So while the forum is quiet, who do you like / dislike?

 

[epic terrorist]

My favourite players

Ronaldinho, what an absolute joy of a player to watch, so creative and inventive it's ridiculous them few seasons at Barcelona he was absolutely unstoppable. Such a shame he seemed to fall out of love with the game because we should talk about him as one of the greats IMO. But he just didn't have long enough at his very best to be classed as one.

************* Zizou, for me one of the best ever I don't care what anyone says the man was absolute first class some of the things he could do with a football was ridiculous. Helps I grew up watching him at Juve when I did my football education in Serie A as a pup. Just an absolute different class scored some ridiculous goals, I'll always remember the first touch from that Barthez long throw. Won almost everything there was to win and he headbutted Materazzi for insulting his sister/mother or whoever it was.

Andrea Pirlo, the guy was an absolute class act on and off the pitch first noticed him when he was on loan (I think) at that Brescia side with Baggio and a few other players. He is an absolute legend and seeing as we are doing quotes this is one of my favourite Pirlo ones out of his autobiography

'Being part of a team that belongs to everyone makes me feel good. A lot of the time, it's better than ***: it lasts longer and if it falls flat, it can't just be your fault.

'Take someone like (Parma striker) Antonio Cassano. He says he's slept with 700 women but he doesn't get picked for Italy any more. Can he really be happy? I wouldn't be.

'That shirt, with its Smurf-like blue, gives you a whole new image across the world. It takes you to a higher level. Much better to be a soldier on the pitch than in the bedroom.'

 

[Average Joe]

My favourite players

Ronaldinho, what an absolute joy of a player to watch, so creative and inventive it's ridiculous them few seasons at Barcelona he was absolutely unstoppable. Such a shame he seemed to fall out of love with the game because we should talk about him as one of the greats IMO. But he just didn't have long enough at his very best to be classed as one.

************* Zizou, for me one of the best ever I don't care what anyone says the man was absolute first class some of the things he could do with a football was ridiculous. Helps I grew up watching him at Juve when I did my football education in Serie A as a pup. Just an absolute different class scored some ridiculous goals, I'll always remember the first touch from that Barthez long throw. Won almost everything there was to win and he headbutted Materazzi for insulting his sister/mother or whoever it was.

Andrea Pirlo, the guy was an absolute class act on and off the pitch first noticed him when he was on loan (I think) at that Brescia side with Baggio and a few other players. He is an absolute legend and seeing as we are doing quotes this is one of my favourite Pirlo ones out of his autobiography

'Being part of a team that belongs to everyone makes me feel good. A lot of the time, it's better than ***: it lasts longer and if it falls flat, it can't just be your fault.

'Take someone like (Parma striker) Antonio Cassano. He says he's slept with 700 women but he doesn't get picked for Italy any more. Can he really be happy? I wouldn't be.

'That shirt, with its Smurf-like blue, gives you a whole new image across the world. It takes you to a higher level. Much better to be a soldier on the pitch than in the bedroom.'

Pirlo does love to talk about ***! Haha. One of my favorite players at Milan, was fuming when he went on a free but to be honest he wasn't at his best for a couple of years before he left. Think he needed to go to a new team to get him back to best, sadly it was Juve and he became a monster again!

Also love the other two you said, more so Ronaldinho. You just don't see many players pulling odd those ridiculous moves. Not many players you could put a balaclava on and still know who it was by their movement. I'd say Henry would be another for me, those long strides really stood out whereas Ronaldinho had that wide gait dribbling style where you couldn't tell which way he would shimmy before darting past you

 

[epic terrorist]

Pirlo does love to talk about ***! Haha. One of my favorite players at Milan, was fuming when he went on a free but to be honest he wasn't at his best for a couple of years before he left. Think he needed to go to a new team to get him back to best, sadly it was Juve and he became a monster again!

Also love the other two you said, more so Ronaldinho. You just don't see many players pulling odd those ridiculous moves. Not many players you could put a balaclava on and still know who it was by their movement. I'd say Henry would be another for me, those long strides really stood out whereas Ronaldinho had that wide gait dribbling style where you couldn't tell which way he would shimmy before darting past you

Yeah Ronaldinho really was something else, another I forgot was Ronaldo, the model for the modern day striker when he was on it forget about it may as well just go home and give him 3 points. When he burst into the scene he was ridiculous. I remember me and scouse talking about the Madrid/United UCL match a while back when he was supposed to be finished and he was totally unplayable that night.

 

[Average Joe]

Yeah Ronaldinho really was something else, another I forgot was Ronaldo, the model for the modern day striker when he was on it forget about it may as well just go home and give him 3 points. When he burst into the scene he was ridiculous. I remember me and scouse talking about the Madrid/United UCL match a while back when he was supposed to be finished and he was totally unplayable that night.

Even after injuries he was still a beast. Powerful, skillful and fast. How many goals did he score by rounding the keeper!?

 

[epic terrorist]

Even after injuries he was still a beast. Powerful, skillful and fast. How many goals did he score by rounding the keeper!?

Yeah a ridiculous amount, i just loved that whole era from say 1995 to say around 2006. So many great players and teams could still defend I mean some of the defenders of that rime are ridiculous, Cannavaro Nesta et al. As much as I love all the attacking play we see today i still love watching teams that can defend, I blame all the Serie A I watched as a kid.

 

[Average Joe]

Yeah a ridiculous amount, i just loved that whole era from say 1995 to say around 2006. So many great players and teams could still defend I mean some of the defenders of that rime are ridiculous, Cannavaro Nesta et al. As much as I love all the attacking play we see today i still love watching teams that can defend, I blame all the Serie A I watched as a kid.

That's the Serie A I miss mate. So many ridiculous defenders. Around the world so many great defenders.

Maldini, Nesta, Cannavaro, Thuram, Ayala, Stam, Desailly. Then you have Cafu, Zanetti, R.Calos as fullbacks and Makalele in DM

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

Let's go currently playing in the EPL before people are asking 'who?' to any pre-Premier League players:-

An opposition player I love to watch.

I would of gone with Marcus Rashford, but for the sake of this I'll stay away from popular choices at bigger clubs.

Virgil van Dijk. Southampton.

It's a complete mystery to me how he's still kicking around at Southampton. As a centre half he's up there with anything in the league for me and one of the best in Europe. Who at 25 years of age hasn't nearly hit his prime. At 6'4 he's an almost unbeatable beast in the air at both ends of the park with the physical frame to match. Rarely if ever do you see him get muscled off the ball. (And he's real strong in the tackle to match that.). Or done for speed. The big Dutchman is deceptively fast. Real comfortable on the ball with a great range of pass. The perfect, cultured, ball playing defender for a footballing team like Southampton who like to play out from the back. Most all their attacks stem from him.

I was sceptical of the reputation he came to England with that having been gained in the SPL. But he's lived up to that and then some. The only real surprising thing as noted for me is that no big club has (of yet) come in for him.

In a league so bereft of quality defenders right across the board, Virgil van Dijk stands out above his peers.

An opposition player I hate.

Switching slightly away from the EPL as this cretin is currently playing in Scotland, but he's all I have in mind right now when it comes to seriously disliking someone with a passion.

Joey Barton. Glasgow Rangers.

Just a horrible, vile person and a thug in boots on a football pitch. 9 red cards and counting now for someone who absolutely revels in being a complete **** and thinking he's a 'hard man.' When he's just a vindictive, underhand little **** who rarely if ever will take you on face to face and more often does an opponent from behind or the side. He's physically attacked teammates to the point he's seriously injured them and been suspended by numerous clubs. Once stubbing a cigar out in an apprentices eye as a 'joke.' Sent home from overseas tours for attacking young fans. Served jail time for assaulting a young kid on the streets of Liverpool. The list goes on and on. Just a horrible, horrible person from an equally horrible family. I've personally had the misfortune to of been in pubs he's been in when a L'pool game has been on and he's been fair causing a riot with his open abuse, all from the safe position of being surrounded by a bunch of big *** minders. ******* cowardly little ****. (Once a blue, ALWAYS a bitter, twisted gobshite.).

I'd ban him for life if I could. A complete danger to anyone and a borderline psychopath when you look at his life's assaults. On and off the park.

 

[Average Joe]

Had a feeling you would pick Barton! To be fair he's probably on most peoples **** list!

 

[iamauser]

Faves:

Gerrard - Obviously...
Rui Costa - No idea why, he was just always a beast on CM4
Ronaldo - His skill was just incredible. Its just such a shame injuries ruined his career
Roberto Carlos - My fave defender of all time. So fast and skillful

Hate:

El Hadji Diouf - Grade A ***** wherever he went. Cant stand him.

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

DIOUF! SHOUT! Up there with Barton. Despicable human being.

 

[Steve*]

Hard to contain it to 1 of each so heres my top and bottom 5.

Love:
Stevie Gerrard (obvious liverpool legend, could have left several times but stayed to help the team)
Gianluigi Buffon (best GK ever in my opinion, loyal and great all around person)
Ronaldo (Brazil, not Portugal. Best finisher I ever seen in my lifetime, sadly injuries cut his potential short)
Alessandro Lucarelli ( Not the most talented of players but always respected him, especially seeing as he stayed with Parma following their demotion to Serie D and captained them to promotion since)
Andrea Pirlo ( best CM of his generation alongside Gerrard and Zidane imo)

Worst:
Mario Balotelli (Recent headlines put him at the top of this list. Had the world at his feet, squandered so much talent)
El Hadji Diouf (Another complete spanner. Spitting was just part of his bad game)
Joey Barton (Top class bell end. Average player who made a name for himself through controversy)
Paulo Di Canio ( facist and referee pusher as well as being a bit of a bad boy)
Memphis Depay (Not a bad bloke but this came about because he always seems to score against me on FM. Always tents to be a match winning goal too, no stopping him lol)

 

[RhQQ]

Agree completely with Diouf & Barton. I'd also have Lee Cattermole pretty high on the dislike list too, for nothing more than being a less controversial version of Barton - no need at all for some of his disgusting dangerous tackles, many of them being from as Scouse says with Barton, from either behind or from the side... & dangerously through the man, to then go wave at the crowd or whatever to brag about it... I don't mind a hard hit here and there, but there's a fine line, and he crosses it more times than not, not my cup of tea.

I have a little guilty pleasure for flair players, players that constantly try things, the likes of Ronaldinho, an Edgar Davids, or a Robinho, etc... if we're going peculiar, I loved Adel Taraabt in the season QPR got promoted 4-5 years back, he tried anything and more times than not it came off... before turning into a lazy overweight so&so. Adam Lallana was beautiful to watch in his last season at Southampton, and he's refound that confidence again this season at Pool in a slightly more disciplined role than the one he had at St Mary's.. he's an unusual sort of player, the attributes that stand out in him for me isn't something you'd associate with an English player, more so a South American type.. so technically gifted, similar to what Ireland have in Wes Hoolahan (who I also love watching).

And speaking of flair players who try anything, just how good was Dimitar Berbatov in his prime? The man oozed in class, and sold before his time at Old Trafford in my opinion.

But the one I loved the most, PAUL SCHOLES. I really think even though the greats of the game can't compliment him enough, he'll still never quite get overall general appreciation he deserves... Why? I'm not 100% sure, but I think largely because he never sought the limelight like others, I remember a quote about him once from the great Luis Figo; "I’m star-struck when I see Paul Scholes because you never see him. On the pitch you can’t catch him. Off the pitch he disappears". England ****** up BIG time by not properly utilizing their options when they could've had a 3 man midfield of Gerrard, Lampard & Scholes... crazy that. Scholes was just world class, his vision (ironically he had problems with his vision) was second to none, and the passing range just had me in awe so many times. His ability to dictate and control a game, to never be bullied or physically dominated despite being only 5ft'6, and to strike a ball as purely as that is just nothing short of phenomenal. Forever a legend in my eyes, and one of the greatest midfielders to ever step on a pitch.

 

[RhQQ]

Oh and BTW, Buffon. Absolutely love that man, class act & model professional.

 

[Average Joe]

Adel Taraabt - can see why he could fit in either camp for a lot of people! I actually liked him a lot when he had a season at Milan, tried really hard and made a decent impact. On the other side if his heart isn't in it your basically a man down. Edit - didn't he go to Benfica? Not heard much of him since!

Similar kind of player - Ben Arfa - thoughts?

 

[epic terrorist]

Faves:

Gerrard - Obviously...
Rui Costa - No idea why, he was just always a beast on CM4
Ronaldo - His skill was just incredible. Its just such a shame injuries ruined his career
Roberto Carlos - My fave defender of all time. So fast and skillful

Hate:

El Hadji Diouf - Grade A ***** wherever he went. Cant stand him.

Good shout that loved him at the viola, always had a soft spot for Fiorentina and Parma for that matter.

 

[Average Joe]

Good shout that loved him at the viola, always had a soft spot for Fiorentina and Parma for that matter.

One of the underrated players from that time at Milan though he did costa (first time I wrote that it was a typing mistake. Leaving it in now) **** of a lot of money! (could be the most Milan have spent on a player thinking about it)

Puyol was class, saw a quote from him that if he didn't play for Barca he would have liked to have played at Milan, which obviously made me like him more!

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

Good shout that loved him at the viola, always had a soft spot for Fiorentina .....

Total, if related, aside. We're loved in Florence. Down to Heysel. There's still in massive graffiti 'LIVERPOOL 85' daubed on the wall outside the Artemio Franchi.

The hatred between Fiorentina and Juventus is so deep that they celebrate a horrible tragedy and 39 deaths.

The SERIOUSLY ****** up World of Italian football.

 

[Anthony]

Love:

Roy Keane

I don't need to explain how amazing that man was on the pitch for Ireland and Manchester United.
He would die on the pitch to win, and demanded the same from his team mates.

[video=youtube;8Tf6mrA0-tA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Tf6mrA0-tA[/video]

Hate:

John Terry.

The lad is an utter ****.

 

[epic terrorist]

Total, if related, aside. We're loved in Florence. Down to Heysel. There's still in massive graffiti 'LIVERPOOL 85' daubed on the wall outside the Artemio Franchi.

The hatred between Fiorentina and Juventus is so deep that they celebrate a horrible tragedy and 39 deaths.

The SERIOUSLY ****** up World of Italian football.

Yeah I have been to a few matches in Italy and yeah it was up there with going to Istanbul and Brazil. Loved it though tbf but that probably says more about me haha.