[trikam patel]

I know this person isnt actually listed as a def mid player ,when he is defending
during a game ,their arent to many that can take him .ANDERSON!! When I first started watching him I really watched for the offensive side of his game,but after seeing him take on some of the big names in the middle ,I believe he could be most dominate in that role that UNITED has.I do remember how mad drogba and gerrard looked when he was on them, like glue.

Wen anderson show his defensive side he reminds me of edgar davids

 

[Nemanjaaa]

Xavi doesn't count. Nor does Alonso, Carrick, Essien and De Rossi as far as I'm concerned, they're all more like playmakers and too dynamic to fit the "defensive midfielder" term.

For me its Gattuso, and Marcos Senna.

Disagree with Essien for me he is the best defensive midfielder around, world class. Carrick and Alonso I would never class as defensive midfielder but I definitely think De Rossi is one. H'es a good player de Rossi but I don't think he's up there with Essien.

 

[Jay007]

Tbh, some of the player in this thread I wouldn't class as a holding midfielders.

The likes of Carrick, Alonso, Xavi etc are deep lying midfielders, which is obviously classed as a playmaker, and do get forward to influence the play occasionally/regularly (Carrick is starting to do that more which I like.)

As for Essien, I wouldn't class him as a holding midfielder either. I would class him as a box-to-box midfielder. He does occasionally play as a holding midfielder for Chelsea (when he's fit obviously ) but I think he's wasted there. He play's best in a more central midfield role, where he can get back and help with the defensive work, and then drive forward into the box. He doesn't score that often, but he has quite a few vital goals for Chelsea.

If we are counting Essien as a holding midfielder, he'd be my choice. I'm a massive, massive Essien fan and I actually regret the fact that we didn't manage/didn't put up more of a fight to get him. He'd be perfect in our midfield imo. He's absolutely world class.

However, I don't count him as one. Makelele would be my choice if he was younger and in his prime, but my choice's atm would be Senna or Cambiasso.

 

[Fiat Cunto]

Tbh, some of the player in this thread I wouldn't class as a holding midfielders.

The likes of Carrick, Alonso, Xavi etc are deep lying midfielders, which is obviously classed as a playmaker, and do get forward to influence the play occasionally/regularly (Carrick is starting to do that more which I like.)

As for Essien, I wouldn't class him as a holding midfielder either. I would class him as a box-to-box midfielder. He does occasionally play as a holding midfielder for Chelsea (when he's fit obviously ) but I think he's wasted there. He play's best in a more central midfield role, where he can get back and help with the defensive work, and then drive forward into the box. He doesn't score that often, but he has quite a few vital goals for Chelsea.

If we are counting Essien as a holding midfielder, he'd be my choice. I'm a massive, massive Essien fan and I actually regret the fact that we didn't manage/didn't put up more of a fight to get him. He'd be perfect in our midfield imo. He's absolutely world class.

However, I don't count him as one. Makelele would be my choice if he was younger and in his prime, but my choice's atm would be Senna or Cambiasso.

im really getting sick and tired of agreeing with you but your right essien is the best all round miodfilder in the world and than you got iniestia xavi carrick who are probably the best playmakers and then you have cambasiio mascherano senna who are the best definsive midfilders! the ultimate defisive midfilder imo was makalale he was the best for breaking up the play and then giving the ball quickly to the players on nhis team who could play abit of ball so as to start a counter attack

 

[piazza]

them too for me! i love gattuso( not in the way haggler would he tends to go for the long haired grizzley look better watch yourself ) hes a serious player woulda loved to seen him come here when we were linked with him!

I haven't shaved for all of December, and I look startlingly similar to Gennaro right now, I only wish the camera on my mobile didn't suck.

Disagree with Essien for me he is the best defensive midfielder around, world class. Carrick and Alonso I would never class as defensive midfielder but I definitely think De Rossi is one. H'es a good player de Rossi but I don't think he's up there with Essien.

I dunno, I just think Essien is too much of a footballer to be labeled that. A perfect example of a defensive midfielder for my taste is Gattuso, or when Alan Smith (LOL) plays in the midfield.

 

[bradstershamone]

the best defensive midfielder ever was claude makelele but the best present defensive midfielder has to be gennaro gattusso

 

[Nigel'sChin]

xavi and carrick are both the same type as pirlo.

and why isnt patrick viera getting a mention? o.o

anyway, just a point to note. cambiasso was once from real madrid. and he was deemed useless there. sadly, why do real madrid seem to give away all the best defensive mids. makelele and cambiasso. lol.


smith makes a good defensive mid cause of his combativeness.

 

[dlan4327]

xavi and carrick are both the same type as pirlo.

and why isnt patrick viera getting a mention? o.o

I'd say Viera at Arsenal or Juventus would get a mention but he's definitely pushing it these days, injury wise.

As for Xavi he get's forward much more than Pirlo. Pirlo almost never scores from open play whereas Xavi does that semi regularly.

Carrick is closer but he also gets forward ore than Pirlo.

 

[Sownak27]

In my opinion I think the current best defensive midfielders in the world would be De Rossi and Mahamadou Diarra

 

[zoran_zlatanov]

The best one IMO is Gatusso. His workrate is amazing.

 

[man.utd.singh]

Mascherano, No doubt. always doing his defencesive dutyy. cept his attacking buildin his pretty slow.