Ok chaps, I'll say this slowly for the hard of thinking.

[Stat Brother]

That's more pointless than pointless! Better diet & level's of fitness don't make the whole Stoke squad better than Pele, Cruyff, Maradona...

Hansen and Lawro struggle, you sir are having a laugh, they would walk into any of todays teams

All true, because class is permanent.

It's a real shame The Big Match Revisited is no longer being shown.
Firstly because I loved the show, it being from a time when I loved football, and felt connected to it.
But mainly because it was the best reminder of how far, fast and skilful the game has come.

PM I originally wrote only H & L would make the step up, but then changed it, because the thought of Drogba, Van Persie, all of Man City, Rooney, Defoe, Ba raining down on them had be backing down from my original definite.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

All true, because class is permanent.

It's a real shame The Big Match Revisited is no longer being shown.
Firstly because I loved the show, it being from a time when I loved football, and felt connected to it.
But mainly because it was the best reminder of how far, fast and skilful the game has come.

PM I originally wrote only H & L would make the step up, but then changed it, because the thought of Drogba, Van Persie, all of Man City, Rooney, Defoe, Ba raining down on them had be backing down from my original definite.

I rather think Souness would have a field day against the wimpy Premier League players of today.

 

[brightn'ove]

Sure. We dominated Europe through Liverpool when it was the proper European Cup, for the winners of each league. There was no gulf between the top and bottom half of the top division as per now, so the games were naturally more competitive, nowadays there are 6 teams and you could argue only 2 this year.

We beat Liverpool at Anfield, the European Champions (Forest) - is that really likely to happen in the Prem now? With the exception of Rooney and perhaps Evra, could any player from the current Man U team that would get into the Liverpool team from then (incidentally I really hated Liverpool in the 80s).

All an opinion of course

I agree it might have been a better, and more exciting league, but surely with the focus on extreme fitness and skill in the modern game the 'standard' of football is much higher? The pitches are better, the ball is better, the facilities are better etc.

still just opinion though

 

[Mellotron]

I rather think Souness would have a field day against the wimpy Premier League players of today.

Souness would be sent off after 2 minutes of every game. He'd be seen as a pointless and stupid player.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Souness would be sent off after 2 minutes of every game. He'd be seen as a pointless and stupid player.

Depends which era the ref was from, I guess.

 

[Stat Brother]

Souness would be sent off after 2 minutes of every game. He'd be seen as a pointless and stupid player.

I doubt he would have made it out of the dressing room.

 

[Mellotron]

Depends which era the ref was from, I guess.

Well you're talking about football TODAY, so...

To be fair, rightfully so anyway. He was an utter TWAT on the pitch.



Love his one footed ball control leading up to the "tackle". League Two quality.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Well you're talking about football TODAY, so...

Just because I'm talking about Premier League footballer of today, doesn't mean that an imaginary match between, say, the Liverpool side of 1984 v Manchester United 2012 would have to have a referee from 2012. In terms of officiating, would be most unfair...

 

[Mellotron]

Just because I'm talking about Premier League footballer of today, doesn't mean that an imaginary match between, say, the Liverpool side of 1984 v Manchester United 2012 would have to have a referee from 2012. In terms of officiating, would be most unfair...

Ah. I thought you meant him being dropped into a game nowadays. As hinted at in the above video, his control would make him fairly ineffective probably against a Man Utd team from nowadays, who would be far, far ahead in terms of technical ability.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Ah. I thought you meant him being dropped into a game nowadays. As hinted at in the above video, his control would make him fairly ineffective probably against a Man Utd team from nowadays, who would be far, far ahead in terms of technical ability.

And I agree that if Souness was dropped into a match nowadays, and tried to use the tackles of the 1970s and 1980s he wouldn't last very long. However, all players miscontrol balls some times. Off the top of my head, I can think of Steven Gerrard letting a simple pass go under his feet at the Amex and could unfairly make a YouTube video of it to 'demonstrate' the deficiencies of the modern player. The answer to just how typical such a mistake is in a player's game that would be a better guide.

 

[Mellotron]

And I agree that if Souness was dropped into a match nowadays, and tried to use the tackles of the 1970s and 1980s he wouldn't last very long. However, all players miscontrol balls some times. Off the top of my head, I can think of Steven Gerrard letting a simple pass go under his feet at the Amex and could unfairly make a YouTube video of it to 'demonstrate' the deficiencies of the modern player. The answer to just how typical such a mistake is in a player's game that would be a better guide.

I was more looking at the 4 or 5 touches he made. All very lumbering, incredibly one footed, with poor balance. Fair enough if I caught him at a bad moment.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

I agree it might have been a better, and more exciting league, but surely with the focus on extreme fitness and skill in the modern game the 'standard' of football is much higher? The pitches are better, the ball is better, the facilities are better etc.

still just opinion though

But surely on a dodgy pitch there is more skill in terms of control. Footballers today, have it so easy, the ball swerves more through the air, making average players look like world beaters. Imagine what Liam Brady could've done. In terms of fitness players adapt. There remains no doubt in my mind, that the standard wass higher.

Still about opinions -

 

[brightn'ove]

But surely on a dodgy pitch there is more skill in terms of control. Footballers today, have it so easy, the ball swerves more through the air, making average players look like world beaters. Imagine what Liam Brady could've done. In terms of fitness players adapt. There remains no doubt in my mind, that the standard wass higher.

Still about opinions -

I wasn't born, so honestly i can't comment.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

But surely on a dodgy pitch there is more skill in terms of control. Footballers today, have it so easy, the ball swerves more through the air, making average players look like world beaters. Imagine what Liam Brady could've done. In terms of fitness players adapt. There remains no doubt in my mind, that the standard wass higher.

Still about opinions -

That's the main difference. Look at the pitches of yesteryear and compare the players. Brady and his ilk played on ploughed fields compared with today's billiard tables and yet still showed a remarkable pace and control. Hansen and Lawro were hardly lumbering CB's and would easily deal with today's style and most probably be even better players at today's standard. The better training and fitness levels and understanding of today's level would only enhance some of our past greats.