Casual XI

[Gary Gurr]

Rodney Marsh.

And Alan Hudson

 

[Guinness Boy]

Fair play. I suppose he wasn't lazy. I'll play him again when we're picking the 'snail-paced & weaker than Dean Cox XI'

You needed to see Beckham at the ground rather than on TV. The TV made it look like all he did was stand on the right hitting fantastic passes. The first time I saw him play for England at Wembley I had to double take to check it was the same player. Up and down the wing and inside and out covering. Ran for 90 mins non stop. When younger he was fast thinking which made him deceptively quick rather than actually quick and he put the odd tackle in too. Less of that in the later days.

 

[Husty]

Whilst we're discussing lazy players who moaned a lot, Ashley Barnes anyone?

 

[jackanada]

Goal - Pat Jennings - didn't need to bother using both hands

Central Midfield - Jan Mjollby - the ultimate central midfielder, had such incredible positional discipline he rarely left the centre circle.

Striker: Jimmy Greaves - never struck the ball harder than he had to

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Mark Lawrenson made defending look casually easy at times.

Isn't that because he was supremely good.

how about Jimmy Greaves - the ultimate goal-hanger, or our very own...... Bobby Smith - my brother always has a vision of him hanging round the penalty spot with a pint in one hand and a fag in the other.

 

[Prince Monolulu]

Mark Lawrenson made defending look casually easy at times.

When you're that good, you can.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Jan Molby - Has any player spent more time during their career wandering around the centre circle (or in the queue for a pie)? His motto seemed to be why run with the ball when you can send an inch perfect pass instead.

I'm sure i remember him doing keepy-uppy in the centre circle at the Goldstone while various players bounced off him. Matt Le Tissier played for the Albion and the Goldstone pitch never recovered from having both Jan Molby and Neil Ruddock gliding across it.

Or maybe i was pissed

 

[CheeseRolls]

Can anyone think of a casual centre half who wasn't utter turd?

Tricky position to fill.

Socrates up til 2 the night before a big game, 40 fags whilst strumming his guitar and then languidly bringing the ball out of defence, whilst beating 4 players. Will that do ? Might just be past his best now though.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

Cafu and Roberto Carlos

not a chance....two absolute workhorses

the amount of ground they'd cover in a game was unbelievable. Don't confuse attacking with lazy

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

matt le tissier
philippe albert
eyal berkovic
MARIO JARDEL
magico gonzalez
djalminha
robin friday
juan roman riquelme (personal favourite)

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

Di Canio

i remember him as being fairly hard working as a player...plus he doesn't really give of a 'laid back' vibe

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

also, as much as i love him, i (controversially) think zlatan is actually too hard working and a bit too.....good....for this thread

and as for beckham...come off it...a ridiculously hard working player

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

alvaro recoba
yegor titov
alecksander mostovoi
juan carlos valeron
robert prosinecki

MARK BLOODY VIDUKA

 

[Lifelong Supporter]

How about.. Bobby Moore.. casual class and then there was Martin Peters who must rate a mention..

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

defenders are difficult. Hard to come across as laid back without looking awful

ian harte always came across to me as someone who MUCH preferred smashing in a free kick to defending

some defenders are/were on the cusp of casual and composed/cultured (there's a fine line). Ferdinand and Hierro both come to mind

 

[Jesus Gul]

Jeff Minton

 

[Icy Gull]

I give you Faustino Asprilla

 

[Skaville]

Paul McGrath
Frank Worthington
Robin Friday

 

[Mellotron]

defenders are difficult. Hard to come across as laid back without looking awful

ian harte always came across to me as someone who MUCH preferred smashing in a free kick to defending

some defenders are/were on the cusp of casual and composed/cultured (there's a fine line). Ferdinand and Hierro both come to mind

Bruno and David Luiz are definitely shouts. Have you seen how casual Bruno is about getting back from attacks?

 

[Dover]

Admittedly, and at Dover whist playing one of his last games in his carrer, for West Ham, Liam Brady. The most gifted and languid played I have ever seen.

The second for me has to be Robbie Keane. His goal against us at the spurs game was a scorcher (if I remember rightly) but he seemed to know exactly where the ball would be, at any given time.