Zanetti's Team of 08

[Chippy]

Javier Zanetti's team of 2008

FC Internazionale Milano midfielder Javier Zanetti describes Lionel Messi as the "best player in the world" and Frank Lampard as "the complete player" and says Franck Ribéry's "ability is unequalled" when asked to explain his choices for his Team of 2008

Goalkeeper: Petr ÄŒech (Chelsea FC)

I like his style, his shot-stopping. He transmits all the confidence in the world to the team and rarely makes mistakes.

Right-back: Maicon (FC Internazionale Milano)

Maicon is my team-mate and as well as a defender he is also a weapon in attack.

Central defenders: Ricardo Carvalho and John Terry (both Chelsea FC)

I chose the Chelsea team-mates because they complement each other very well. It's important for the team that the central defenders have an understanding just by looking at each other.

Left-back: Joan Capdevila (Villarreal CF)

I've chosen him for very similar reasons to Maicon, he marks well and is also good in attack.

Right midfield: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United FC)

He is capable of punishing teams at any time. Choosing him gives the team a different type of player. I love the way he plays.

Central midfield: Xavi Hernández (FC Barcelona)

He has clarity, intelligence and lots of presence in the middle of the pitch – where most of the ball is seen.

Attacking midfield: Frank Lampard (Chelsea FC)

He is a very good finisher. He thinks about a shot or pass, prepares himself, creates it and then carries out the move, all at the same time. He is a complete player.

Left midfield: Franck Ribéry (FC Bayern München)

His ability is unequalled, whether he is helping in midfield or joining in with offensive play.

Forward: Zlatan Ibrahimović (FC Internazionale Milano)

He is unpredictable. If I as his team-mate don't know what he's going to do with the ball, then defenders on the opposing team are even less likely to guess.

Forward: Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)

He is the best player in the world. He is the sort of footballer you are grateful to have in your team because, as an opponent, he is unplayable.

Coach: Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United FC)

His career path says it all – faultless, long-lasting and successful. He deserves a great deal of recognition.

Click here to vote on your own choices: http://www1.uefa.com/fanzone/teamoftheyear/index.html

Edited January 8, 2009 by Chippy

[Backbiter]

Neither JT nor RC were in the running for SSN's defender of the year, so they must be crap. The candidates were:

gael clichy

martin laursen

jamie cointhrower

nejmander vidic

rio ferdinand

and ....errrr.... Glen Johnson :D

I won't tell you who won this 'Viewers'Poll', but I can reveal that the winners in the other positions were:

goalkeeper: reina (liverpool)

midfielder: steven Ger 'National Traitor' rard (liverpool)

striker: fernando torres (liverpool)

So you can take three guesses as to who came out on top. :D

I've pointed out before on here that Chelsea were unbeaten in the Prem for just under TWO YEARS with JT and RC in defence. That's a phenomenal record that deserves wider recognition.

[Chippy]

Neither JT nor RC were in the running for SSN's defender of the year, so they must be crap. The candidates were:

gael clichy

martin laursen

jamie cointhrower

nejmander vidic

rio ferdinand

and ....errrr.... Glen Johnson :D

I won't tell you who won this 'Viewers'Poll', but I can reveal that the winners in the other positions were:

goalkeeper: reina (liverpool)

midfielder: steven Ger 'National Traitor' rard (liverpool)

striker: fernando torres (liverpool)

So you can take three guesses as to who came out on top. :D

I've pointed out before on here that Chelsea were unbeaten in the Prem for just under TWO YEARS with JT and RC in defence. That's a phenomenal record that deserves wider recognition.

I saw some of that on there and thought it seemed like it had a Bias towards a certain club with "istory"

To be honest the choices in the one Zanetti done his choices in are not all what you would expect, Blimey I done mine and had Evra at LB :D but I did get Messi and Aguerro in the side along with Lamps and Riccy...might be n omen.

[loz]

Based on the 2007/2008 season and only using the options in the original link Chippy provided I opted for.

GK - Casillas - no idea how Zanetti could vote for Cech, he had a very average 2008. I never thought I would consider Casillas as the best keeper in the world and I still don't overall but I do think he was the best last season

RB - Ramos - the only defender at Real that I would ever want us to consider.

CH - Vidic - pains me to say it but I thought he was the best centre half in Britain last season and well worthy of a place in this team

CH - Marchena - I though he had an outstanding Euro 2008. Admittedly I haven't seen do much of him at club level for Valencia so I am basing this on not a lot!

LB - Zhirkov - Similarly to Marchena I have to base this on Euro 2008 as I don't see any Russian football.

MC - Senna - Siperb for Spain and superb for Valencia

RM - Ronaldo - No point being churlish about it - he was outstanding last season, thankfully he is nowhere near that form so far this season - has his mind on other things, manly paella.

AM - Modric - Excellent in the UEFA Cup and in Euro 2008 (and the qualifiers) and I was very disappointed when he signed for Spurs. Bit of a slow start at Spurs (although he gave a masterclass against us at the Bridge) but then so did the whole team. He is quality.

LM - Ribery - Robery is definitely a player I got wrong!! I was never convinced by him and when we were tenuously linked to him was while ago I was very against it. I would kill to have him now, especially if the person I was killing was the driver of the truck that forced me to drive my car through the edge of a hedge two days ago.

FW - Messi - I was very pleased the other day to hear that Messi never mastered the art of double entry book keeping - there is at least something he isn't good at.

FW - Torres - As with Ronaldo it would just be churlish to deny it. Unbelievable to think that G4 still doesn't rate him.

[geezer]

I would kill to have him now, especially if the person I was killing was the driver of the truck that forced me to drive my car through the edge of a hedge two days ago.

Was that you? I would have stopped to help but my delivery would have been late!

[g3.7]

FW - Torres - As with Ronaldo it would just be churlish to deny it. Unbelievable to think that G4 still doesn't rate him.

I've returned solely to end (or at least refute) your horrible, horrible lies. not sure of my best 11, but aguero was the best player in spain last season.

p.s. if we want difficult things to admit, last season I probably couldn't name a better center half than rio.

Edited January 8, 2009 by gullit4

[loz]

Was Aguero in the original list? If so I missed him and would have selected him.

I thought Vidic was better than Ferdinand last season but acknowledge that as a pair they were superb.

[Chippy]

I went for this with hardly any bias at all

GK

Cech.......not a good season for him but getting through his injuries and still being considered says a lot.

RB

Ramos.....reliable player for Real and best of the choices for me

CH

Vidic.......he and Ronaldo singlehandedly made us runners up in two comps last year, top defender

CH

Carvalho..Got better and better and is just the best CB out there for me on form

LB

Evra......Another reason UTD are so strong, wouldn't swap him for Ash though

CM

Lampard....20 goals even in an ordinary season and now he's signed as well

RM

Ronaldo.....the best right sided mid by far and the second best diver in the prem

AM

Xavi.......just had to have him in the team, quality

LM

Ribery...Improved a lot and would like to see him at Chelsea

F

Messi...best player in the world, had to include him

F

Aguero...like the look of him although not seen much, just liked to put him in.

Thats about the 4th team I've chosen, but I'm sticking with it.

Edited January 8, 2009 by Chippy

[bar24rat]

Very surprised that JT and Cavalho wewre chosen ahead of Ferdinand and animal Vidic. It is impossible to make use of this season's performances as the Chelsea pair have hardly played as a pair. Based on previous season, strength and speed are shown in abundance by both pairs but I think the Utd pair clearly had the edge.

[loz]

Just checked the original link and Aguero was there so I would replace Torre with Aguero in my team.

As for having Cech in there Chippy you may as well have petitioned for Avram Grant as coach as well! Cech had a poor season by his standards and by top quality goalkeeping standards - OK he had mitigating reasons perhaps but it was still poor.

[Chippy]

Just checked the original link and Aguero was there so I would replace Torre with Aguero in my team.

As for having Cech in there Chippy you may as well have petitioned for Avram Grant as coach as well! Cech had a poor season by his standards and by top quality goalkeeping standards - OK he had mitigating reasons perhaps but it was still poor.

I looked for the Avram Grant option and unbelievably it wasn't there...I have obviously emaled eufa.com and expect his name to be added, thats why I never used the manager option.

Next year I'll go for Scolari :D

As for Cech, I know he wasn't the best keeper but as I said to come through what he has he has done so well to even be considered, who am I not to give him my vote?

I'm not asking anyone to put money on it :D