It depends on the definition of course. For me, if you can arguably place a player in the top 5 or 6 players in the world playing in his position, he's world class.

Hazard - top 6 wingers in the world? Arguably yes.

Costa - one of the top 6 strikers around - arguably yes.

Matic - one of the top 6 defensive midfielders in the world? Yes.

Fabregas - one of the top 6 creative attacking midfielders in the world? Yes.

Courtois - one of the top 6 keepers in the world? Yes.

Ronaldo and Messi are in a separate bracket of their own, you could say.

Also, I agree that their is a shortage of quality strikers around.

Respectfully disagree. I would not make a separate bracket for Messi nor Ronaldo, the very top of the top bracket should be World class imo. 

 

I would consider them to be the measuring stick for World Class. They transcend most footballers in that they really do not have defined potions on the pitch, they can go out and ply their trade whichever way they see fit. Hazard, on his day, is exactly the same way and that makes him World class imo. Aguero I would say can be the same way, Suarez as well.

Edited March 18, 201511 yr by axman2526

pretty interesting; Liverpool fans would probably call Sterling & Sturridge world class, Spurs; Eriksen & Lloris, City; Aguero, Zabaleta, Silva.... Chelsea fans; 5 world class players. With home team sentiment playing into this you might end up with 20+ world class players in the PL alone.

I feel only one of Cech/Courtois fall in that category in our team, Hazard has the potential to be but has been hindered by; a lack of ruthlessness infront of goal, tactics employed in big game and subpar performances from the other AMs.

The definition of world class is interesting. 'Among the best in the world'. I said somewhere recently there are possibly no world class centrebacks around at the moment which would be a contradiction to the very definition of the term. But I do still believe that being the best among a bad bunch doesn't make you world class. Kompany for instance being considered a world class centreback because he's possibly among the best 6 in that position is absurd. 

 

Imo we have one world class player in our team in Courtois and then a bunch of players on the brink of being world class. But of course, everyone has different definitions and there is no right or wrong here.

As usual, a very good point Footballoholic. Strange just how mediocre the CBs are at the moment, even in the top sides like Bayern, Barca.

After Sergio Ramos, Thiago Silva, who could you say is actually 'World Class'? I'm struggling to think of too many. Kompany of two seasons ago would have been. His levels have dropped quite dramatically.

(Whilst we're on the topic, did anyone else like the look of that shaven-headed Monaco centre half?)

^ Disagree; top player but very protected by a deep backline. I would argue Godin, Hummels and Boateng.

As usual, a very good point Footballoholic. Strange just how mediocre the CBs are at the moment, even in the top sides like Bayern, Barca.

After Sergio Ramos, Thiago Silva, who could you say is actually 'World Class'? I'm struggling to think of too many. Kompany of two seasons ago would have been. His levels have dropped quite dramatically.

(Whilst we're on the topic, did anyone else like the look of that shaven-headed Monaco centre half?)

 

Aymen Abdennour. Hadn't heard of him before now, but apparently he is very highly rated. Monaco have the best defense in Ligue and I assume that he's one of the big reasons behind it. Linked with a £21.5m move to Spurs. Could it be another case of "The sh*t from Spurs, they bought his flight"?

 

I would add Diego Godin to that list but can't really think of any other names. Varane is going to be on there soon though and hopefully Zouma.

 

JT is probably world class in a set up such ours, but for me, a world class player doesn't need a system tailored to his strengths to perform at his best.

Edited March 19, 201511 yr by footballoholic

As usual, a very good point Footballoholic. Strange just how mediocre the CBs are at the moment, even in the top sides like Bayern, Barca.

After Sergio Ramos, Thiago Silva, who could you say is actually 'World Class'? I'm struggling to think of too many. Kompany of two seasons ago would have been. His levels have dropped quite dramatically.

(Whilst we're on the topic, did anyone else like the look of that shaven-headed Monaco centre half?)

Ramos is most certainly not world class! 

 

Boateng, Godin and Silva are the only world class center backs in my view. 

Some serious underrating of the Captain, Leader and Legend going on in this thread. 

Why is Tiago silva considered better then JT again.. He plays in a far inferior league for by far the best team in that league. He's it done anything amazing in the CL.. If any one says that goal, I'd ask you to look at JTs goal record.. What exactly is it that makes any one think he's better then JT... It's the same as always, grass is always greener, accept it's not

Personally Silva is the only one i would say is on his own tier at the top.  Great on the ground, air, on the ball.  Great at marking, tackling, intercepting and positioning.  On top of that great physical abilities, fast and strong.  For me he doesn't have any glaring weaknesses unlike most of the centre backs out there.

 

I can see Varane in the future joining him.

Cesc's leg was taped between knee and thigh before the game, sorry if this has already been posted. Both he and JT had late tweeks before PSG.

Why is Tiago silva considered better then JT again.. He plays in a far inferior league for by far the best team in that league. He's it done anything amazing in the CL.. If any one says that goal, I'd ask you to look at JTs goal record.. What exactly is it that makes any one think he's better then JT... It's the same as always, grass is always greener, accept it's not

 

There's 4 sides in Ligue 1 with a better defensive record this season than PSG despite their backline, captained by Silva, costing more than the entire team of everyone they play against this season. 

There's 4 sides in Ligue 1 with a better defensive record this season than PSG despite their backline, captained by Silva, costing more than the entire team of everyone they play against this season. 

 

 

I don't you will find a CB with better positioning then JT, Solid int he air, at both ends, focused all the time, tackling etc... the on weakness that has always been there is speed but his positioning and reading of the game has always made up for it, and brilliant on the ball as well. Again it's easy to hand out plaudits to players you don't watch week in week out...

 

(i rearlise we are arguing the same side of the same coin)

I don't you will find a CB with better positioning then JT, Solid int he air, at both ends, focused all the time, tackling etc... the on weakness that has always been there is speed but his positioning and reading of the game has always made up for it, and brilliant on the ball as well. Again it's easy to hand out plaudits to players you don't watch week in week out...

 

(i rearlise we are arguing the same side of the same coin)

 

Hey I'm always done for a bit of a JT love in. 

 

Greatest defender of the Premier League era in my eyes. 

Hard to have a discussion without bias creeping in. Nobody is saying that JT is not a great centreback. Just that at his age, he has physical deficiencies that would be exposed more in a different set up. JT has been a world class centreback for most of his career for what its worth. 

 

 

Cesc's leg was taped between knee and thigh before the game, sorry if this has already been posted. Both he and JT had late tweeks before PSG.

 

 

Did notice that. Wouldn't mind seeing him given a rest if he's still struggling for Hull, but hopefully he's fit and ready to go. Amazing how important he has become for us already in his first season here.

Hard to have a discussion without bias creeping in. Nobody is saying that JT is not a great centreback. Just that at his age, he has physical deficiencies that would be exposed more in a different set up. JT has been a world class centreback for most of his career for what its worth. 

 

He is, for me, still comfortably the best centre back in the Premier League. 

 

Okay you can't play a high line with him in your defense but like most teams and players, you play to your strengths and playing to JT's strengths gives you one of the best centre backs in Europe, who, in my opinion, is still World Class. 

 

You put him in the defense of pretty much any team and your team instantly improves, that's World Class. That's John George Terry

Fair enough. No right or wrong here as I said FC. Just different definitions. 

He is, for me, still comfortably the best centre back in the Premier League. 

 

Okay you can't play a high line with him in your defense but like most teams and players, you play to your strengths and playing to JT's strengths gives you one of the best centre backs in Europe, who, in my opinion, is still World Class. 

 

You put him in the defense of pretty much any team and your team instantly improves, that's World Class. That's John George Terry

Im fairly sure if he said he was leaving at the end of this season he would have the pick of almost every club in football.

He is, for me, still comfortably the best centre back in the Premier League. 

 

Okay you can't play a high line with him in your defense but like most teams and players, you play to your strengths and playing to JT's strengths gives you one of the best centre backs in Europe, who, in my opinion, is still World Class. 

 

You put him in the defense of pretty much any team and your team instantly improves, that's World Class. That's John George Terry

FC how about Ricky?

I dunno but I believe Ricardo Carvalho was better than Terry while he was at Chelsea.

FC how about Ricky?

I dunno but I believe Ricardo Carvalho was better than Terry while he was at Chelsea.

 

Ricky C was a brilliant defensive partner for JT but in my opinion Terry is the glue that holds together the defenses. 

 

Everyone always said Carvalho or Gallas made JT look better than he was but I always thought it was the over way around.

 

Look how often Chelsea has the best or one of the best defensive records in the league.... Through all the player and managerial changes the one constant is JT. 

 

He was voted into the FIFA Pro World XI for 5 consecutive years, something the likes of Puyol, Maldini, Cannavaro, Pique, Ramos have never managed.  

 

I can't heap enough praise on him as a player, in my eyes he is our Maldini, he the player you rely on, the player who is the symbol of your club and all it has and all it will achieve. 

 

We will not have a greater player line up in our defense, he is one of the greatest players of his generation. 

Great in the first half, poor to the point of near uselessness in the second half?  Nope, not Cesc's season, talking about Wenger's career.

What was Henry's record for assists in a single season? Could Fabregas still get it?

What was Henry's record for assists in a single season? Could Fabregas still get it?

Henry's record was 20 assists in the league during one season.

Don't think Fàbregas is even close at the moment. Not sure though.

According to premierleague.com and a few others he has 15 assists in the league.

http://m.premierleague.com/en-gb/statistics.html

Edited March 21, 201511 yr by dkw