What is your Team of the Decade?

Halladay

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This is a good topic. Makes you think. So many great players. Think the midfield and centerbacks are more open to debate than the rest.

Ronaldo Suarez Messi
Modric Iniesta
Busquets
Marcelo Silva Chiellini Lahm
Neuer
 

YNWA14

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He was good his first couple seasons at Southampton, but nowhere near where he was last year, which let’s be real is absolutely an outlier year for him. He’s still elite currently but last year was his peak season and I don’t think we see him perform like that for a full season again.
He’s been just as good this season, and like was mentioned he was absolutely top level before coming to Liverpool.
 

Cassano

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Well I would think so. He’s been great this year but clearly not at the same level as last year. Which is still one of the 2 best, if not the best CB in the world.
What makes you say he is not on the same level as the year before?

LFC still have the 2nd best defense in Europe while their starting keeper has missed half the season. He is still their defensive general/thoroughbred.
 

The Abusement Park

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What makes you say he is not on the same level as the year before?

LFC still have the 2nd best defense in Europe while their starting keeper has missed half the season. He is still their defensive general/thoroughbred.

I just think he had a perfect season. He didn't get beat all year last season and had one of the best seasons for CB ever. He's still elite and the best CB in the world but he was always bound to regress a little.

It's like the season that Messi had 73 goals in all comps. He followed it up with 60 goals which is still an incredible season and he was the best player in the world, but it's just a natural regression from a peak that's near impossible to replicate.
 
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Duchene2MacKinnon

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He's had like 4 elite seasons now.

Even dating back to his last year with Celtic, he was a 1 man wrecking crew.

He certainly did not have better years than Ramos/Pique/Silva prior to his Balon nomination that much is obvious. If he was good as he was last year in the previous 3 seasons he wouldn't have lasted in Celtic that long. Nobody here had him ahead of those guys until last season. Even this year he hasn't been as good.
 

Cassano

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He certainly did not have better years than Ramos/Pique/Silva prior to his Balon nomination that much is obvious. If he was good as he was last year in the previous 3 seasons he wouldn't have lasted in Celtic that long. Nobody here had him ahead of those guys until last season. Even this year he hasn't been as good.
I did except for SR4.

The only difference is VvD played for shitty teams and was underrated by other clubs scouts because he played for these teams.

Look at his highlights with Celtic. It is akin to Bobby Orr. During his tenure, they set a club record for goalless minutes.

Player of the year for Southampton the one season he was fully healthy. He was just as good as the other top defenders for other clubs. It's why the 75m fee was commanded in the first place.
 
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YNWA14

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He certainly did not have better years than Ramos/Pique/Silva prior to his Balon nomination that much is obvious. If he was good as he was last year in the previous 3 seasons he wouldn't have lasted in Celtic that long. Nobody here had him ahead of those guys until last season. Even this year he hasn't been as good.
He’s been just as good this year I don’t know why people are suddenly saying differently especially not having watched all his games.
 
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Duchene2MacKinnon

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I did except for SR4.

The only difference is VvD played for ****ty teams and was underrated by other clubs scouts because he played for these teams.

While he was playing for Celtic, Pique and Ramos were winning everything there is to win. There's really no argument here.

He’s been just as good this year I don’t know why people are suddenly saying differently especially not having watched all his games.

You dont need to watch every minute... he hasnt been nearly as good as he was last year. Unless you really believe he's up for another Balon D'or nomination.
 

Halladay

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I remember van Djik being superb starting in 2016-2017 season. If you look at the year before in his first season at Southampton, they only conceded 41 goals and finished 8th (granted they conceded 33 and finished). He has been nearly excellent for half the decade but I wouldn't put him on my first team.
 

YNWA14

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While he was playing for Celtic, Pique and Ramos were winning everything there is to win. There's really no argument here.
Clearly Pique and Ramos would have carried Celtic to the CL and Club WC honors. It had nothing to do with playing with Messi, Ronaldo et. al. What a silly argument.

Clearly Origi is far superior to Lautaro after all he’s a key piece in an historic Liverpool side that just won the CL and is steamrolling the PL currently.

You dont need to watch every minute... he hasnt been nearly as good as he was last year. Unless you really believe he's up for another Balon D'or nomination.

He has been just as good and it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s up there if Liverpool manage to win a major honor and the Netherlands do well at the Euro.
 

Duchene2MacKinnon

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Clearly Pique and Ramos would have carried Celtic to the CL and Club WC honors. It had nothing to do with playing with Messi, Ronaldo et. al. What a silly argument.

Clearly Origi is far superior to Lautaro after all he’s a key piece in an historic Liverpool side that just won the CL and is steamrolling the PL currently.


Yes, that's what I implied lol

Is Lautaro playing in Celtic? No he's playing in a top 5 league and playing in Europe while looking great. So no Origi is not even close to Lautaro. By the same admission using your logic the difference between VVD and Pique/Ramos is the difference between Luataro and Origi lol.

He has been just as good and it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s up there if Liverpool manage to win a major honor and the Netherlands do well at the Euro.

He wont if he continues to play like he has.
 

Cassano

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While he was playing for Celtic, Pique and Ramos were winning everything there is to win. There's really no argument here.



You dont need to watch every minute... he hasnt been nearly as good as he was last year. Unless you really believe he's up for another Balon D'or nomination.
Good players can play for bad teams. Larsson for Celtic, Di Natale for Udinese, van der Saar played for Fulham despite being best GK in England, etc. Not everything revolves around Barca and RM.

Similar mindset of performing at elite level for a smaller club is Kante. Somehow world football executives ignored his dynamic last season with Caen, his 2015-16 season with Leicester and Chelsea got him for peanuts.
 

YNWA14

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Yes, that's what I implied lol

Is Lautaro playing in Celtic? No he's playing in a top 5 league and playing in Europe while looking great. So no Origi is not even close to Lautaro. By the same admission using your logic the difference between VVD and Pique/Ramos is the difference between Luataro and Origi lol.

I was using your logic.

The point is trophies are a team accomplishment and those guys had the support of all time great players (not just in Messi and Ronaldo, either). Everyone was harping about how average the Liverpool team was until van Dijk came in (I didn't, and don't think so, but yeah). Anyway, van Dijk is better than Pique/Ramos and IMO it's not particularly close. If he were on those teams they would have been even better than they were.

He wont if he continues to play like he has.

He already has as many MotM performances this season as he did all of last season. I don't think you've been watching them play; he's been just as good. Getting beat once or twice also happened last season (not talking about dribbling), but his consistency is unmatched and he's been incredible as he has been since he joined.
 

Cassano

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I remember van Djik being superb starting in 2016-2017 season. If you look at the year before in his first season at Southampton, they only conceded 41 goals and finished 8th (granted they conceded 33 and finished). He has been nearly excellent for half the decade but I wouldn't put him on my first team.
He was better in 2015-16. He was their player of the season.

And then he had repeated that, but got an ankle injury. But it was enough for managers like Conte wanting to break the bank for him and Klopp who eventually did break the bank for him. (Two best managers in the world)
 

Duchene2MacKinnon

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I was using your logic.

The point is trophies are a team accomplishment and those guys had the support of all time great players (not just in Messi and Ronaldo, either). Everyone was harping about how average the Liverpool team was until van Dijk came in (I didn't, and don't think so, but yeah). Anyway, van Dijk is better than Pique/Ramos and IMO it's not particularly close. If he were on those teams they would have been even better than they were.

Dont matter if he is better now ( he is) that's not the argument. The question is whos better this decade. Ramos is directly responsible for Madrid winning the CL. WIth his clutch goals last minute. I personally loath the guy but he has to be on the team of the decade.

and no that's not using my logic. My logic was he's playing on an elite team and being an elite player while winning.

He already has as many MotM performances this season as he did all of last season. I don't think you've been watching them play; he's been just as good. Getting beat once or twice also happened last season (not talking about dribbling), but his consistency is unmatched and he's been incredible as he has been since he joined.

Go search how many times I've posted about LFC in the weekly GDT threads. I watch them just as much as I watch city.
 
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Duchene2MacKinnon

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Good players can play for bad teams. Larsson for Celtic, Di Natale for Udinese, van der Saar played for Fulham despite being best GK in England, etc. Not everything revolves around Barca and RM.

Similar mindset of performing at elite level for a smaller club is Kante. Somehow world football executives ignored his dynamic last season with Caen, his 2015-16 season with Leicester and Chelsea got him for peanuts.
Who in the world said he wasnt a good player?
 

Duchene2MacKinnon

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It was sort of implied by you. Because he didn't play for a top club (team loaded with CL talent), he wasn't as good. The very best can play for weaker clubs.
Nope never implied... just find it hilarious that a guy who's won WC,Euro, La liga, 3 CLs and has been a poster child for team of the year yet doesnt get into the team of the decade. When I said it out loud it gets even more comical.
 

Cassano

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Nope never implied... just find it hilarious that a guy who's won WC,Euro, La liga, 3 CLs and has been a poster child for team of the year yet doesnt get into the team of the decade. When I said it out loud it gets even more comical.
He's in my team of the decade. :D
 

Duchene2MacKinnon

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It was close between Thiago Silva and VvD, but I haven't seen enough top performances from Silva in big games to put him in the team.
THere's also Pique who despite being annoying for both rivals and his own fans along with some erratic play should get the nod over VVD.
 

YNWA14

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Nope never implied... just find it hilarious that a guy who's won WC,Euro, La liga, 3 CLs and has been a poster child for team of the year yet doesnt get into the team of the decade. When I said it out loud it gets even more comical.
Because I’m not making my team based on team accomplishments? I’m choosing the players I feel performed at the highest level. Put van Dijk as he’s been this decade in the teams that Ramos won with and he’d improve them; I feel the same about Thiago Silva.
 

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