da realbet： With the World Cup having now entered the knockout stages, I feel the viewing public has now had enough time to watch, admire and dissect the strengths and weaknesses of a diverse a number of different nations and individual players, but a question that started a debate amongst me and a few friends during the Brazil vs. Chile game the other day, was to identify who is exactly the world’s premier right back. Let’s assess the main candidates.
da prosport bet： Maicon – The frontrunner for the accolade it has to be said and the player which Clive Tyldesley, the commentator in question, helped kick off our debate with. Maicon is quite simply a beast of a player. A force of nature. A freak. Exceptional, powerful and direct going forward, the Brazilian is also solid in the air and decent on the ball and more than able when put under the cosh at the back with his impressive physical prowess. There is no bigger compliment to pay the man than the fact that he’s the one Inter Milan player, which Jose Mourinho has earmarked to take with him to Real Madrid this summer, with many reports stating a deal has all but been signed, despite the Madrid club already possessing the accomplished Ramos within their ranks. A late bloomer.
Sergio Ramos – Which brings me rather neatly to the second candidate on our list. The Spanish international right back already boasts an impressive 64 caps for his country, all at the relatively tender age of 24. Signed by the Spanish giants for roughly £20m in the summer of 2005 from Sevilla, despite only being 19 years old, Ramos is equally comfortable going forward and at doing the job he’s paid to do, to defend. Ramos once complained of former Real Madrid manager Bernd Schuster’s tactics, and that the lack of width in midfield caused by the manager gave him a whole flank to himself and simply too much to do. The fact that the manager felt he could trust Ramos with a whole flank to himself though speaks volumes for his ability to cover ground and all with the panache and verve of a winger and full back rolled into one. Mourinho has apparently earmarked him to play centre half next season for the club in the hope of utilising his fantastic ball playing skills from the middle of defence, a quality the club has not had since the heady days of Fernando Hierro.
Daniel Alves – Often seen as a winger come full back, the 27-year-old Alves is an integral part of his club side Barcelona’s attack, where he is given the freedom to roam from deep and exploit his devastating pace to the fullest down the right. Although he has 39 caps for his native Brazil’s national side, he has had to play second fiddle to Maicon under coach Dunga’s current managerial regime and there are question marks over his defensive capabilities and positioning, with Alves often found too far forward to help out his fellow defensive colleagues. Alves is undoubtedly a fine dribbler of the ball, and much like Frank Lampard, the secret to his success is his ability to ghost into the attack from deep seemingly unnoticed, and he’s much more effective as a full back as opposed to a winger, but whether this helps cover up for his defensive deficiencies, I’m not so sure.
Phillip Lahm – The evergreen Lahm has been one of Bayern Munich and Germany’s most consistent performers for quite some time now. It’s amazing to think that Lahm is still only 26 years old and he seems to getting better and better with age. Composed when in possession, purposeful going forward and with an excellent delivery on him, Lahm encapsulates the modern full back to perfection. He also had a stormer of a season just gone as the newly appointed vice-captain of his club side Bayern, with some swashbuckling displays down the right hand flank behind Arjen Robben, which helped lead his side to the Champions League final and a German league and cup double. The only blot against Lahm’s record is that perhaps his versatility sometimes counts against him and too often he’s shoved from right to left back and sometimes even pushed forward into midfield should the occasion call for it. Whilst this makes him an ideal man to have in any manager’s squad, with his composure, experience and awareness all noteworthy, it does make calling him the best right back in the world that little bit more difficult as he doesn’t always occupy that position for club and country.
Bacary Sagna – Perhaps a somewhat controversial choice. Sagna had an indifferent World Cup with the disastrous French team helmed by international joke Raymond Domenech, much like the rest of the squad, but more often than not he represents a steady and reliable option at the back for his club Arsenal. Strong, decent in the air and with more than a bite in the tackle, Sagna had a great first season in North London after edging out previous incumbent to the right back berth Emmanuel Eboue with his fine form which was rewarded with a place in the PFA Team of the Year in the 2007/8 season. Going forward though, Sagna is less effective and his crossing is dire at times to say the least. Sagna may have struggled to make this list had Javier Zanetti played at the right instead of the left for Inter this year, but the Argentine legend may switch back there next season should Maicon’s potential move to Real Madrid come to fruition.
Branislav Ivanovic – If UEFA handed out every Sunday league football presentation night’s favourite award, the much coveted ‘Most Improved Player’ award, then Ivanovic’s name would most certainly be somewhere near the top of the list. The 26-year-old Serbian international also has the ability to play at centre half, but it’s his form for his club Chelsea at right back that has really caught the eye. He was the Premiership’s standout performer at right back last term, as his place in the PFA Team of the Year will testify to. His main qualities are that he’s as strong as an ox, excellent in the air, and all while possessing a fair turn of pace too. It’s also extremely rare to see Ivanovic being caught or dragged out of position or even being beaten to the byline. Whilst he does present a threat from set pieces, a view that Liverpool fans the world over will support, he is limited when crossing the half-way line, and whilst not possessing the nosebleed quality that say a Tony Hibbert gets every time he steps out of his comfort zone when confronted with an opportunity to attack the oppositions final third, it’s clear for all to see where his strengths lie. A dependable, solid figure at the back and a mainstay in their double winning team this season, Jose Bosingwa will struggle to find his way back into the Chelsea starting eleven upon his return to full fitness.
For my money, it’s a close run thing between Maicon and Lahm, with both players equally good going forward as they are defensively sound at the back. Alves, for all of his qualities going forward, can be found wanting against quality opposition and whilst this does have it’s benefits, it does mean precautions have to be taken to safeguard the defence of his continual absence. Ramos is comfortable going forward and his ability and trickery on the ball are often underestimated, but his strength lies in his ability to defend, and I regard Phillip Lahm and Maicon as more complete full backs and they come out fractionally on top. Ivanovic is the antithesis of Alves, a defender’s defender, but not the strongest going forward, whereas Sagna remains a distant sixth from those mentioned above.
So what does everyone else think? Are there any notable omissions?
Written By James McManus
Click on image below to see the PORTUGUESE babes at the World Cup