As we know England captain Steven Gerrard is set to leave Liverpool at the end of the season.
The current England and Liverpool captain has been instrumental for both club and country over the past 10 – 15 years and has been one of the most iconic midfielders the Premier League has ever seen. But has he been the best? Here at TIBS news we have compiled a list of who we think have been the best patrolling the engine room in England’s top flight, and why…
10 – Claude Makelele
The man who basically created the position of a defensive midfielder, the former Chelsea star was the best player in the world at protecting his back four and filling in for when either centre back went AWOL. It is hard to think of anyone since who has ever done a better job than him and for that reason, he’s our number 10.
9 – Cesc Fabregas
The former Gunners playmaker made his debut for the club at the tender age of 16, becoming Arsenal’s youngest ever player. But even at such a tender age there was a sense that he had something special about him. His vision, impressive passing ability and forward runs have made him a world-class midfielder, and now playing at the best team in the world, Barcelona, he can only improve.
8 – Yaya Toure
In 2010 Toure moved to improving side Manchester City and in his first season helped them lift their first trophy in 35 years, his winning goal against Stoke in the FA Cup Final making him a fans favourite. The following campaign he improved his performances even more and was one of the main reasons behind the Citizens’ first ever Premier League Trophy. He is a key piece in Mancini’s puzzle and although he has only played two full seasons at the Etihad, he has certainly made his mark on the top-flight.
7- Matt Le Tissier
A Southampton legend in his own right and one of the top-scorers ever for the club, Le Tiss became the first midfielder to score 100 goals in the Premier League, and is famous for his spot kicks, scoring 47 out of 48 from 12 yards. He was capped by England eight times but never really cracked the international scene. His passing was his greatest trait, alongside, of course, the spectacular strikes and the penalty taking. To this day Saints have never really found anyone to emulate the great man from Guernsey.
6- Gary Speed
Although not as decorated as the others, Gary Speed appeared in just under 550 appearances in the Premier League with only Ryan Giggs and David James surpassing him. Speed who is the most capped outfield player for Wales was called ‘a model professional and an ambassador for the game’ by FIFA president Sepp Blatter upon his unfortunate death in 2011. Speed played for Leeds, Everton, Newcastle, Bolton and Sheffield United during his career.
5- Roy Keane
Manchester United legend and one of the most successful captain’s under Sir Alex Ferguson, will always be remembered for his bad-boy attitude and gritty performances. His determination to win was what made Keane memorable to not only United, but to his opponents’ shins! When at the club the Irishman won seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups, a Champions League and four Community Shields. His rivalry with Patrick Viera also made every Man Utd/Arsenal game a tasty affair.
4- Frank Lampard
The best goal-scoring English midfielder the Premier League has ever seen. Lampard is a rare breed of player and not many others have got such a great goal tally from his position. In-fact, he has scored 10 goals or more for the last 10 seasons in a row. In 2005 he was voted the second best player in the world, only losing to the great Ronaldinho, but after leaving Stamford Bridge in the summer, it looks like he’s enjoying life in Manchester on loan.
3- Patrick Vieira
Prior to his arrival at Highbury, Arsene Wenger wanted one thing before he took the reigns. That was the signing of a young Frenchman by the name of Patrick Vieira. They signed him for a minimal fee of £3.5m, but now that seems like a bargain. In 2002 he was given the captain’s armband and became one of the greatest leaders Arsenal have ever seen after winning three Premier Leagues, five FA Cups and four Community Shields. He may not have been as successful as Keane but Vieira captained a side that went unbeaten for 49 games and became known as ‘The Invincibles’. Since his exit in 2005, Arsenal went nine years without winning a trophy.
2- Steven Gerrard
He was close to number one but unfortunately the Reds great can only be named second. Born and bred on Merseyside, the Liverpool legend was part of the youth setup and made his debut in 1998. He took over from Sami Hyypia as captain at just 23 and since then has become arguably the most influential player we have seen in Premier League history. The England skipper is now 32 and as mentioned before, scooped the fans’ Player of the Year for 2012 just today, which shows he still has it in his locker. He is the only player in history to score in an FA Cup Final, League Cup Final, Uefa Cup Final and a Champions League Final. His passing, crossing and energy, plus incredible shooting make him one of the top all-round midfielders about. In 2009, Zinedine Zidane described Gerrard as ‘one of the best players in the world’. And when a player of his calibre says that, you know you must be half decent.
1- Paul Scholes
At number one, who else was it going to be? At the grand old age of 38, he was still playing and the Salford born man was always the ultimate professional. Winning 10 Premier League Titles, three FA Cups and two Champions Leagues medals, Scholes has been vital in every single one. His passing is second to none, his positioning is perfect and he simply controls the tempo of basically every game he plays. Xavi, who some say is the greatest playmaker of his generation, described Scholes as ‘the best central midfielder in the past 15-20 years’ and sees the Englishman as a huge role model. The only criticism against him is his tackling, but we’ll forget about that. And looking past the fouls, Scholes is near enough the perfect midfield maestro, deserving of our best in top-flight history crown. He has amassed just under 500 appearances for United and has played in every season but two of the Premier League. It will be a while before we see another Paul Scholes.
Xabi Alonso, Michael Essien and Scott Parker were all considered, but none could match either the records broken or the medals won by the 10 in our list. If you believe there should be someone on there that isn’t, feel free to comment below…
By Jack Griffiths
@JGriffiths89
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