Touch-tackling midfielders seem to have become a thing of the past in the Premier League, according to our landlord.
No-nonsense, hard-hitting midfielders such as Roy Keane and Patrick Viera are few and far between these days, with managers and players alike opting for what you would call more the ‘technical’ side of the game.
Although a rarity, some still exist. In the league today, the likes of Idrissa Gueye and N’Golo Kante spring to mind – 2 players that attracted much attention last season for their hard-fought midfield play at both Aston Villa and Leicester respectively.
The latter, Kante, earned himself a big money move to former Premier League Champions Chelsea, a club who have more often than not favoured hard-tackling midfielders more than any other Premier League club over the years.
The Chelsea fans in the Football Transfer Tavern have drawn up a list of who they feel are the top 3 best tough-tackling Chelsea midfielders of all-time – do you agree?
Dennis Wise
A club legend and cult hero, Dennis Wise should be remembered for his brilliant play through the middle of the park which saw him score 76 goals in 11 successful years at the Bridge.
However, a former member of Wimbledon’s ‘Crazy Gang’, Wise is best remembered for his almost unmatchable tenacity, a trait which saw him often get regularly suspended in a career that saw 13 red cards.
Charges of tunnel bust-ups and strong tackling gave Wise a reputation in the Football Transfer Tavern that he wasn’t a man to mess with in midfield.
Claude Makelele
Frenchman Claude Makelele set the benchmark for all modern defensive midfielders, hence why the role is so often referred to as the ‘Makelele Role’.
None since have been able to do it in quite the way the former Chelsea man did, as he seemed to have an eery ability to be in the right position at the right time to break up the opposition play and swiftly start counter attacks.
The former France international’s reading of the game was second to none, and he wasn’t afraid to get his foot stuck in to help the cause either, as he was surprisingly strong despite his relatively small stature.
Michael Essien
If you ever needed an indication that a midfielder was ‘touch-tackling’, the nickname ‘The Bison’ will surely suffice.
Essien was also nicknamed ‘The Train’ during his time in London, however, neither have done him justice.
Strong as an Ox, Essien was happy to play anywhere across the midfield or even in defence at times, and more often than not performed excellently regardless of where he was asked to play.
A lethal weapon in the heart of a midfield.
