MOT forum best holding midfielder poll round 1

[Cjay]

Claude Makelele
So good the role became named as "The Makelele role". The diminutive French midfielder was the dictionary definition of keeping it simple. Known for his reading of the game, positioning and tackling he simply did the simple stuff very well and was beloved by his more fancy teammates for it. He was the type of player you didn't notice till he wasn't in the team, then you noticed. A vital and key component for club and country for nearly 20 years. A multiple time League title winner and a Champions League winner when Chelsea won the title in 2006 the Chelsea squad named him their best player.

Danny Blanchflower
The brains and leader of the great Tottenham side of the 1960s Danny Blanchflower has been voted the greatest ever Tottenham player more than once. Known for his passing, leadership and consistency he Captained them to every trophy they could win at the time. He also managed an impressive feat at International level by Captaining Northern Ireland to the 1958 World Cup quarter finals, for which he was named in the team of the tournament. Only 9 players have ever been named FWA Player of the year more than once, Blanchflower is one of them, he is also a 3 time Ballon d'Or nominee in the late 50s and early 60s and a member of the English Football Hall of Fame.

Rodri
The current and therefore official best player in the world the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri. Much like Makelele, if you want to see how good he is then look how much he was missed by Manchester City. A big tall strong player Rodri is known for being basically the complete holding midfielder, an exceptional reader of the game and tackler he is the man who covers basically the whole pitch whilst his teammates try and score. But he also has exceptional skills on the ball, calm, press resistant and an excellent range of passing he starts and stops attacks in equal measure. 4 league titles, Champions League, he's got the lot for Man City, a European Championship for Spain as well but no World Cup which is about the only blot. Multiple time Premier league team of the season, European Championship plauer of the tournament and team of the season, a truly exceptional player of the modern age.

Lothar Matthaus
The only German player ever to be named FIFA World Player of the Year and a member of the 2020 Ballon d'Or dream team along with players like Maldini and Cafu actually. One of the most complete and well rounded players of all time. A positional master with excellent technique and passing range Lothar Matthaus played multiple roles throughout his career with phenomenal consistency. He won his last German Player of the Year award in 1999 when he was 38 years old and still a regular for Bayern Munich. Captain of the 1990 German world Cup winning team and one of only 6 players to play at 5 Fifa World Cups. He also played at separate European Championships 20 years apart. Multiple League titles in Italy and Germany, an Italian football hall of fame member and the man Diego Maradona called his greatest rival.

Jean Tigana
The 1984 Ballon d'Or runner up spent his entire career in France, a 5 time Ligue 1 Champion he earned legendary status at 3 of their greatest clubs. Known for his work ethic, teamwork, stamina and Pace Tigana was often the covering player for his team. He also had a fine range of passing and excellent dribbling skills and was often tasked with starting attacks. French player of the Year, and a member of the 1986 World Cup team of the tournament Tigana was a key member of his national side as well. The 1984 European Championship saw him named in the team of the tournament and 2nd best player in the world at the Ballon d'Or awards. He was also named in 8 separate team of the season awards by different publications through the 80s.

Andrea Pirlo
The man Johan Cruyff called "a genius" and who Gianluigi Buffon called the greatest player in Italian history with Roberto Baggio, Andrea Pirlo is the epitome of the deep lying playmaker. His ability to dictate play and control games from deep saw him nicknamed the professor, or Maestro and even Mozart. Not blessed with pace or strength or outstanding stamina what Pirlo had was brilliant vision, touch, composure and passing range. He was one of those rare players who saw a pass before it was even on. A 6 time Serie A winner and a 2 time Champions League winner Pirlo actually was deemed finished when Milan sold him to Juventus in 2011 in his early 30s. What followed was possibly the ggreatest career revival in history as Pirlo (who was already extremely highly rated) became football royalty. He won the vast majority of individual awards in his career in his 30s. Serie A player of the year, Serie A midfielder of the year, Italian player of the year and so on. Internationally he's a World Cup winner in 2006, a World Cup team of the tournament member and a MOTM in a World Cup final.

Graeme Souness
During a near 20 year playing career Scottish hard man Graeme Souness won over 20 trophies, 4 PFA team of the season nominations and a PFA team of the century place. He was a key member of the dominant Liverpool side of the 70s and 80s with 5 league titles and 3 European Cups. A Liverpool Captain in the early 80s he is in illustrious company of one of only 4 men to Captain them to a European trophy. Away from Liverpool he helped Sampdoria win its first ever Copa Italia and lead Rangers to multiple League titles as player manager. As a player he is widely regarded as a genuine tough guy, a terrifying rampaging tough tackling machine who gave 100%. He was however also a very technically gifted player who had an excellent range of passing and a decent shot and scored a decent amount of goals. First and foremost though he was a leader. He is a CBEand a member of multiple different football Hall of Fames.

[Cjay]

Pirlo.

Love Pirlo

[The Subhuman]

Pirlo for me too

[Finnatic]

Lothar had everything and could score too, so he’s my choice.
Pirlo’s range of passing was great but even though it was from deep, I don’t think he fits the holding midfielder role, imo.

[Cjay]

Lothar had everything and could score too, so he’s my choice.
Pirlo’s range of passing was great but even though it was from deep, I don’t think he fits the holding midfielder role, imo.

I'd disagree on Pirlo (given I nominated him I would)

Funnily enough I wasn't sure on allowing Matthäus, he was a defender when I can remember but knew he'd played other positions

But when I looked him up and saw he'd scored over 200 goals that to me says box to box midfielder?

But https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/lothar- ... ieler/1527 lists him as a defensive midfielder so let it go.

[Lufc76Cor]

Matthaus for me also, he played many positions but never regarded him as a holding midfielder, his shooting from distance was unreal and equally as good with both feet, something I'm not sure anyone else could do with the same accuracy and power

[lufc1304]

Pirlo, a truly class act. Which is not to denigrate the other nominees, all of whom merit their inclusion, but Pirlo just had that something about him that made him stand out.

[marie67]

For what its worth i don't think either Pirlo or Matthaus were pure holding midfield players in todays sense.
Of those listed i enjoyed watching Pirlo most, my vote went to Matthaus as the all round most effective and Graeme Souness also had many attributes.

[Volvo Jack]

Johnny Giles or Bobby Collins would not be out of place either

[The Subhuman]

Johnny Giles or Bobby Collins would not be out of place either

Well they would, because this is a non Leeds poll

[Currie14]

N'golo Kante for me, it seemed like there was an extra player on the pitch.

[Cjay]

N'golo Kante for me, it seemed like there was an extra player on the pitch.

Kante is in the other round which I will put up later today.

Then the winner of this and that round go to the final.

[1964white]

Pirlo for me.

[Cjay]

Bump

Close this.

Any more votes

[Cjay]

Bump

Any more votes?

[Cjay]

Bump

[Cjay]

Bump

Still tight this one