What a world class back like that was. Didnāt really appreciate how good they were as a kid
Both Adams and Dixon won the League title in three different decades and that defence played together for around ten seasons.
I saw Adams in his first season, as well as the debuts of Dixon, Bould and Winterburn but who would have thought what they would go on to achieve?
They were easily one of the best defensive units in Europe.
Itās crazy to think we had Keown as back up to Bould and Adams at one point in the 90s and Seaman coming in to replace a top keeper like Lukic.
Also Bould doing a job in midfield when David OāLeary was there.
Thatās his position in Anfield 89.
How good was OāLeary? Record appearance holder but you seldom here about how good he was as a player. Quite unfortunate though so much of his Arsenal career was at a time when maybe the club wasnāt so successful on the pitch. Maybe that impacts his legacy a little bit
He was very classy and a good reader of the game.
One of the players early Wenger would enjoyed coaching.
It is a shame we never had a better side but he was a very good footballer.
In the mould of Alan Hansen players who based defending on reading but comfortable on the ball.
Would of been better players in the PL era without doubt.
Hopefully it takes you straight to the last slide but look at that tackle and pass from Adams. The stuff all the Twitter nerds talk about as being āmodern CBsā when defenders have of Adamsā ilk were very good on the ball and more than capable of playing in any system.
Brilliant. We can talk and debate about todayās game being faster or different but defending has become a lesser spectacle now.
The amount of goals at the weekend you can actually fault on bad defending leaves me cold at times.
Fucking hell, not to compare because they are different players and Adamās is a beast in his own right but that tackle was very Nesta-esqe. It was like something out of the old school Italian defensive play book.
The only thing players of today have is that the way they rest and recover + the way they train and eat is just so far ahead of players of bygone eras.
All of this ball playing crap is nonsense you look at Baresi and tell me he couldnāt play with the ball. And look at that entire Liverpool, AC Milan, Barcelona teams of the 80s and early 90s and tell me they couldnāt press and play with high intensity.
Twitter nerds popularised certain terms like ball playing centre back and sweeper keepers but these things are just rehashed ideas of bygone eras.
Look how quickly Adams had the composure to get back up and quickly pick out a team mate too. Just a day at the office.
Yeah 100 percent. Iām older and came in with Beckenbauer, Krol and moved on to Passerella etc.
Yep. Check the Nesta tackle out on Gerrard too in the CL final. He had no issues making a proper well times last ditch tackle and timing it to perfection.
Maldini getting beaten in a rare one on one on the left well into his 30s and easily recovering the ball.
Cafu in his mid 30s stopping CR7 in his tracks with a simple tackle and push forward.
Just nerd talk about āmodernā defenders.
My pops was a huge fan of Krol and Beckenbauer. Couldnāt stop talking about how good they were when weād sit down and talk.
@RockyMaivia bro, the way he makes the tackle stands up and disguises the pass with a simple body movement. Like you said, nice and easy for a guy of his quality.
The worse term is easily and very recently in the last few years is the idea of certain CBās only play in a back three. I never heard of such talk until recently. These guys canāt be very good if they canāt operate in a back four.
I know we was talking about Adamās, but this one clip just highlights the skill level these old school Italian defenders had granted its an ageing Nesta vs a very young Messi but still. Perfectly timed slide tackles, unbelievable positioning, reading of the game, the right amount of shit housery, look at how even when heās outpaced with Messi he drives Messi out wide right into the in coming right back, thatās experience and smarts. You would be hard pressed to find a modern ball playing cb with this combination of skills. Nuts that people think football tactics and positional play started in 2012 
Or that only left footed defenders can play on the centre left and only right footed defenders can play on the centre right!
Thereās a Nesta tackle on Messi, he made it in a group stage game against Barcelona at the Camp Nou. It was late in the game and Messi has feinted and shifted past Nesta and just before he pulls the trigger Nesta comes in with the most ridiculous tackle Iāve ever seen from behind and perfectly catches the ball.
That was such a great duel between them. Nesta was 36, playing in a poor Milan side and him and a peak Messi battled it out in a proper war.
Amazing duel between a 36 year old whoās body had long since abandoned him with so many injuries against a peak physical Messi who was a marvel with speed, acceleration and dribbling.
Nestaās tackles look so appealing on the eye too. Can tell he took serious pride in his craft.
Iāll leave this here.
Edit: Nesta on Wiltord for those wondering.