Best opposition player you've seen (3 Viewers)

Rusty Trombone

Well-Known Member
Seeing Gianfranco Zola on TV tonight reminded me of a game at Highfield Rd where he showed what a wonderful player he was.

I think it was the Cup game in 2001, we lost 2.0 and when he was substituted late on in the game he was given well deserved applause from the City fans.

Not only was he very skilful he lacked the arrogance that players of lesser quality seem to show. He didn't dive about, he didn't show off, he just kept the ball from us and gave his team mates great passes, and worked incredibly hard.

I never usually pay attention to opposition players, but he stood out a mile.

Who else was a joy to watch?
 

Covstu

Well-Known Member
I always loved watching Ginola, used to just glide round the pitch. Bob from the chipshop can run round us nowadays!
 
I would also have Zola very high up the list but another Chelsea player edges it. Ruud Gullitt at the end of his career in '98? at Stamford Bridge. Hardly moved more than 5 yards in any direction but ruled the game like a puppet-master as Wise, Zola etc. ran rings around a decent City side.
 

DazzleTommyDazzle

Well-Known Member
Best, Banks and Moore were memorable, but the best individual performance I ever saw was Glen Hoddle on a frozen Highfield Road pitch where the "ordinary" players could hardly stand up, but he spent the afternoon spraying inch perfect passes about.
 

skybluericoh

Well-Known Member
Against city I'd have to say Best. Just left players in his wake and would go back and embraces them again. Banks was great but the best ever goalie's game I've seen was Shilton at HR the year that Forrest won the title, he kept everything out.
 

Chipfat

Well-Known Member
Wilkins, Barnes, Gazza, Berkamp, Molby always loved watching them. But 2 players stick in my mind not because of anything they did just had something that made you respect them, Alan Shearer and Tony Adams strange i suppose but they were imposing.
 

Colonel Mustard

New Member
Roy Keane. Obviously not the flashiest, but I've never seen a player boss the game as he did. Box to box, touchline to touchline, with all the endurance of the Duracell bunny. TV cameras could never do justice to his value on the pitch.
 

pusbccfc

Well-Known Member
To be honest Gareth Bale was exceptional last season against us. Another level.
 

torchomatic

Well-Known Member
To be honest Gareth Bale was exceptional last season against us. Another level.

He was brilliant when he played against us at the ricoh for Southampton. He was still a left back then I think.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
 

gouldberg

New Member
I have a bit of a soft spot for Chelsea (as they were Coventry's opponents in the first game I ever saw) so this might be a little biased. Have to mention him though...Didier Drogba.
 

nicksig

Active Member
I have to agree with kilnsmann in 94. The total player. There was also an unbelievable Brazilian when we let in 7 to Benfica in a pre-season friendly. I think it was Valdo. He got a standing ovation at Highfield Road when he came off. Actually he was probably the best player I've seen
 

Hobo

Well-Known Member
Loads of players deserve a mention, some already have above.

But I remember a night match at Highfield Road where they slaughtered us with good football. We had a strong side at the time. Their midfield was superb and seemed to be ran by a young kid, according to my programme his name was Gascoigne.
 

Rusty Trombone

Well-Known Member
It's a shame the people that Gascoigne surrounded himself with didn't look after him. I remember a game where he was less effective and when he elbowed Lloyd McGrath in the head, he was the one who went off with a fractured elbow. Good old Lloyd.

Gascoigne also broke his arm whilst smashing George Boteng in the face.
 

Hobo

Well-Known Member
It's a shame the people that Gascoigne surrounded himself with didn't look after him. I remember a game where he was less effective and when he elbowed Lloyd McGrath in the head, he was the one who went off with a fractured elbow. Good old Lloyd.

Gascoigne also broke his arm whilst smashing George Boteng in the face.

I saw those games as well, it doesn't stop the first one being so memorable. But I agree he was a wasted talent and the story that unfolded was a sad one.

Makes you wonder how football is run, if we can't look after the real stars what chance is there for the average player?
 

Kingokings204

Well-Known Member
Robert Prosenecki when he played at Portsmouth against us and HR.

Different gravy
 

Monners

Well-Known Member
Dalglish - always had time and space
Ginola - Spurs lost 4-0 but he was a joy to watch
Keane - never gave the ball away, ran the show without being flash
Zola - very graceful with no histrionics
Bergkamp - shame about his dive to get Willo sent off in a 2-2 draw
Gascoigne - saw him play for Lazio and set up 4 goals in a 5-0 win.
 

Houchens Head

Fairly well known member from Malvern
I have a lot of favourite opposition players that I have seen at HR and the Ricoh over 50 years, but one that stands out for me was Ian Wright. He was a great player. Right from the whistle, he always looked like he was going to score.
 

Monners

Well-Known Member
I have a lot of favourite opposition players that I have seen at HR and the Ricoh over 50 years, but one that stands out for me was Ian Wright. He was a great player. Right from the whistle, he always looked like he was going to score.

Top player, who always played as if he had a point to prove. I couldn't include him due to him deliberately laying Oggy out at Highbury with a knee to the face. It was nasty and unnecessary (even the Gooners agreed).
 

SkyBlueM

New Member
He's a bit of a nut job but there was a game against West Ham where Di Canio was just immense think they were 3 up after 15 minutes or so. None of our players got near him that day.
 

RoboCCFC90

Well-Known Member
Gareth Bale by some margain..
 

NortonSkyBlue

Well-Known Member
Going back many years Jimmy Greaves was amazing in 67, Alan Hudson in 70 for Chelsea was different class at HR and Barnes and Beardsley were great for Liverpool in 90. Tony Brown of West Brom always seemed to destroy us and as did Rushie and Cottee seemed to score at will. But for me the best performance I have seen was by Kenny Dalglish in 78 at Anfield.
 

Frostie

Well-Known Member
By no means the best ever but one that sticks in my mind is watching the reserves vs Arsenal back in early 2004 when we played reserve fixtures at Manor Park. Cesc Fabregas absolutely bossed the game at the age of just 16, unbelievable talent.
 

percy

Member
yeah bale was class against us last season and didnt even slip into second gear. special mention as well for gazza my all time favourite player who at his peak was the best player on the planet. the boy just didnt make the right choices.
 

oscillatewildly

Well-Known Member
My first view of Kenny Dalglish was the LC replay game, Dec 1977 after we had held them to a 2-2 up at Anfield. I didn't go to that first game, but like a lot of City fans I was pretty confident we'd give them a game after that commendable performance. We never got a look in, they played us off the park and KD seemed to be integral to most of it.
More recently, soon after our first relegation, I remember us playing BHA. Bobby Zamora was making a few headlines and it was easy to see why. His touch, movement and general presence was a constant threat. Incredibly, he didn't score! We somehow got away with a point from a goalless draw after not turning up.
 

wingy

Well-Known Member
Was at both games Oscillate and brings me to another great player we've seen on the other side .

Indeed If the story Is to be believed we rejected on the grounds of Stature ,Kevin Keegan.
 

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