Originally Posted by
Peerzy
The thing is it would be impossible to compare Best/Pele with players from this era of football. I've watched hundreds of Best/Pele clips and the defenders looked a lot easier to beat, not because they were shyter but because the rules of the game at that time said no sliding tackles, no using your arms as body strength to get the ball. Current players have a lot harder job because the rules are more lax and the defenders can attempt and get away with a lot more.
Peerzy, what the fuck are you talking about
Either you're rodding or that's the biggest load of rubbish I've ever read
Back in the day defenders were allowed to tackle two footed from behind, slide tackling/using body strength to get the ball most certainly
was allowed and hardly anyone got sent off for foul play, certainly nowhere near the levels that we see today. Strikers and wingers got the absolute shit kicked out of them repeatedly and the offenders got away with it. Also, players used to be allowed to shoulder charge 'keepers when they had the ball in their hand (Nat Lofthouse dislocated Harry Gregg's, Man Utd's goalie, shoulder twice in two seasons). The late fifties and sixties was probably the roughest era of all.
Over the years, the laws of the game have been subtly altered such that skillful players are more protected by refs and thugs can no longer prosper - well that's the idea anyhow, talentless thugs like Essien still manage to find a niche in contemporary puntsphere.
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