Every team needs a solid defence to rely on. And within that defence they need a leader - a man who isn’t afraid to put there foot in where it may hurt. These men are usually the best around, and the five below definitely are.
Tony Adams
Tony Adams could quite possibly be one of the best defenders the Premier league has ever seen. Just under 20 years as a first team regular at Highbury saw him play over 500 games for the Gunners, ending as captain of the side.
Forming a formidable partnership with Martin Keown for most of his Arsenal career,and some of their England careers as well, Adams was as solid as they come. The all England back for of Keown, Dixon, Winterburn and Seamen were Wenger’s foundation to over a decade of success. Adams won two Premier League titles along with two first division titles and was an excellent, reliable defender.
Jamie Carragher
Another long serving defender and another one-club man, making 508 appearances for Liverpool, Carragher became one of the most dependable defenders in the league. Rarely letting his side down, he really was Mr Liverpool and he deserved more success than he gained at the club. But his iconic status of the club, and the legendary night in Istanbul will be enough for Carragher to enjoy his retirement as one of the best defenders the league has seen.
Sami Hyypia
Another long standing servant to the Liverpool cause was Sami Hyypia. Ten years at the club made him hugely popular as proven by his send off in 2009. He made over 300 appearances and also chipped in with several goals in his time as well. The blond hair made him easy to notice and unfortunately for opponents they would often see him running away from them with the ball. Hyypia was a class act and worthy of any Premier League best list.
Nemanja Vidic
In the last seven years, the Serb has become one of the best defenders in the league. He had a sticky start, taking a few months to settle in but when he had his partnership with Rio Ferdinand and Edwin Van Der Sar behind him, led United into a new successful era.
His no-nonsense approach to the game and his leadership ability soon gave him the Unitedcaptaincy and he quickly became a fan favourite. A couple of long term injuries has led to a few struggles since his return but Vidic is easily one of the best defenders the league has seen.
John Terry
Like his Chelsea colleague Ashley Cole, John Terry isn’t going to win many popularity battles but in his best days not many others would win any battles on the pitch against him. Very much the same mould of Vidic, Terry would get himself in front of anything and wouldn’t care if it hurt him or not.
This earned the captaincy of both Chelsea and England, although he later lost the captaincy of the latter. He has returned to some good form this season but is nowhere near the form of recent seasons where he was the standout Chelsea player each season and for that reason is one of the best Centre backs the league has seen.
Honourable mentions: Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Sol Campbell, Martin Keown, Rio Ferdinand, Marcel Desailly
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