Ali B....How good was he ?

[SharstonBlue]

Being slightly too young to have seen Colin Bell in the flesh and having seen Kinkladze dazzle in a poor, relegation threatened/bound team, I've got to say Benarbia is the finest, most skilful player I've ever seen in a sky blue shirt... until David Silva.

 

[forevermancity]

my favourtie City player of recent times

I am looking at a framed photo of him (wearing the number 44 shirt) on his debut vs Birmingham on my office wall

didn't he get off a plane from france at 1pm and then make his mom debut at 3pm?

thats right, and a right legend off the pitch, attitude was spot on too.

forget all this, modern football, players getting paid 150k a week etc, this guy is a proper city legend, and will long be in the memories of genuine city fans

No one get on my back about this but didnt he "retire" then sign 150k a week type deal to play in Qatar

i dont think he would have been on that much,but the guy was a legend all the same. he cared about the club and the supporters, every good player has a 'connection' with their fans, but ali and our supporters was something else

 

[Mike N]

An absolute fantastic player. I've been going to City since 76 and for sheer entertainment Ali is in my top 5 players. I loved watching him play.

Ali, Ali, Ali!

 

[Failsworth_Blue]

I think Ali B was a lot better than Silva or anyone else in our team. Silva is a much busier type but Doesn't have the same vision. In the critical moments he seems to panic or deliver a slightly off final product. Overall he is a fabulous player, as is Nasri but Ali in his prime would have shone brighter in our team today IMO.

Xavi is the closest today IMO. Better only because of the team be plays in.

IMO Ali B was the most underrated player of modern times - over shadows by his buddy Zidane. Had he choose. To play for France then he'd have been more recognized. Glad he didn't in a selfish way so we got him when we did. As good as today is the promotion year was just phenomenal football and truely made oh proud to be a blue. :-)

Ali B was great, no doubt about it. He was a player that you just thought something would happen with the ball at his feet, he wasn't the quickest but he was ahead of the game in terms of what was going on in his head and his ability at times was outstanding but lets not go over the top, he's not better than David Silva

 

[Tameside Tom]

I think Ali B was a lot better than Silva or anyone else in our team. Silva is a much busier type but Doesn't have the same vision. In the critical moments he seems to panic or deliver a slightly off final product. Overall he is a fabulous player, as is Nasri but Ali in his prime would have shone brighter in our team today IMO.

Xavi is the closest today IMO. Better only because of the team be plays in.

IMO Ali B was the most underrated player of modern times - over shadows by his buddy Zidane. Had he choose. To play for France then he'd have been more recognized. Glad he didn't in a selfish way so we got him when we did. As good as today is the promotion year was just phenomenal football and truely made oh proud to be a blue. :-)

Ali B was great, no doubt about it. He was a player that you just thought something would happen with the ball at his feet, he wasn't the quickest but he was ahead of the game in terms of what was going on in his head and his ability at times was outstanding but lets not go over the top, he's not better than David Silva

You may be right, but bare in mind, Silva, great player that he is, is playing in a much higher quality team than Ali, I think it may be closer than you think.

 

[The Fat el Hombre]

I think Ali B was a lot better than Silva or anyone else in our team. Silva is a much busier type but Doesn't have the same vision. In the critical moments he seems to panic or deliver a slightly off final product. Overall he is a fabulous player, as is Nasri but Ali in his prime would have shone brighter in our team today IMO.

Xavi is the closest today IMO. Better only because of the team be plays in.

IMO Ali B was the most underrated player of modern times - over shadows by his buddy Zidane. Had he choose. To play for France then he'd have been more recognized. Glad he didn't in a selfish way so we got him when we did. As good as today is the promotion year was just phenomenal football and truely made oh proud to be a blue. :-)

Ali B was great, no doubt about it. He was a player that you just thought something would happen with the ball at his feet, he wasn't the quickest but he was ahead of the game in terms of what was going on in his head and his ability at times was outstanding but lets not go over the top, he's not better than David Silva

You may be right, but bare in mind, Silva, great player that he is, is playing in a much higher quality team than Ali, I think it may be closer than you think.

On the other hand you could say that Silva would stand out even mroe than Ali B did in a shit team and that Ali wouldn't have made it in a top team. People come up with the same argument about Kinky, you can never really know the answers I s'pose. To be fair to Ali, he won the French league with Bordeaux and Monaco and the league player of the year in 99, so he obviously wasn't a mug. One things for sure - it was brilliant going to the games knowing that Ali B was playing for City

 

[BoyBlue_1985]

I think Ali B was a lot better than Silva or anyone else in our team. Silva is a much busier type but Doesn't have the same vision. In the critical moments he seems to panic or deliver a slightly off final product. Overall he is a fabulous player, as is Nasri but Ali in his prime would have shone brighter in our team today IMO.

Xavi is the closest today IMO. Better only because of the team be plays in.

IMO Ali B was the most underrated player of modern times - over shadows by his buddy Zidane. Had he choose. To play for France then he'd have been more recognized. Glad he didn't in a selfish way so we got him when we did. As good as today is the promotion year was just phenomenal football and truely made oh proud to be a blue. :-)

Ali B was great, no doubt about it. He was a player that you just thought something would happen with the ball at his feet, he wasn't the quickest but he was ahead of the game in terms of what was going on in his head and his ability at times was outstanding but lets not go over the top, he's not better than David Silva

You may be right, but bare in mind, Silva, great player that he is, is playing in a much higher quality team than Ali, I think it may be closer than you think.

It took Benarbia a long time to break into the top league. He was 27/28 when he went to Monaco and 33 when he joined us. Silva is 25 and is still getting better by the week. When he is 33 and lost some pace he will probably have the same vision as Benarbia did. Its very easy for a class player to stand out in a shit team. Its harder to shine when you surrounded by diamonds but Silva still manages it

 

[Tameside Tom]

Ali B was great, no doubt about it. He was a player that you just thought something would happen with the ball at his feet, he wasn't the quickest but he was ahead of the game in terms of what was going on in his head and his ability at times was outstanding but lets not go over the top, he's not better than David Silva

You may be right, but bare in mind, Silva, great player that he is, is playing in a much higher quality team than Ali, I think it may be closer than you think.

It took Benarbia a long time to break into the top league. He was 27/28 when he went to Monaco and 33 when he joined us. Silva is 25 and is still getting better by the week. When he is 33 and lost some pace he will probably have the same vision as Benarbia did. Its very easy for a class player to stand out in a shit team. Its harder to shine when you surrounded by diamonds but Silva still manages it

Fair shout mate.

 

[wrongun73]

ali b was and still is a legend

 

[ErnieBilko]

I remember his first game for us. No one had heard of him. But very quickly you good see his class. I've never seen anyone with his vision for passing, but Silva is doing a good job to meet this and I need ot remeber, we're now playing at a much higher level.