Ball Control and Dribbling Ability

[spike220]

I was watching the recent training video posted on here and was watching the ball control and dribbling ability of the players. I was remebering how well John Barnes used to control the ball - it looked as thought it was glued to boot half the time.

I was wondering who was the current and past hibs players most with the best control and dribbling ability? (George Best doesnt really count)

A few come to mind:

Past: The wee moroccan, Miller, Deeks and Weir

Present: Booth looks handy, Wotherspoon promising.

Thought and opinions?

GGTTH

[Callum_62]

Ball Control - David Murphy

Currently - will need to wait till next season! Booth looks no bad tho

[AlbertK86]

johnny collins and russell latapy best by miles in my time

[Tricla]

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johnny collins and russell latapy best by miles in my time

[forthhibby]

Scott Brown

[KazHibby]

Alexander Hector McMillan "Ally" McLeod

[Hibrandenburg]

Alex Edwards

[Spike Mandela]

Kevin MacAllister, Latapy and John Collins.



best ever (non hibs) Messi

[Cropley10]

Edwin De Graff

[Jack]

John Blackley.

I recall a report I read of a Scotland game in Brazil where the Sloop was a sub. At half time he was ‘warming up’ and doing all those wee ‘skill school’ things. When he finished he was given a standing ovation by the crowd – praise indeed.


The other side of JB was also a joy to watch, as a Hibby. If it wasn’t the fitba he came away after a ‘fair’ tackle he would arrange the opposition players baws round their throat like a necklace!

[Hamish]

Cropley, McLeod, McAllister, Latapy, Murphy

[Peevemor]

Those that immediately spring to mind for me are JC, Crunchie, Latapy and, strangely enough, Dougie Bell.

[Ollie Reed]

I'd imagine Willie Hamilton and Gordon Smith would be up there.

[Phil MaGlass]

John Collins and Benny Brazil.

[soproni1]

Best dribbler I've seen is benji - not the quickest but the ball was always in his control, sometimes he didnt even have to touch it to make defenders fall on their a*se (see 2007 cup final goal).

On the other end of the scale, Scott Brown's pace and drive from the middle on occasions was (and probably still is) brilliant to watch and caused all kinds of havoc, he took a few good kicks doin it mind you (see goal at parkhead in yellow strips)

[frazeHFC]

Benji, Murphy, Zemmama and Latapy had good ball control. Booth has good ball control now.

[dangermouse]

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Benji, Murphy, Zemmama and Latapy had good ball control. Booth has good ball control now.

Booth reminds me of Murphy the way he traps the ball.

[ChicoM1875]

Ivan for sheer velocity. Was like like watching Benny Hill at times. Murphy had a sublime first touch. Benji for me though.

[RIP]

When I first saw the thread title I was suddenly staring into my own medical abyss

Anyway - back to fitba - Alex Edwards and Eric Stevenson for me

[Greentinted]

Collins, Crunchie, Russell spring immediately to mind as does Arthur Duncan.

Non Hibs - although he was a bigotted wee cretin, Davie Cooper couldnae half keep a baw on his toes.

[Franck is God]

in my time watching the Hibees the best dribblers or players on the ball are.

JC, Mickey, Crunchie, Jacko, I also agree with Dougie Bell, Latapy, Beastie was good on the ball.

In more recent times I was always comfortable of keeping possession when Boozy had it & Murphy. For pure drive and control Scott Brown was outsanding.

[FRes Hibbie]

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Ivan for sheer velocity. Was like like watching Benny Hill at times. Murphy had a sublime first touch. Benji for me though.

Disagree with Sproule, his pace (velocity) IS very handy but his ball control and dribbling ability is quite poor - going by his first spell anyway. I think he's indicative of the impact-sub-type-winger, when he gets the ball he doesn't actually beat his man for skill, just kind of knocks it ten yards past him and runs, like Walcott, Babel, etc.

Not really sure if we have any particularly good dribblers in our current squad but from the last couple of years Zemamma sticks out. Obviously non-Hibs but I thought I'd give Nasri and mention too because he's pretty exceptional in both those departments.

[sahib]

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When I first saw the thread title I was suddenly staring into my own medical abyss

Anyway - back to fitba - Alex Edwards and Eric Stevenson for me

From that era I would add Jim Scott.

[Septimus]

Bobby Johnstone. Non Hibs... Willie Fernie. Fernie used to be Ivan Sproulish in the way that the park was always a few feet short for him.

Best first touch at Hibs was Steve Archibald. Murphy had that skill too.

[Franck Stanton]

Alough he wasn't with long, John Connolly dribbled past opposition players as though they weren't even there.

[Dan Sarf]

Gordon Smith was considered by many to be better than "The Wizard of the Dribble" himself, Stanley Mathews.

(Personally, I thought Gordon was miles better - he seemed much faster to me and had lots more ways to beat his man than Stan who always seemed to do his famous sudden-lurch-to-one-side trick that left opposition defenders on their ars*.)

Not an expert on Sir Stan - only saw him on TV - so apologies if I've undervalued him. But Gordon was definitely better. Fact.

[erin go bragh]

Best ive seen has to be latapy,pretty sure mcleish said they could put him in a phonebox and still not get the ball of him !
ggtth

[heretoday]

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I'd imagine Willie Hamilton and Gordon Smith would be up there.

Correct! Willie Hamilton used to "ghost" through defences with the ball "seemingly tied to his feet" as the Evening news and Dispatch would have it.

I started watching Hibs in 1963 and count myself fortunate to have seen all Hammy's home matches.

[ancient hibee]

If you watch a video of the Real Madrid game you'll see Hammy beating guys when he's still 5 yards away from them.

[Wheat Hound]

Defo agree wee Crunchie was a fantastic winger. We sold him too early as he had another few cracking years at Falkirk. The summer of 1993 where we bought him, Leighton and Michael O'Neill was one of our best transfer periods. The subsequent run to the LC final was thrilling.