Actually Roy Keane and Vieira are noteworthy.True but the way they are now used is different. Before the obsession with high press and ball retention DM’s sat in front of the back four and their main job was protection. Now the best defensive midfielder often does the 8 role like Rice and Kante. While the 6 role is now often a playmaker from deep enabling a team to keep ball or press high. Almost like the 8 and 6 switched.
Imagine dropping a 23year old Roy Keane into this squad.
Still I’m in the Vitinha/Modric clone camp though, over Kante. Think in the right structure we do have multiple ball winner/tacklers (proof will be in the pudding of course), so I favour a more technical DM.



