Best individual performance you've seen from an opponent against us?

Was reading up on World Cup squads of yesteryear and came across the name of Robert Prosinecki. I'll never forget the game he had against us at Oakwell around 2001 sort of time. He was coming to the end of his career and for some reason decided to have a year at Portsmouth. He looked so out of place on the same pitch as the likes of Carl Regan it was unbelievable, completely ran the game and made our defenders look like cardboard cut-outs with jelly for legs. Absolute mesmeric masterclass from someone who played as though he still belonged back at Real Madrid or Barca.

Other ones which stand out in the memory would be Temuri Ketsbaia for Wolves around the same period, Lee Trundle for Swansea, Robbie Blake for Leeds, Darren Huckerby for Norwich, Tevez for Manchester City, and Gerrard's 30-minute cameo at Anfield.

Any suggestions to add to the list?

 

Santos 97
Wigan pre season about five years ago

 

I saw Luis Figo when Real Madrid played Leeds in the Champions League back in 2000/2001 (I got offered a free ticket by a mate). Leeds couldn't get anywhere near him. It was a master class.

 

Alastair Millar , Rotherham away in the county cup 1970s . Genius that night , wizard of the dribble as they say .

 

Gerrard's 30 minute cameo at Anfield didn't amount to much though did it?

 

EH?......against us!

 

We've done this thread about three times now in the last few months. I know this because I started the first, and started it by naming Prosinecki's performance against us as the best I'd seen. So I'll go with Prosinecki. Again. Again.

 

It didn't in the end but I can't remember seeing a player come off the bench and influence a game as much as that occassion. They offered very little until he came on and then absolutely battered us. I remember him picking up the ball in the centre circle with his first touch and driving forward, beating about three of our men and then going close with a shot which was deflected for a corner. I just though wow, this kid really IS that good!

 

Apologies Whitey, I missed that one/all the others! Good choice though!

 

Whoops

 

Vialli at Oakwell. Scored 4 out of 6 live on Sky. Got some stick the day after at school.

 

No need to apologise for mentioning Prosinecki. One of the very best.

 

George Courtney, Leeds away, FACup, early 90s. He had a hand in all of their goals and made a terrific decision to stop us drawing level. We would have scored had it not been for his interception and speed of thought. His partnership with John McLelland worked a treat that night, between them keeping a clean sheet. Had he not been on the pitch the result could have been totally different.

 

Nolberto Solano. For Newcastle in the league cup, it was about 10 or 12 years ago now. Remember Solano bombing down the wing all evening and none of our players getting anywhere close. He was aiming he ball into a rather lazy Craig Bellamy who had a very underwhelming game, despite scoring the winner in the last 10 minutes.

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Keith Andrews for Ipswich circa 2011. Turned the game for them at 2-0 down. The lovely person.

 

Gary Willard.

 

Nuff said....Is it right he never Reffed again, or have I been told a fib?

 

Ketsbia for Newcastle in the FA cup away when we were in the Premier League. Ripped us another hole all game

 

Glad to see you put Prosinecki coz it's the first name that always springs to mind, like you say, he wasn't just good, he was on another planet.

Friday night game If I remember rightly? On Sky I'm sure. Did he get taken off towards end of game to a standing ovation?

Interestingly enough he is the player to have played for two different countries at a World Cup, or at least he was till not long back.

Other than that I can't think of anyone close to be fair. I remember a young Craig Bellamy for Norwich shred us on opening game once

 

From wiki
Willard became a referee for the Football League in 1990, and was promoted to the Premier League list of referees in 1994. He became a FIFA referee in 1996.

On 27 January 1998, he was referee for the Football League Cup semi-final first leg between Liverpool and Middlesbrough, which was a 2-1 home win.[5] He also controlled the semi-final second leg the following year in the same competition, when Spurs won 1-0 at Wimbledon on 16 February 1999, for an aggregate win by that score.[6]

On 28 March 1998, Willard was involved in "astonishing scenes" at Oakwell Stadium after the end of the Barnsley versus Liverpool match in the Premier League, which finished 2-3. He had occasion to send off three players from the home side - Darren Barnard, Chris Morgan and Darren Sheridan - in the second half, causing play to be suspended for five minutes after Willard had been chased by an interloper. He had to be given a "police safety escort" off the pitch after the game.[7]

It has been commented that Willard had to withdraw from Premier League appointments after what turned out to be his last ever match in that competition due to fitness problems,[3] but he continued to referee for FIFA into the following season, once having the misfortune to mistakenly issue three yellow cards to FC Lausanne-Sport's Eduardo Magnin before sending him off during their home game against Celta Vigo in the UEFA Cup in September 1999. The English referees' chief at the time, Philip Don, stated that Willard had not taken any Premier League appointments due to "personal reasons".[8]

That final Premiership game was West Ham's 4-0 win over Middlesbrough at Upton Park on 16 May 1999.[9]

He was a shocking referee.