++ [ originally posted by Rickenbacker2 ] ++
Yes hierro is a thug, but so is Thuram. He may have some ball skills, but when was the last time you saw him "finese" the ball away from somebody?
Blanc had finesse, at least as much as defenders ever do.
I remember one of his earlier games for Man U where an Everton striker, Campbell (big, strong, fast but not very skillful) recieved the ball in a counter-attack. Man U were over-stretched, trying to score a second (I think). Campbell raced past the last of Man Us defence, except for Blanc, who looked to be too slow, too late to make a differance. Blanc sauntered over, and tapped the ball from Campbell's toe, out wide for Silvestre to pick up. Campbell stopped dead, with a look of pure amazement and awe on his face.