Well... who our 'best' centreback is is of course subjective.(I would say it's Vermaelen) My point is that Mertesacker may well be chosen not because he is better but because its a more balanced defensive pairing. I may be wrong but I've got a feeling this will be the case.
Did you say this when Shawcross broke Ramseys leg, as from what i remember your fans acted like shawcross was some form of hitman when it was just an accident.
We had Bould for a season, aged 35, and he was the best defender I've seen in a Sunderland shirt to this day, even way past his best. He made everyone else's job easy, hence we finished 7 in our first year up. Legend.
Steve Bould for manager ? He has a perfect record - played two, won two. Not even Wenger can match that