Football traditionalist will argue a case that modern footballers are too “soft” in comparison to the good old days, but really as the game has got faster and players fitter, bad tackles still remain part of the game. There was nothing ‘soft’ about the horrific injuries suffered by the likes of Eduardo da Silva, Aaron Ramsey, Hatem Ben Arfa or Stuart Holden in recent years.

At the weekend we saw a number of sickening tackles that could have ended a player's season and I think the art of the perfect tackle is a dying breed within the game.

In a good tackle, there is a desire to regain the ball, not just to get something on the ball. We often see Premier League players lunging in at their opposition in an ugly and reckless way which now blights the modern game. These overzealous challenges can end a fellow professional’s career as we have seen in the past.

Here is our selection of hatchet men in the Premier League, remember to watch your legs if you ever get a chance to play football against these dirty players.

Click on Karl Henry to see the selections

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