All-time Ferguson XI

[Father Ted]

Article in the telegraph by Gary Lineker:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=D&xml=/sport/2005/11/06/sfnlin06.xml

here is his selection:
Schmeichel
GNeville-McGrath-Rio-Irwin
Beckham-Robson-Keane-Giggs
Ruud-Cantona

Mine would be:
Schmeichel
GNeville-Bruce-Stam-Irwin
Beckham-Robson-Keane-Giggs
Ruud-Cantona

[SirManchester]

Article in the telegraph by Gary Lineker:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=D&xml=/sport/2005/11/06/sfnlin06.xml

here is his selection:
Schmeichel
GNeville-McGrath-Rio-Irwin
Beckham-Robson-Keane-Giggs
Ruud-Cantona

Mine would be:
Schmeichel
GNeville-Bruce-Stam-Irwin
Beckham-Robson-Keane-Giggs
Ruud-Cantona


and mine would be:
Schmeichel
G.Neville-Bruce-Stam-Irwin
Becks-Robson-Keaneo-Giggs
Cantona-Best(Charlton)

[Father Ted]

jeez, I didnt know Georgie and Bobby were still around in the 80's and 90's with United.

Sir, its the Ferguson era, i.e. 1986-2005.

[Invincible]

From what I've seen:

-----------------Schmeichel--------
--G.Neville------Stam----Rio--------Irwin

---Beckham----Keane----Robson----Giggs
--------------------Cantona----
------------Ruud

[SirManchester]

jeez, I didnt know Georgie and Bobby were still around in the 80's and 90's with United.

Sir, its the Ferguson era, i.e. 1986-2005.


oops, sorry about that, in that case I'll second your lineup.

[Howard Zinn]

Really interesting how he put Rio in there, even with all the shiite about the contract and the subsequent poor performances recently.

[Dark Savante]

That's a toughie...

The attack is obvious as are the FB's

It's only central defence that can be contested.. and McGrath is bar far the best CB of the bunch...but that doesn't neccesarily warrant him a spot if we consider pairings...

Wow... that's tough

I'd have to say a McGrath-Rio pairing would be unbeatable...and agree with Lineker. As much as I rate the others, those two together is on another level.

------------Schmeichel
----------Rio--------McGrath
G.Neville----------------------Irwin
------------Keane---Robson
Beckham--------------------Giggs
--------------------Cantona
-------------RVN

That team has no weakness. I wonder who'd be the captain, mind.....

[Stud83]

Well, I think everyone agrees about the front 6 players and GK, and both fullbacks, so really the question is - what is the best CD pairing. :)
I'd go with Bruce-Stam. If only Rio could score once in a while :rolleyes:
Also, how about the second all-Fergie team? I'm pretty sure we'll see many more differences.

[Dark Savante]

Well, I think everyone agrees about the front 6 players and GK, and both fullbacks, so really the question is - what is the best CD pairing. :)
I'd go with Bruce-Stam. If only Rio could score once in a while :rolleyes:
Also, how about the second all-Fergie team? I'm pretty sure we'll see many more differences.
ohh a 2nd xi would be a lot more fun. The 1st xi's offer only 2 possible variations (CB's) hmm my 2nd xi would be

---------------VDS
-------Bruce-------Stam
Anderson----------------Heinze
-----------Ince---Scholes
Kanchelskis---------------Sharpe
------------------Yorke
------------Cole

Get in.

Actually, I think it's at the 3rd team stage that things would get a little hazy. The options on the 3rd team are a lot more flexible imo.

[bigtoga]

Lineker looks all fancy in his fat ties and all but really - putting Rio in there is just an attempt to be current. Rio hasn't won squat compared with his "opposition" in this competition

[Asprilla9]

i'm not a Becks hater, but is there any way he is not on this team??

the reason I ask is, I got into an argument about whether or not Beckham would be on an all-time England XI. I said no way Becks makes that team.

but i'm not as well versed on the history of ManU. talent-wise, who are the other players that would challenge Becks for the right spot?

[Father Ted]

1st XI:
Schmeichel
GNeville-Bruce-Stam-Irwin
Beckham-Robson-Keane-Giggs
Ruud-Cantona

2nd XI:
VDS
Parker-Rio-McGrath-Heinze
Ronaldo-Ince-Scholes-Sharpe
Hughes-Rooney

3rd XI:
Barthez
PNeville-Johnsen-Pallister-Silvestre
Strachan-Butt-Veron
Solskjaer-Yorke-Cole

4th XI:
Howard
Brown-Berg-Blanc-O'Shea
Wallace-Webb-Blackmore-Fortune
Sheringham-McClair


How about this, the all B-name team:
Barthez
Bardsley-Bruce-Berg-Brown
Beckham-Butt-Blackmore-Beardsmore-Blomqvist
Bellion
Subs: Bosnich, Blanc

[Dark Savante]

1st XI:
Schmeichel
GNeville-Bruce-Stam-Irwin
Beckham-Robson-Keane-Giggs
Ruud-Cantona

2nd XI:
VDS
Parker-Rio-McGrath-Heinze
Ronaldo-Ince-Scholes-Sharpe
Hughes-Rooney

3rd XI:
Barthez
PNeville-Johnsen-Pallister-Silvestre
Strachan-Butt-Veron
Solskjaer-Yorke-Cole

4th XI:
Howard
Brown-Berg-Blanc-O'Shea
Wallace-Webb-Blackmore-Fortune
Sheringham-McClair


How about this, the all B-name team:
Barthez
Bardsley-Bruce-Berg-Brown
Beckham-Butt-Blackmore-Beardsmore-Blomqvist
Bellion
Subs: Bosnich, Blanc
You have to be kidding. Are these your favourite players in order, or do you think they are the best in order of appearance?

[JamesA]

That's a toughie...

The attack is obvious as are the FB's

It's only central defence that can be contested.. and McGrath is bar far the best CB of the bunch...but that doesn't neccesarily warrant him a spot if we consider pairings...

Wow... that's tough

I'd have to say a McGrath-Rio pairing would be unbeatable...and agree with Lineker. As much as I rate the others, those two together is on another level.

------------Schmeichel
----------Rio--------McGrath
G.Neville----------------------Irwin
------------Keane---Robson
Beckham--------------------Giggs
--------------------Cantona
-------------RVN

That team has no weakness. I wonder who'd be the captain, mind.....

McGrath by far the best CB? You think?

I guess it really depends on what your criteria are.....where does durability, commitment, and attitude factor in this? or does it at all?

IMO.....McGrath pissed his career down the drain. That combined with multiple injuries (kinda like a defensive glassman ;)

To me if we are talking pairings, I would say Rio/Stam .....they would both make for a better pairing overall, that cover all the needed elements of defense.

Speaking of pairings, would Keano/Robson honestly work as the ultimate central midfield..........I grant that as individuals they both probably our best pairing in SAF time...however, as pair I'm not 100% sure. They are very very similar in many respects, and I would honestly question the pairings creativity.

Then the other question would have to be would a Cantona/Ruud pairing be as effective as Yorke/Cole?

As individuals obviously they are far superior, but Yorke/Cole had this understanding that is unsurpassed in the SAF era....almost telepathic those two.

[JamesA]

I think I would have to post 2 separate teams TBH.........firstly the best 11 based on players in their prime as individuals......

The second team is the one I would feel would make a more optimal team as a unit.............man thats a bloody tough question though :D

1st XI

Schmeichel
Gazza**Stam**Rio**Irwin
Becks**Keano**Robson**Giggs
Cantona
Ruud

2nd XI

Schmeichel
Gazza**Stam**Rio**Irwin
Becks**Keano**Scholes**Giggs
Yorke**Cole

[JamesA]

i

but i'm not as well versed on the history of ManU. talent-wise, who are the other players that would challenge Becks for the right spot?

Only one player I would consider a challenger.....Kanchelskis. I still think 99% of Man U would vote Becks, but I may be wrong on that.

Kanchelskis was an EXTREMELY different player to becks, more of a winger (a la giggs) than a right midfielder.

[Father Ted]

You have to be kidding. Are these your favourite players in order, or do you think they are the best in order of appearance?

Teams 1,2 & 3 are fine, number 4 is dodgy I admit.

[Dark Savante]

McGrath by far the best CB? You think?

I guess it really depends on what your criteria are.....where does durability, commitment, and attitude factor in this? or does it at all?

IMO.....McGrath pissed his career down the drain. That combined with multiple injuries (kinda like a defensive glassman ;)

I think McGrath is the best CB the club has ever had. That he was a leachorous, lazy, bum who didn't even have to train, with the knees of a 70yr old granny makes him all the more amazing. Can you imagine how great he'd have been if he wasn't a bum? :eek: His talent surpasses any of the others as does his reading of the game so he'd get the start for me.


To me if we are talking pairings, I would say Rio/Stam .....they would both make for a better pairing overall, that cover all the needed elements of defense.
If McGrath didn't exist that'd be my pairing as well ;)


Speaking of pairings, would Keano/Robson honestly work as the ultimate central midfield..........I grant that as individuals they both probably our best pairing in SAF time...however, as pair I'm not 100% sure. They are very very similar in many respects, and I would honestly question the pairings creativity.
Robbo is a much more talented and creative player than Keano who was capable of scoring goals that even Scholes couldn't match (running full pelt, dribbling past players and then hammering it home from 25yards) If it wasn't for the relatively poor team he had around him I'm sure Robbo would have scored more and been more of an offensive threat. The fact that both of them were tremendous box-to-boxers means they could bomb up and down for an entire game adjacent to each other and with Robbo's myriad of talents I'm sure his goal tally would rise quite considerably. If Keano was 2men in his prime then we have 4men from 2CM's out there :D


Then the other question would have to be would a Cantona/Ruud pairing be as effective as Yorke/Cole? As individuals obviously they are far superior, but Yorke/Cole had this understanding that is unsurpassed in the SAF era....almost telepathic those two.

A very, very tough one. But Cantona and Ruud never got the chance to pair up and considering how Ruud was when he first came here (a machine) it would be lovely to see him in a team with so much attacking intensity with true width in all 4 flank positions and Cantona and Robbo AND Keano in and around him at the box. You'd have to imagine the opposition goal mouth would get peppered from every conceivable angle. Cole-Yorke is the proven pairing, everyone saw what they did together, but if we're assuming everyone is at their peak then Cantona and RVN must surely challenge.

[Dark Savante]

Teams 1,2 & 3 are fine, number 4 is dodgy I admit.
How can you justify putting Sparky and Wayne over Cole and Yorke?

[Dark Savante]

i'm not a Becks hater, but is there any way he is not on this team??

the reason I ask is, I got into an argument about whether or not Beckham would be on an all-time England XI. I said no way Becks makes that team.

but i'm not as well versed on the history of ManU. talent-wise, who are the other players that would challenge Becks for the right spot?
In the Fergie era no one comes close to Beckham so he's a lock. In an all time utd xi Beckham would be replaced with Best and Giggs on the other flank imo.

In an all-time England xi you have Tom Finney and Stanley Matthews who could both take RW. But for tactical and logistical reasons it wouldn't be outside the realms of possibility to see Finney on the left wing and Beckham on the right. Imo Matthews is more suited to being a wing forward in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-4. His lack of strength could make him vulnerable in a 4-4-2 unless backed up by a RB who can cover him defensively. It's easier to imagine Beckham in an all-time England xi then a Manchester United one.