Sky, named who they thought were SAF's Greatest XI over the past 20 years. http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=427003&CPID=8&clid=1&lid=&title=Fergie's+Best+XI?+-+Reaction I think its only appropriate that we give it a shot here at Big Soccer. Name your All Time starting XI from Sir Alex's reign. I will have to think about it a bit before I post my picks.
Re: SAF's Greatest Manchester United IX Hopefully nobody will notice I mistakenly said greatest 9 in the title of the thread. Thanks for the fix.
Keeping with the United 442 (Sky's attempt was stupid, there's no point not playing 442) ----------------------Cole -------------Yorke Giggs---------------------------------Ronaldo -----------Keane---------Scholes Irwin----------------------------------Neville ------------Pallister---------Bruce -------------------Schmikes This XI isn't about overall skill, its about chemistry and the best team. Ronaldo makes this team based on my opinion that he's the best RW that Fergie's had. Pally and Bruce, Yorke and Cole, Giggs and Irwin, some great partherships there. If I were to pick a 442 based simply on performance for United without regard to what kind of unit I was building then... -------------------------Ruud ---------------Cantona Giggs----------------------------------Ronaldo ------------Robson--------Keane Irwin-----------------------------------Neville ------------Stam----------Bruce -----------------Schmikes It kills me not to put Rooney into either XI but while he'll certainly get there soon enough, he's not yet at the level of Cantona and there's perhaps one strike pairing ever with more synergy than Yorke/Cole. Ronaldo's presence in both XIs isn't just down to his skill/play a lot of it has to do with his position. Becks occupied the RW spot for so so long that only Kanchelskis really comes in with a chance to oust Ronaldo and he was replaced by Becks so... you know... I'm picking Ronaldo.
---------Schmeichel--------- Neville--Pallister--Bruce--Irwin --Robson----Keane----Giggs-- -----------Scholes----------- --Cantona----van Nistelrooy-- That's obviously based purely on performance, rather than simply the team that would perform best. It's not a "pure 4-4-2", but its close enough. You get a little bit of the square peg in a round hole, but overall I think that team works.
Schmeichel Neville -- Stam -- Pallister -- Irwin Beckham-- Keane -- Scholes -- Giggs ---------Robson---------- -------------------Cantona------ I'm leaving out some quality players, such as RvN, Brucey...this is just my opinion.
Well, if Carrick can play ahead of Scholes.... You should see my bench: Van Der Saar Hughes Ruud Ince Kanchelskis Stam Hard to leave Solskjaer off the bench...
agree with the sky team but i would put sparky or becks in the team in the place of rooney.but i would definetely have ole and sheringham on the bench.
Lol ! ---Schmeichel--- Gaz-Stam-Vidic-Irwin Ronaldo-Keane-Scholes-Giggs --------Cantona------- ---- ----Rvn---
Schmeichel GNeville-Bruce-Pallister-Irwin Beckham-Keane-Scholes-Giggs Cantona-Ruud Subs: VDS Stam Rio Ronaldo Robson Yorke Cole OGS
Best: ----------Schmeichel ------Pallister----Stam Gaz--------------------Irwin ------Keane---Scholes Beckham--------------Giggs -------Yorke --------------Cole Most Influential: ----------Schmeichel ----------Rio----Bruce Gaz-----------------------Irwin ----------Keane---Ince Kanchelskis--------------Giggs -----------Cantona --------Van Nistlerooy
DS, can you please explain the best vs. influential separation? How exactly is Scholes less influential than Ince or Beckham less influential than Kanchelskis? I'd go with this: ----------Schmeichel ------Bruce--------Stam GN-----------------------Irwin -------Keane---Scholes Beckham--------------Giggs ------Cantona---Ruud
How can everyone leave out McClair? I kept going back and forth on if he should be in or out of the starting 11 and ended up putting him on the bench. Gk Schmecichel D Irwin D Bruce D Rio D GNeville M Giggs M Keane M Robson M Beckham F Cantona F Van Nistlerooy Bench McClair Hughes Ince OGS Anderson Sharpe Pallister Leighton Kanchelskis Yorke Schoales Sheringham
Wasn't going to post in this thread but was quite bored in class today so I decided to have a go. ---------Schmeichel (surprise) G.nev---stam----pallister---irwin Kanchelskis--Robson-Keano--Giggs -----------Cantona---------- --------------RvN----------- subs: VDS Bruce Ince Scholes Beckham Solskjaer Sheringham This is quite difficult. Left out Rooney, Ronaldo etc. because they are so new to the team.
The best: That is the side sans Palli' that shat on Europe and if we had Scholes and Keane for that final, we would've hammered Bayern. If we could have kept that team together I firmly believe we could have won another EC or two. Influential: At one time or another those players were a world unto themselves for us and were the absolute crux, as individuals, in the collective result of the teams that they were in. Without Ince, Keane would not be the player he became and those early 90's teams would have had half the drive and passion. It goes on for each one mentioned except Gaz, but he has been there so long(RB) it'd be daft to put anyone over him. A player like Scholes needed a player like Keane next to him, a player like Beckham needed Gaz backing him up, a player like Cole needed a foil like Yorke. In other words, 'the best' team was truly a team and as a collective were immense. As individuals, you would not put it on any of them not in the influential team to hold forte alone. Whereas, in the individual aspect, none of those players in the influential team (Sans Gaz) needed anyone to enhance their own game or relied on another cog to make their game better. Ruud, Catona, Ince, Keane, Kanchelskis, Giggs, Irwin, Bruce, Rio, Schmikes at their pomps needed no one else.. one-man armies, the lot of them. I definitely would not say that about 'the best' team.
I agree. That Midfield during the late nineties was the envy of the world. Any of the big clubs would have payed 30million+ for any of those four. The fact that each one had different attributes is what made it work. I like the central defence pairing of Bruce and Stam. Bruce was a great leader and Stam strong, fast and consistent. G Neville and Irwin were ultra reliable also. It would have been great to see Cantona playing with Ruud. Cantona would be pulling the strings and Ruud finishing things off. Football Bliss.
Anyone care to help ? In a bit of a rush All time ******** all XI GK : Massimo DL : O'shea DC : Twetty DC : DR : MR : Cruyff MF : Djemba Djemba MF : Miller ML : Krich FW : Nevland FW : Bellion