Man United: 98/99 vs 07/08

I would also add that with Rooney in particular, Fergie has been playing him in a hell of a lot of positions but not always an out and out striker, so I also wonder how often the 2 have played together as 2 genuine strikers. I think that Yorke and Cole would struggle more in the current team because of the lack of service, and so there being a greater emphasis to help the team defensively.

Whilst Rooney has the ability to drop deep, when he gets a run as a striker he is prolific, and with that '99 midfield he could concentrate on playing up front with RVP and their abilities would shine through. I am sure at the start of the season Fergie said what a lethal combination RVP and Rooney would be, but he hsan't been able to play them as such as often as he would like, probably due to the lack of some creativity in midfield, espcially against the top teams.

I don't think any English side who won the CL was the 'best' team in Europe (world) when they won it.

It's a cup comp. Against the best teams admittedly, but still a knockout cup.

There was always a Milan, Juve, Bayern, Barca or Real Madrid who were better teams out there in the years English sides won it.

TheKaisersTrainers - perhaps I'm bias, but that '99 team was the best in Europe. We played poorly in the final, but the fact we went to places like Bayern and Barca and were disappointed to come away with draws just shows how strong that team was. And of course the most impressive result was in Turin, coming back from 2-0 early deficit. I believe we were unbeaten in the CL that season, so it's difficult to argue that we weren't the best in Europe (and given that it was part of the treble, it was obviously a special team)

There was always a Milan, Juve, Bayern, Barca or Real Madrid who were better teams out there in the years English sides won it.
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liverpool were the best tem in Europe then. Forrest were better than Liverpool when they won it for a couple of seasons.

You dont know what you are talking about.

agree to disagree

Once the dust settled and the medals were handed out, within a couple of months if you asked people who the 'best' (which is subjective, not fact) team on earth was you'd get an answer like Real Madrid in 00, plenty of other teams in 05, and Barca have been the best team on earth every season since 06.

Not winning or winning a cup comp doesn't make it mandatory to call them the best.

Just an opinion.

i agree but when Liverpool won all their Euro Cups the were actually the best.

I was referring to the CL era

I won;'t disagree with your other bit RBW but I was so young then and it's really hard to judge things that long ago. No one saw all the sides play like they do today and discuss it on message boards and watch all the highlights of the top leagues.

I accept that the best team does not always win the CL, but still feel that Utd deserve that title in '99. I also wouldn't go as far back as 06 for Barca, the last 4 or 5 years definitely.

I would finally add that sometimes there is no standout team in some years - I think over the next few years Barca will not be viewed quite as strongly as the previous 5.

utd were definitely the best team in europe in 2008 and since then barcelona have been the best team in europe

thanks for debating. good chat.

I don't think anyone is going to change anyone elses mind so for keeping it civil