Schmeichel
Neville
Stam
Ferdinand
Irwin
Scholes
Keane
Ronaldo
Cantona
Giggs
Van Nistelrooy
VDS
Brown
Vidic
Pallister
Evra
Robson
Carrick
Beckham
Rooney
Sharpe
Cole
Off the top of my head I've just listed two of the best XIs I can think of at United during the Premier League era (I was going to go during my time supporting them but that timeframe could be different for all). I know I'll have missed some and some should be in different teams but you get the idea!
If we the discount both the teams we've named which players from the PL era would you take at United now to move them forward in a first XI?
I’ve gone for a 4-2-3-1 which is how we’re pretty much lining up at present.
For me I think you could make a pretty strong case for an entirely different side:
Barthez - *erratic at times but would probably suit this era better
Rafael
Johnsen
Bruce
O’Shea
Ince
Butt
Kancheslskis
Yorke
Solskjaer
Hughes
However, we’re framing this with the transfer window over the summer in mind so let’s say we’re allowed to choose four players to instantly make our team better. Sticking to that rule I’d go with:
Ince
Butt
Kanchelskis
Hughes
I’ve gone for the above as I think we need strong characters and because I think we need a bit better control in midfield. Ince and Butt were both combative but could also play a bit. Kanchelskis would transform that right wing position (as it seems every winger we buy is better on the left!) and Hughes would just be the best target man for us with his technical ability and strength.
The line up would therefore be:
De Gea
Dalot
Maguire
Varane
Shaw
Ince
Butt
Kanchelskis
Bruno
Rashford
Hughes
Which players would you go for?*
*I realise this is a long read so if you don’t want to get involved that’s fair enough.
EDIT: I realise I've missed out some quality players as well in the OP that have been pointed out to me in the comments!
Bored at work so something different thread
posted on 11/2/22
We've has some great players when you start looking down peoples choices.
posted on 11/2/22
comment by manusince52 (U9692)
posted 3 minutes ago
I like your team Diafol, but would have Robson ahaead of Keane. Indeed I would write his and Irwins name down, and then think of the rest.
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That's fair enough. I do think Robbo had the edge over Keane, and I did make a caveat in the OP that players could/should be in different teams, but I probably plumped for Keane based on recency bias more than anything probably.
posted on 11/2/22
comment by manusince52 (U9692)
posted 3 minutes ago
We've has some great players when you start looking down peoples choices.
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Absolutely!
posted on 11/2/22
Tevez was incredible in terms of effort and performance levels.
posted on 11/2/22
comment by Diafol Coch 77 (U2462)
posted 55 minutes ago
comment by BerbaKing11 (U6256)
posted 40 seconds ago
I like the idea of constructing a United 11 that excludes the first two teams as well as any current players. I think I'd go with:
------------------Barthez
Valencia--Bruce--Johnsen--Heinze
Kanchelskis--Ince--Veron--Nani
------------Solskjaer--Yorke
And taking four from that to make our current team stronger:
--------------------DDG
Valencia--Varane--Maguire--Shaw
----------------Ince--Veron
Sancho-------Bruno------Rashford
-------------------Yorke
Valencia would be an upgrade on anything we have at RB, Ince would be the kind of top midfield general we lack and Veron the slick, creative metronomic passer in midfield we lack. Could easily have opted for Kanchelskis or Nani with our wide options that's seems a waste, so then it's a shootout between Ole and Yorkie for the CF spot.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I knew I'd forgotten a few players! Valencia, Veron and Nani I'd forgotten. Dare I say I forgot Tevez too!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
To be fair the CF options are kind of ridiculous. Tevez, RvP, Saha, Berbatov, Sheringham... Even the likes of Smith, Lukaku & Forlan were very good players who for different reasons didn't hit the heights for us they'd showed before/after United.
posted on 11/2/22
comment by BerbaKing11 (U6256)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Diafol Coch 77 (U2462)
posted 55 minutes ago
comment by BerbaKing11 (U6256)
posted 40 seconds ago
I like the idea of constructing a United 11 that excludes the first two teams as well as any current players. I think I'd go with:
------------------Barthez
Valencia--Bruce--Johnsen--Heinze
Kanchelskis--Ince--Veron--Nani
------------Solskjaer--Yorke
And taking four from that to make our current team stronger:
--------------------DDG
Valencia--Varane--Maguire--Shaw
----------------Ince--Veron
Sancho-------Bruno------Rashford
-------------------Yorke
Valencia would be an upgrade on anything we have at RB, Ince would be the kind of top midfield general we lack and Veron the slick, creative metronomic passer in midfield we lack. Could easily have opted for Kanchelskis or Nani with our wide options that's seems a waste, so then it's a shootout between Ole and Yorkie for the CF spot.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I knew I'd forgotten a few players! Valencia, Veron and Nani I'd forgotten. Dare I say I forgot Tevez too!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
To be fair the CF options are kind of ridiculous. Tevez, RvP, Saha, Berbatov, Sheringham... Even the likes of Smith, Lukaku & Forlan were very good players who for different reasons didn't hit the heights for us they'd showed before/after United.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ah RVP and Sheringham. Told you I'd missed some players!
posted on 11/2/22
The last 8 years have sucked for sure but I wouldn't swap the 23 yrs that came before it for anything. What a time to be alive. Incredibly fortunate to grow up when I did where as my dad has been going to United since the 60's and experienced the current state of affairs plenty.
We have had a truly staggering amount of world class players in our club's history, probably more so that any other English club actually.
Law Best n Charlton......would have loved to have been able to stand on the terraces and experience how good they all were.
posted on 11/2/22
comment by RB United (SE85) (U21241)
posted 3 minutes ago
The last 8 years have sucked for sure but I wouldn't swap the 23 yrs that came before it for anything. What a time to be alive. Incredibly fortunate to grow up when I did where as my dad has been going to United since the 60's and experienced the current state of affairs plenty.
We have had a truly staggering amount of world class players in our club's history, probably more so that any other English club actually.
Law Best n Charlton......would have loved to have been able to stand on the terraces and experience how good they all were.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Up until I was a teenager we were pretty poor but from there all through my mid to late teens to mid 30s we were fantastic. I'm glad I was in that age during the time we were good.
posted on 11/2/22
Just getting a kick seeing the names, and that’s just the Prem Era. Wow. We’ve been blessed eh.
posted on 11/2/22
Has to be Bruce with Pallister. That was a well-proven pairing.