A moment to appreciate the 06-11 side Fergie built.

[Alex99]

06/07 - Premier League winners, FA Cup runners up, Champions League semi-finalists.
07/08 - Premier League winners, Champions League winners
08/09 - Premier League winners, Champions League runners up, League Cup winners, FA Cup semi-finalists
09/10 - Premier League runners up, League Cup winners
10/11 - Premier League winners, Champions League runners up, FA Cup semi-finalists

This was an incredible run, however you look at it.

This season, City have been touted as the best team ever seen in the Premier League. Of course this was largely when they looked like they were on their way to a quadruple winning, invincible, record points breaking season. Now here we are, with the only thing they're aiming for now being the points total. The league and the league cup is a decent haul, and very good if they break the points record, but it's not quite "best ever side" levels.

I'm pretty certain no other English side, at least in the Premier League/Champions League era, can boast such a run, and I'm not sure there are many across Europe's other top leagues who can boast a similar run of league dominance, while consistently reaching the late stages of the Champions League, as well as going deep in their domestic cups.

This doesn't even include a further league win in 12/13 either.

 

[Mciahel Goodman]

no other English side,

Has ever won the league and the CL in the same season, except United (twice).

 

[Andy_Cole]

Phenomenal. Shame we didn’t get another CL in that period! Annoying it was because of the greatest side ever in Barca.

 

[VorZakone]

SAF, enough said. Unique manager.

 

[Siorac]

The miserable cnut that I am, my first thought was that how could we feck everything up so royally after being in such a strong position.

But yeah, Fergie was amazing at managing a season. None of his teams would ever get to 100+ points but he had a wonderful ability to juggle several competitions at the same time, even with players that didn't look all that on paper.

 

[adexkola]

Not sure how we didn't win the FA cup in 2008. Hopefully Portsmouth never come up.

 

[Ish]

SAF

Fecking miss him. How we took that success for granted

Man is unrivaled. Should really have had a couple more UCL trophies, but such is life.

 

[Snowjoe]

God bless John O’Shea, the cornerstone of those glory years

 

[bosnian_red]

Best premier league side ever by a distance.

 

[Skills]

Has ever won the league and the CL in the same season, except United (twice).

This isn't true.

 

[roonster09]

SAF was just amazing.

From 2006, 2 times we didn't win the league. Once by 1 point and other on GD.

 

[adexkola]

This isn't true.

Football was started by Sky in 1992

 

[Mciahel Goodman]

This isn't true.

99, 05, 08, 12.

 

[redflash]

Phenomenal team and manager. We really had such a great run. If not for Barca also peaking at the same time think we would have had at least 1 more maybe 2 more champions league's.

Fergie was the very best. Set the bar so high it was impossible to replicate.

 

[Skills]

Football was started by Sky in 1992

makes sense.

 

[Alex99]

This isn't true.

Football was started by Sky in 1992

It's entirely true. The Champions League started in 1992, and I think it's important to distinguish it from the European Cup, which while harder to qualify for, was easier to win, and saw many more back-to-back winners than the CL.

 

[Mciahel Goodman]

Football was started by Sky in 1992

I'm pretty certain no other English side, at least in the Premier League/Champions League era, can boast such a run,

The OP clearly restricts the margin of debate to the common era, PL/CL, not the first division and the European Cup. Both happened in '92, the restructuring of the old first division into the PL and the name change/restructuring of the European Cup into the CL.

What am I missing? People who don't bother reading the OP?

 

[TsuWave]

I always say that had it not coincided with arguably the best club side of all time, barcelona then, that United team would have been remembered as one of the goat.

amazing run.

 

[adexkola]

It's entirely true. The Champions League started in 1992, and I think it's important to distinguish it from the European Cup, which while harder to qualify for, was easier to win, and saw many more back-to-back winners than the CL.

I was being glib. However I'd like to piggy back on your OP, and state that people underestimate the difficulty involved with competiting on multiple fronts. Which is why I simply can't rate CL teams that don't at least challenge in their league. Our European record from 2006-2011 is very impressive when paired with the league titles.

 

[Northstand]

When you consider the difficulty of retaining the PL, it is mind-boggling to think that one more win in 2010 and one more draw in 2012 would have United on seven consecutive titles.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

When you consider the difficulty of retaining the PL, it is mind-boggling to think that one more win in 2010 and one more draw in 2012 would have United on seven consecutive titles.

Yep, and to really put that into perspective, nobody has successfully defended their title since.

 

[M Bison]

They’ll never be another manager like him, different game now.

He also managed to do it without any centre mids towards the end!

 

[Dundrummer]

Often forgotten is what I'd argue could be that side's crowning achievement, the longest unbeaten run in the entire history of the European Cup. 25 games undefeated, beating the previous record by six matches.

 

[FujiVice]

Not sure how we didn't win the FA cup in 2008. Hopefully Portsmouth never come up.

Never seen a game like that. Keeper gets injured, sub keeper gets sent off, Rio in goal, Ronaldo assaulted in the box and the referee doesnt give a penalty. We should have had another treble that year.

 

[Jagga7]

Incredible side he built. He took a bit of stick while building the team as well but he stuck with the rebuild and it came through.

 

[el3mel]

Damn. We were pretty unlucky our period as best team in the world ended abruptly by Barca's Pep revolution. We could have dominated Europe for few more years and win at least one more CL if not for that.

 

[Rood]

Arguably the greatest period in the clubs history - another CL win would have meant there isn't even any argument but sadly it wasn't to be

 

[Fitchett]

Never seen a game like that. Keeper gets injured, sub keeper gets sent off, Rio in goal, Ronaldo assaulted in the box and the referee doesnt give a penalty. We should have had another treble that year.

Martin Atkinson was the referee that day. We were definitely robbed of another treble that year, as we would surely have beaten lower division teams in the Semi-final and Final of the F.A. Cup.

 

[davidmichael]

We had at least 3 truly great and legendary teams during Sir Alex’s run in the original double winning team of 1994, the treble winning team of 1999 and the 2006-2011 team and all are 100% in the conversation for greatest team of the Premier League era.

In fact I’d go as far as to say those 3 teams along with Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ and Jose’s Chelsea in their back to back title winning team would complete the top 5 of best teams of the Premier League era and yes I include this current City team when I say that.

 

[TsuWave]

We had at least 3 truly great and legendary teams during Sir Alex’s run in the original double winning team of 1994, the treble winning team of 1999 and the 2006-2011 team and all are 100% in the conversation for greatest team of the Premier League era.

In fact I’d go as far as to say those 3 teams along with Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ and Jose’s Chelsea in their back to back title winning team would complete the top 5 of best teams of the Premier League era and yes I include this current City team when I say that.

out of all those, 06-11 is, imo, the best, despite the 99 treble

 

[juggernaut1986]

Amazing time for the club. I am really annoyed by the 2010 quarter final against Bayern. The Rooney injury derailed us otherwise we could have won major trophies that season too. The tie itself was so frustrating. Conceding a late goal in Munich, Rafael red card at Old Trafford and letting them back into the game after leading 3-0. That was the least successful season in that period but even our best season after 2013 can't match it.

 

[matherto]

06-09 really.

After Ronaldo we were half the side and the run to the final in 2011 was a fluke in the sense that as soon as we played a decent side we were out.

06-09 was amazing.

 

[AnanthDante]

If Ronaldo never left, it would have won more than one champions league title. Ronaldo was the back bone of that side, we would have got more and more great players just out of association. But the fecker liked Spain more than England.

 

[FujiVice]

After Ronaldo we were half the side and the run to the final in 2011 was a fluke in the sense that as soon as we played a decent side we were out.

Beating Premier League champions and the next years winner in the Quarter finals wasnt a "decent side"?

 

[Fingeredmouse]

out of all those, 06-11 is, imo, the best, despite the 99 treble

I agree. Best English side of the PL era for me, in that it was highly effective in Europe consistently and played intelligent and versatile football: could play defensively and shut up shop, was a brilliant counter attacking side, was technically excellent and could play possessive football if needed and be direct and attacking when required.

 

[matherto]

Beating Premier League champions and the next years winner in the Quarter finals wasnt a "decent side"?

That Chelsea team wasn't very good. Neither were we, and we got shown just how far from good we were against Barça.

SAF was perhaps even more amazing in those few years after 2009 for winning what we did but the standards slipped. The 2008 team would shit all over the 2010-11 team.

 

[RedTillI'mDead]

06/07 - Premier League winners, FA Cup runners up, Champions League semi-finalists.
07/08 - Premier League winners, Champions League winners
08/09 - Premier League winners, Champions League runners up, League Cup winners, FA Cup semi-finalists
09/10 - Premier League runners up, League Cup winners
10/11 - Premier League winners, Champions League runners up, FA Cup semi-finalists

This was an incredible run, however you look at it.

This season, City have been touted as the best team ever seen in the Premier League. Of course this was largely when they looked like they were on their way to a quadruple winning, invincible, record points breaking season. Now here we are, with the only thing they're aiming for now being the points total. The league and the league cup is a decent haul, and very good if they break the points record, but it's not quite "best ever side" levels.

I'm pretty certain no other English side, at least in the Premier League/Champions League era, can boast such a run, and I'm not sure there are many across Europe's other top leagues who can boast a similar run of league dominance, while consistently reaching the late stages of the Champions League, as well as going deep in their domestic cups.

This doesn't even include a further league win in 12/13 either.

Bit in bold I question. Points are undeniable. Beat Chelsea 95 and they are the best ever Prem team. But as they should be for the most expensive on all metrics.

 

[el3mel]

Beating Premier League champions and the next years winner in the Quarter finals wasnt a "decent side"?

He's right. I think our 2011 run was pretty lucky tbh. Our 2010 team was better and deserved to go farther more, but 2011 faced only one strong team which is Chelsea, who were actually not having a great season and the fact that SAF has an advantage over any English side anyway. Our 2010 team should have been there one to reach the final and I would have fancied us against Inter more than what Bayern did.

 

[shamans]

I really think we should have done the treble 06/7

 

[MIC_FIN]

06/07 - Premier League winners, FA Cup runners up, Champions League semi-finalists.
07/08 - Premier League winners, Champions League winners
08/09 - Premier League winners, Champions League runners up, League Cup winners, FA Cup semi-finalists
09/10 - Premier League runners up, League Cup winners
10/11 - Premier League winners, Champions League runners up, FA Cup semi-finalists

This was an incredible run, however you look at it.

This season, City have been touted as the best team ever seen in the Premier League. Of course this was largely when they looked like they were on their way to a quadruple winning, invincible, record points breaking season. Now here we are, with the only thing they're aiming for now being the points total. The league and the league cup is a decent haul, and very good if they break the points record, but it's not quite "best ever side" levels.

I'm pretty certain no other English side, at least in the Premier League/Champions League era, can boast such a run, and I'm not sure there are many across Europe's other top leagues who can boast a similar run of league dominance, while consistently reaching the late stages of the Champions League, as well as going deep in their domestic cups.

This doesn't even include a further league win in 12/13 either.

I get the praise. But no mention of any players throughout that era?

Like SAF ran on the pitch and literally scored the winner in all those ties?