Pick three players from 1999, and 2008 to go into our current side

VidaRed said:

I think the question should instead be "pick three players from the current side that would get into either the 1999 or 2008 side"

And I cant think of one.

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'99
----------Bruno--Yorke-------------
Giggs-Keane-Scholes-Beckham
Shaw--Stam--Maguire--Irwin
------------Schmeichel------------

I think Maguire could thrive as the worst player in the XI just winning headers and being carried by smarter players. Bruno is maybe the best player in the entire league and whichever of Cole or Yorke suited him would be great, and he could play out wide when one of Beckham or Giggs was out, with Yorke or Cole coming in. We could also use him in a 2 with Keane or Butt when they were out, or 4-5-1 with him and Scholes ahead of Keane.

08'

----Rooney--Tevez----Cristiano
----------------Bruno---------------------
-------Carrick-Scholes------------
Evra----Vidic----Rio------Hargeaves
------------Van De Sar-----------------

Yeah I couldn't justify including anyone other than Bruno in this. Could drop Tevez for him and squeeze Rashford in for balance, actually:


Rashford---Rooney------Cristiano
----------------Bruno---------------------
---------Carrick-Scholes------------
Evra----Vidic----Rio------Hargeaves
------------Van De Sar-----------------

looks even more potent, with Tevez first off the bench. And if Hargreaves was hurt, as he often was, I would have no qualms with picking Wan-Bissaka over Brown at RB, as well as he played that year he was effectively just a worse tackling, better aerially and safer passer but less overlapping threat than Wan-B.

TLDR: People underrate Rashford here, he's quite good I think. This team needs a DM who can pass, a world class RW and a world class CB very fecking badly.

Keane
Rooney
Ronaldo

'99 Stam, Keane, Irwin
'08 Ronaldo, Rooney, Scholes

99: Keane, Stam, Cole
08: Ronaldo, Rooney, Scholes

--------------------Cole--------------
--Ronaldo----Bruno----Rooney--
----------Keane------Scholes-------
--Shaw---Maguire---Stam---AWB--
-----------------Henderson-------------


I'll go over my thinking below:

Stam and Keane obviously come in from 99, and Ronaldo and Rooney from 08. That gives me this team of definites that I expect almost everyone to choose, with Rooney and Ronaldo obviously being able to play across the front line:

---------------Rooney-----------
--Ronaldo---Bruno----??--
----------Keane------??-------
--Shaw---???---Stam---??--
----------------?????--------------

After that it gets difficult trying to get the right balance as opposed to the best players. At first I thought Rio would also be a definite, but then I thought we might be better off bringing in one of Scholes, Carrick or Tevez and just let Maguire play next to Stam. Or maybe even VDS to bring that commanding presence at the back. Amazingly there's also Vidic, Evra and Giggs that I don't think I'd use my last choice for.

Then from 99 there's also a bunch of players who would improve our team somewhat, although not to the extent that any of those I listed above in 08 would. Schmeichel was past his best so I don't think I'd choose him; Johnsen actually managed to stay fit that season if I wanted to use my choice for a centre back; Neville wasn't that good yet and Irwin was probably past his best; Scholes and Butt were both good but not stand-outs; I'm not sure how Beckham would fit into a 4231/433 (would he end up playing on the right, in Bruno's position, central midfield or at fullback?), Giggs wasn't at his best that season and I'd rather keep Ronaldo on the left (in theory Giggs should be great on the right in the modern game but he never actually played there) and I'm not sure how Cole or Yorke would go playing as a sole striker these days.

Ultimately I think central midfield is the main priority so I'd take Scholes from 08. The fact I want to keep Ronaldo on the left means there's no position for Rashford, and instead I'll play Rooney on the right and bring Cole from 99 in to play upfront. That means I basically keep the current defence (plus Stam) which I'm not happy with, but I do think our defence is made to look worse than what it actually is because of our lack in quality further up the pitch. Keane and Rooney in particular bring far more defensive stability ahead of them than the players they replace, and with Keane, Scholes, Rooney and Ronaldo we would control the ball far better. Stam also has the speed and fitness to cover for Maguire better than Lindelof or Bailly do.

VidaRed said:

I think the question should instead be "pick three players from the current side that would get into either the 1999 or 2008 side"

And I cant think of one.

Click to expand...

I think I'd take Shaw for 99 as, if I remember correctly, Irwin was on the downward trend and wasn't as good as he had been a few years earlier. I'd like Bruno as well but you just can't break up the Yorke and Cole combo. I'm not sure if I could get Bruno into 08 either.

Globule said:

99: Keane, Schmeichel, Stam.
08: Rooney, Vidic, Ferdinand.

I've not really thought about tactics or ability. My thinking is that these lot would be able to slap the current lot the hardest.

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Stam, Vidic and Rio in the same team, with Keane in front of them and Schmeichel yelling at them from behind? We'd never concede a shot again.

Surprised to not see Ole on the list, we are crying out for someone to come off the bench when we are desperate.

Hendo
AWB Rio Vidic Shaw
Keane Scholes
Bruno
Ronaldo Cavani Rashford

Ole off the bench to replace Cavani when we need a goal. The best sub we have ever had in my eyes.

08 Rooney Ronaldo Vidic
99 Keane Scholes Stam

Attack sorted with Rooney Ronaldo and Rashford
Midfield sorted with Keane Scholes and Bruno
Defence nearly sorted with Vidic Stam and Shaw

Goalie and RB could be improved upon but the rest would be a joy to watch.

MrBest said:

Surprised to not see Ole on the list, we are crying out for someone to come off the bench when we are desperate.

Hendo
AWB Rio Vidic Shaw
Keane Scholes
Bruno
Ronaldo Cavani Rashford

Ole off the bench to replace Cavani when we need a goal. The best sub we have ever had in my eyes.

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Considering the top players we've had is it really a suprise? I mean you've gone for such an enormous downgrade from Rooney to Cavani for adding Ole. To each his own but the standard of starters was so higher that people won't be looking at adding subs. Decent idea though, definitely different!

Henderson
Neville Stam Rio Shaw
Keane
Bruno Pogba
Ronaldo Rooney Rashford

Manager: Fergie

Goalkeeper - No need to upgrade on the best young goalkeeper in the world and best performing keeper in the PL last season, especially when he’ll be so well protected.

Defence - Don’t rate AWB particularly on the ball, so I’ll get prime 99’ Neville in, the best PL right back of all time. Maguire, Lindelof and Bailly are absolutely nowhere near 99’ Stam and 08’ Rio. Shaw is so good that he will keep his place despite fierce competition from two of the 3 best PL left backs of all time, Irwin and Evra.

Midfield - Keane sitting behind Pogba and Bruno. Just wow. All doubts about whether those two can play together will be removed after a few games. Huge potential to genuinely be one of the best midfield 3’s of all time. You could change Pogba for Scholes, but there’s no point really when the Frenchman is so talented, and would get battered by the two leaders if he became lazy. So much creativity and leadership in there.

Attack - That leaves two more 08’ players to come in, and I’ve gone for the standout attackers in the entire world that season. Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo. Their combination was genuinely sensational. I picked Fergie as the manager, of course, but you don’t even need a manager to coach these guys. 60 goals a season minimum. Rashy will be the support act to form a world class, rapid RRR front 3. Giggs misses out because his best years were not in 99’ or 08’.

How the team will work - At the back, a high line will be played due to the speed of the defenders and Henderson‘s tendency to be a sweeper keeper, allowing us to squeeze the pitch. In games against lower teams who employ the low-block, that midfield and two constantly overlapping full backs will create chances for the front 3, whose job is to score goals and lead a high press. Against the big 6 and Leicester, the pressing principles stay the same, but we’ll drop back a bit and allow the front 3 to absolutely rip teams apart on the counter after constantly being set through by Pogba and Bruno’s long passes. What will we win? The treble, again.

What a team

I would try to find a way to teleport Van Der Sar from the 2008 squad. I think the uncertainty in our backline is in part due to De Gea's tendency to remain glued to his line, his panicky distribution, and his lack of communication. Edwin would be a huge upgrade.

Why stop at 3? Just about every position in 99 and 08 was filled by superior players than we have to today. DeGea for Schmeichal or Van De Sar? Never. McGuire or Bailly for Staam or Rio? Never. The midfield speaks for itself, the current players, with the exception of Bruno, are nowhere near the likes of Keanne, Beckham, Scholes, Giggs, while up front Ronaldo, Rooney, Cole, Yorke and Ole were far better than what we have today. In truth I wouldnt swap one player from todays squad with any from 99, 08 or 96, and I doubt any would make it into the 1992/95 team either.

1999 - Schmeichel, Keane, Stam
2008 - Ronaldo, Rooney, Scholes

1999 - Stam, Keane, Scholes

2008 - Rio, Ronaldo, Rooney

Good thread. It got me thinking, is there any 3 players in this side that would get into each of those sides (starting XI)?
I have the inclination to say maybe one or two? If that.

How far we have come

DDG

Bissaka
Ferdinand (08)
Stam (99)
Shaw

Keane (99)
Scholes (99)
Bruno

Ronaldo (08)
Rooney (08)
Rashford

This team wins the lot.

1999
Keane, Beckham, Stam

2008
Ronaldo Rooney Rio

De Gea
Stam Rio Lindelof
Beckham Keane Pogba Shaw
Bruno
Ronaldo Rooney

I think people are underestimating how good Beckham would've been in a RWB role.

99- Stam, Keane, Beckham
08- Ferdinand, Rooney, Ronaldo

-----------------De Gea‐------------------
---Ferdinand-Stam-Maguire----
Beckham-Keane-Pogba-Shaw
--‐‐------------Fernandes--------------
---------Rooney---Ronaldo----------

Back 3 would be solid as a rock in the air and plenty of pace with Stam and Rio to make up for Maguire's shortcomings. They would protect De Gea leaving him to simply shot stop. Shaw and Beckham provide workrate and crosses into the box instead of side and back passes. Keane all over the place and managing Pogba throughout.Bruno doing what he does best only he's feeding two of United's greatest. This team hurts you all over the park and doesn't give you an inch

groovyalbert said:

DDG

Bissaka
Ferdinand (08)
Stam (99)
Shaw

Keane (99)
Scholes (99)
Bruno

Ronaldo (08)
Rooney (08)
Rashford

This team wins the lot.

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Brown would be better than AWB in that team as it'll allow us to play 3 at the back when we're attacking with Shaw pushing further upfront I feel.

elmo said:

Brown would be better than AWB in that team as it'll allow us to play 3 at the back when we're attacking with Shaw pushing further upfront I feel.

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True - but then you're dropping one of Ronaldo, Rooney or Ferdinand for an option from our current crop. That's a bigger drop off than Brown>AWB.

groovyalbert said:

DDG

Bissaka
Ferdinand (08)
Stam (99)
Shaw

Keane (99)
Scholes (99)
Bruno

Ronaldo (08)
Rooney (08)
Rashford

This team wins the lot.

Click to expand...

In Rio’s words:

oooff

Vidic, Backham, Rooney

Keane, Giggs, Yorke from 1999

Rio, Vidic, Ronaldo from 2008

Henderson, AWB, Rio, Vidic, Shaw, Fernandes, Keane, Pogba, Ronaldo, Yorke, Giggs in a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 flexible and interchangeable hybrid

The amount of people not picking Schmeichel/VDS is too damn high.

Henderson is a good young keeper, and De Gea was, at one point, one of the best keepers in the world on his own right. But we've never won the Champions League without a great keeper in his own right and right now we don't have that.

3 from either: Schmeichel/VDS, Vidic/Stam, Ronaldo

rcoobc said:

The amount of people not picking Schmeichel/VDS is too damn high.

Henderson is a good young keeper, and De Gea was, at one point, one of the best keepers in the world on his own right. But we've never won the Champions League without a great keeper in his own right and right now we don't have that.

3 from either: Schmeichel/VDS, Vidic/Stam, Ronaldo

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Number. Come on, rcoobc.

Also I said VDS!

99: Irwin, Keane, Beckham

08: Ronaldo, Ferdinand, Vidic

=============

De Gea

Irwin-Ferdinand-Vidic-Shaw

Keane-Pogba

Beckham-Bruno-Rashford

Ronaldo

VidaRed said:

I think the question should instead be "pick three players from the current side that would get into either the 1999 or 2008 side"

And I cant think of one.

Click to expand...

Pogba or Bruno probably get in the 08 team. And honestly the way Shaw is playing atm he isn’t a million miles off Evra.

I will pick both out number 7s from those seasons. Hard to leave Giggs or Keane out but right now we need a deep lying playmaker.

99: Keane, Scholes, Beckham
08: Ronaldo, Vidic, Rooney

-----------------DDG-----------
AWB---Vidic--Maguire--Shaw
---------Keane---Scholes---
Beckham---Bruno---Ronaldo
--------------Rooney------------

Bobcat said:

99: Keane, Scholes, Beckham
08: Ronaldo, Vidic, Rooney

-----------------DDG-----------
AWB---Vidic--Maguire--Shaw
---------Keane---Scholes---
Beckham---Bruno---Ronaldo
--------------Rooney------------

Click to expand...

Way to weak defense

Ddg
Irwin, Stam, Rio, Shaw
Keane, Pogba, Bruno
Ronaldo, Rooney, Martial

Best team in Europe

--------------------Rooney
Rashford----------Bruno------Ronaldo
-----------Keane---Scholes
Shaw-Ferdinand-----Stam------AWB
------------------------De Gea

99 - Schmeichel, Keane, Giggs (Or Scholes)
2008 - Ronaldo, Rooney, Ferdinand

Team:

---------------------------------Schmeichel----------------------
AWB-----------Ferdinand-----------Maguire-------------Shaw
--------------------------Keane---------Pogba---------------------
Giggs------------------------Fernandes-------------------Ronaldo
-----------------------------------Rooney-----------------------------

Was very torn between swapping Pogba for Scholes and putting Rashford in.

Would be some team though!!!!!!!!!

Gazza said:

Number. Come on, rcoobc.

Also I said VDS!

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It's a meme damnit

How about instead of picking 3 players in hindsight from those squads we picked the 3 best players that season and had to work them into a combined team.

In that case, I think you're looking at:

98/99: Beckham, Keane, Yorke

07/08: Ronaldo, Ferdinand, Rooney

Working those 6 into a starting XI based on todays team (442):

De Gea

AWB
Ferdinand
Maguire
Shaw

Beckham
Keane
Bruno
Ronaldo

Yorke
Rooney

I actually think that ends up looking more like a "traditional" Utd team with the inclusion of an out-and-out striker/2 wingers. SAF would have had a(nother) field day with that team.

As an homage to Roy Keane I’ll select Denis Irwin. Never had a bad day

without even thinking back who played in them teams, I will say keeper, centre half and right winger

99: Keane, Stam, Giggs
08: Rio, Rooney, Ronaldo

Our line up would be transformed into:

De Gea
AWB Rio Stam Shaw
Ronaldo Keane Bruno Giggs
Rooney Rashford

We win everything.

This team would do good, but if I could I would swap Schmeichel for Van der Sar and Maguire for Vidic

---------------------------------------Schmeichel

Wan Bissaka ----- Ferdinand --------- Maguire -------- Shaw

----------------------------------------- Keane

--------------------- Scholes ---------------------- Pogba

Ronaldo -------------------------Rooney --------------------- Rashford