02/03 - Road to the PL Title

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

I remember this season so much, I had the end of season DVD which had all of Evans goals and highlights of every game. I damn near wore out that DVD in between going to the park and trying to perfect my RVN penalty technique.

Anyway, this video was pushed to my and I thought it was good to watch back each game.


Couple of things I noticed;

1. Barthez is appalling. Like, just utterly crap.
2. We conceded a lot.
3. Random losses to smaller teams.
4. Defending is all over the shop.
5. Veron was great, I like him.
6. I love Ole, just so clinical.
7. Forlan started looking good.
8. Scholes would be worth 120m in this market.
9. Memories of us as this all conquering team that dominated teams is a bit exaggerated.
10. Honestly, Barthez is a clown.

What are your observations watching this? Does it make you miss the yesteryears?

 

[MancunianAngels]

Ruud dragged us to that title. What a player he was.

That season was probably Scholes at his peak as well.

 

[Offside]

I remember the backlash after the Middlesbrough game on Boxing Day. Media were loving it then we charged to the title in the second half of the season.

 

[Sounds of the Aquarium]

My all time favourite season. coincided with my first year of uni as well.
RVN 44 goals in all competition, what a guy.

 

[Hugh Jass]

How many tap ins did ruud get. Amazing. My favourite player.

 

[Gabriel Djemba-Bebe]

Mixed feelings about this season as one of my overriding memories was the constant speculation about Beckham leaving. Ole at right midfield never felt like a long term solution.

Scholes' goalscoring run solidified him as my favourite player.

 

[NotoriousISSY]

One of my favourite seasons.

To win it with Barthez in net, the Beckham stuff and the state of central defence is quite an achievement in hindsight. I remember thinking we should've beaten Real Madrid in the CL, but in hindsight 6-5 was a serious feat coming up against the absolute star names then.

Also, the unsung hero was probably John O'Shea. I was young so really had no idea at the time, but you look back at it now and he played a lot of football in a variety of positions at such a young age.

But, despite all that...Rio, RVN and Scholes were just

 

[Irwin99]

Great season but Arsenal kind of threw it away a bit and for the next season and a half Keane's hip problems were an issue. He could still boss games with his passing from deep but he wasn't as all action as before.

Ruud and Scholes were incredible that year.

 

[GMoore23]

Loved that home kit.

 

[Jippy]

That first half in the 6-2 v Newcastle was such an amazing 45 minutes.

 

[Luffy]

I remember RvN's goals, and Beckham's contribution. I also though Barthez was not playing well. But though I know about Scholes I cannot place any of his great goals in that season.

 

[Siorac]

We conceded a lot.

34 goals conceded in 38 games, that's not a lot.

 

[Oranges038]

How many tap ins did ruud get. Amazing. My favourite player.

Now he'd be called a stat padding tap in merchant. Back then he was a clinical striker, with great holdup play, positioning and movement.

 

[Frank Grimes]

I remember this season so much, I had the end of season DVD which had all of Evans goals and highlights of every game. I damn near wore out that DVD in between going to the park and trying to perfect my RVN penalty technique.

Anyway, this video was pushed to my and I thought it was good to watch back each game.


Couple of things I noticed;

1. Barthez is appalling. Like, just utterly crap.
2. We conceded a lot.
3. Random losses to smaller teams.
4. Defending is all over the shop.
5. Veron was great, I like him.
6. I love Ole, just so clinical.
7. Forlan started looking good.
8. Scholes would be worth 120m in this market.
9. Memories of us as this all conquering team that dominated teams is a bit exaggerated.
10. Honestly, Barthez is a clown.

What are your observations watching this? Does it make you miss the yesteryears?

Just watched a YT video of this season the other night, all the goals and was only a half hour video. What a season, probably the sweetest of all our PL titles bar the first.

edit: just noticed it was the video in OP.

 

[Gabriel Djemba-Bebe]

Now he'd be called a stat padding tap in merchant. Back then he was a clinical striker, with great holdup play, positioning and movement.

His first touch and close control was underrated as well. That goal where he ran from the half way line sums up his on-the-ball attributes.

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

My all time favourite season. coincided with my first year of uni as well.
RVN 44 goals in all competition, what a guy.

Just unreal. Just lethal!

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

34 goals conceded in 38 games, that's not a lot.

In the beginning of the season. Plus that's nearly a goal a game!

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

I remember RvN's goals, and Beckham's contribution. I also though Barthez was not playing well. But though I know about Scholes I cannot place any of his great goals in that season.

Everton, Newcastle

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

Mixed feelings about this season as one of my overriding memories was the constant speculation about Beckham leaving. Ole at right midfield never felt like a long term solution.

Scholes' goalscoring run solidified him as my favourite player.

Ole was a great cover option and his crossing led to a few goals.

Watching this, I'm shocked at how many goals we get from early crosses. Now it's just crossing that is after everyone is set. Has to be early.

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

One of my favourite seasons.

To win it with Barthez in net, the Beckham stuff and the state of central defence is quite an achievement in hindsight. I remember thinking we should've beaten Real Madrid in the CL, but in hindsight 6-5 was a serious feat coming up against the absolute star names then.

Also, the unsung hero was probably John O'Shea. I was young so really had no idea at the time, but you look back at it now and he played a lot of football in a variety of positions at such a young age.

But, despite all that...Rio, RVN and Scholes were just

O'Shea megging Figo

They were bigging him up like he was going to be a superstar.

Felt Ole was the unsung hero, so many goals and assists for a striker playing out of position.

 

[Swedish_Plumber]

Crazy how good and how bad we’ve had it with goalkeepers

 

[Gabriel Djemba-Bebe]

Ole was a great cover option and his crossing led to a few goals.

Watching this, I'm shocked at how many goals we get from early crosses. Now it's just crossing that is after everyone is set. Has to be early.

Great cover option I agree, but his crossing was never going to reach Beckham's levels. I was worried that our next number 7 would struggle to fill Beckham's shoes. He turned out alright though...

 

[Oranges038]

His first touch and close control was underrated as well. That goal where he ran from the half way line sums up his on-the-ball attributes.

Best part of that goal was where he planted Legwinski (I think) with an elbow to shrug him off.

 

[SungSam7]

Crazy how good and how bad we’ve had it with goalkeepers

Try managers also recently.

On another note, with Beckham leaving at the end of that season, after watching his documentary, I was fully convinced he was the person who had his head turned and wanted to leave!!

Did not realise SAF basically said his time was done at the club.

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

Honestly, Barthez, to this day I think allowed his France colleagues to score against him all the time. He always fell down early, to the opposite side to where the shot was going. Three times to Henry and once to Wiltord.

Rewatch it, suspect as anything.

 

[SER19]

Loved this season. Van Nistelrooy vs Henry, Scholes was brilliant, Solskjaer had a real purple patch. Ferdinand grew into things, Keane and Giggs were always reliable. Real fond memories of this one

 

[GlasgowCeltic]

one of the most fun Prem seasons, plus ITV had the highlights

 

[Frank Grimes]

Remember that crucial win v Spurs near the end of the season, (think Arsenal gave up a 2 goal lead to Bolton the previous day) that's when I knew the league would be ours.

 

[Amir]

I don't actually remember Barthez having a bad season at all. Quite the contratry - I thought he had a very good season. Problem is, it all fell apart for him in the last few matches of the season as he cost us a goal match after match, and was rightly replaced by Carroll for the last couple of games. And that was pretty much the end for him with us.

We had some terrible injuries in the first half of the season, somewhat went on a run with a makeshift side - beating Newcastle, Liverpool, Arsenal La Coruna. Then the big guns returned (Rio, Keane, Becks) and we prompty lost consecutive matches around Christmas at Birmingham and Middlesbrough, but our form really picked up after that. The football we played in the couple couple of months of the season was of the best I've seen United play.

 

[Licha-Vidic]

Remember that crucial win v Spurs near the end of the season, (think Arsenal gave up a 2 goal lead to Bolton the previous day) that's when I knew the league would be ours.

The Mark Viduka goal against Arsenal and the celebration was such a sight.. Very very fond memories of that season.

 

[RVN1991]

My first season watching United, I still remember the first ever United game I caught on TV, 6-2 win vs Newcastle with a Scholesy hat trick. Good times.

 

[OmarUnited4ever]

My all time favourite season. coincided with my first year of uni as well.
RVN 44 goals in all competition, what a guy.

Same, started uni that year and I was surrounded with United haters and anti-english bunch (those who thought all English players were shit but tbf they thought Scholes was brilliant), the end of season with clinching the title was a sweet feck u to all the haters

 

[FujiVice]

Fergie playing a blinder sending Keane in for hip surgery early in the season and bringing him back just after Christmas. Wayne Rooney doing what he did for us in 2004 and ending Arsenal's unbeaten run, as a 16 year old.

I recall we played Arsenal away and Henry scoring a goal that was about 7 years off side.

 

[Amir]

Fergie playing a blinder sending Keane in for hip surgery early in the season and bringing him back just after Christmas. Wayne Rooney doing what he did for us in 2004 and ending Arsenal's unbeaten run, as a 16 year old.

If I remember correctly, Fergie also did that when Keane got a 5-match ban for what he wrote in his book about hurting Haaland, thus nullying the ban.

 

[NotoriousISSY]

one of the most fun Prem seasons, plus ITV had the highlights

I feel like 'The Premiership' was a much more watchable production than MOTD.

In hindsight I'm not sure about some of the punditry panel, but as someone who has been unable to get any enjoyment out of watching MOTD since about 2012, I seem to have fonder memories of the ITV show! The worst part is two of those seasons Arsenal won the thing!

 

[Frank Grimes]

The Mark Viduka goal against Arsenal and the celebration was such a sight.. Very very fond memories of that season.

Fergie with the glass of champagne on Sky Sports. Marvellous.

 

[Siorac]

In the beginning of the season. Plus that's nearly a goal a game!

Rio took some time to find his feet, sure, but we were pretty solid in the second half of the season. We usually concede far more these days... though that's no surprise, of course.

The football we played in the couple couple of months of the season was of the best I've seen United play.

Yeah, it was outstanding, only 06/07 comes close. That 6-2 at Newcastle remains one of my favourite games and the 5-3 at Old Trafford was also brilliant. I remember playing Leverkusen in the Champions League and being desperate to destroy them in revenge for the semi-final the previous season. Then there was Van Nistelrooy's insane goal at Basel, struggling against a flu-stricken Juventus at Old Trafford but crushing them away with a Giggs masterclass...

The "title decider" at Arsenal was one of the best games between two heavyweights I've seen, and I always think of that game when Arsenal fans do their whole "woe us, we are always fecked over at Old Trafford" -- they scored two offside goals, one of them spectacularly obvious. And Van Nistelrooy scored possibly the best goal of his United career. The other contender is also from this season, against Fulham. The memories, man.

 

[Charlie Foley]

I remember this season so much, I had the end of season DVD which had all of Evans goals and highlights of every game. I damn near wore out that DVD in between going to the park and trying to perfect my RVN penalty technique.

Anyway, this video was pushed to my and I thought it was good to watch back each game.


Couple of things I noticed;

1. Barthez is appalling. Like, just utterly crap.
2. We conceded a lot.
3. Random losses to smaller teams.
4. Defending is all over the shop.
5. Veron was great, I like him.
6. I love Ole, just so clinical.
7. Forlan started looking good.
8. Scholes would be worth 120m in this market.
9. Memories of us as this all conquering team that dominated teams is a bit exaggerated.
10. Honestly, Barthez is a clown.

What are your observations watching this? Does it make you miss the yesteryears?

I’ll watch this later, looking forward to it, but I have a lot of memories about this season. Was one of my favourite title wins honestly. Losing the year before made it much sweeter.

A few thoughts on your thoughts:

we started ropey. Awful losses to city and Leeds early. And bolton

I remember we had a really big run of fixtures around November/December, Newcastle at home, arsenal at home, Liverpool away, a few champions league matches (remember the second group stage!) and we had this great winning run that kickstarted our season. That was when Forlan put a great run of games together. He probably scored fewer than I realise but I remember Villa, Liverpool, Southampton games well.

Scholes behind Ruud was incredible. 2-0 away at Spurs where they both scored and we had one hand on the title.

we drew 1-1 with West Ham in the winter that season, Ruud scored but he had an amazing duel with…it must have been David James in goal? I watched that at my cousin’s house. Great forward play but better goalkeeping.

away at Juventus was on of our best CL performances I can remember. The 2-1 at home was a fantastic game, physical and competitive, amazing Ruud goal to seal it. What a player he was. Juve made the final that year and would have probably won it Nedved played.

don’t remember people seeing that team as all conquering. There was a lot of end of an empire stuff early on, and I think most people thought the team was weaker than the three In a row team, with Stam gone and Blanc old. The latter had a long term behind the scenes impact though. We grew into the season and played some great stuff down the stretch.

o Shea nutmegged figo.GOAT


Giggs missed an open goal in the FA cup against arsenal. Grim

 

[2cents]

Memories of us as this all conquering team that dominated teams is a bit exaggerated

Don’t think anyone really looks back at that team in those terms, it was a bit of a smash and grab title win we stole from a better Arsenal team. Was a lot of fun doing it though, and really pissed Arsenal off so bad.

 

[Rhyme Animal]

Those were the days…

In more ways than just the footy.