Best United 11 that peaked elsewhere

The holy trinity 68

The disparager
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What is your best United 11 of players that had their best years before joining United, or after leaving United?

It is quite difficult as the club has had a lot of forwards especially in the last 10 years, that were incredible at one point, but never hit them heights at United.

With that in mind I have gone for a 343 diamond as most of the top players that were better elsewhere are forwards.

This formation would probably not work in real life to be honest :lol:

GK: Barthez

CB: Blanc
CB: Stam
CB: Varane

CDM: Hargreaves

CM: Veron
CM: Pogba

CAM: Di Maria

RW: Forlan
ST: Zlatan
LW: Ronaldo
 
Sanchez - Ibrahimović - Di Maria
Pogba - Veron
Schweinsteiger - Casemiro
Piqué - Blanc - Varane
Valdés​

“Balanced” is a stretch… but it’s not the worst team in the world.

Edit: somehow forgot about Cristiano due to how good he was in his first spell with us, but he definitely peaked at Madrid
 
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harms said:
Sanchez - Ibrahimović - Di Maria
Pogba - Veron
Schweinsteiger - Casemiro
Piqué - Blanc - Varane
Valdés​

“Balanced” is a stretch… but it’s not the worst team in the world.
Click to expand...

I knew I was forgetting some top players.

How did I forget Schweinsteiger, Casemiro and Pique :lol:

Interesting that you didn't choose Ronaldo.
 
Romero needs to he considered. Was already the Argentine no1 and was vastly underused in his time here. Never out a foot wrong when called upon did he?
 
---------------------Larsson - Falcao------------------
---------------------- ADM - Alexis-----------------------
------------Pogba--Casemiro - Schweini ---------
--------------- Evans -- Pique -- Varane -----------
--------------------------- Romero --------------------------
 
It will be a great XI, that's for sure! We've signed so many great players when they were past their best and we also allowed quite a few gems to leave.
 
You could fill 2 teams with the amount of players we’ve signed that had already peaked
 
The holy trinity 68 said:
I knew I was forgetting some top players.

How did I forget Schweinsteiger, Casemiro and Pique :lol:

Interesting that you didn't choose Ronaldo.
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Kinda forgot about Cristiano due to how good he was when he was playing here but yeah, he should be in. Maybe someone like Tevez would be a better foil for him upfront.

I probably forgot about a few of them as well.
 
The following are undebatable, right?

Varane
Casemiro
Schweinsteiger
C. Ronaldo
Zlatan
 
Wrecking ralf said:
Romero needs to he considered. Was already the Argentine no1 and was vastly underused in his time here. Never out a foot wrong when called upon did he?
Click to expand...
He gets a bit overrated due to how reliable he was as our number two (and he absolutely was, such an astute signing). He was a good player but really nothing special, barely above average (while the likes of Barthez & Valdés were key players in some of the best teams ever even though both were flawed in one way or another).
 
Valdes
Pique Varane Blanc Neville
Schweinsteiger Veron
Rossi Alexis Ronaldo
Tevez​
 
A UK/Irish edition might be fun. For some reason I went further back in time to Johnny Giles, Peter Beardsley, David Platt (if he counts, on our books but never played) for absolute best xi candidates before realising they may not get in. A UK/Irish team though, absolutely.

Could arguably put Paul McGrath in there. Was he better at Villa? Won PFA player of the year there.

Jim Leighton in goal? Lawrie Cunningham left wing? Think Paul Parker peaked at right back with QPR but it's close, Viv Anderson at Arsenal. We have Michael Owen up front for sure.
 
The fullbacks are definitely the most difficult to pick


................................Falcao..................................
.............................................................................
Alexis......................................................Ronaldo
..............................Di Maria.................................
.............................................................................
.............Schweinsteiger.......Pogba.....................
..............................................................................
Blind........................................................Darmian
..................Pique............Varane...........................
...............................................................................
.................................Valdes...................................
 
Diego Forlan, never managed to hit double figures in any of his three seasons with us. Hit double figures for two consecutive seasons prior to joining us, then same again in his next seven campaigns in La Liga, often netting over 20 goals each campaign.
 
AjaxCunian said:
Michael Owen anyone? Ballon d'Or winner.
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My front 3 would be Owen, Zlatan and C. Ronaldo.

Casemiro, Schweinsteiger and one of Veron/Pogba/Di Maria behind them.

Not sure about the defence, but Varane is obviously in there.
 
Chipper said:
A UK/Irish edition might be fun. For some reason I went further back in time to Johnny Giles, Peter Beardsley, David Platt (if he counts, on our books but never played) for absolute best xi candidates before realising they may not get in. A UK/Irish team though, absolutely.

Could arguably put Paul McGrath in there. Was he better at Villa? Won PFA player of the year there.

Jim Leighton in goal? Lawrie Cunningham left wing? Think Paul Parker peaked at right back with QPR but it's close, Viv Anderson at Arsenal. We have Michael Owen up front for sure.
Click to expand...
It took 25 posts to get to him but you are spot on.
 
My guess is no one has mentioned goalkeeper Jimmy RImmer who the European Cup winner's with Villa
 
harms said:
He gets a bit overrated due to how reliable he was as our number two (and he absolutely was, such an astute signing). He was a good player but really nothing special, barely above average (while the likes of Barthez & Valdés were key players in some of the best teams ever even though both were flawed in one way or another).
Click to expand...

Exactly, Romero never peaked anywhere...
 
I'm going to go for a standard formation and not these lopsided things I"m seeing here. It's easy to shove a bunch of big names in there as people have already done but I'll try to stick to positions and a team that makes sense

...................Valdes................

Darmian........ Varane........ Pique............. Heinze

.......... Pogba.........Casemiro......Schweinstager

Di Maria........... Ibrahimovic........... Ronaldo



Striker is probably the hardest to choose from with Owen, Cavani, Falcao, Larsson all missing out. Alexis misses out too simply because Di Maria was a better player when both were at their peak I think. Midfield picks itself for me and is incredibly balanced with Casemiro (all timer DM) anchoring, Schwein going box to box and Pogba creating and floating all over (he'd have been incredible in this setup). Blanc is a notable omission but I think Varane and Pique were ultimately better at their peak. Fullbacks are the clear weak links but Darmian did end up an important piece for Inter and Heinze is the best option on the left.
 
Zlatan, Cristiano, Tevez and the sort, peaked elsewhere, but still were great in Man Utd

Di Maria, Veron, Bastian, Varane, Casemiro, Forlan, Alexis, Owen and the sort, were from bad to so so or merely good and clearly peaked elsewhere
 
Valencia Shin Crosses said:
I'm going to go for a standard formation and not these lopsided things I"m seeing here. It's easy to shove a bunch of big names in there as people have already done but I'll try to stick to positions and a team that makes sense

...................Valdes................

Darmian........ Varane........ Pique............. Heinze

.......... Pogba.........Casemiro......Schweinstager

Di Maria........... Ibrahimovic........... Ronaldo



Striker is probably the hardest to choose from with Owen, Cavani, Falcao, Larsson all missing out. Alexis misses out too simply because Di Maria was a better player when both were at their peak I think. Midfield picks itself for me and is incredibly balanced with Casemiro (all timer DM) anchoring, Schwein going box to box and Pogba creating and floating all over (he'd have been incredible in this setup). Blanc is a notable omission but I think Varane and Pique were ultimately better at their peak. Fullbacks are the clear weak links but Darmian did end up an important piece for Inter and Heinze is the best option on the left.
Click to expand...

Heinze with Man Utd was one of his best seasons, not sure he peaked elsewhere
 
harms said:
Sanchez - Ibrahimović - Di Maria
Pogba - Veron
Schweinsteiger - Casemiro
Piqué - Blanc - Varane
Valdés​

“Balanced” is a stretch… but it’s not the worst team in the world.
Click to expand...
I'll be selecting a side that could compete with Harms' selection in a two legged UCL affair.

For my attack - Cavani and Tevez were known for their exceptional work rate, selflessness [on the pitch], and they have experience being involved in a fluid attack which makes them the ideal foil for Ronaldo. That's why I've left out the likes of Owen, and Falcao.

Midfield - I'm going with Matic, Herrera and Eriksen. I felt Herrera had some fabulous outings under under both Van Gaal (Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City, Aston Villa, Spurs),
and Mourinho (Chelsea, Liverpool ), but my favourite version of him would be under Biesla and Valverde as he combined his situational awareness and dogged termination with vision and technique. I've identified Pogba as one of your key dangermen, given he's toyed with the likes of Alonso, Iniesta and Xavi and I've made it a priority to negate his influence, and I feel Matic is precisely the kind of physical menace that could frustrate him.

Defence - Unfortunately, Harms has been rather greedy by selecting three central defenders ... I'll be going with Paul McGrath, Stam, Heinze, Darmian.

Goalkeeper - Onana - Romero is nowhere near him.

-----------
 
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