We were one bizarre game away vs Pompey from winning the treble in 08. If That game was replayed it would end 5-0 9/10 times. Also, looking at the big picture and our league finishes between 06/07 and Fergie's last season, when we didn't win the league we finished second twice, one point behind to Chelsea and losing on GD to city. We were two league points and arguably the best club team of all times in Barca away from having 7 straight PL titles and 3 CL titles in 7 years (maybe even 4 CL titles because if we'd not lose to Milan in that semi final we'd easily beat a poor Liverpool side in the final).
Yea but that 99 team had sustained success for a much longer period and they didnt slip up against anyone in a bizarre way so we could talk about what ifs. They actually won the treble.
As good as Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo were going forward they werent as good as Beckham, Yorke, Cole and Giggs in their pomp. And they didnt have Ole and Sheringham on the bench.
Carrick and Scholes were brilliant with Hargreaves and Anderson on the bench, but a midfield of Keane and Scholes at their peak would destroy any combination of those 4. Tbe link up play between Keane and Scholes is never really discussed but they were the perfect duo, and the short passi g between them was quality. Keanes ability to forward pass into the strikers on the ground was as good as it gets too, which is never spoken about. He always looked forward, and that was before his hip issues too, it was after 02 that he became a more sitting midfielder.
Defensively Irwin was our best ever LB. Stam > Vidic, 12 out of 10 times, as good as Vidic was.
If you took that 99 team and replaced plahers from 08...
Schmeichel v Van Der Sar... thats a debate
Stam stays
Irwin stays
G.Neville 99 stays
Keane stays
Scholes 99 stays
Giggs 99 stays
Beckham v Ronaldo, Ronaldo gets in
Yorke and Cole, would you replace them? I probably wouldnt. It would be hard not to put Rooney in but the combination of Cole and Yorke, you couldnt break that up.
Vidic / Ferdinand gets in with Stam.
Ive only ever seen highlights of the 68 team so I couldnt even compare on anything other than legend.