United's All-Time 23 Man Squad

[RedTiger]

After Carrick left the club yesterday, I came to the conclusion that he would make my all-time squad of United players that I've personally watched.

What is everyone's all-time 23?
Criteria:
3 Gks
8 defenders
8 midfielders
4 strikers.

Mine is as follows:-

1. Schmeichel
2. VDS
3. DDG
4. Irwin
5. Evra
6. Neville
7. Brown
8. Stam
9. Vidic
10. Ferdinand
11. McGrath
12. Robson
13. Keane
14. Carrick
15. Scholes
16. Beckham
17. Giggs
18. Ronaldo
19. Kanchelskis
20. Cantona
21. Rooney
22. RVN
23. Hughes

It was a toss up between McGrath and Bruce and between Kanchelskis and Nani.

If I were to include players I've never watched then I'd include:

Law
Charlton
Best
Foulkes / Buchan
Coppell.

 

[altodevil]

Players I watched

GK: VDS/Schmeichel/DDG
RB: Neville/Valencia
CB: Vidic/Bruce
CB: Ferdinand/Pallister
LB: Irwin/Evra
CM: Keane/Carrick
CM: Scholes/Robson
WF: Ronaldo/Beckham
WF: Giggs/Nani
SS: Cantona/Rooney
CF: Van Nistelrooy/Van Persie

Tough to leave out Park

Edit: RVP over Cole

 

[Von Mistelroum]

1. Van Der Sar
2. Schmeichel
3. De Gea
4. Rio
5. Vidic
6. Evra
7. Stam
8. Irwin
9. Neville
10. Shaw
11. Scholes
12. Keane
13. Beckham
14. Carrick
15. Robson
16. Ronaldo
17. Giggs
18. Irwin
19. Fernandes
20. Cantona
21. Van Nistelrooy
22. Ibrahimovic
23. Rooney

 

[Remember the geese]

Schmeichel, Van der Sar, De Gea

Irwin, Evra, Ferdinand, Bruce, Pallister, Stam, Vidic, Neville,

Ronaldo, Giggs, Keane, Scholes, Carrick, Fernandes, Beckham, Kanchelskis

Cantona, Rooney, Van Persie, Van Nistelrooy

 

[Paul778]

Duncan Edwards doesn't even make the list?

 

[bosnian_red]

I was too young to remember anything about Cantona, so limiting to basically the post Cantona era of United (with a bit of cheating, they just have to have played post Cantona even if prime was during Cantona's time like Irwin).

Rooney Ruud
Giggs Scholes Keane Ronaldo
Evra Vidic Ferdinand Neville
Van der Sar

Cole Van Persie
Nani Fletcher Carrick Beckham
Irwin Stam Brown Valencia
Schmeichel
​

De Gea 3rd goalkeeper obviously. Finding a 2nd CB and 2nd CM for the 2nd team was brutal. Varane probably will take that spot pretty quickly for CB but it's hard to say anyone is justified for the CM spot. Even Fletcher and Carrick was a horrible partnership at the time, but they peaked playing separately from each other.

 

[RedTiger]

Duncan Edwards doesn't even make the list?

You can if you want to, I didn't as I never personally saw him.

 

[FriedClams]

All players I feel I can comment on

First team

Gk: Schmeichel
Rb: G.Neville
Cb: Ferdinand
Cb: Stam
Lb: Irwin

Cm: Keane
Cm: Robson
Cm: Scholes

Rw: Rooney
St: Cantona
Lw: Ronaldo


Second Team

Gk: Van Der Sar
Rb: Parker
Cb: Vidic
Cb: Mcgrath
Lb: Evra

Rm: Beckham
Cm: Carrick
Cm: Bruno
Lm: Giggs

St: Van Nistelrooy
St: Van Persie

De Gea as sub keeper on both sides

 

[RUCK4444]

All players I feel I can comment on

First team

Gk: Schmeichel
Rb: G.Neville
Cb: Ferdinand
Cb: Stam
Lb: Irwin

Cm: Keane
Cm: Robson
Cm: Scholes

Rw: Rooney
St: Cantona
Lw: Ronaldo


Second Team

Gk: Van Der Sar
Rb: Parker
Cb: Vidic
Cb: Mcgrath
Lb: Evra

Rm: Beckham
Cm: Carrick
Cm: Bruno
Lm: Giggs

St: Van Nistelrooy
St: Van Persie

De Gea as sub keeper on both sides

That starting 11 is disgustingly good.

I’d go loosely the same for first and second choice teams.

 

[Djcoops54]

Love posts like this one:
Schmeichel
VDG
Edwards

Byrne
G Neville
Buchan
McGrath
Stam
Rio
Brennan
Irwin

Beckham
Ronaldo
Charlton
Robson
Keane
Scholes
Giggs
Best

Taylor
Law
Ruud
Eric

this trumps all

 

[RedTiger]

Bruno's been here 2 years and he's already being picked for the all time squad

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

1. VDS
2. Schmichael
3. De Gea
4. Rio
5. Vidic
6. Stam
7. Varane
8. Irwin
9. Evra
10. Shaw
11. Valencia
12. Beckham
13. Giggs
14. Ronaldo
15. Scholes
16. Carrick
17. Fred
18. Fletcher
19. Park
20. van Nistlerooy
21. Cantona
22. Rooney
23. Solskjaer

 

[RedTiger]

@duffer
This is the Chelsea squad picked by my employee who's a Chelsea old boy.

1. Bonetti
2. Cech
3. Courtois
4. Petrescu
5. Webb
6. Cole
7. Azpi
8. Terry
9. Desailly
10. Harris
11. -
12. Wilkins
13. Lampard
14. Makelele
15. Zola
16. Poyet
17. Ballack
18. Hazard
19. Essien
20. Osgood
21. Drogba
22. Costa
23. Dixon

 

[NoPace]

I was too young to remember anything about Cantona, so limiting to basically the post Cantona era of United (with a bit of cheating, they just have to have played post Cantona even if prime was during Cantona's time like Irwin).

Rooney Ruud
Giggs Scholes Keane Ronaldo
Evra Vidic Ferdinand Neville
Van der Sar

Cole Van Persie
Nani Fletcher Carrick Beckham
Irwin Stam Brown Valencia
Schmeichel
​

De Gea 3rd goalkeeper obviously. Finding a 2nd CB and 2nd CM for the 2nd team was brutal. Varane probably will take that spot pretty quickly for CB but it's hard to say anyone is justified for the CM spot. Even Fletcher and Carrick was a horrible partnership at the time, but they peaked playing separately from each other.

I think I'd go 3-4-1-2 for the 2nd team because of the lack of RB quality after Neville:


Yorke Cole
Bruno/Park
Irwin Fletcher Carrick Beckham
Stam Pallister Brown
Schmeichel

Van Persie was great but it was for a very short period and we know Yorke and Cole would link expertly and they'd do well with Beckham and Irwin hitting lots of early crosses. Park to do a job defensively if it's on the counter, Bruno most games in his favored spot and with 7 behind him so he can give the ball away trying to score and make chances for the front 2 and the wingbacks.

 

[NoPace]

@duffer
This is the Chelsea squad picked by my employee who's a Chelsea old boy.

1. Bonetti
2. Cech
3. Courtois
4. Petrescu
5. Webb
6. Cole
7. Azpi
8. Terry
9. Desailly
10. Harris
11. -
12. Wilkins
13. Lampard
14. Makelele
15. Zola
16. Poyet
17. Ballack
18. Hazard
19. -
20. Osgood
21. Drogba
22. Costa
23. Dixon

Can't have Ballack over Essien for Chelsea career for me. PL Chelsea:

-------------------Drogba----------------
Hazard--------------------Zola----------
-----------Lampard----------------------
--------------------------Essien---------------
Cole-----Makelele------Azpilicueta
---------Terry---Carvalho-------------
-----------------Cech---------------------

And probably Reece James taking the RB role in a few years since you'd need width with Zola coming inside more, though Essien could also shade to that side more.

 

[RomfordRed75]

All time 23 of players I've watched (since 83). Special mention to Cole who I really wanted to put in but went with Hughes

Van de Sar
DDG
Schmeichel

Irwin
G nev
Stam
Rio
Vidic
Evra
Bruce
Pally

Keane
Scholes
Robson
Giggs
Beckham
Carrick
Ronaldo
Nani

RVN
Rooney
Cantona
Hughes

 

[RedTiger]

All time 23 of players I've watched (since 83). Special mention to Cole who I really wanted to put in but went with Hughes

Van de Sar
DDG
Schmeichel

Irwin
G nev
Stam
Rio
Vidic
Evra
Bruce
Pally

Keane
Scholes
Robson
Giggs
Beckham
Carrick
Ronaldo
Nani

RVN
Rooney
Cantona
Hughes

Oh mate, I actually forgot about Hughes! I'm going with you and taking Cole out of my side.

 

[arthurka]

Harry Gregg should be one of the keepers, he saved so much more than freekicks and penalties.

 

[RedTiger]

Harry Gregg should be one of the keepers, he saved so much more than freekicks and penalties.

Who would be in your 23?

 

[Hoof the ball]

Peter Schmeichel
Edwin Van der Sar
Harry Gregg

Denis Irwin
Jaap Stam
Rio Ferdinand
Paul McGrath
Nemanja Vidic
Patrice Evra
Gary Neville
Johnny Carey

Bryan Robson
Roy Keane
Paul Scholes
Duncan Edwards
George Best
Ryan Giggs
Cristiano Ronaldo
Bobby Charlton

Wayne Rooney
Denis Law
Eric Cantona
Ruud Van Nistelrooy

 

[arthurka]

Who would be in your 23?

Gregg
Pete
VDS

Bruce
Vidic
Ferdinand
Stam
Irwin
Evra
Gary
Carey

Charlton
Best
Giggs
Ronaldo
Keane
Scholes
Robbo
Becks

Cantona
RVN
Law
Rooney

 

[Denis79]

I know it's hard and we really have had some amazing players but always found it odd McClair never gets mentioned in threads like this, am I the only one who thinks he was an excellent player?

 

[RedTiger]

I know it's hard and we really have had some amazing players but always found it odd McClair never gets mentioned in threads like this, am I the only one who thinks he was an excellent player?

He was an excellent player 100%. Which midfielder or striker do you leave out though to accommodate him?

 

[Denis79]

He was an excellent player 100%. Which midfielder or striker do you leave out though to accommodate him?

As I said it's hard but I see some people already have Fernandes in their squads and I feel McClair has done more for the club, I love Bruno but in the top 23 players we ever had? Not sure, maybe in a year or two. As I said it's hard. But this isn't the first thread like this and I just noticed no one ever mentions McClair.

 

[RedRonaldo]

GK: Schmeichel/VDS/DDG
RB: Neville/Brown
CB: Stam/Vidic
CB: Ferdinand/McGrath
LB: Edwards/Evra
CM: Keane/Robson
CM: Charlton/Scholes
WF: Ronaldo/Beckham
WF: Best/Giggs
SS: Cantona/Rooney
CF: Van Nistelrooy/Law

 

[RedTiger]

As I said it's hard but I see some people already have Fernandes in their squads and I feel McClair has done more for the club, I love Bruno but in the top 23 players we ever had? Not sure, maybe in a year or two. As I said it's hard. But this isn't the first thread like this and I just noticed no one ever mentions McClair.

Yep, I'm suprised with that as well I assumed it was supporters who only started following us in the last decade.

 

[Denis79]

Yep, I'm suprised with that as well I assumed it was supporters who only started following us in the last decade.

He would probably not make my team either if im honest, Robson would get his spot but surely an honourable mention atleast.

edit: Talking about McClair.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

Schmeichel, VDS, De Gea. Neville, Valencia, Bruce, Stam, Vidic, Ferdinand, Irwin, Evra. Carrick, Scholes, Keane, Fletcher, Giggs, Ronaldo, Beckham, Nani, Van Nistelrooy, Cantona, Rooney, Cole.

 

[Dirty Schwein]

Schmeichel
VDS
DDG

Vidic
Evra
Rio
Stam
Irwin
G. Neville
O'Shea
Heinze

Keane
Park J.S.
Scholes
Beckham
Ronaldo
Giggs
Blomqvist
Fernandes

RVN
Berbatov
Rooney
Cantona

 

[UTDbornfan]

From the players i've watched this has to be mine.

Schmeichel
DDG
Van Der Sar

Valencia
Evra
Neville
Varane
Stam
Vidic
Ferdinand
Shaw

Pogba
Keane
Carrick
Scholes
Beckham
Giggs
Ronaldo
Herrera

Cantona
Rooney
RVN
Tevez

 

[TheReligion]

Schmeichel
Van der Sar
De Gea

Irwin
Evra
Stam
Ferdinand
Johnsen
Vidic
G.Neville

Giggs
Beckham
Scholes
Keane
Robson
Carrick
Kanchelskis
Ronaldo

Rooney
van Nistelrooy
van Persie
Cantona

Think that's got a bit of everything and I'm going with players from my era (didn't get to see the best of Robson but still)

Obviously the likes of Best, Law, Charlton, Edwards etc get in but I've tried to pick my era only.

 

[RedTiger]

Love posts like this one:
Schmeichel
VDG
Edwards

Byrne
G Neville
Buchan
McGrath
Stam
Rio
Brennan
Irwin

Beckham
Ronaldo
Charlton
Robson
Keane
Scholes
Giggs
Best

Taylor
Law
Ruud
Eric

this trumps all

This is a brilliant squad! I never knew Edwards could play GK though.

 

[Isotope]

GK: Schmeichel/VDS/DDG
RB: Neville/Brown
CB: Vidic/Stam
CB: Ferdinand/Smalling
LB: Irwin/Evra
CM: Keane/Carrick
CM: Scholes
WF: Ronaldo/Beckham
WF: Giggs/Park/Nani
SS: Cantona/Rooney
CF: Van Nistelrooy/Cole

 

[cristianorooney]

Schmeichel
Vds
Ddg

Neville
Edwards
Rio
Vidic
Stam
Mcgrath
Irwin
Evra

Ronaldo
Beckham
Keane
Scholes
Charlton
Robson
Giggs
Best

Rvn
Cantona
Rooney
Law

 

[KingCavani]

From my time watching - Around 1993/94. Judging players at their peak so longevity not a factor.

GK: VDS, Schmeichel, DDG

Def: Bruce, Stam, Vidic, Rio, Evra, Irwin, Neville, Rafael

Mid: Keane, Scholes, Giggs, Beckham, Carrick, Bruno, Fletcher

Att: Ronaldo, Rooney, Ruud, Eric, Tevez

I’d probably take RVP over Tevez in terms of the level he reached but Tevez would bring more in complimenting those other attacking players. My starting XI would be mostly the 2008 team.

VDS

Neville Rio Vidic Irwin

Keane Scholes

Beckham Rooney Ronaldo

Tevez
​

Like the balance of that team. Beckham crossing to Ronaldo attacking the back post. Have mercy…

 

[Mr. MUJAC]

Goalkeepers: Schmeichel, Van der Sar, De Gea
Defenders: G Neville, Irwin, Dunne, Byrne, Stam, Ferdinand, Vidic, McGrath
Midfielders: Robson, Scholes, Edwards, Keane, Charlton, Giggs, Best, Ronaldo
Strikers: Law, Cantona, Van Nistelrooy, Rooney

Seeing some putting Duncan Edwards in defence at even at left back. He was only chosen in defence once in his entire career and that was in a youth match.

No doubt he could play anywhere...but so could Robson Keane and others.

Learn your history lads!

 

[paulscholes18]

1st XI
Schmeichel
Neville Stam Vidic Irwin
Beckham Scholes Keane Ronaldo
Cantona
Ruud

2nd XI
VDS
Rafael Rio Bruce Evra
Kanchelskis Hargreaves Carrick Giggs
Rooney Yorke

23 DDG

 

[Sandikan]

Over the last 30 years, I wonder if there's anyone's list that doesn't feature these players?

GK - Schmeichel, VDS, Dea Gea
Full back - Irwin, G Nev, Evra
CB - Vidic, Stam, Ferdinand
RW/RM - Beckham, Kancheslkis, Ronaldo (put him here for want of argument!)
LW/LM - Giggs
CM Keane, Scholes, Bruno
F - Rooney, Cantona, Van Nist, Van Persie

That's 20 of the berths gone straight away

Meaning the debate for the last 4 places is out of

Pallister, Bruce, Cole, Yorke, Carrick

Robson probably misses out of the last 30 years debate.
Way too soon for Varane to be in any conversation.

 

[Ali Dia]

Peter Schmeichel
Edwin Van der Sar
Harry Gregg

Denis Irwin
Jaap Stam
Rio Ferdinand
Paul McGrath
Nemanja Vidic
Patrice Evra
Gary Neville
Johnny Carey

Bryan Robson
Roy Keane
Paul Scholes
Duncan Edwards
George Best
Ryan Giggs
Cristiano Ronaldo
Bobby Charlton

Wayne Rooney
Denis Law
Eric Cantona
Ruud Van Nistelrooy

Thats more like it

 

[RedTiger]

Can't have Ballack over Essien for Chelsea career for me. PL Chelsea:

-------------------Drogba----------------
Hazard--------------------Zola----------
-----------Lampard----------------------
--------------------------Essien---------------
Cole-----Makelele------Azpilicueta
---------Terry---Carvalho-------------
-----------------Cech---------------------

And probably Reece James taking the RB role in a few years since you'd need width with Zola coming inside more, though Essien could also shade to that side more.

He's added Essien now