United's Best 25-man Squad (PL era)?

Web of Bissaka

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Which 25 United players will you choose? :)curious, thanks in advance.

Had this idea after seeing MEN's choice.
Best 25-man squad

Goalkeepers: Schmeichel, De Gea, Romero.

Defenders: G. Neville, Wan-Bissaka, Stam, Vidic, Ferdinand, Johnsen, Irwin, Evra, O'Shea.

Midfielders: Beckham, Scholes, Keane, Giggs, Kanchelskis, Butt, Hargreaves, Carrick.

Forwards: Ronaldo, Rooney, Cantona, Van Nistelrooy, Solskjaer.


https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...ransfer-news/man-utd-best-squad-news-17966565
^ Not sure that's the best choice.
Surely chemistry, compatibility, tactical adaptability, mental strength, etc etc have to be considered, not just pure skills/talent quality.

We're building a Squad. Not just shoehorning in all top best players for every positions.

Here's mine,
GK: Schmeichel, VDS, Romero
CB: Stam, Vidic, Ferdinand, Johnsen
RB: G. Neville, Valencia
LB: Irwin, Evra

FB: O'Shea
CM: Scholes, Keane, Hargreaves, Carrick
RM: Beckham, Kanchelskis
LM: Giggs, Park
ATK: Ronaldo, Rooney, Cantona, Solskjaer
CF: Saha


GK: VDS to offer something else which Schmeichel cannot offer, while Romero being not 1st choice or even 3rd choice (for League Cup) won't get affected much mentally compare to imo putting De Gea on the bench or "reserve". Competition between Schmeichel vs VDS, but SAF to keep on rotating them with sufficient "fair" no. of games <- this will be the greatest challenge of managing this squad.

DEF: Obvious choices, quality and chemistry. FBs are obvious except perhaps Valencia, for me he offers things which GNev cannot, and let's face it, who else? Brown would be my 3rd choice but he has his limitations, while Rafael is awesome in attacks but not defensively and AWB is defense monster but still raw in attacking sense while Tony V are so much better as a FB in both attacks and defends well balanced. The only question is which two out of the four CBs to be picked. Stam is definite but then who will be his best partner. Ferdinand can gel well with different CB partners with us or England and can even make his partner seemingly play better eg. Silvestre and Brown at CB.

MID: Obvious choices with Beck-Keane-Scholes-Giggs. Hargreaves and Carrick picked ahead of the other CM choices as they can offer better alternatives to various tactics. Hargreaves and Carrick also played well with Scholes and Giggs so the compatibility is there. Ronaldo and Solskjaer can go to the wings in midfield. Cantona, Rooney and Scholes can go to CAM for tactical change. Giggs and Becks can cover CM if necessary. Park to offer different tactical moves especially in CL, also I find these two can gel better with the players eg. with Ronaldo and Rooney.

ATK: Obvious choices except the latter two possibly. Firstly, Ronaldo is better as forward than in mdifield so he can focus on attacking. Not picking RVN or maybe Hughes or even Yorke-Cole are bizarre. But then we're too spoilt with many superb forwards so blame SAF :p . Simply because Ronaldo-Rooney are better and with Cantona must be picked ahead the rest. So since the three are starters, leaving few chances of playing for RVN and the rest, consider their egos, thus we need benchwarmer who won't mind much while still offer good tactical variations and positions cover thus Saha and Solskjaer. Saha is so good at leading the line, aerial threat, acrobatic, post play, pacy, and also impressively combine well with Ronaldo, Rooney and even Scholes and Giggs. Ole is a super sub.

Problems?
Main dilemma is VDS or Schmeichel - I think should be based on form thus fair competitions. The other dilemma here is to go with 433 or 442, best with latter but it then pose a problem of who should be the front two between Ronaldo, Rooney and Cantona, all three are monsters. Solutions are 1) constant rotation among the three, and 2) considering CR's monstrosity, at times move him to either of the wings, that way we not only get to rest Giggs and Becks, but also play all three RRC together.

442 Attack!
Ronaldo - Cantona
Giggs - Scholes - Beckham
Keane (C)
Irwin - Ferdinand - Stam - Neville
PBS/VDS

Subs: Rooney, Solskjaer, Kanchelskis, Carrick, Evra, Vidic, VDS/PBS

Manager: SAF to rotate them with subs and squad players very well for seasonal games.​
EDIT:
1) Cantona swapped with Rooney, as one of the main two forward because he's so much better and playstyle actually can gel easily well with any players.
2) Finally fixed "Reasoning Spoiler", and included missing info.
3) Added SAF, subs and formation.
 
Last edited:

Lentwood

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GK - Schmeichel, VDS, Romero
DL - Irwin, Evra
DR - G.Neville, AWB
DC - Ferdinand, Vidic, Stam, Maguire
Wide Midfield - Beckham, Kanchelskis, Giggs, Rashford, Park
MC - Keane, Scholes, Pogba, Bruno, Ince
ST - Ronaldo, Rooney, Cantona, Solskjær
 

Mcking

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Going 442 from 2000
GK
Schemeicel
Van der sar
De Gea
CB
Ferdinand
Vidic
Stam
Smalling
Brown
FB
Evra
Irwin
Neville
Valencia
MF
Scholes
Carrick
Park
Keane
Pogba
Wing
Beckham
Giggs
Ronaldo
Nani
Strikers
Rooney
Van Persie
Van Nisterooy
Solskjaer
 

harms

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Rooney - Cantona
Giggs - Scholes - Keane - Cristiano
Evra - Vidić - Rio - Irwin
van der Sar​

Romero, Foster; Stam, Brown, O'Shea, G. Neville; Carrick, Fletcher, Beckham, Park, Valencia; Solskjaer, Tevez

Had to be very picky in terms of the bench players as you can't have many stars there. Only Stam & Beckham (and arguably Tevez) look completely out of place on the bench, but, especially if we're emulating Fergie, they'll get plenty of playing time.

Many players can cover multiple different positions and roles:
Cristiano — right & left wing and free attacking role.
Rooney, Tevez, Park — really anywhere near the top.
Irwin, Valencia, O'Shea, Brown and give us plenty of options to tweak with out defense.

Can't keep the likes of Schmeichel and De Gea on the bench. It's actually possible that Edwin would've accepted the role of a second keeper, the man is a fantastic professional, but I still doubt it. He gets in because of the chemistry with Evra-Vidić-Rio backline.
 

NM

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GK: Schmeichel, Van Der Sar, De Gea (3)
RB: Gary Neville, Rafael (2)
LB: Patrice Evra, Denis Irwin (2)
CB: Ferdinand, Vidic, Bruce, Stam, Brown (5)
RW: C Ronaldo, Beckham (2)
LW: Giggs, Nani (2)
CM / DM / AM: Keane, Scholes, Carrick, Ince, Pogba (5)
FW: Rooney, van Nistelrooy, Cole, van Persie (4)

My first 11 (4-5-1)


Schmeichel
G. Neville Ferdinand Vidic Evra
Carrick
Keane Scholes
Ronaldo van Nistelrooy Giggs

These are just my favorite players.
 

groovyalbert

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GK: Schmeichel, van der Sar, Romero
RB: Wan-Bissaka, G.Neville
LB: Evra, Irwin
CB: Ferdinand, Stam, Vidic, Pallister
CM: Scholes, Keane (c), Carrick, Park, Fletcher
RM: Ronaldo, Beckham
LM: Giggs, Nani
ST: Rooney, Cantona, Van Nistelrooy, Solskjaer, Rashford

XI: Schmeichel; AWB, Ferdinand, Stam, Evra; Ronaldo, Keane (c), Scholes, Giggs; Rooney, Cantona

Subs: van der Sar, Vidic, Irwin, Carrick, Beckham, Van Nistelrooy, Rashford
 

Bobski

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Can't put Ole in over Cole surely? As a supersub maybe, but Cole was the better player.

Schmeichel, Van Der Sar, De Gea

G Nev, Valencia, Irwin, Evra, Pallister, Vidic, Rio, Stam

Keane, Ince, Scholes, Carrick, Pogba

Giggs, Beckham, Ronaldo, Kanchelskis

Cantona, RVN, Cole, RVP, Rooney
 

paulscholes18

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Schmeichel
Neville Stam Vidic Evra
Beckham Keane Scholes Ronaldo
Cantona Ruud

VDS
Rafael Rio Bruce Evra
Butt Carrick Pogba
Kanchelskis Rooney Giggs

Spares
Romero
O’shea
Ole
 

The holy trinity 68

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Schmeichel
DDG
VDS
GNev
Rio
Vidic
Stam
Bruce
Pallister
Irwin
Evra
Keane
Scholes
Robson
Carrick
Becks
Giggs
Ronaldo
Rooney
Cantona
RVN
RVP
Hughes
Cole
Solskjaer

Doesn’t matter about formation, Sir Alex would make it work.
 

Motorman

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GK
Schmeichel
Van der Sar
De Gea
CB
Ferdinand
Vidic
Stam
Brown
Maguire
LB/RB
Evra
Irwin
Neville
Wan-Bissaka
CM
Scholes
Keane
Carrick
Fernandes
Pogba
LM/RM
Beckham
Giggs
Ronaldo
Nani
Strikers
Rooney
Van Persie
Van Nistelrooy
Yorke



--------Schmeichel---
Wan-Bissaka---Ferdinand------Vidic--------Evra-----------
Beckham-----Scholes-------Keane--------Ronaldo
--------Van Persie------Van Nistelrooy--
 

Decomposing In Paris

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It’s interesting, because I’d argue that if you had all these players available today things would look quite different. For instance, playing 442 is unlikely, just because of the imbalance we’d have in midfield. Even Ferguson left it behind. Giggs would probably be a Right Forward if coming through today, & thus I get Ronaldo, Beckham, & Giggs all as starters

433


De Gea
Irwin Rio Vidic Evra
Beckham Keane Scholes
Giggs Rooney Ronaldo

Subs: Van der Saar, AWB, Stam, Maguire, Neville, Carrick, Hargreaves, Pogba, Fernandes, Solskjaer, Rashford, Van Persie, Yorke, Martial
 

Bwuk

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GK: Schmeichel, De Gea; VDS

Defenders: Neville, Valencia, Evra, Irwin, Ferdinand, Vidic, Stam, Maguire

Midfielders: Beckham, Scholes, Keane, Giggs, Carrick, Pogba, Bruno, Butt

Forwards: Ronaldo, Rooney, RvN, Cantona, Rashford, RvP

Schmeichel
Neville - Ferdinand - Vidic - Evra
Beckham - Scholes - Keane - Ronaldo
Rooney - Cantona

Edwin
Valencia - Stam - Maguire - Irwin
Carrick
Bruno - Pogba
Giggs - RvP - Rashford

Leaving De Gea, Butt and Nani to make up the 25.
 

Ballache

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Martial
GK: De Gea, Schmeichel, VDS

FB: Neville, Irwin, Evra, Rafael
CB: Rio, Vidic, Maguire, Stam, Johnsen
DM: Keane, Carrick, Butt
CM: Scholes, Beckham, Veron, Pogba
Forwards: Ronaldo, Giggs, Rashford, Nani
ST: RvP, Rooney

Players that I've watched and remember well.
Veron is a bit random, but I reckon he'd be great in a modern 433. Harsh on Ruud but I feel that RVP and Rooney offer more and are more flexible.
 

freeurmind

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GKs: Schmeichel, VDS, De Gea
DFs: Evra, Irwin, Stam, Ferdinand, Vidic, Pallister, G. Neville, Rafael
Mfs: Beckham, Park, Keane, Scholes, Robson, Pogba, Giggs, Ronaldo, Carrick
FWs: Cantona, Rooney, Van Persie, Solksjaer, van Nistelrooy

First choice 11: VDS
--------Ferdinand, Stam, Pallister,------
Beckham, Keane, Scholes, Robson, Giggs
------------Cantona, Ronaldo----------------

Harsh on Irwin and Rooney for the 1st 11 but I'm happy with that team.
 

dcrompton

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How has Hargreaves got a place in the MEN and OP squads? He was an absolute crock for us and Phil Neville and John O’Shea have put in more good performances in centre-midfield. I would have expected him to be in the worst 25-Man squad as he probably cost about £1m per game when you work out his transfer fee and appearances.
 

Schmeichel's Cartwheel

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feck utility players, I’m going strongest all over

GK - Schmeichel, VDS, DDG
RB - G. Neville, AWB
LB- Evra, Irwin
CB- Rio, Vidic, Stam, Bruce
CM- Keane, Scholes, Carrick, Ince, Pogba
RW- Beckham, Kanchelskis
LW- Giggs, Ronaldo
SS- Cantona, Rooney
CF- Cole, RVN, RVP

Starting eleven

Schmeichel
G. Neville Rio Vidic Evra
Beckham Scholes Keane Ronaldo
Cantona
RVN
 

Eckers99

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GK: Schmeichel, VdS, De Gea
RB: Neville, Parker
LB: Irwin, Evra
CB: Stam, Vidic, Ferdinand, Bruce, Pallister
RW: Kancheslskis, Beckham
LW: Giggs, Ronaldo
CM: Keane, Scholes, Ince, Robson, Carrick
CF: Cantona, Rooney, RvN, Solskjaer

First 11:
Schmeichel, Neville, Irwin, Ferdninand, Vidic, Beckham, Ronaldo, Keane, Scholes, Cantona, Rooney
 

simplyared

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Starting 11 PL era

Smikes

Neville (Gary)
Rio
Stam
Evra

Keano
Scholes
Becks

Ronaldo
Rooney
Giggs

Edwards, Best, Charlton and Buchan would get in if it was beat team of all time!
 

Bobski

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I think that Giggs,if coming through now, rather than being a wide forward would have been even more devastating in a midfield 3 if developed earlier towards that role. He was always more of a creator than a scorer, many wide forwards are this era's poachers.
 

freeurmind

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I think that Giggs,if coming through now, rather than being a wide forward would have been even more devastating in a midfield 3 if developed earlier towards that role. He was always more of a creator than a scorer, many wide forwards are this era's poachers.
No way Giggs would be developed that way. Giggs burst on to the scene as a pacy, tricky attacker. Injuries forced him into the more docile role more than anything.
 

Bobski

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No way Giggs would be developed that way. Giggs burst on to the scene as a pacy, tricky attacker. Injuries forced him into the more docile role more than anything.

That would be the temptation, but he always has much more to his game than an out and out winger. Fantastic imagination and creativity in his passing, people started to appreciate that more late on in the middle, but he was still too quick for midfielders then.

Wide for the start of his career but by 22/23 get him into a midfield 3.

Did Maria has had real success on that role, Giggs was better than Di Maria, and it is not that close.
 

devilish

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My 23

GK: Schmeichel, VDS, DDG

Def: Gary Neville, Wan Bissaka, Irwin, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Stam, Pallister

Mid: Beckham, Ronaldo, Kanchelskis Giggs, Keane, Carrick, Scholes, Ince

Stk: Cantona, RVN, Cole, Rooney

Extra to 25: RVP, Pogba,
 

Inter Yer Nan

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Starting XI: Schmeichel, G.Neville, Ferdinand, Stam, Irwin, Keane, Scholes, Giggs, Ronaldo, Cantona, Van Nistelrooy

Squad: De Gea, Van Der Sar, Evra, Parker, Vidic, Pallister, Bruce, Beckham, Fernandes, Carrick, Kanchelskis, Rooney, Van Persie, Solskjaer*

I think Cole and Yorke were better players but Ole off the bench is a perfect squad player.
 

OleBoiii

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I'm not gonna do a 25 man squad as that's too easy:

---------------------- VDS---------------------
----- Neville - Rio - Vidic - Evra -----
--------------Keane -Scholes ------------
---- Giggs - Cantona - Ronaldo ----
-------------- Van Nistelrooy ------------

Bench:
Schmeichel, Stam, Irwin, Carrick, Park, Beckham, Rooney

________________________________

8 out of 11 players picked themselves, imo. The following could have gone either way: VDS, Vidic, Evra.

The reason I picked these 3 is simple: they were a part of one of the best defenses I've ever seen. The only "weakness" was the RB, but since I'm assuming that we get all the players in their prime, then that's the RB position sorted. Irwin was a better player than Evra, but Evra fit his role perfectly. Also, Irwin is much more versatile and is therefore much better to have on the bench. VDS wasn't as good as Schmeichel, but the same reasoning applies there as well. He had a great understanding with Rio and Vidic.

I'm very happy with the bench. So much intensity and versatility in there. I feel bad for not giving Solskjær a spot, though. Maybe he could take Park's spot... But I love Park too :(
 
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bosnian_red

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Gk: VDS, Schmeichel
RB: Neville, Valencia
LB: Irwin, Evra
Cb: Ferdinand, Vidic, Stam, Bruce
RM: Ronaldo, Beckham
CM: Scholes, Keane, Carrick, Pogba
LM: Giggs, Rashford
ST: RvN, Rooney, Cantona, van Persie

2 lineups basically. Other 3 players to round out 25 would be DDG as a 3rd keeper, Pallister a 5th CB, Butt as a backup holding mid. Gives enough depth for everything and quality everywhere IMO.
 

cyril C

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Not a balanced squad but 25 names nevertheless

Schmeichel, VDS, DDG

Neville, Irwin, Evra

Ferdinand, Vidic,

Ronaldo, Beckham, Giggs

Keane, Scholes, Hargreaves, Carrick

Cantonna, Robson, Rooney

RVN, VPS, Hughes, Yorke, Cole

Sub: JOS, Ole
 

sun_tzu

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.................................................................Schmeichel...............................................................
Irwin........................Staam..........................................................Ferdinand.......................Evra
......................................................................Keane...................................................................
................................Beckham.....................................................Scholes.................................
..........Ronaldo..............................................Cantona.............................................Giggs...........

Van Der Sar..................................................................................De Gea
Vidic.............................................................................................Bruce
G Neville.......................................................................................P Neville
Carrick..........................................................................................Hargreaves
Pogba...........................................................................................Fernandes
Kanchelskis..................................................................................Rooney
RVN...............................................................................................Van Persi

No Robson for me as although I rate him higher than keane he wasnt half the player he was by the time it was the PL

GK: Schmeichel, Van Der Sar, De Gea
Players who can play RB: Irwin, G, Neville, P, Neville
Players who can play LB, Evra, Irwin, P Neville
Players who can play centreback: Staam, Ferdinand, Vidic, Bruce and at a push G, Neville, Keane, Carrick
Players who can play central mid: Keane, Scholes, Beckham, Pogba, Carrick, Hargreaves, Fernandes, P neville, Giggs and at a push Rooney
Players who can play attacking central midfield role: Cantona, Scholes, Rooney, Fernandes and at a push Beckham and Pogba
Wide players (wingers or wide forward): Ronaldo, Giggs, Kanchelskis, Beckham and at a push Van Persi and Rooney
Centre forward: Cantona, RVN, Ronaldo, Rooney, Van Persi
 
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elmo

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Why are people putting Hargreaves in?

He was a serious waste of money for us with him being injured or looking out of place in our midfield.