[Keano4taoiseach]

Is this Fergie's strongest Man Utd squad?
Premier League Manchester United
by Jonathan Stevenson - BBC Sport 12 November 2007

"I believe this is the strongest squad I have ever had".

Quite a statement coming from a manager who has won nine Premier League titles, five FA Cups and a Champions League trophy.

But that is how firmly Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson believes in his current crop of players at Old Trafford as he enters his 22nd year of management at the club.

It is quite a claim and one that cries out for closer inspection.

Ferguson, it could reasonably be claimed, has produced the third iconic side of his tenure - after the Double-winning side of 1993/94 and the treble winners of 1998/99.

Hitting back after two years of Chelsea dominance to win the Premier League for the ninth time last season, Ferguson now has a squad of extraordinary talent at his disposal.

But is it better than the sides of the 1990s? Let's look at the players who made up those squads and compare it to the men who currently don the famous red and white strips.

1994: Schmeichel, Parker, Irwin, Bruce, Pallister, G Neville, Robson, Ince, Keane, Scholes, Kanchelskis, Giggs, Sharpe, Cantona, Hughes, McClair, Dublin.

1999: Schmeichel, G Neville, P Neville, May, Irwin, Brown, Johnsen, Stam, Keane, Scholes, Butt, Blomqvist, Beckham, Giggs, Solskjaer, Cole, Yorke, Sheringham.

2007: Van der Sar, Kuszczak, G Neville, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Brown, O'Shea, Silvestre, Pique, Hargreaves, Carrick, Scholes, Ronaldo, Giggs, Nani, Anderson, Fletcher, Rooney, Tevez, Saha.

There are undoubtedly familiar Ferguson traits running through each of the squads: a dominant keeper; a central defensive partnership with real understanding; pace down the flanks; and craft in attack.

The 1994 side was one many Manchester United fans will always hold dear to their hearts because not only did they win the double for the first time but it was largely the squad that the season before had won the title for the first time in 26 years.

In 1999, David Beckham and co sealed a historic treble to write their names into football folklore forever.

Yet Ferguson feels the class of 2007 may have greater potential. "It is difficult to know when to stop when talking about our important players," he eulogised.

So, do you agree with Ferguson? Do you think this United squad is stronger than his previous line-ups?

Would you have Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic as your centre-half partnership over Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister?

Would you have Owen Hargreaves as your all-action midfielder instead of Roy Keane or Bryan Robson.

Would you pick Cristiano Ronaldo to fire in crosses from the right wing rather than Beckham or Andrei Kanchelskis?

Would you go for the devastating link-up of Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez up front or would you choose Eric Cantona or Mark Hughes in their place?

For what it's worth, this would be my number one team from the above options (although I would also give a special mention to Ruud van Nistelrooy, unfortunate to play from 2001-2006).

Schmeichel, G Neville, Evra, Stam, Vidic, Keane, Scholes, Ronaldo, Giggs, Cantona, Rooney.

 

[rydersonthestorm]

I would have rio over stam as stam is a simular defender to vidic and neither of them are as good as rio.

 

[RichardsReds]

beckham surely makes the team as well...

 

[cathred]

i think this is right previous squads have had certain players that stand out head and shoulders above the rest but this squad are all contenders they are all top players with no weak links lets be honest theres been a few weak lnks havnt there. I think this is probably the squad fergie has always wanted.

 

[andycole9]

i think this is right previous squads have had certain players that stand out head and shoulders above the rest but this squad are all contenders they are all top players with no weak links lets be honest theres been a few weak lnks havnt there. I think this is probably the squad fergie has always wanted.

yea i agree, this is the strongest squad i've ever seen at old trafford

I would have rio over stam as stam is a simular defender to vidic and neither of them are as good as rio.

yea me too, i don't know why people keep going on about stam like he's the best defender ever, yes he was good and a fans favourite. but people seem to foget that when he played we was never solid and leaked goals for fun

if he was as good as every one thinks why did fergie sell him? and don't give me that book bull shit.... yes it might of contributed to his sale but keane and cantona did far worse and they stayed, why? coz they was world class foootballers and stam wasn't