Who would it be and why?
Pick 3 players from the 1980s sides to add to this seasons squad
- Thread starter golden_blunder
- Start date
Bryan Robson to perfect the midfield. Schmeichiel thanks to being one of the greatest keepers ever and the best ever distributor with his hands. Mark Hughes upfront. A perfect target man with a goal threat but able to link up the attack.
Lastly Paul McGrath. You'd never miss Varane nor Martinez if they are out. Adding calmness personified at the back. Even better could comfortably replace a missing casemiro in the heart of midfield. Or add to him in there in the toughest games.
(Edited after a correction)
Lastly Paul McGrath. You'd never miss Varane nor Martinez if they are out. Adding calmness personified at the back. Even better could comfortably replace a missing casemiro in the heart of midfield. Or add to him in there in the toughest games.
(Edited after a correction)
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Robson - leadership, goals and drive from midfield
Hughes - ideal player for an ETH team. Hold it up, spread play, score goals
McGrath - adds bit of class to the back, calm, dominating
Schmeichel is not a 1980s player, he joined 1991. Bailey, Turner, Leighton and Sealey were the goalies in that decade @Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber
Hughes - ideal player for an ETH team. Hold it up, spread play, score goals
McGrath - adds bit of class to the back, calm, dominating
Schmeichel is not a 1980s player, he joined 1991. Bailey, Turner, Leighton and Sealey were the goalies in that decade @Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber
Robbo obviously, Hughes and Pally
Robson Pallister and Hughes as the spine of the team. Would make an hell of a difference
Robbo, Ince and Hughes
Thab
Thanks for the correction bruv. Let me fix that
Obviously Captain Marvel together with Pallister and Hughes.
Edit: unforgivably forgot to mention Coppell.
Edit: unforgivably forgot to mention Coppell.
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Robson, robson and robson.
Robson, Hughes and McGrath
Robson
Coppell
Hughes
Coppell
Hughes
Robson - self explanatory
Hughes - answer to our no.9 position
McGrath - reliable upgrade from Maguire
Hughes - answer to our no.9 position
McGrath - reliable upgrade from Maguire
McGrath: Classy CB, fast, read the game well, reliable, don't remember him ever having a bad game.
Robson: Controlled the midfield in every game. boundless energy. Never got tired and scored more than your average midfielder
Hughes: What a player. Nobody could hold the ball up like him. Scored some unforgettable goals. Plus the added bonus of being hard as nails. He would kick Your granny out the way if she had the ball. Not like todays nancy boys!
I would like to say Whiteside as well but as I'm only allowed 3.........
Robson: Controlled the midfield in every game. boundless energy. Never got tired and scored more than your average midfielder
Hughes: What a player. Nobody could hold the ball up like him. Scored some unforgettable goals. Plus the added bonus of being hard as nails. He would kick Your granny out the way if she had the ball. Not like todays nancy boys!
I would like to say Whiteside as well but as I'm only allowed 3.........
Hughes
Robson
Brian McClair
Robson
Brian McClair
This for me, easily.
I had big norm in my head too, what a difference he’d make. That’s why I said 3 though to try and challenge your thinking
Robson, Whiteside (the player of 83-86 anyway) and Hughes.
Hmm, three players to add to today's team...
Probably Bryan Robson (will add some steel in midfield in away games), Mark Hughes (reliable and quality goal scorer) and Gordon McQueen (some solid defending and will score headed goals from corners).
Probably Bryan Robson (will add some steel in midfield in away games), Mark Hughes (reliable and quality goal scorer) and Gordon McQueen (some solid defending and will score headed goals from corners).
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Robbo, CM Hughes striker, Bruce CB.
Robbo no explanation just Quality, Hughes my word If Brighton tried Kicking him like they did last night , he'd have kicked them back harder. Stevie Bruce because he was a goal scoring CB and we haven't had one of them for a while.
Storming Norman was another class act ..
Robbo no explanation just Quality, Hughes my word If Brighton tried Kicking him like they did last night , he'd have kicked them back harder. Stevie Bruce because he was a goal scoring CB and we haven't had one of them for a while.
Storming Norman was another class act ..
The correct answers obviously being
Robson
Hughes
McGrath.
Those three would make us one hell of a team.
Robson
Hughes
McGrath.
Those three would make us one hell of a team.
Robson
Hughes
McGrath
Like above would love to have been able to put Whiteside in their as well
Hughes
McGrath
Like above would love to have been able to put Whiteside in their as well
I think Paul still half cut from the night before would still be an upgrade on Maguire.
About McQueen, it depends who's taking the corners, Robson or Fred
Gordon McQueen - a tough Scottish b*stard to headbutt any strikers.
Bryan Robson - a tough English b*stard to headbutt any midfielders.
Mark Hughes - a tough Welsh b*stard to headbutt any defenders.
Bryan Robson - a tough English b*stard to headbutt any midfielders.
Mark Hughes - a tough Welsh b*stard to headbutt any defenders.
Difficult to look much past these 3
Prime Whiteside is a good shout too - shame about the injures
I see mentions for Pallister but don't think he really qualifies at an 80s player since he signed '89
Paul McGrath was actually better for Villa than at Utd. If Fergie knew how better he would become, I don’t think he would have let him go.
Hughes - perfect for holding up the ball and bringing Rashford and, ahem, Antony into play.
Robson - would improve any team
Wilkins - gone for him rather than McGrath as I think Lindelöf is adequate back up in defence whereas Fred is not good enough
I‘m struggling to recall who played on the wing in the 80s. Olsen, Coppell for a couple of years before his injury, Wallace, the legendary Ralph Milne - anyone else of note?
Robson - would improve any team
Wilkins - gone for him rather than McGrath as I think Lindelöf is adequate back up in defence whereas Fred is not good enough
I‘m struggling to recall who played on the wing in the 80s. Olsen, Coppell for a couple of years before his injury, Wallace, the legendary Ralph Milne - anyone else of note?
An exciting 17 year old by the name of Lee sharpe
I find your choice of Wilkins interesting, not sure he’d improve the squad over Eriksen or even Bruno.
mcgrath would have Varane on the bench or could play midfield easily
McGrath would probably start over Varane — but he can also play in midfield and as either fullback and both McGrath & Varane had/have injury issues anyway.
Robson, obviously, even though we’d still miss a controlling midfielder, he’d improve us massively.
And Hughes, he’s exactly what we need up front.
Robson, obviously, even though we’d still miss a controlling midfielder, he’d improve us massively.
And Hughes, he’s exactly what we need up front.
Yeah, same for me. Would make such a difference to any side.
This with the exception of swapping McGrath for Coppell.
Robson goes without saying as I think prime Robson in todays game would be the best midfielder in the world with his all action box to box style and goal scoring ability whilst also being a much better player defensively than given credit for.
Hughes would be perfect in an ETH system as his hold up play and strength were incredible but he was also great at link up play and a great finisher, wasn’t the quickest but was a great all round striker which is similar to Kane today.
I was torn on the third but I’d have to go with McGrath as he’d be just as good as Varane alongside Martinez and that strength in depth is something we seriously lack, there weren’t many better centre backs in world football in the 80’s than McGrath and he’s massively underrated.
Hughes would be perfect in an ETH system as his hold up play and strength were incredible but he was also great at link up play and a great finisher, wasn’t the quickest but was a great all round striker which is similar to Kane today.
I was torn on the third but I’d have to go with McGrath as he’d be just as good as Varane alongside Martinez and that strength in depth is something we seriously lack, there weren’t many better centre backs in world football in the 80’s than McGrath and he’s massively underrated.
It’s interesting that the players picked would upgrade the spine of our current team. Do we subconsciously think the spine is not good enough or is it just coincidence that the players from the 80s all happened to be from those positions
For me those three just stand head & shoulders above the rest. Robson & McGrath were world class in the most exclusive sense of these words (keeping up with the likes of Maradona, Gullit & van Basten) and Hughes was quite close (and we are sorely lacking in our strikers department). I like Coppell and other shouts but they simply weren't in that category.
Maybe it’s recency bias after seeing the replays of his goal against Brighton in the run up to the semi-final two weeks ago…I pictured him playing a deeper role and assuming the distribution responsibilities from Casemiro.
This.
Has to be:
Robson
Hughes
McGrath
and less alcohol
Robson
Hughes
McGrath
and less alcohol
Fergie knew McGrath was good. In his first autobiography he said something like McGrath was the most naturally gifted athlete he ever worked with.
But he said he couldn't control him. He'd call McGrath into his office and give him a bollocking over some late night drinking escapade, and McGrath would nod along "sure, boss. sorry, boss" but go out and do the exact same thing that night.
It was only when he went to Villa that Graham Taylor discovered the true extent of Paul's alcoholism. Taylor basically became a father-figure to McGrath, had him live in his house, gave him his own training routine, tolerated the occasional slip up in terms of drinking, and got buy in from the rest of the Villa squad who knew Paul had a problem but also knew how good he was for the team.
Fergie (quite reasonably) was never the type of manager to do what Taylor did. Over the years Fergie showed that if he felt players were too much trouble, for whatever reason, they were shown the door, no matter how good they were.
Yeah Whiteside was a hell of a player. Similar to Rooney. I don’t think Pallister improves us if we have everyone fit, while McGrath could also have played in Casemiros position.