The best team you've ever seen playing

Barcelona 09-11 was boring, but in a positive way if you know what I mean. Made almost every match look like a traning session.

Bayern 12-13 were exciting to watch and ruthlessly efficient at the same time.
 
Am I the only one that dislikes Pep's barcelona? I'm not saying they were not dominant, just that I didn't liked to look at them the way they were playing.


Manchster United 1999
Arsenal 'invincibles'.
Bayern Munich 2012/2013
Ajax 1995

I also watched some games from Brazil 1982, I wasn't born then but I watched a TV show about legendary teams, from what I saw there Brazil 1982 and Hungary 1954 were very good to watch and very dominating. As I said I only watched like 45min show/documentary about them so I cant claim for sure.
 
WR said:
Bolton Wanderers under Gary Megson
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Great shout!
Also, Pardew had Cisse, Ba and Ben Arfa playing some cracking stuff for a three or four week period, during THAT season. I remember around March(?) they tore a few teams apart away from home on the break.

Honourable mentions to Glenn Roeder (circa 2006) at Newcastle, and Nigel Worthington (circa 2005) at Norwich. ASHTON!
 
Telcontar said:
Am I the only one that dislikes Pep's barcelona? I'm not saying they were not dominant, just that I didn't liked to look at them the way they were playing.
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Nope. I also felt that they were extremely dominant and effective, but utterly boring at the same time and I'm sure many did.

The Arsenal invincibles side and
The United 06-08 for me.
 
Telcontar said:
Manchster United 1999
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Always find it amusing when this team are put into the conversation. I know they won three trophies, but there have been significantly better United sides since as well as other teams who would have beat them too.
 
Barney said:
Always find it amusing when this team are put into the conversation. I know they won three trophies, but there have been significantly better United sides since as well as other teams who would have beat them too.
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Erm what other English side has won the treble then? It's a remarkable achievement and that's why the team always gets a mention. There has only been 1 United side that was better and even that is debatable.
 
SonnyTheHaloPro said:
Erm what other English side has won the treble then?
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Liverpool in '84 won the League, League Cup and European cup (we also won three major trophies in '01).

SonnyTheHaloPro said:
It's a remarkable achievement and that's why the team always gets a mention.
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I haven't said it wasn't a remarkable achievement. Many sides have had remarkable achievements, but they aren't considered among the best teams in the history of football.

SonnyTheHaloPro said:
There has only been 1 United side that was better and even that is debatable.
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The united sides of 2007 and 2008 were both better (particularly the latter one).
 
Barney said:
Always find it amusing when this team are put into the conversation. I know they won three trophies, but there have been significantly better United sides since as well as other teams who would have beat them too.
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Significantly better United sides :lol:

And no, considering that team won the treble and never knew when it was beaten - and we really went behind in almost every big/important game - it really is not amusing at all when this team is put into the conversation, unless obviously you are a Liverpool fan.

That team had everything, talent, passion, great balance, entertainement poor, worked well as a team but still had individual brilliance and above all was as strong mentally as I have ever seen any side.
The 2007/08 side for all their talent actually rarely went behind. The 99 side however had so many chances created and goals in them that they knew they could and would score after going behind, and this is what they did - winning big games after going behind / even when it looked they were out - in all three competitions.
 
Whoever said Brazil 97 I agree was going to say the 98 team who I think would have beat France has they not been in shock.
Rivaldo, R. Carlos, Cafu, Ronaldo etc.

Club football United 99, we played some quality teams that year Inter, Bayern x3, Juve, Barca even Arsenal who were all great teams. That United team i'd fancy against Pep's Barca. Obviously they deserve a mention aswell.

Juve 96 team a good shout as well. Ac Milan's team was past it's best by time I got into football can't comment on them.
 
Guardiola's Barcelona for a period of 2 or 3 seasons was the best i have ever seen. Not only were they dominant but also very entertaining.
 
Tompo said:
Yep me too, it was also at a time when I was young and just loved watching football. Maybe that's a factor as to why I still remember them as the most exciting team I have watched.
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I think they were simply the coolest team ever. So much attitude, sexyness, flair and swagger. On top of that they looked like they were having fun and never even seemed to get into top gear.
 
Pep's Barcelona. I have never seen a team consistently dominate other strong teams to such a demoralizing degree. I never saw enough of the late 80s Milan side to make a true comparison (not much football on TV back then) but, from the few games I did see, they were very good indeed (beating Real Madrid 5-0 for example; also the once I saw them live in a pre-season friendly when they made United look like a pub team - although to be fair United were a bit like a pub team at the time...).

Internationally, probably the Spain team built on the great Barca side although I did not enjoy watching them (unlike France 2000 who are perhaps the other great side of my lifetime).
 
SonnyTheHaloPro said:
Thanks for that link. I've heard quite a few people mentioning this team but I had zero idea about them or mainly what they did and how they played.
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I think part of the mystique of the 82 Brazilian side was they played football quite differently to the rest of the world. There are tons of great arguments why they werent the best team ever but they were absolutely amazing to watch.
 
club - Barcelona 09-2012
nation - Brazil during 2006 qualifiers. Most entertaining football I've witnessed.
 
We should create a 1 on 1 vs poll on ac milan vs. Pep's barca. It'll be interesting.

In regards to the op. Im only 33, so based on what I've seen (and honestly i haven't seen much) I'd take 99 united, they have a counter for everything and so balanced in an out you can pit them agains anyone, played of the park for 90 minutes and still nick a goal at the last minute. We have so many scoring outlets that doesn't require teamworks (Beckham's freekick, giggs dribbling, scholes long range, deadball situation).

Probably they're abit naive tactically, but i still believe they can sucker punch any teams on their day and can handle themselves well against anyone, even if they wont dominate them
 
Pep's Barcelona team.

As close to unplayable as I've seen. They were just unreal.
 
Pep's team. I also loved the Invincibles and also Arsenal during that time period that followed for a couple of seasons.
 
devilish said:
I dont see him as the best player of the time and that was the best defense/midfield in the golden age of defense/defensive midfielders.
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Because you don't, I said arguably. The second point is silly. An all time great cant be completely unable to "do his magic" just because he's up against top defenders. He can struggle because anyone can but he's just as likely to have a great game. Like I said, I'm sure the duo you mentioned struggled against lesser players. The certainty with which you think the contest would go is terribly misconceived
 
amolbhatia100 said:
Because you don't, I said arguably. The second point is silly. An all time great cant be completely unable to "do his magic" just because he's up against top defenders. He can struggle because anyone can but he's just as likely to have a great game. Like I said, I'm sure the duo you mentioned struggled against lesser players. The certainty with which you think the contest would go is terribly misconceived
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They rarely struggled and for good reason. First of all AC Milan of the time had a magnificent defense which included the likes of Rijkaard and Ancelotti in midfield who were among the best in football in ball possession and winning. Secondly AC Milan creativity machine was ruthless. Donadoni, Gullit, Van Basten.

To be fair its not even an unfair fight. Barcelona were big spenders but Milan of the time were literally playing football manager.
 
devilish said:
They rarely struggled and for good reason. First of all AC Milan of the time had a magnificent defense which included the likes of Rijkaard and Ancelotti in midfield who were among the best in football in ball possession and winning. Secondly AC Milan creativity machine was ruthless. Donadoni, Gullit, Van Basten.

To be fair its not even an unfair fight. Barcelona were big spenders but Milan of the time were literally playing football manager.
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La masia was better than what most football manager replicas could ever come up with.

Ah rarely struggled. Like barca s midfield and attack and pressing defending then. Would have been a great encounter and definitely not a pre decided struggle one way as you incorrectly suggested.
 
devilish said:
To be fair its not even an unfair fight. Barcelona were big spenders but Milan of the time were literally playing football manager.
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I don't think that's a fair description. That Milan side had an incredible core of homegrown talent with Baresi, Costacurta and Maldini being the important part of the defense along with quality squad players like Evani and Galli. Albertini also was a Milan youth player. They added 3 foreign stars, the 3 Dutch players, and kept them for half a decade. With the foreigner rule, building around such a fantastic defense out of their own academy was incredibly important. And most of the Italian players they added also stayed longterm. Donadoni stayed for 10 years, Tassotti came as a 20year old young talent and stayed for the rest of his career. That's not playing football manager at all, even though Berlusconi obviously invested a lot of his own money.
 
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Barcelona 08-12, by quite a margin too. Completely unplayable on their day and still firm favourites and the better side 99% of time on their worse day. They went on a run of 100-something games in a row in which they dominated possession.
 
It's probably not cool to mention this because of who our current manager is but I liked ajax, i like what they did, they were one of the youngest sides, with some of the longest serving players ever to win the champions league, it's a vision i want united to have.

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Sorry to say this but I think the Liverpool side of the late 80s would have given that Milan side a hell of a game.
 
The late 80's Barnes/Beardsley LFC was pretty good. A lot more watchable than the Kenny falls on his arse at the kop end early 80's mob.
 
amolbhatia100 said:
La masia was better than what most football manager replicas could ever come up with.

Ah rarely struggled. Like barca s midfield and attack and pressing defending then. Would have been a great encounter and definitely not a pre decided struggle one way as you incorrectly suggested.
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as @Balu said, its unfair to consider AC Milan of the time to be like that. Most of their players were homegrown talent including Baresi, Maldini, Galli, Costacurta, Albertini, Evani etc. In matter of fact they had probably produced as many homegrown quality players at the time then SAF teams did throughout his entire United's career.

My point is that if they needed a player they could easily get the best player around. We're talking of a time when little Brescia and Napoli could afford going at Barcelona and Real and sign top players from them. AC Milan were the richest of the bunch.
 
Ajax in the early 70s, won 3 consecutive Europacups 1 with the never seen 'totaalvoetbal'. With players like Johan Cruyff, Arie Haan, Johan Neeskens, Piet Keizer, Wim Suurbier, Barry Hulshoff, Arnold and Gerrie Mühren it was a joy to watch.
 
Barcelona in Rome 2009. After Park's miss at the start we didn't have a sniff. It was the most I've ever seen Utd outclassed even if the scoreline didnt tell the whole picture.
 
Notts Forest fromt he 70's

Was a bit before my time but i saw a program on sky sports about them over the weekend and to win back to back european cups is one hell of an achievement.

Malmo in the final tho????? what was that about?
 
FC Ronaldo said:
Barcelona in Rome 2009. After Park's miss at the start we didn't have a sniff. It was the most I've ever seen Utd outclassed even if the scoreline didnt tell the whole picture.
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I think we were even more comprehensively beaten two years later.
 
I loved watching Madrid 02-03, the galacticos. They had so many stars and played such in such an unorthodox way. Zidane, Ronaldo, Figo, Carlos, Raul were all magical to watch and especially when they played together. They weren't the most dominant team ever but they were very exciting to watch imo.

I can't comment on that Milan team as I'm too young but Barca 09-11 were frustratingly good. Playing them in the CL finals was unlucky for us because they were unstoppable. Messi, Xavi, Iniesta were all at their best and their style was tearing teams apart. The way they played was torture for the opposition. All that patience in possession until they find that deadly pass. They still play that way now although aren't as clinical imo.
 
devilish said:
as @Balu said, its unfair to consider AC Milan of the time to be like that. Most of their players were homegrown talent including Baresi, Maldini, Galli, Costacurta, Albertini, Evani etc. In matter of fact they had probably produced as many homegrown quality players at the time then SAF teams did throughout his entire United's career.

My point is that if they needed a player they could easily get the best player around. We're talking of a time when little Brescia and Napoli could afford going at Barcelona and Real and sign top players from them. AC Milan were the richest of the bunch.
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How does the finances even matter? Messi iniesta and xavi could definitely get the better of that team and visa versa hence your initial point makes little to no sense.
 
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