We played 4-3-3 more often in 2009 when Ronaldo would be played down the centre and Rooney on the left. In 2006/07/08 Ronaldo was usually on the left or right.
The prodigal 06/07/08 team
- Thread starter Blue always red
- Start date
It is easy to exaggerate when it comes to previous teams and players, but that team was something else.. VdS was one of the best keepers around, Rio & Vidic were the best centre backs in the world while Evra was the best left back around. Then we also head the best player in the world spearheading our attack.
The football that season was pure joy.
we were crap in 05,but by the end of 2006, the team was playing the best football from a Fergy team ever. It can happen...
I thout we pretty much always played 4-4-2 til Milan/Kaka destroyed us in 07.
VDS was sheer class, he might not pull of the most exciting of saves compared to Pete, but his long throws and kicks were essential to how quick we attacked on the counter and that defense was probably the best United defense of all time, it was that good. Midfield was average compared to the rest of the team, but Scholes rolled back the years and actually had a partner in Carrick and that attack of Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo was overrated as hell in terms of goals, but they were all deadly when it came to making quick passes and scoring on a counter.
Don't think Evra could be described as a left back during that period, he practically dominated the left flank and if the opponents were attacking that side, Evra was basically going to get it within a few seconds and we'll be attacking again.
That team was unbeatable, it had the most perfect balance of team play/individual quality/experience/youth/skill/pace/first team quality/squad depth.
And in the rare cases we weren't getting the result we wanted, we could always rely on multiple players (esp Ronaldo, Tevez but also Scholes and Hargreves) to step up and get us the result.
Gk and defence as a group were probably the best we ever had under SAF.
Hargreaves was immense that season, Brown and Park were very reliable, Ronaldo was Ronaldo, whereas Tevez was there in some absolutely crucial moments when we needed a goal.
Will take us some time to build such a great and balanced team again.
And in the rare cases we weren't getting the result we wanted, we could always rely on multiple players (esp Ronaldo, Tevez but also Scholes and Hargreves) to step up and get us the result.
Gk and defence as a group were probably the best we ever had under SAF.
Hargreaves was immense that season, Brown and Park were very reliable, Ronaldo was Ronaldo, whereas Tevez was there in some absolutely crucial moments when we needed a goal.
Will take us some time to build such a great and balanced team again.
I'd go so far as saying that was probably the best team/squad in our history…
"Outplayed" is not "beatable", but we created that unbeaten record lasting over 2 years. Ofc every team could be beaten, even the great Barca team should have been beaten by Chelsea in 2008/09 but for the referee.
Except for all the games we lost and got outplayed.
Didn't we play 4-5-1 in the '05 FA Cup final? Which we should have destroyed Arsenal in... But lost on pens.
Not sure that was a revelation that only came to him in 2006-08 to be honest. Beckham, Keane, Scholes, Giggs wasn't bad in terms of strength back in 1999, he then added Veron to that group and we often played the five of them in Europe.
So, should all 3 finals from 07 to 09 have been Man Utd vs Chelsea?
Liverpool in 2007 progressed on pens so don't know why Chelsea should be there. All Chelsea needed was scoring one goal at Anfield (then Liverpool would have needed 3) but Chelsea barely created anything.
As for us, we might have given Milan a much better run if we didn't have our defence injured and didn't have to invest a lot of energy the game before against Everton for the great come-back whereas Milan rested most players. Still Milan deserved to get through (tbf to Chelsea they couldn't rest players either as they were in the title race with us whereas Benitez rested his team leading to Mourinho calling Liverpool a small club
).2008 and 2009 you could say should have been United/Chelsea finals.
We were hardly crap. We weren't winning things but we were a pretty good side albeit no match for arsenal and them Chelsea.
Right now were actually a very poor side, that seems to have forgotten some basics. Once LVG solves those issues and these new players bed in, then well have a shot at becoming a quality side. But it could take awhile.
Yeah i have to say, no way we deserved to get through in 07. Someone had a theory that 07-09 should have been 3 x United vs Chelsea bit I can't remember why we should have beaten Milan. Maybe it was something to do with Milan vs Celtic
We are quite good towards the end of 05/06 when we played Giggs and O'Shea in midfield. Played some brilliant football if I recall. Then Scholes came back from his eye injury in 06/07 and the rest they say is history.