Cantona probably.
Shearer was superb but I just find him incredibly bland.
Shearer was superb but I just find him incredibly bland.
Who was the best PL player in the 90's?
- Thread starter Scandi Red
- Start date
He wasn't much of a dribbler and had little flair, but other than that he had everything. Intense in the physical duels, strong header, great finisher great in the buildup, good eye for playing in his team mates. Good pace.
He wasn't. Fantastic skill, hugely entertaining (sometimes), but 'best player by far'? No.
Yeah, don't get me wrong, when I watched him in the latter years of his career and what I've seen in highlights are amazing in terms of the grit and his finishing from all areas but I think I enjoy that dribbling and flair in players which always gives an edge for me.
Scholes is the "weakest" of that midfield, not Beckham IMO
As with the overall, there are two standouts (Shearer & Cantona) and a bunch of equally worthy contenders for the third place. Mostly, unsurprisingly, from United — Keane, Giggs, Schmeichel, Beckham... Adams and Bergkamp from Arsenal. I'd be tempted to go with Keano personally.
Scholes is getting too many mentions given that he was never our best midfielder during that period. He was very good in the attacking role but, again, not quite to the level of true superstars of the time like Cantona or Bergkamp. While in midfield there were still times when he was benched for Butt — even during the treble season. It didn't happen often but it did happen. His actual glorious, magnificent and almost untouchable peak was way later — after the eye surgery.
Scholes is getting too many mentions given that he was never our best midfielder during that period. He was very good in the attacking role but, again, not quite to the level of true superstars of the time like Cantona or Bergkamp. While in midfield there were still times when he was benched for Butt — even during the treble season. It didn't happen often but it did happen. His actual glorious, magnificent and almost untouchable peak was way later — after the eye surgery.
Beckham was THE best player on the treble team, that should put him in the conversation with Keane and Giggs for the 3rd spot
Honestly, Scholes isn't even close to getting into a team of the 90's. Up until 99/00 he was still competing fairly evenly with Butt for the starting spot in the Utd midfield. Vieira would be my pick next to Keane.
Scholes would definitely be in the 00's team though.
As for the question of the OP, I'd say Cantona, Shearer and Keane in that order make up the clear top three.
6 certainties for me - Schmeichel, Irwin, Keane, Giggs, Beckham and Cantona. I'd give the same status to Shearer, Adams and Vieira.
Cases to be made for:
- Neville, although I'd prefer Petrescu for 90s alone.
- Scholes and Ince - I'd have Vieira who raised the bar in midfield.
- Bruce or Pallister - the league had a lot of good CBs during the decade - could also consider Campbell and Keown, as well as guys like Stam and Desailly who only played the last couple of seasons. And then if were to include those two then Gullit could also be considered somewhere, as he looked like he'd been beamed in from Mars when he arrived such was the quality he brought to the table.
Good post this. I wholeheartedly agree but part of me thinks the timing of his retirement was genius on his part.
From his return from suspension in 95 and through the 96/97 season he was pivotal in guiding the young players and helping them to achieve their potential. How he conducted himself, how he carried himself on the football pitch, his imagination and arrogance. You could see elements of Eric in each of the class of 92.
The back end or the 96/97 season you could see Eric had put on a few pounds and that the youngsters level of performance was beginning to surpass the great man. He retired out of the blue, in true Cantona fashion but his legacy remained. The class of 92 who had now formed the nucleus of our team continued to conduct themselves as if Eric was still on the pitch and seemed to take turns in taking on his role of the lynchpin of the team. Mostly Giggs, Beckham and Scholes carrying his baton. Almost as if Cantona had planned it this way.
We should have won the league in our first season without Eric, it was only injuries to key players in the 2nd half of the season that cost us the 97/98 league. Which would have been poetic as the football we played at times that season was as good as anything we saw the following season in the treble season.
If Cantona hadn't retired when he did, i don't think the treble happens, i don't think the youngsters kick on as much as they did and his story and legacy loses a lot of its romance. Everything Eric did was perfect, even booting the Palace fan, and was by a large distance, the best player of the 90s on our shores. And its really not even close. For most that are old enough to remember, he is still in the top 3 or 4 players this league has ever had!
That's the main thing really, moreso than real accomplishment on the pitch (I don't mean in terms of trophies).
His arrival was a stark demonstration of the low level of the premier league compared to Serie A at the time.
Only really played one season though. Major pity about him becoming player-manager is that he stopped picking himself even though he was clearly far bettter than the alternatives.
Same with Vialli when he took over.
Yeah fair enough, you may be right about the treble actually. I suppose really I wish that he had those achievements beside his name as they would really elevate his status in conversations such as this. But that's a bit silly, at the end of the day those who saw it know, and that's all that matters.
Shearer
Three United players. Cantona, Keane and Beckham for me. You could argue Giggs.
Beckham's 98/99 season was better than anything anyone else from the 90s in England produced.
Exactly why Beckham makes it for me.
Beckham's 98/99 season was better than anything anyone else from the 90s in England produced.