QUOTE(Makakeke @ Mar 11 2009, 04:01 PM)
I just watched the 98/99 season review again, and that squad for me is still the best Man Utd squad ever. Even if we win the quintuple this year, which i certainly really hope we do, it's still ain't as great as the 98/99 team, as much as Fergie claimed to be. I wished that we could return and play those seamlessly smooth football all over again.
Foster
Rafael-Brown-Evans-O'Shea
Nani-Hargreaves-Scholes-Giggs
Anderson
Tevez
VDS
Gary-Rio-Vida-Evra
Park-Fletcher-Carrick-Ronaldo
Rooney-Berbalicious.
Fabio, Kuszczak,
Manucho,
Don't misunderstand best team and best squad. Maybe that 99 side is the best team(1st team, one of the best at least), but in term of squad, this squad we have right now, is far away the best we ever had. We can play 2 different lineup, and still would win most games. That's what SAF meant. And I would argue too, that this team is far better prepared to face Europe, making this team the best. Tactically far better, more flexible, far better defensively, while retaining our attacking instinct. It's true in the big games we usually play defensive, but in the other games we still go for the kill.
Do remember after that CL win, we always fell short in Europe. Going out to Bayern, Real(out classed, twice?) playing almost the same way we did back in 99. Since then SAF have been changing his tactics and formation to try and tackle Europe. 451, 4231, 433, and the ones we used now. Those experience in playing different formation have really make the team mature and more flexible. Going out to AC Milan when we were crocked at the back, winning it last season, and I feel we can go far this season as well if we get past Inter and not meet the other English sides on the way there.
One other thing people don't take into account is the quality of the league and other teams in it. Those days, English club sucks in Europe. These days, the top 4 in England, 3 of them is usually the best in CL. And the other club in the league have really been more organized, tactically & defensively good. We can spank anyone we like that time, but these days, they would have a gameplan and they would stick to it, resulting in us getting 0-0, or narrow wins. And this season I would say we haven't really play to our best ability consistently. While defensively we may be very good in most games, but attacking wise, we are still finding out feet.. like stuck in 2nd/3rd gear in most games. Ronaldo off form since his injury although he's regaining it game by game, Rooney in and out with injuries, Tevez off form, Berbatov new to the team etc.. and one more important thing, Scholes is not a regular anymore, which does effect the way we play.