Contentious!
The Spoiler’s Greatest Ever Manchester United XI
No Becksie, no Keano, NO PAUL PARKER
As you can probably imagine, The Spoiler’s luxury offices are absolutely awash with hardcore football fans, all keen on different teams, yet united by the common goal of needing a bloody job and having to share a desk with someone who has a rival crest tatted on his chest.
With Chelsea and Man United clashing at the weekend, we thought it high time to compile a set of all time great teams (Chelsea to come).
This one comes courtesy of our resident United fan, who has caused a ripple of outrage with the omission of George Best and Cristiano Ronaldo.
What are your thoughts? Feel free to let rip with a comment.
Dec
17
17 responses so far
Dazinho // December 17, 2010 at 11:36 am
GK: Schmeichel
RB: G Neville
LB: Evra
CB: Stam
CB: Pallister
CM: Keane
CM: Robson
AMR: Ronaldo
AML: Best
FC: Cantona
ST: van Nistelrooy
I can only apologise to Ralph Milne. I had him pencilled in for the left wing, but George Best just beats him to it.
AlvinC // December 17, 2010 at 11:49 am
GK – hands down it’s Schmeichel. no one else in living memory compares. he might be the best keeper i’ve seen, ever.
Back Four – it’s a wash. only doubt in my mind is Bruce. whilst a great captain and brutal defender, he wasn’t quick, and Vidic is already running him close on the “brutal” part. Rio deserves a mention too.
Midfield (defensive) – nah… i cannot see Robbo over Keano in their prime. mind you, Bryan Robson was the reason i became a Man U fan, so that says a lot. if anything, i think Scholesy might have to make way for a Robbo/Keano combo. Scholes’s creativity may not be missed with the forwards we have.
Midfield (attacking) – i’m for a 442 formation, so it’ll have to be Giggs (just a shade over Best, and only cos his durability is not in question) and Cristiano on the wings. Charlton was very good for a very long time, but he was never devastating in the way Best/Law were, even during his hey-day. Ronaldo and Giggs give you something else altogether.
Strikers – Cantona and Law. but, really, van Nistelrooy was incredible for five years, so it’s a toss-up between Ruud and Denis.
Schmeichel
GNev, Vidic, Stam, Irwin
CRonaldo, Robbo, Keano, Giggs
Cantona, Law/Ruud
MJ // December 17, 2010 at 4:29 pm
Schmeichel
Neville Vidic Rio Irwin
C Ronaldo Robson Scholes Best
Cantona
Ruud
Subs: Giggs, Bruce, Van der sar, Keane, Ole
Chris // December 17, 2010 at 5:37 pm
Not a bad list but it seems to be more of a “players who the supporters loved the most XI” rather than a “Best Ever XI”. I mean, Cantona may be a legend, but Ronaldo was clearly the better footballer. I would say this:
Schmeichel
G Nev
Bruce
Stam
Irwin
Scholes
Robson
Best
Charlton
Ronaldo
Law
Of course, this is more skill than service time, so I can see why the current list is there.
ste // December 17, 2010 at 9:26 pm
this is embarrassing. unless i’m mistaken and football did indeed start 20 years ago, i think people need to look a little deeper
con // December 17, 2010 at 9:27 pm
taibi
Rafael,brown,o’shea,fabio
Park,anderson,klebrson,bebe
Rooney,owen best xl ever!
Ricky // December 17, 2010 at 10:50 pm
Best has to be the first name on the team sheet shortly followed by charlton and giggs. 3/4 of your midfield is done for you
josh // December 17, 2010 at 11:26 pm
GK- schmeichael
DEF- nevil, vidic, bruce, irwin
MID- beckham, scholes, best, giggs
ATK- yorke, cole
actully pretty much the 99 squad is the best
wow // December 18, 2010 at 1:00 am
you dont include the only player from the epl to win the WPOY , well this site further proves its anti- cristiano. he was the greatest player to play in the epl ever!!fullstop!
Clement Lee // December 18, 2010 at 5:14 am
GK – Peter Schmeichel Sub: Van Der Sar
RB – Gary Neville Sub: Rafael (Future star)
LB – Patrice Evra (best left back for United Sub: Dennis Irwin (Mr Reliable)
CB – Rio Ferdinand Sub: (Gary Pallister)
CB – Nemenja Vidic Sub: (Steve Bruce)
RW – David Beckham Sub: Cristiano Ronaldo
LW – Ryan Giggs Sub: George Best
CM – Brian Robson Sub: Paul Scholes
CM – Bobby Charlton Sub: Darren Fletcher (Mr Consistency)
FW – Eric Cantona Sub: Ruud Van Nistelrooy
FW – Dennis Law Sub: Wayne Rooney
Unfortunatly, i do not have a place for Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Jaap Stam, Roy Keane, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Park Ji Sung,
Dazinho // December 18, 2010 at 10:31 am
@Ste
It would ben nice to call on players like Duncan Edwards or Denis Violett ; but I never saw them play and therefore can’t pass comment on him. If I picked him, it would be in hearsay and I suspect other people feel the same.
Jim // December 19, 2010 at 1:52 am
Its funny reading the article and then reading the comments because alot of the comments are obviously from people who dont know alot about the game. Some people picking Beckham says it all really.
Jim // December 20, 2010 at 10:13 am
I don’t support Man U but even I know that Dennis Law was one of the greatest strikers in history.
Duncan Edwards is called by Sir Bobby, no less, as the greatest player he ever saw, which is some reference.
Got to agree with Ste, there was football prior to 1990
Slarti // December 20, 2010 at 10:41 pm
Where’s Duncan Edwards? You just can’t forget about him.
Ciaran // December 27, 2010 at 12:50 am
just to let wow know c ronaldo not greatest player in p l ever. May have best but not greatest, le tisser ginola giggs zola shearer spent years in p league and elevated it to greatness. Ronaldo was a flash in pan for two three years, always miss him but should’ve stayed round long enough to elevate him to greatness of club like man u and he is and always was a diving prick which doesnt help him be considered great.
Richard Williams // January 24, 2011 at 11:30 am
Schmeichel
Neville G
Irwin
Stam
Vidic
Ronaldo
Best
Keane
Charlton
Cantona
Law
The Spoiler’s Greatest Ever Chelsea XI | The Spoiler // January 12, 2012 at 7:31 pm
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