No Other Team In The World Would Have Coped With United’s Injuries - Republik Of Mancunia: A Manchester United Blog

At the start of the season, Gary Pallister was not best pleased with our start to a new campaign, defending the Premiership and European Cup.

He has since changed his tune, praising the strength in depth United have available. Whilst the greatest first XI is a topic debated by reds, there can be little argument against this current squad being the best we’ve ever had.

With Wayne Rooney injured, we’ve had Carlos Tevez in his place, with Scholes and Hargreaves injured, we’ve had Carrick, Fletcher, Anderson and Giggs to fill in, with Rio injured, there’s been Jonny Evans, with Neville and Wes, there’s been Rafael.

We have got at least a couple of top quality players for each position now and Pally definitely agrees this is the best squad the club has ever seen.

“If you look at the sheer quality and strength in depth United have at this moment you would have to say it is the best squad in the club’s history,” said Pallister. “I know what I’m saying might upset a lot of older fans, who will be wondering how the hell I can say any side is better than the Busby Babes or the team that had Law, Best and Charlton. But I don’t think any United team of the past has been able to switch players like Sir Alex has this season and still maintained a level of performance that has been exceptional. United have won the Club World Cup and are in the Carling Cup Final. They are on top of the Premier League and are looking very solid again in the Champions League. Yet at times they have been without Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes, Wes Brown and Patrice Evra. No other team in the world would have been able to cope without players of that calibre. Youngsters like Johnny Evans and Rafael have not looked out of place and the likes of Anderson, John O’Shea and Darren Fletcher have been excellent. Pound for pound, this has to be the best squad United have ever had.”

10 Comments

King Eric February 17, 2009

Said it the other day on another blog, this is the best squad of players in Europe.

jon jonson February 17, 2009

unless there's 5 trophy in our cabinet i refuse jumping to conclusion

costas February 17, 2009

The first team squad is mostly the same as last season(Saha in,Berba out).Actually we are one midfielder short(Hargreaves).What has really made the difference is this sudden wave of youngsters coming into the side(Evans,Rafael,Fabio,Gibson,Welbeck).I think that can be attributed to Ole Solskjaer.So as things stand,it might be the most powerful squad we have had.That fact that we made this defensive record with 9 different defensive combinations point to that.

DiavoloRosso February 17, 2009

Well said, Costas. The only thing I'd add is that the whole backroom staff should be praised for the excellent work, and not just 20LEgend ...

EastStandManc February 17, 2009

There's a whiff of the gloryhunter in that comment, Jon Jonson.

As for the article; it certainly seems that way. Let's not count are chickens before they've hatched though, eh? We've got an important next 10 days or so when we get the chance to cement out lead at the top, give ourselves a headstart in the CL and win a final.

We'll see after that if we're still on course to be making such claims.

Eujen February 17, 2009

wait for scousers to come in and say oh we played a long time without torres.

socamad689908 February 17, 2009

Couldn't agree more eaststand. Although I believe we have the strength in depth it is not our god given right to a haul of 5 trophies just cos we are in them, all the lads will have to put in some really hard shifts before the end of the season comes around.

Get the three points against Fulham is important, it will definately demoralise the dippers, cos when they come to OT it would then be a do or die game for them.

Inter will be a tough test but one I believe we can overcome, SAF must play his strongest side in both legs IMO for us to get through to the next round.

SteRDLK February 17, 2009

This probably is the best squad in the history of football, in terms of strength in dept, for every position is at least 3 players

GK - VDS, Foster, Kuszczak

RB - Neville, Brown, Rafel

CB - Ferdinand, Vidic, Evans, Brown, Neville, O'Shea

LB - Evra, O'Shea, Fabio

Wingers - Ronaldo, Nani, Park, Tosic, Giggs, Welbeck, Gibson (has played there)

CM - Scholes, Anderson, Carrick, Hargreaves, Fletcher, Giggs, Possebon, Gibson

FW - Berbatov, Rooney, Tevez, Welbeck, Ronaldo, Giggs

One word - WOW

Tevratov February 17, 2009

Costas???? Berba and Saha are surely not the same, for a start Berba hasn't shattered into millions of tiny pieces.

Jake February 18, 2009

Costas- not sure what Solskjaer has to do with Evans' development, I would have thought that was more attributable to his year at Sunderland and nor do I see his influence with Rafael who was a first-team squad member in the summer...In fact, a lot of the youth players got a run out together in the Carling cup against Derby and fucked it up York City style...nothing new there then...this is the best squad in the history of the Premiership, they just need to prove it now...

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No Other Team In The World Would Have Coped With United's Injuries

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