Best midfield we ever had?

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The Coutts, Fleck & Duffy trio without doubt brings the most perfectly complementary set of skills and attributes that I have seen in a United midfield. We may have had equally good individual players over the years but the way these guys understand each other is just incredible.

Norwood looks to be on the same wavelength as well.
 
I think we need to see how Coutts does before we know for sure which is the best for us now.

Overall, If we're going with a 4-4-2 formation as a best ever (because historically that's what most teams have done) then I think it'd be harsh not to have Michael Brown in a beat eleven, probably alongside Fleck. That's my thoughts anyway. The way Norwood is going though, he could well be one of the best and if he stays enough he could well break Peter Ndlovu's record of most caps won for us, whilst playing for the club - 26 according to Wikipedia. Billy Gillespie just behind on 25.
 
Stretch said:
The Coutts, Fleck & Duffy trio without doubt brings the most perfectly complementary set of skills and attributes that I have seen in a United midfield. We may have had equally good individual players over the years but the way these guys understand each other is just incredible.

Norwood looks to be on the same wavelength as well.
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Agree, going to be a great battle for the play maker shirt between Coutts & Norwood. May the best man win.
 
Don't think we will see Coutts as we know him until the New Year at least. Having said that Can see Fleck being pushed on at the expense of Duffy. with a Midfield two of Coutts and Norwood. Norwood certainly has the bite we need in there, and with those two in there and Fleck more advanced we would never give the ball away.
 
1066blade said:
Currie, Salmons and Addison.
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Missed that generation by a few years, they did sound great together. Currie is a legend, a freak really of individual brilliance. Our current 3 though are a well oiled machine that is getting better every game.

PS my fav all time Blades midfielder for individual brilliance was Glyn Hodges, shame his attitude didn't always match his ability.
 
blademark said:
Don't get me wrong I love em all , but it does lack a 10 goal a season contributor to be really great. Maybe that will come this season ?
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We have one in Fleck, he gets in all the right positions. just needs to pull the trigger rather than looking for that final ball in the 18 yard box. one of those where penny will drop and he will break 10/15 goals hopefully his goal Saturday was that trigger
 
Remember just a few years ago when the thought of a good footballing midfield was unthinkable?

It's fell into place beautifully with those 3, and now Norwood. Fleck and Duffy on free transfers was a great opportunity and we took it - for once.

Put good players together in a balanced system and this is what can happen - it's not rocket science.

It just took a manager brave enough to try it, and L1 was undoubtedly a very useful platform in which to kick it all off.

It's certainly the best midfield I've seen, with Fleck being the cherry on the cake.
 
mancunianblade said:
Don't think we will see Coutts as we know him until the New Year at least. Having said that Can see Fleck being pushed on at the expense of Duffy. with a Midfield two of Coutts and Norwood. Norwood certainly has the bite we need in there, and with those two in there and Fleck more advanced we would never give the ball away.
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I’m fascinated by this prospect tbph.

Nothing against Duffy. Nothing at all.

UTB
 
Norwood is so good it makes me wonder why any team would want to part with him, I'm told it's because he's not good enough for the prem, sorry but I can't buy that one either.
He is a leader and likes to control the game from midfield but what happens when Coutts who is also a midfield general is fit?
It would be nice to keep them both but are we going to be in the same position as his last club and have to let one of them go to a good home ?
 



SandyMcBlade said:
Norwood is so good it makes me wonder why any team would want to part with him, I'm told it's because he's not good enough for the prem, sorry but I can't buy that one either.
He is a leader and likes to control the game from midfield but what happens when Coutts who is also a midfield general is fit?
It would be nice to keep them both but are we going to be in the same position as his last club and have to let one of them go to a good home ?
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what happens is we play both
everyone was saying we need someone for the coutts position.. what they meant was we need a decent footballer to replace the same
 
SandyMcBlade said:
Norwood is so good it makes me wonder why any team would want to part with him, I'm told it's because he's not good enough for the prem, sorry but I can't buy that one either.
He is a leader and likes to control the game from midfield but what happens when Coutts who is also a midfield general is fit?
It would be nice to keep them both but are we going to be in the same position as his last club and have to let one of them go to a good home ?
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Good points made, and to add a little hypothetical spice, what happens If, say, Johnson turns out to be brilliant and undroppable?
 
mancunianblade said:
If the 4 are on form I think Duffys inability to last 90 mins costs him his place. Brilliant 4 options though and I’d love to see Fleck more advanced
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Me too. Against Norwich when Woodburn went off he played more offensively and drove forward with those power runs he does, same at Bolton 2nd half. He started as a striker so has the instinct, maybe this is his best position.
 
mancunianblade said:
If the 4 are on form I think Duffys inability to last 90 mins costs him his place. Brilliant 4 options though and I’d love to see Fleck more advanced
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Agreed. That’s how to accommodate the second generation of the Trinity.

Roller Oller
Stroller [I know, but it was George Graham’s nickname and he’s Scottish too]. :)
 
Pinchy said:
I ❤️ Colin Addison. One of my all-time favourites. Not sure he played in the same team as TC much, if at all?

Help!
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Think you are generally correct - end of Addison was start of TC, although my memory is vague (ish) for that period.

Silent will be along soon to bring us up to speed.

UTB
 
For me yes. Certainly in terms of competition for places when Coutts is fully fit.

Think the midfield of Brown, McCall and Tonge more than match this one for quality but just purely on the amount of options we have in midfield now makes it better for me.
 
We’ve had some great midfielders. Currie (obviously), Hockey, Salmons, Sabella, Cowans, Brown... ( I think we’ve struggled since Brown tbh). McCall, Speed.

But the current midfield of Fleck, Duffy, Norwood and Coutts (when he comes back) will be one of the best imo. Best possession football I’ve seen us play is under Wilder.
 
As a slight aside our best form as we all know was Coutts,Fleck and Duffy until Coutts got injured its not surprising our upturn in form has coincided with Norwoods arrival who just happens to play like Coutts, we have to find a way to play all four if we can, possibly a diamond with Norwood at the rear, Coutts to the right, fleck on the left and Duffy at the top, most teams won't get the ball off us, only problem is who is going to score the goals, oh well just a thought.
 



The only midfield that competes with this one is the McCall, Tongue, Brown trio under Warnock. Up until then, I had always thought midfield was where United always seemed to fall short (my first season was 1980).
 
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