It's a bold claim but...

[Pinchy]

What? Oh, bold? Sorry,

 

[Highbury_Blade]

The team that Warnock took to the Premiership never went below second place all that season. However it had taken him a good six or seven years to build that team. CW and AK are only just starting their second season in charge of the Blades. I said to Mrs Grappler, as we drove to BDTBL last night, "if we win tonight, we go second, and only two points behind Cardiff, mind you Wolves are a decent side, so we will have to wait and see....."

SUFC in second place, in the Championship.

As the old saying goes, the table doesn't lie.

Not quite true, we were 5th after 3 games, but went back up to 2nd after the 4th

 

[Sheffsteel]

My girl friend has seen United about 4 times ever. She goes to 1 match a season because she doesn’t like football.

Her last match was away at MK Dons last season and her comment was

‘ I hardly know anything about football but even I can see a big improvement (difference)
They play like a team, every player seems to know their job and know what their team mates will do”.

 

[Grappler]

Not quite true, we were 5th after 3 games, but went back up to 2nd after the 4th

Ah ok mate, memory playing tricks on me, I think we were top for a while, then Reading took the top spot and stayed there, we took second place and stayed there.

In fact wasn't it Cardiff away where we sealed promotion before the end of the season?

 

[Josh Aston]

Technically best united team I've seen in my lifetime. As enjoyable and as successful as warnocks team was I don't think it's even close technically to this side.

 

[JJBlade]

All good footballers work hard, you can't get to the top without it.

If you're a very talented player you can get so far in the game before being found out if you aren't a grafter.
But once you're found out, it's downhill all the way, until you end up at Sheffield United Pre 2016
Not any more though

 

[Highbury_Blade]

Ah ok mate, memory playing tricks on me, I think we were top for a while, then Reading took the top spot and stayed there, we took second place and stayed there.

In fact wasn't it Cardiff away where we sealed promotion before the end of the season?

We didn't know we had been promoted until Leeds failed to win at home to reading the day after we won at Cardiff.

 

[Rodders]

Ah ok mate, memory playing tricks on me, I think we were top for a while, then Reading took the top spot and stayed there, we took second place and stayed there.

In fact wasn't it Cardiff away where we sealed promotion before the end of the season?

The Cardiff result meant we were 9 points clear with 3 to play IIRC.

 

[I should coco]

She goes to 1 match a season because she doesn’t like football.

Season ticket at Wendy for her then and that's Birthday/Xmas present sorted for the girl.



ISC - Agony Uncle, helping with delicate relationship issues since 1977

 

[Sheffsteel]

Technically best united team I've seen in my lifetime. As enjoyable and as successful as warnocks team was I don't think it's even close technically to this side.

Totally agree.

Warnock style was high octane, often plenty of goal mouth action but I went to plenty of matches where we were crap.

Was at Plymouth away, a night match when we lost 3-0.
Took 5 minutes queuing up to get in the ground and we were already 1-0 down.
That night we couldn’t string 2 passes together and didn’t have a single shot in the 1st half.
Think our 1st shot was mid way through the 2nd half from Michael Brown and our fans celebrated like we’d scored.

It did cross my mind that we might play a whole game without having a single shot at goal.
Our fans were furious that night with loads shouting Warnock out.

 

[ZoneManWilf]

Totally agree.

Warnock style was high octane, often plenty of goal mouth action but I went to plenty of matches where we were crap.

Was at Plymouth away, a night match when we lost 3-0.
Took 5 minutes queuing up to get in the ground and we were already 1-0 down.
That night we couldn’t string 2 passes together and didn’t have a single shot in the 1st half.
Think our 1st shot was mid way through the 2nd half from Michael Brown and our fans celebrated like we’d scored.

It did cross my mind that we might play a whole game without having a single shot at goal.
Our fans were furious that night with loads shouting Warnock out.

It was a great night out in Plymouth though

 

[Sheffsteel]

It was a great night out in Plymouth though

Yeh Plymouth is actually a great city for nightlife, it’s very isolated but a great place and worth a visit.

 

[boo radley]

Brown was class that season but let's not forget that Ndlovu and Tonge had goals in them too. That team also had great spirit - the amount of late goals was incredible.

We do lack goals from midfield in this team though. Coutts and Fleck are better at shooting than they give themselves credit for. They should shoot more often.

That is one of my frustrations about Coutts.

 

[Boxer Blade]

Best team ever? Well some people will argue that teams from the past won promotion into the top flight and stayed so they were better, not an argument from me mind but its maybe a bit early to say this is the best team, what I will say is they are easily the most enjoyable to watch and the confidence grows after each match, if, a big,big if, we win promotion this season, playing as we are now then without a doubt, but I worry the bubble is going to burst, not because of what I am watching more to do with, it's us, it cant last, can it?

 

[8lade]

Don't like to count my chickens and all that but this is the best manager (watching since late 70s), I'm running that up the flag pole now.
Hasn't achieved the things that Warnock or Bassett did yet and we haven't had any exciting cup runs but the difference in styles and what is needed today in comparison to 10 years ago is enough for me to say and worry about keeping Wilder fit and well, he could do with losing a few pounds maybe...

 

[Hodgyman]

I have posted on here before about this being the best United TEAM that l have enjoyed seeing, going as far back as the 50's.
There have been a good number of individuals in the past which were (lMO) better than their current counterparts but as good as they were, did not play in a United team that were ALL playing as a well drilled and skilled team.

I do agree that we could and should have more goals from midfield, but Fleck's & Duffy's last Sunday were a great step in the right direction.

CW may have to consider playing Sharpe & Donaldo in midfield to get more from there now Brooks & Leon are doing so well together up top.

 

[grafikhaus]

It's very unusual to wonder how good the current team is. Normally people look back with rose-tinted glasses - my dad always said 'Currie isn't fit to lace Hagan's boots.' etc. We're all comparing which team was best, but it takes a special manager to make it all gel. The teams we're mostly talking about had exceptional managers who knew how to wring the last bit of skill, talent and effort from their players - Bassett, Warnock and Wilder. You only have to compare how Coutts played under Badkins and how he is now with Wilder. I've no doubt that - on paper - Wendy have some very good players, but Clueless Carlos hasn't a clue how to make them perform as a team and he's got the knack of falling out with his better players (Forestieri, Rhodes, Hirst).

Back to the point, it's very enjoyable going to BDTBL at the moment and the crowds reflect that. Like others, I'm open-mouthed at the speed and intricacy of much of our play. Brooks excites me as much as Currie used to. And the nutmeg at the sty on Sunday - if done by Ronaldo, Bale etc. - would be repeated endlessly. As good as the 'Cruyff turn'. We need to keep this up for more than a season-and-a-bit but, at the moment, this team gets a Ten from Len!

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Best team I've seen and certainly the most fluid. Stick Deane and Agana up top and we'd crush the lot.

Currie
Woodward
Salmons
Colquhoun
Kelly
Deane
Fjortoft
Morgan
Walker
Maguire
Badger

would all walk into it

But they are good.

Don't think the managers place would be at risk.



Imagine Chris with the 70's squad, frightening because they had a good attitude.

 

[Pinchy]

Hasn't achieved the things that Warnock or Bassett did yet...

...relegation, for example.

 

[raul]

Only a novice of 22 years, but for now definitely best to watch and if they continue to grow and improve at the current rate, they'll have best all wrapped up too.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

I like that when we get the ball we are all attack minded, not just the attack but the midfield and full backs overlapping. At times it’s like we are playing with an extra man *i know we were last night I mean in general*

I like the way that we defend in packs as a team.

The passing is brilliant and we never look to shut a game out.

The substitutes are usually attack minded ones as well.

Certainly this is the best passing side I’ve seen across a length of time.

Also the competition for places and the way they all celebrate with the subs is pleasing to see.

 

[sheffielder]

Best side i've seen

a few people were shcoked when I said these were my favourite times of this millenium. If they carry on they will be the best time ever, and at a time were I think I can really appreciate it.

We have the manager now to be competitive with every team outside the top 10 of the premiership. WIll we get promoted, I think so. However if we don't I know I will go every week and see us try and get a result.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

At full time last night, I was thinking..... Is this the best United team I've ever seen? (1989 onwards before you 70's old farts all chip in )

Certainly technically without a question this is the most talented group of players United have ever had. Every single United player is so comfortable on the ball its unreal; we have centre halves adeptly performing 1-2's with cultured midfielders and at ease with getting crosses in the box.
Where there may be a debate is the heart and spirit when compared to say, Bassett's 90-92 team and the 02/03 side - but to comprehensively take apart this Wolves team a few days after the high of the Derby takes some doing. It would have been easy to slack off and blame it on the day after the Lord Mayor's Parade.

I was thinking of the other top Div 2 sides we've had in my lifetime (89/90, 97/98, 02/03, 05/06) - and I think the others all had "better" individual units IMO:
GK: either 89/90 or 97/98
Defence: 97/98
Midfield: Close, it's a gnat's chuff between 02/03 and this season's - possibly 02/03 might just pip it due to the cup runs
Attack: either 89/90 or 97/98

But where this team excels is the unity - this side is clearly more than the sum of it's parts - the interchanging that they all can do on the ball gives them the edge over all the others in my view.

I started watching united about the same time as you. Player for player, I think the start of the 97-98 season we had a better team (Deano, Whitehouse, Kelly, Borbokis, McGrath, Holdsworth, Fjortoft Hutchison etc.). But, that team was dismantled after only half a season and teams tend to be remembered for what they achieve over a season or more. This team has the powerful force that Bassett's early 90s teams had where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. But they also play attractive football. When you consider that we're regularly coming up against sides who have players that cost more than our whole team (Neves last night cost more than 10 times as much as our entire starting 11 combined) it really is incredible. I can't wait to see how far these lads can go.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

I keep arguing this point again and again. It is not better than the sum of its parts.
CW AK and the coaching staff have added new "programs" to their brains that make them perform better. My car is 130BHP. Plug a computer into it and it can go to 175 BHP without altering the parts.
They were playing as professional footballers elsewhere and thought they were playing to their best. Our staff have 'reprogrammed' them. Some items in the world you can do this with if it/they have the capacity.
These players were always good players but just never realised how good. It is not just about what is at their feet it is what is in their brains and the capacity to take on new information to make them perform better.

Whilst I think there is some truth to what you say, I still maintain that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Yes, they are all better players than many thought before the Wilder revolution BUT, if you took them back out of this team and dumped them back into a random championship side, do you think they would look as good? I certainly don't. the balance, the belief, the spirit, the style of football, the understanding, the collective never say die attitude. It all comes together to create a beautiful harmony.

 

[TTMeysh]

Player for player, I think the start of the 97-98 season we had a better team (Deano, Whitehouse, Kelly, Borbokis, McGrath, Holdsworth, Fjortoft Hutchison etc.).

Just came here to post exactly this. Also 3-5-2 of course.

 

[boo radley]

Whilst I think there is some truth to what you say, I still maintain that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Yes, they are all better players than many thought before the Wilder revolution BUT, if you took them back out of this team and dumped them back into a random championship side, do you think they would look as good? I certainly don't. the balance, the belief, the spirit, the style of football, the understanding, the collective never say die attitude. It all comes together to create a beautiful harmony.

In so much as before you build a Rolls Royce the parts are good but when you put them all together you have a luxury car. I could buy a Rolls Royce part and put in my car and make it work and it would work perfectly well but few would notice it was a Rolls Royce part. A few years laterIcould fit it back in Rolls Royce and then it could do so much more because it would be doing what it was designed to do in the right environment.

 

[Radders]

Interesting thread.
As someone who saw the Blades in the '60s and '70s as a youngster, I think it's hard to compare the teams of that era with more recent ones.
Back then there seemed to be much less variation in tactics, at least in the English game. Teams seemed to set up the same way each week. Also there were no substitutes. If a game started badly there seemed little scope to change things mid match. The way I remember it, if you were a couple of goals up at half time it was very unusual not to go on and win. The second half was almost a formality. Likewise if you were trailing by 2 or 3 goals you were unlikely to come back from that. Back then United could thrash someone 5-0 one week but then get thrashed themselves the next.
I'd say modern teams are more fit and unlikely just to give up if things are not going their way. The 'never say die' culture of the 2002-3 team and the present squad is really what sets them apart in my opinion, regardless of whether individual players are better or worse than those of earlier times.

UTB

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

...relegation, for example.

I managed a lads team years ago (when my son and nephew were young), and we entered the Redgates Junior Sunday League at Under-11 stage, in the bottom division. By the time we disbanded (under-16s), we had never been relegated. No relegations on my CV, but you wouldn't want me managing the Blades.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I think Bassett's team is a little hard done by reading some of this. Wilder has every chance of emulating Sir Dave by leaping to the top flight in consecutive seasons but the team back then had real talent that seems to get overlooked at times. I see Coutts as a similar player to John Gannon, composed, shit to start with but ended up bossing the midfield against many top sides in the Premier league. Deane and Agana were far more than power and pace, some of their skills were sublime and unplayable. Then there was Hodges, as good technically as any, if his attitude matched his skill he would have played for one of the top 4 sides.

To be classed as the best since the 80's our current crew have to get to the next level first and then demonstrate their abilities as Bassett boys did. I think there is every chance.

 

[Robby Blade]

In so much as before you build a Rolls Royce the parts are good but when you put them all together you have a luxury car. I could buy a Rolls Royce part and put in my car and make it work and it would work perfectly well but few would notice it was a Rolls Royce part. A few years laterIcould fit it back in Rolls Royce and then it could do so much more because it would be doing what it was designed to do in the right environment.

You are Carlos Carvalhal and I claim my £20.