Cassius Kray
Subterranean Goat Anarchy
In a fit of unoriginality inspired by LouTheBlade's Player of the Decade thread, I started wondering about what everyone's choices would be for Team of the Decade? Here's my shout, in a traditional 4-4-2:
Kenny: Easiest choice of them all, I expect he'd be in everyone's team.
Naughton: I'm a bit wary to suggest a player who only played for one season, but in that time he stood out as head and shoulders above any other option.
Jags: Has proven his class by going on to represent England.
Morgs: The power and guts alongside Jag's finesse. Morgs is the kind of player strikers hate to be up against, for his strength, fearlessness and determination. Team captain.
Naysmith: For me this is one of the more difficult decisions. Unsworth had a fantastic season but was short on pace, I always liked Harley, and many people would go for Geary's pluck, but I think Naysmith just shades his for his reliability and assured quality.
Nuddy: Ahead of CKR, Devlin and Ifill. I'm a big fan of wingers and loved Nuddy's pace, dribbling, and ability to provide a final product.
Brown: Surely another cert on anyone's teamsheet.
McCall: A tricky choice, but in the end I went for the partnership that did so well in 02/03. McCall was past his best but his intelligent play enabled Brown to shine while providing adequate defensive cover.
Tonge: While I feel United have had a good run of left backs, the competition for left wing is abysmal. Tonge never achieved the highs of his first season on the left, but he's still by far the best option
Beattie: Superb strike rate and oozed Premiership class. Some questioned his workrate but noone can question his finishing.
Hulse: I'm not convinced that Hulse and Beattie are a great partnership, but for his exploits in our Premiership season I couldn't leave Hulse out. A tragedy when he got injured and he was poor when he returned, but I still fell he deserves a place in the team.
Subs
Tracey: Arguably a better goalie than Kenny but he really belongs to the previous decade.
Halford: A one season wonder who did well for us, but I don't feel we got the best of him on the right wing.
Murphy: United's best defender of the early decade. For me he just shades it from Killa.
Monty: Has plenty of detractors, but while he's not the silky midfield genius we'd all love him to be, for me his work rate and defensive qualities earn him a place.
Hendrie: What?!? I hear you all cry. He was a marked man at United as soon as he was signed, for reasons I never understood. Rarely got a chance and when he did played well. The best creative midfielder we've seen at the club since Brown.
Henderson: Between him and Shipperly for me, but I think Henderson is a better all-round player and this season is really proving his worth to the team.
Peschisolido: I always loved his pace and bemoaned our midfield's ability to play the type of through balls that he would have thrived on, but he was still always a threat and a potential match-changer from the bench.
Kenny: Easiest choice of them all, I expect he'd be in everyone's team.
Naughton: I'm a bit wary to suggest a player who only played for one season, but in that time he stood out as head and shoulders above any other option.
Jags: Has proven his class by going on to represent England.
Morgs: The power and guts alongside Jag's finesse. Morgs is the kind of player strikers hate to be up against, for his strength, fearlessness and determination. Team captain.
Naysmith: For me this is one of the more difficult decisions. Unsworth had a fantastic season but was short on pace, I always liked Harley, and many people would go for Geary's pluck, but I think Naysmith just shades his for his reliability and assured quality.
Nuddy: Ahead of CKR, Devlin and Ifill. I'm a big fan of wingers and loved Nuddy's pace, dribbling, and ability to provide a final product.
Brown: Surely another cert on anyone's teamsheet.
McCall: A tricky choice, but in the end I went for the partnership that did so well in 02/03. McCall was past his best but his intelligent play enabled Brown to shine while providing adequate defensive cover.
Tonge: While I feel United have had a good run of left backs, the competition for left wing is abysmal. Tonge never achieved the highs of his first season on the left, but he's still by far the best option
Beattie: Superb strike rate and oozed Premiership class. Some questioned his workrate but noone can question his finishing.
Hulse: I'm not convinced that Hulse and Beattie are a great partnership, but for his exploits in our Premiership season I couldn't leave Hulse out. A tragedy when he got injured and he was poor when he returned, but I still fell he deserves a place in the team.
Subs
Tracey: Arguably a better goalie than Kenny but he really belongs to the previous decade.
Halford: A one season wonder who did well for us, but I don't feel we got the best of him on the right wing.
Murphy: United's best defender of the early decade. For me he just shades it from Killa.
Monty: Has plenty of detractors, but while he's not the silky midfield genius we'd all love him to be, for me his work rate and defensive qualities earn him a place.
Hendrie: What?!? I hear you all cry. He was a marked man at United as soon as he was signed, for reasons I never understood. Rarely got a chance and when he did played well. The best creative midfielder we've seen at the club since Brown.
Henderson: Between him and Shipperly for me, but I think Henderson is a better all-round player and this season is really proving his worth to the team.
Peschisolido: I always loved his pace and bemoaned our midfield's ability to play the type of through balls that he would have thrived on, but he was still always a threat and a potential match-changer from the bench.
