Glasgow_Saint Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 When was the last time we had such a strong squad/ team of players?
CB Fry Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 2002-3. Top eight and a cup final. Solid squad with excellent performers in every department. This year's squad won't beat that.
Glasgow_Saint Posted 9 March, 2014 Author Posted 9 March, 2014 League position and acheivement no, but the team / squad (player for player) is better than in 2002/3? Surely
CB Fry Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 League position and acheivement no, but the team / squad (player for player) is better than in 2002/3? Surely Not really - Strachan's back five far stronger than our current. That team lacked a little creatively but most of that team would get into the current squad.
Glasgow_Saint Posted 9 March, 2014 Author Posted 9 March, 2014 Not really - Strachan's back five far stronger than our current. That team lacked a little creatively but most of that team would get into the current squad.
Glasgow_Saint Posted 9 March, 2014 Author Posted 9 March, 2014 From that 2002/3 side id only see Niemi and M.Svensson, perhaps Beattie in our side now?
Wrensup Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 Looking back at that time, looks like we didn't rely on pace then either.
Patrick Bateman Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 From that 2002/3 side id only see Niemi and M.Svensson, perhaps Beattie in our side now? Anders Svensson when on form would have been brilliant in our current side!! Michael Svensson alongside Dejan scary.
SaintSteve Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 League position and acheivement no, but the team / squad (player for player) is better than in 2002/3? Surely I would say definitely far better eleven today.. and we play far better football.. not sure about squad depth though.
Katalinic Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 From that 2002/3 side id only see Niemi and M.Svensson, perhaps Beattie in our side now? Agree.
farawaysaint Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 From that 2002/3 side id only see Niemi and M.Svensson, perhaps Beattie in our side now? Anders, and Beattie aside from M. Svensson and Niemi.
Glasgow_Saint Posted 9 March, 2014 Author Posted 9 March, 2014 Did we have a better side / squad in the 90's or 80's?
Wes Tender Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 I think that this current team stands comparison against the 2002/3 team. I'd have Niemi over Boruc, but in most other positions it is much harder to call. I'd take Shaw over Bridge and Chambers/Clyne over Baird/Dodd/Telfer. I'd put Fonte/Lovren on a par with Claus/Killer. Our current midfield beats the 2002/3 one in my opinion. There wasn't a player then that was as good as Lallana, although Fernandes had the skill, but was frustrating. Anders v Schneiderlin is a tough call, but this midfield works better as a unit than the former one in my opinion. Up front, a Beattie/Pahars combination would be hard to beat, but Beattie had his barren spells and Pahars didn't feature that much then because of injury and only scored one goal. Ormerod ran around a lot but didn't contribute much to the scoring. Marsden was a good leader and was good with Bridges overlapping up the left flank, but then Shaw gets forward in the same way as do the right flank via Chambers/Clyne. Fringe players like Tessem, Williams, Higginbotham, are certainly not better than the players we have as back up now. I think that this team would beat the 2002/3 team, as they are a more complete unit with probably the best team spirit I've seen.
positivepete Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 Pretty much agree with that Wes. Perhaps the squad that Chris Nicholl had with the youngsters in the late eighties is the most comparable in terms of age profile and ability to play exciting football. Sadly the fare served up by Strachan was appalling and has been the only point I have ever considered giving up my season ticket. Worse in my opinion that the Dutch duo season.
CB Fry Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 Anders, and Beattie aside from M. Svensson and Niemi. This, although I'd put Claus ahead of Fonte. Elsewhere there I'd say there is not much between Bridgey and Shaw right now, but the combination of CMFG and Bridge was immense - collectively more of a threat than, say, Shaw plus Gaston/Davis are now. Team spirit in our current squad is high but so it was back then: that squad was far more than the sum of the individuals. That's how they achieved fantastic things.
Minsk Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 The best team I have seen play was probably: I Katalinic I Golac D Watson C Nichol N Holmes M Channon S Williams A Ball D Armstrong K Keegan S Moran Of our current squad, only Boruc (vice Katalinic), Lovren (vice Nichols) and Shaw (vice Holmes) would stand a chance of getting into that starting 11 (although I would also be tempted to drop Steve Moran for Adam Lallana if playing in our current 4-2-3-1 formation).
LainPain Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 Surely time for a best Saints premier league XI thread? My first go (don't remember the first few years, so post 1996): Niemi Clyne Lovren Svensson Bridge Schneiderlin VW David Le Tiss Lallana Beattie Other options IMO (and lifetime): Boruc, Richards, Oakley, Lambert, Rodriguez, Shaw, Dodd, Svensson (A), Marsden, Kachloul, Cork.
CB Fry Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 Lol, it's a million miles ahead of that squad. That was hard working and efficient, built on a good defence. Lightyears behind in skill and possession. Our current squad that only yesterday you said wouldn't finish in the top ten? Not sure what you're LOLing at you utter moron.
Glasgow_Saint Posted 9 March, 2014 Author Posted 9 March, 2014 Be a shame to have this team broken up during the summer and all we had to show for it was a 9th place finish
Roo1976 Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 shilton clyne..svennson...mcgrath....dennis. paine...williams...keegan...marsden channon...shearer.. niemi...bridge...wright...schneiderlin...wallace (rod)...boyer...le tissier.... well its just a fantasy set up isnt it.
BARCELONASAINT Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 over 40 years of watching Saints and seeing some very good Saints sides in those 4 decades i can honestly say the current team is the best footballing side i have ever seen wear the shirt.
70's Mike Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 The best team I have seen play was probably: I Katalinic I Golac D Watson C Nichol N Holmes M Channon S Williams A Ball D Armstrong K Keegan S Moran Of our current squad, only Boruc (vice Katalinic), Lovren (vice Nichols) and Shaw (vice Holmes) would stand a chance of getting into that starting 11 (although I would also be tempted to drop Steve Moran for Adam Lallana if playing in our current 4-2-3-1 formation). Agreed but I think the 84 TEAM would have given them a good game
pap Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 Be a shame to have this team broken up during the summer and all we had to show for it was a 9th place finish Four hours. No bites.
Goatboy Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 Four hours. No bites. He has moved swims: http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=466100&f=27
benjii Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 My best Saints team based on players I've seen in person: Niemi Dodd. Svennson. Lovren. Shaw Schneiderlin Ekelund Lallana. Le Tiss. Bale Pahars Subs Boruc Clyne Bridge Claus Oakley Walcott Beattie
Lazlo78 Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 The best Saints team I have seen in my lifetime was the 02/03 team, but only because... I have been dead for 10 years!!!!1111!!!!1!!
Turkish Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 Gazzaniga Lee Todd Scott Marshall Richard Dryden Danny fox Immats bledilis Trod egil soltvedt Mark draper Neil McCann Stig johansen Brett ormerod
Goatboy Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 Gazzaniga Lee Todd Scott Marshall Richard Dryden Danny fox Immats bledilis Trod egil soltvedt Mark draper Neil McCann Stig johansen Brett ormerod Manager?
The Kraken Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 Gazzaniga Lee Todd Scott Marshall Richard Dryden Danny fox Immats bledilis Trod egil soltvedt Mark draper Neil McCann Stig johansen Brett ormerod You left out Lee Molyneux FFS. He got a hat-trick yesterday.
Turkish Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 You left out Lee Molyneux FFS. He got a hat-trick yesterday. Was he with us in the premier league?
Goatboy Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 Premier years only then Stuart Gray I'm in. Charge what you like.
The Kraken Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 Was he with us in the premier league? He wasn't, you're right. But he should have been. Top quality player.
tedmaul Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 Four hours. No bites. Exactly, why people keep replying to Glasgow Saint, it's quite funny really. He's laughing at you
SNSUN Posted 9 March, 2014 Posted 9 March, 2014 Surely time for a best Saints premier league XI thread? My first go (don't remember the first few years, so post 1996): Niemi Clyne Lovren Svensson Bridge Schneiderlin VW David Le Tiss Lallana Beattie Other options IMO (and lifetime): Boruc, Richards, Oakley, Lambert, Rodriguez, Shaw, Dodd, Svensson (A), Marsden, Kachloul, Cork. I knew he was a Saints fan, but to put him in a Southampton best XI is brave...
Barry the Badger Posted 10 March, 2014 Posted 10 March, 2014 Put Niemi, Killer, Bridge and Beattie from that season into this side and we'd have an amazing team. Anders & Oakley on the bench. Anders > Gaston.
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