94-96 vs 04-05 vs 07-09 vs Martinez-era

[dholliday]

The original thread got closed, the results from last December were:

Only 5 months later, do the majority still think the same? Who'd come out top in a round-robin tournament? We can only go by what we've seen rather than how any side might've done under a different manager.


Here's the OP:

Which has been the best side (11 + strong subs) we've had in the Prem era? Not split strictly by season, but by mini-era:

94-96 = including the Cup Win plus the 6th-placed finish the season after.
04-05 = mainly just that one season finishing 4th.
07-09 = the peak of Arteta, Cahill, Yak and co with a decent run in Europe.
Martinez = Rom, Ross, Del & co, plus another European adventure & 72 points.


07-09 for me: we didn't have much squad depth, but we had a very strong team.


Refresher:

94-96

Neville Southall (approaching end-game)

Gary Ablett
Andy Hinchcliffe
David Unsworth
Dave Watson

Anders Limpar
John Ebbrell
Joe Parkinson
Andrei Kanchelskis

Paul Rideout
Duncan Ferguson (phase 1)

also: Daniel Amokachi, Graham Stuart, Barry Horne, Matt Jackson, Earl Barrett

----------------------

04-05

Nigel Martyn

Joseph Yobo
Alan Stubbs
David Weir
Gary Naysmith

Thomas Gravesen
Kevin Kilbane
Tim Cahill
Lee Carsley

James Beattie
Duncan Ferguson (phase 2)

also: Marcus Bent, James McFadden, Steve Watson, Leon Osman, Tony Hibbert, Mikel Arteta

----------------------

07-09

Tim Howard (back when he was good)

Tony Hibbert
Leighton Baines
Joleon Lescott
Phil Jagielka

Marouane Fellaini
Phil Neville
Mikel Arteta
Steven Pienaar

Tim Cahill
Aiyegbeni Yakubu

also: Louis Saha, Joseph Yobo, Andy Johnson, Vic Anichebe

----------------------

Martinez

Tim Howard (approaching end-game) / Robles

Leighton Baines
Phil Jagielka
John Stones
Seamus Coleman

James McCarthy
Gareth Barry
Ross Barkley

Kevin Mirallas
Rom Lukaku
Geri Deulofeu

also: Leon Osman, Arouna Kone, Bryan Oviedo, Steven Naismith, Brendan Galloway, Mo Besic

 

[Azzurri]

Martinez's first season was brilliant. Now the poll says "Martinez era" as a whole the answer changes.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Carsley was still key in that 07/08 team. No question they were the best Moyes side and far better than anything under Martinez. Sadly they played at a time when the top 4 English clubs were ruling in Europe and were immensely strong.

 

[dholliday]

Martinez's first season was brilliant. Now the poll says "Martinez era" as a whole the answer changes.

the 13/14 is relatively unchanged to the 15/16 one, but you can focus on the 13/14 for your answer if you like.

In years to come we generally remember the mini-eras rather than exact individual seasons. Older heads remember the Holy Trinity era, shellsuits remember the mid-80's, I remember mid-period Moyes as being the strongest side we've had since those mid-80's glory days.

 

[Billy Dean]

Carsley was still key in that 07/08 team. No question they were the best Moyes side and far better than anything under Martinez. Sadly they played at a time when the top 4 English clubs were ruling in Europe and were immensely strong.

Wasn't better than bobby's 13-14 team

 

[Saint Domingo]

Wasn't better than bobby's 13-14 team

I think it was. The football was better and we had better players in their prime. They came in the same position (5th) in the league as well. The 07/08 team also made league cup semi and had a Europe run in the same season.

 

[Azzurri]

the 13/14 is relatively unchanged to the 15/16 one, but you can focus on the 13/14 for your answer if you like.

In years to come we generally remember the mini-eras rather than exact individual seasons. Older heads remember the Holy Trinity era, shellsuits remember the mid-80's, I remember mid-period Moyes as being the strongest side we've had since those mid-80's glory days.

But teams aren't just the players on paper as we all know, so much has changed since the 13/14 season.

This current side is probably the best set of players of Premier League era if that's the question. They're clearly not the best team.

 

[dholliday]

But teams aren't just the players on paper as we all know, so much has changed since the 13/14 season.

This current side is probably the best set of players of Premier League era if that's the question. They're clearly not the best team.

You're probably over-thinking it, just take your favourite 11 of the Martinez era and pitch them against the other eras and imagine who'll win.

Disagree anyway that our current crop are our best set of players...that's also the 07-09 era. Better individuals and better as a team.

 

[Billy Dean]

I think it was. The football was better and we had better players in their prime. They came in the same position (5th) in the league as well. The 07/08 team also made league cup semi and had a Europe run in the same season.

The football wasn't better mate in my opinion.

 

[EFCPaul]

Moyes' 2009 team is better than the team we have now without question.

 

[Saint Domingo]

The football wasn't better mate in my opinion.

There's no answer to this argument. Some will come on here liking the 95/6 season's football more. One or two swear that the football the first half of this season was the best. It's all opinion.

 

[BigDunc'sFod]

Currently the best players, 07-09 the better team.

 

[Eggs]

...normally the best side is simply the one that finishes highest but with this manager there might be a difference between best side and best performance.

 

[GwladysBlue]

Moyes' 2009 team is better than the team we have now without question.

That team was so, so close.

Unfortunately we had that absolute failure in Kenwright as a chairman and he failed to back the club.

 

[Carlito]

The 2007/08 team would wipe the floor with anything Martinez has put out.

Beyond that seven game run in 2014 it's been garbage.