95-96 vs 04-05 vs 07-09 vs 13-15

[dholliday]

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

95-96 = 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.
13-15 = the early Martinez-era with Rom, Ross, Del & co and another European adventure.


07-09 for me: we didn't have much squad depth, but we had a very strong team. By the end of this season I'll hopefully have to change my vote.


Refresher:

95-96

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

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

13-15

Tim Howard (approaching end-game)

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

 

[mitchell1996]

04-05 was just a one off season i think, credit to those players for that though, on ability they had no right finishing 4th, they deserved some CL nights the following season, koff villareal

07-09 - similar to 04/05 team in terms of spirit but a lot more talented, the season where yakubu was on fire we were brilliant

13-15 definitely the best on paper, definitely the best in terms of going forward i think, but definitely not defensively as good as the other two

id give the edge to 07-09 because of how consistent and hardworking they were with also some very good players but this team is the best squad weve had by a mile, the youngsters here are easily going to surpass those sides if they all stay

 

[dublinbluenose]

other thread was better

 

[mitchell1996]

imagine prime pienaar and baines with deulofeu on the other wing

 

[davek]

Talent-wise: 13-15. No question about that.

They still have to convert that into silverware though.

 

[Dithering Dougie]

Hmm tough choice mate.

Id have to go with the 07-09 team myself. A common misconception posted on GOT is Moyes teams were all hoof ball, which is plainly bollocks (it's bad enough the media making out like that we shouldn't do it ourselves), but that team played brilliant football and had resilience and character. It's a great shame injurys disrupted it so much otherwise I'm certain we'd have won something substantial with it.

The current one has potential to go one step further and add a trophy or two as the players gain more experience together, keeping them together will be the hardest part though.

A common trait between both is the great team spirit and camaraderie within the group, Moyes knew the value of it and I'm very pleased to see Martinez has tapped into it as well. In my opinion it's important as a club we have the right characters representing us, winnings great, but winning with style and and character is an Everton tradition.

 

[USABlue]

Went with 07-09. This year's group will easily come out on top if we have a strong finish to the season

 

[Blue Cheese]

The Young Blues brothers swing this season for me, exciting times.

 

[Tilling]

i only really properly experienced the 07-09 and 13-15 teams. again on paper you've got to give it to the 13-15 team given where it could end up going forward, but right now it doesn't truly match up to a side that made the Yak in that one season the best striker i've seen in a blue shirt.

Really wish I could know more about how the 04-05 team, does anyone know of any good tactical deconstructions around like there used to be on the executioners bong of that team and how they played?

 

[dholliday]

Really wish I could know more about how the 04-05 team, does anyone know of any good tactical deconstructions around like there used to be on the executioners bong of that team and how they played?

The 1-0's were key. Tight, disciplined game and snatching a goal from anywhere. Nigel Martyn was very important.

 

[zirc]

This team is the best of the lot, but the league is so much more challenging now compared to then that it's not readily apparent.

 

[Zatara]

95/96 we had just won the cup and had some major players there. The optimism was incredible with Royle at the helm.

This season we have a similarly positive manager and some major players as well. For excitement these two wipe the floor with anything in between.

I just hope its not another false dawn...but with the players now we have more quality than then across the board bar a couple of positions.

Im going for this side BUT we wont see the best of it for 2 seasons onwards.

 

[dholliday]

the league is so much more challenging now compared to then that it's not readily apparent.

Disagree with that. The league's a poor standard now, back on 07-09 English clubs were dominating the Champs League, we had Man Utd with a firing Ronaldo & Rooney winning titles plus a very strong Chelsea where the likes of Lampard & Terry were at their peak. The fabled Big Four had their most dominant time in this period...it was impregnable.

 

[Boss_Blue]

Disagree with that. The league's a poor standard now, back on 07-09 English clubs were dominating the Champs League, we had Man Utd with a firing Ronaldo & Rooney winning titles plus a very strong Chelsea where the likes of Lampard & Terry were at their peak. The fabled Big Four had their most dominant time in this period...it was impregnable.

I agree, recent seasons have been the best chance we've had for a long time to make the champions league and I include this one in that as well.

 

[allezlesbleus]

2007-09 for me at the moment but this team has the potential to be better imo.
1995-96 brilliant flash which burned out too quickly. Thanks Johnson you kopite!
2004-05 showed that occasionally real determination and organisation with a little bit of flair will get you there. Not sustainable though.