How Do You Think....

[Tooj]

The team we had in 95-96 would fare in The Premiership as it is today?

 

This was brought on by seeing a few clips etc of the league back then, obviously the standard has improved, this is due to the huge finances on offer now to teams, allowing them to pay fees and wages that have never been paid before. Looking back at the Blackburn team of the time, even with Shearer, I couldn't see them challenging for the league now, not a chance would they be able to match the current Man Utd, Chelsea or Arsenal teams. I don't know why, I just don't feel they could do it, as some of their players weren't brilliant, but with Shearer as the figurehead, they were able to achieve things though.

 

I still think our First XI could give the top teams a run for their money this day, as apart from having our philosophy and flair from back then, we also had a British core as well, which is vitally important I feel, as some of the players knew what it was all about. One handicap though definitely would have been the goalkeeping situation, as Pav to me was always a clown, and I never really rated Hislop as well. Despite the change in style as well for some teams, with our direct style as it was then, by direct I just mean we'd find the quickest route forward, and just go for it. Not direct as in a long-ball style as it can be know, we just played with great width, with Batty adding some class as well in the middle to go alongside the legend that is Rob Lee.

 

The squad though might have not been enough over the full course of a season today, as apparently it's a squad game we play nowadays. But I definitely think that team would still be challenging today.

 

I mean how many midfielders in the league are currently as good or better than Rob Lee? Left-wingers as good or better better than Ginola? Right-wingers as good or better than Gillespie? Strikers as good or better as Sir Les? etc

[Kimbo]

It would be 5th atleast, maybe giving Pool a run for their money.

[Chris_R]

We'd be a lot higher than we are this season, that's for sure.

[David28]

I also think at least 5th... maybe better.

[Tooj]

It would be 5th atleast, maybe giving Pool a run for their money.

 

Liverpool today may be a more solid team, but they lack that spark sometimes in the final third, they certainly did before Torres came, something which was never a problem for us.

[Rich]

It would be 5th atleast, maybe giving Pool a run for their money.

 

Liverpool today may be a more solid team, but they lack that spark sometimes in the final third, they certainly did before Torres came, something which was never a problem for us.

 

Except when it mattered most.

[Tooj]

It would be 5th atleast, maybe giving Pool a run for their money.

 

Liverpool today may be a more solid team, but they lack that spark sometimes in the final third, they certainly did before Torres came, something which was never a problem for us.

 

Except when it mattered most.

 

Aye.

 

Sir Les did miss a few chances mind in that run in, despite how good he was, 1 vs 1 was never his strength. Some of those chances he had back then, someone like Shearer would have finished them, no doubt in my mind, as Shearer was just ice cold in front of goal, absolutely lethal. All of this natural finisher stuff that is banded about for Fowler, he may have made it look better due to finesse, but Shearer was the deadliest back then, no doubt about it.

[GM]

Good quesion Tooj, I've been pondering much the same sort of thing over recent weeks, well, over much of the past couple of seasons anyway...mainly because I suppose I always wondered whether what we'd lost was simply just the Keegan-effect, bringing back a bit of flair etc.

 

Anyway, I never expected to see him back at SJP, but I think (or is it just fear?) that the Premiership is an entirely different beast now to what it was even the last time he was managing in it at Man City, but certainly it's become both more and less competitive, by virtue of becoming a fractured, three or four tier league.

 

The squad Keegan assembled for that season 95/96 lit up the Premiership in a way that the current squad obviously couldn't even dream of, and yet even with that said...I think that self same squad would probably struggle to get much higher than 6th in the current situation. Hard to say, really...

[Tooj]

Good quesion Tooj, I've been pondering much the same sort of thing over recent weeks, well, over much of the past couple of seasons anyway...mainly because I suppose I always wondered whether what we'd lost was simply just the Keegan-effect, bringing back a bit of flair etc.

 

Anyway, I never expected to see him back at SJP, but I think (or is it just fear?) that the Premiership is an entirely different beast now to what it was even the last time he was managing in it at Man City, but certainly it's become both more and less competitive, by virtue of becoming a fractured, three or four tier league.

 

The squad Keegan assembled for that season 95/96 lit up the Premiership in a way that the current squad obviously couldn't even dream of, and yet even with that said...I think that self same squad would probably struggle to get much higher than 6th in the current situation. Hard to say, really...

 

See as I posted above.

 

Try and name some wingers now who are better on their flanks than Ginola and Gillespie were then? Cristiano is the obvious one, but there aren't that many.

 

How many strikers are better than Sir Les? You could say possibly Torres, but Drogbar and Yaba Daba Doo and Berbatov certainly aren't if you ask me.

 

Same with Rob Lee, Cesc, Gerrard etc but there aren't that many.

 

Our defence wasn't even that bad, or as bad as the gutter press would like you to believe, what cost us a lot was goalkeeping errors.

[Guest Knightrider]

I think that squad would have been challenging for the title, but in the same way Arsenal and Liverpool has this season - not convincingly enough. Lack of depth and a less than brilliant defence and 'keeper in comparison with the midfield and attack of that team, would have made it tough for us to truly challenge. If you look at Man Utd and Chelsea they have a very strong defence, midfield and attack, and the depth in reserve to call upon to replenish those areas, which that side of ours lacked.

[GM]

Good quesion Tooj, I've been pondering much the same sort of thing over recent weeks, well, over much of the past couple of seasons anyway...mainly because I suppose I always wondered whether what we'd lost was simply just the Keegan-effect, bringing back a bit of flair etc.

 

Anyway, I never expected to see him back at SJP, but I think (or is it just fear?) that the Premiership is an entirely different beast now to what it was even the last time he was managing in it at Man City, but certainly it's become both more and less competitive, by virtue of becoming a fractured, three or four tier league.

 

The squad Keegan assembled for that season 95/96 lit up the Premiership in a way that the current squad obviously couldn't even dream of, and yet even with that said...I think that self same squad would probably struggle to get much higher than 6th in the current situation. Hard to say, really...

 

See as I posted above.

 

Try and name some wingers now who are better on their flanks than Ginola and Gillespie were then?

 

How many strikers are better than Sir Les? You could say possibly Torres, but Drogbar and Yaba Daba Doo and Berbatovs certainly aren't if you ask me.

 

Same with Rob Lee, Cesc, Gerrard etc but there aren't that many.

 

Yeah, it's a tough one - because I'm also wary of perhaps glorifying the past a bit too much when I hark back to the "good old days" and also equally mindful that my memories of how good/bad players were then will be a tad dusty...and my opinions of current players may be in turn quite jaded...

 

Wingers: I mean, what about Cristiano Ronaldo? Or possibly Aaron Lennon or SWP (especially if he got more regular run outs)?

Midfielders: Yeap, Gerrard for sure...

 

This is actually making my head hurt quite a bit.

 

[Tooj]

Lennon or SWP for me aren't as good as Gillespie was for that period, people forget how good he was before Phil Neville got his way.

[Guest Knightrider]

Good quesion Tooj, I've been pondering much the same sort of thing over recent weeks, well, over much of the past couple of seasons anyway...mainly because I suppose I always wondered whether what we'd lost was simply just the Keegan-effect, bringing back a bit of flair etc.

 

Anyway, I never expected to see him back at SJP, but I think (or is it just fear?) that the Premiership is an entirely different beast now to what it was even the last time he was managing in it at Man City, but certainly it's become both more and less competitive, by virtue of becoming a fractured, three or four tier league.

 

The squad Keegan assembled for that season 95/96 lit up the Premiership in a way that the current squad obviously couldn't even dream of, and yet even with that said...I think that self same squad would probably struggle to get much higher than 6th in the current situation. Hard to say, really...

 

See as I posted above.

 

Try and name some wingers now who are better on their flanks than Ginola and Gillespie were then? Cristiano is the obvious one, but there aren't that many.

 

How many strikers are better than Sir Les? You could say possibly Torres, but Drogbar and Yaba Daba Doo and Berbatov certainly aren't if you ask me.

 

Same with Rob Lee, Cesc, Gerrard etc but there aren't that many.

 

Our defence wasn't even that bad, or as bad as the gutter press would like you to believe, what cost us a lot was goalkeeping errors.

 

Our star players in their prime that season, would be equal to whatever the top 4 could throw up.

 

Sir Les

Beardsley

Lee

Ginola

 

[johnnypd]

the league has improved quite a bit since then, especially with top class foreigners coming here to play, whereas before there was only a sprinkling of them and even then, the very best tended to play in Italy. Even someone like Bergkamp who arrived in that season flopped at Inter was not considered to be a very top player (ie top 5 in the world) at that time.

 

The premiership now has a bit more emphasis on the physical, specifically pace, which may have affected the overall success of the team as it wasn't exactly the fastest. Ferdinand was quick and powerful so i reckon he'd make the transition with ease, and even tho his touch was a bit rough at times he'd be no worse than a Darren Bent or Yakubu who have scored loads the past few seasons. Gillespie was quick too but i'm not sure how he would fare, being quite an orthodox "run in a straight line and hoof it into the box" wide player, whereas wingers now have a bit more about them, can cut inside and score more. i'd prolly compare him to Pennant for players around now.

 

Beardsley, Ginola and Albert would be fine whatever era they played in as they were too good technically not to be. They'd all be top, top players if they were around now. Asprilla would probably be the same type too, very tricky, unpredictable, a bit of a joker.

 

Lee and Batty would be slightly less successful, probably around the level of Barry and Carsley respectively, ie top 6 material rather than league material. this would probably be our weak spot if anything as the central midfield of the top sides today are awesome, world class players like Ballack, Hargreaves, Alonso frequently left on the bench for their respective teams.

 

Watson, Peacock, Beresford, Srnicek i don't think would be great now tbh.