NUFC All-time PL XI

[HawK]

Gonna be brave and start this thread. Had a look and couldn't find one already.

 

What is your all-time PL XI and who manages us ? No crazy criteria or formation required, as long as they've played a game for us is all I ask (or managed a game :P)

 

I'll go first  -

 

First XI

 

GK : Shay Given - Our all-time leading appearances player in the PL. Cat-like agility, one of the best shot-stoppers in the business. Was in the sticks for forever. We never wanted a new goalkeeper when he was at the club and had a burning passion to win things. 

 

RB : Kieran Trippier - A cut above anyone who came before him, the gulf in class between him and everyone else in the team when he first played was nothing short of breathtaking. For those few months until he was injured, he put this club on his back and pulled us back from the brink, scoring a couple of fantastic free kicks whilst under so much pressure in the process. A true captain in every sense of the word, lead by example on and off the pitch.

 

CD : Fabian Schar - These past two seasons he's cemented this position and for me is our best ever PL central defender. What can't he do? He can strike a ball, he can run with it, he can tackle and he plays with a real edge. That goal against PSG capped it off. I think we all excepted him to score that, that's how good he is.

 

CD : Jonathan Woodgate - Like when Trippier came in recently, when Woodgate joined the team, his elegance on the ball, effortless positioning, economy of movement, complete serenity with him on the pitch and head-up play was something I've just not seen before in a defender for us. His ceiling was unlimited, had he not messed up his move to Real Madrid and the injuries I think he'd be more widely recognised as one of the great PL-era centrebacks.

 

LB : José Enrique - We've not been blessed with great left backs in my time supporting us.. Pearce, Beresford, and even Ollie Bernard were decent. José Enrique came in and took some time to find his feet but I don't recall a player ever beat him on the outside, it just didn't happen. Strength, pace and an old-fashioned approach to defending. Best I've seen in Black and White until this season.

 

RW : Nolberto Solano - An assist machine. Clever. Set pieces. Silky. Diminuitive. And could he cross a football. Solano to Shearer was a done deal. Played across two spells for us and I loved watching him play.

 

CM : Sandro Tonali - Maybe my first controversial pick. When we've got other players like Lee, Batty, Cabaye and Speed. Tonali is one of the first names on the team sheet for Italy. It might have taken some time to convince all our fans, but he really is the real deal. Passion, determination, engine, workrate, one-touch passing, offensive runs, attitude. 

 

CM : Bruno Guimaraes - So often just looks like he's on another level to everyone else. If his ball retention is top-class, his passing is elite. I sometimes take for granted who good he is at passing. The cross-field balls are one thing, but have you noticed how he strikes a throughball? He buts backspin on it. How do you even phyiscally accomplish this? It's so clever yet never gets spoken about. His attitude, his resilience, bravery, quality. The best midfielder we've ever had.

 

LW : Laurent Robert  - Insane production, insane striking of a ball, just an insane player in every sense of the word. Fiery, didn't give 2 fks and went for everything. Did he track back and help out? God no, that wasn't Laurent Robert. He more than made up for it with his offensive output though. Never seen a player hit a ball so hard and keep it as low as Laurent did so consistently. Wonderful player.

 

FW : Alan Shearer - What needs to be said? Powerful, always hit the target, but was so, SO good at holding the ball up and being the back-to-goal pivot that let players run off him - whether it was Bellamy, Robert, Dyer, Lee or anyone else. He could shoot from anywhere, was great at crossing too and could take a freekick as well as anyone. Suffered career-debilitating knee injuries but modified his game to still be effective. One of a kind.

 

FW : Alexander Isak - He's gone above Ferdinand for me. He does everything well. The pace, dropping of the shoulder, how he gets around people is the best of any striker we've ever had. Ferdinand had the pace and power, Cole had the magical touch of being able to pick out a shot from anywhere, Beardsley could walk around a team if you let him. But Isak can square anyone up and go 'Yeah, watch this' and do we watch. It might seem simple, but like Shearer, he always hits the target. Give me a striker who hits the target any day over one that'll always blast it and half the time it's goalbound - because with on-target shots you get rebounds. 

 

Manager : Eddie Howe - He's the best manager we've had in the PL in my opinion. No other manager we've had has grown players as much as he has. Very intelligent, articulate and does not get flustered. A man who's only managed Bournemouth and Burnley before before holds court in the Newcastle dressing room with world-class players like Bruno, Trippier, Sandro and Isak. Master-minded the turnaround that saw us retain our PL status and then next season secured Champions League football with almost the same group of players. Continues to evolve his tactics and mindset as the seasons progress, and we seem to be on a continual upwards trajectory even now.

 

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

 

Second XI

 

GK : Nick Pope - A very similar goalkeeper to Given in what he brings to the table, but not quite at the level of Shay in my opinion.

 

RB : Habib Beye - Charistmatic, skillful and effortless. Before Trippier, our best RB to play for us.

CD : Phillipe Albert - What a player, 'central defender' was just where he was put my Sky in our pre-game lineup but he went everywhere! Fantastic on the ball.

CD : Fabricio Coloccini - Not to be overlooked, and seen by many as one of the lights of a very dark period in our recent history. Solid and classy. Maradonna loved him.

LB : Lewis Hall (pushing into First XI for me already) - Oh my what a player Lewis Hall is. 20 at the time of writing this. I've never seen a player makes things look this easy since Woodgate. Calmness and serenity personified. Devistatingly effective. Time will tell if he can consistently produce the defensive side to match his undoubted world-class quality on the ball.

 

RW : Hatem Ben Arfa - One of my favourite ever players. I would happily argue with anyone that prime Ben Arfa was the best in the world at taking a football past a player. This includes comparing with prime Messi. Messi could do 100 other things better than Ben Arfa, but purely on getting from point A to point B with X players inbetween, HBA gets my vote every time. That kung-fu kick by De Jong on him was absolutely criminal and robbed us of a prime HBA for a long time.

CM : Dietmar Hamann - Probably another controversial one. But another player that when he arrived just looked better than anyone else on the pitch. Such a shame that he left for Liverpool so soon, citing 'home sicknessness' ? I mean, I really haven't ever worked that one out to be honest. Regardless, wonderful long-range shooting ability and engine. I loved watching him play and I was devastated when he left, more so than nearly any other player we've sold since.

CM : Yohan Cabaye - Agressive, dirty, could strike a football with venom, engine, guts. Loved watching Yohan play for us.

LW : David Ginola - How can a player that tall be that good on the ball? The most two-footed player I've ever seen - left foot for control, right foot for power.  Didn't have as much raw output as Gordon or Robert, and I think if Gordon continues to perform as he is, Gordon's taking his spot here for me.

 

FW : Peter Beardsley - Past his prime for us in the PL, but had such unnerving skill with the ball at his feet. As I wrote above in reference to Isak, Peter could literally walk a football past an entire team. His partnership with Cole was sensational. But for me, Beardsley enabled Cole. We wouldn't have seen Cole be as good as he was without Beardsley next to him. Beardsley got the best out of the players around him.

FW : Les Ferdinand - Power, pace, even better at heading than Shearer in my opinion. A battering ram. Literally scored a goal with arse from near the centre circle charging down Dmithri Kharine against Chelsea. But a confidence player if there ever was a definition of one. When he was on it, he was on it. Ferdinand & Shearer is one of the scariest striking duos I've ever seen, even in an era with so many other good partnerships.

 

Manager : Kevin Keegan - Took a team straight from the division below to finishing 3rd in the PL and cemented us as perennial challengers in those early years. A reckless abandon for traditional tactics, built on pure pace and directness - play came from the wrings and whilst the ball was carried up the pitch on the sides, our entire team motored into the opponent's box ready to cause damage from the eventual cross. As we all know, we didn't concede as many as the media likes to portray that we did and his legacy of creating the 'entertainers' sits with us even to this day and creates a pull to us that other clubs just don't have. 

 

Notable omissions

 

Rob Lee - For me he was always a bit of a latter-day Kevin Nolan. Great goalscorer, but I wanted more from him.

Andy Cole - Needed other players to enable him - Beardsley at Newcastle and Yorke at Man Utd. Undoubtedly gifted, but all the 4 players I've put ahead of him could lead the line alone if needed. I don't think Cole could do that.

Anthony Gordon - Time will tell - I don't think he's quite there yet, but on raw numbers he's probably jumping ahead of Ginola for me by the end of this season if he keeps it up. 

Cheick Tiote - A great defensive midfielder, I just don't think he's better than Speed, or Tonali or Bruno. Cabaye was always the better of the two.

Gary Speed - Great in the air, solid in the middle, the definition of a determined steady-eddie. Always available, always reliable, box-to-box. Wonderful player for anyone to dovetail from. But I think the 4 I've picked above him all had more ability.

 

Sir Bobby - For me the third best. Why not higher than Keegan or Eddie? In my view, he didn't get as much from his players as he could have. The team he had was fantastic - Shearer, Robert, Solano, Bellamy, Dyer (the last two when fit), Speed, Woodgate. I think we should have been challenging for the title. You might disagree and I respect that, but a team of that calibre I think should have had a better return.

[Geordie Ahmed]

Rob Lee not being in the first or second XI is quite something 

[Lush Vlad]

I always find these tough.  As I didn't have Sky as a kid and I didn't go to many games until I was 16 onwards.  So a lot of the prime years when we were great I am picking favourites and players I either have fond memories of or I have been influenced by others on how good they were (born in 89). 

 

I think I did my favourite XI pretty easily on another thread.  But the best XI I find really tough.  It's also hard if you're going for pure ability, what they achieved before/after, longevity etc.  Like Woodgate seems a bit daft being in mine as he wasn't here long enough and barely played.  I just can't think of many quality CB's we've had over my time supporting NUFC   

 

There is recency bias in the below and also a lot of it is due to what I've mentioned above:

Pope

 

Trippier

Schar

Woodgate

Enrique

 

Solano

Rob Lee

Bruno

Robert

 

Shearer

Isak

 

My favourite XI didn't even have Shearer in it  

 

[Pokerprince2004]

Was thinking about this the other day actually and we are definitely getting to the point where a few of our players are reaching all time Prem XI discussions, particularly Bruno, Schar and Trippier. Still too early for Tonali and Isak in my opinion need to do it over 3 or 4 seasons. Lewis Hall will be there in 2 years as well. 

 

 

[joeyt]

Great opening post and thread

[Troll]

2 minutes ago, Pokerprince2004 said:

Still too early for Tonali and Isak in my opinion need to do it over 3 or 4 seasons

 

Too early?  In a month, Isak will be our second highest scorer in the Premier League.

[Lush Vlad]

Just now, Pokerprince2004 said:

Was thinking about this the other day actually and we are definitely getting to the point where a few of our players are reaching all time Prem XI discussions, particularly Bruno, Schar and Trippier. Still too early for Tonali and Isak in my opinion need to do it over 3 or 4 seasons. Lewis Hall will be there in 2 years as well. 

 

 

 

Agree on Tonali.  

 

But Isak's numbers are below and I think they are more than worthy of putting him in the conversation, or in my case, a no brainer straight into the team:

 

10 in 27

25 in 40

15 in 22 and still going

 

I also think his insane ability just put him above any other striker we've had in the prem bar Shearer (for different reasons).  

[AJ9]

16 minutes ago, Lush Vlad said:

I always find these tough.  As I didn't have Sky as a kid and I didn't go to many games until I was 16 onwards.  So a lot of the prime years when we were great I am picking favourites and players I either have fond memories of or I have been influenced by others on how good they were (born in 89). 

 

I think I did my favourite XI pretty easily on another thread.  But the best XI I find really tough.  It's also hard if you're going for pure ability, what they achieved before/after, longevity etc.  Like Woodgate seems a bit daft being in mine as he wasn't here long enough and barely played.  I just can't think of many quality CB's we've had over my time supporting NUFC   

 

There is recency bias in the below and also a lot of it is due to what I've mentioned above:

Pope

 

Trippier

Schar

Woodgate

Enrique

 

Solano

Rob Lee

Bruno

Robert

 

Shearer

Isak

 

My favourite XI didn't even have Shearer in it  

 

I’d go with this, but Given in nets

[Kid Icarus]

Love the effort and the write-up but Hamman, Cabaye, and Tonali over Rob Lee is absolutely outrageous.

 

A latter day Kevin Nolan.

 

A shame because I agree with a lot of the rest, but that's insane, he was much nearer (for a time) a latter day Frank Lampard at his peak.

 

 

Edited yesterday at 16:11 by Kid Icarus

[Pokerprince2004]

Fair enough can't really argue with the numbers Isak is putting out 👍 Andy Cole in that season we got promoted was unreal mind an absolute predator so he'd slightly edge it for now but another season of Isak will cement himself as our 2nd best behind Shearer. 

 

Same with Woodgate really, unreal for us but is 28 appearances enough to be in an all time eleven? 

[Rich]

Pope

 

Trippier

Schär

Coloccini

Enrique

 

Ben Arfa

Guimarães

Lee

Ginola

Shearer

Isak

M: Keegan

 

Fairly confident this team would get 114 points.

 

Given

 

Beye

Woodgate

Albert

Hall

 

Solano

Cabaye

Tioté

Robert

 

Cole

Beardsley

M: Howe

 

Think this one might only manage 102 points or so.

[Sima]

 

Rob Lee - For me he was always a bit of a latter-day Kevin Nolan. Great goalscorer, but I wanted more from him.

 

Quite possibly the worst thing I have ever seen on here.  And I remember Ian W getting Colback on the back of the 95/96 shirt.

[Lush Vlad]

7 minutes ago, Pokerprince2004 said:

Fair enough can't really argue with the numbers Isak is putting out 👍 Andy Cole in that season we got promoted was unreal mind an absolute predator so he'd slightly edge it for now but another season of Isak will cement himself as our 2nd best behind Shearer. 

 

Same with Woodgate really, unreal for us but is 28 appearances enough to be in an all time eleven? 

 

PL XI, though?  So can't count Cole's goals in Division 1, can you?  

 

Or is it just the PL era?  Bit before my time of watching and following football in a bit more detail.  But I don't see him ahead of Isak if we are talking Premier League only. 

[Kid Icarus]

Not necessarily the teams with the most cohesion, just these are the best players I've seen in these positions at their peak.

 

Pope

 

Trippier

Schär 

Woodgate 

José Enrique

 

Ben Arfa

Lee

Beardsley

Ginola

 

Shearer

Isak

 

Manager: Keegan

 

2nd:

 

Given

 

Beye

Botman

Albert

Beresford 

 

Solano

Guimaraes

Batty

Robert

 

Cole

Ferdinand 

 

Manager: Howe.

 

 

Very close between Bruno and Lee for which team they go in. I think Bruno will be in the first team soon.

 

[Beren]

I'm too emotionally cowardly to complete this exercise, and my view of the best XI are coloured by favourites. Cracking OP though.

 

If we're building a real team, not just a Galacticos-on-paper, I think I'd struggle to leave out prime Tiote in a way, who was Kante before Kante was Kante. But I think Tonali could surpass him.

 

I feel like I definitely overrate Ba, relative to the rest of our fanbase too. I'm not saying he's ahead of Shearer or Isak, who are the standout favourites, but he'd make my subs bench ahead of other popular choices because of his ability to raise the level of those around him.

 

Then there's the nostalgia/being a kid factor - where I don't remember the 90s team quite so well/accurately.

 

Woodgate is the best central defender I've seen in Newcastle colours. 

 

Huge fan of Shay Given, great shotstopper. Lovely bloke. Never once felt confident with him for penalties. Don't think we've had a truly outstanding goalkeeper in my time, tbh.

[AJ9]

If it was Howe managing and a 433 I would go:

 

Given

Trippier

Schar

Woodgate

Enrique

 

Tonali

Bruno

Lee

 

Beardsley

Shearer

Isak

[Kid Icarus]

1 minute ago, AJ9 said:

If it was Howe managing and a 433 I would go:

 

Given

Trippier

Schar

Woodgate

Enrique

 

Tonali

Bruno

Lee

 

Beardsley

Shearer

Isak

 

That would be absolutely fucking ridiculous

 

Would go for Pope and would need to find a way of involving a non-nutcase Ben Arfa, but as a serious XI that would be incredible like.

[HawK]

17 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

Love the effort and the write-up but Hamman, Cabaye, and Tonali over Rob Lee is absolutely outrageous.

 

A latter day Kevin Nolan.

 

A shame because I agree with a lot of the rest, but that's insane, he was much nearer (for a time) a latter day Frank Lampard at his peak.

 

 

 

 

That's why I love these forums  I could have written a post about what I think the 'NO-consensus-XI' is instead, but where's the fun in that. 

 

Be brave and write your own XI - I want to see it

[Cort]

Given

 

Trippier

Coloccini

Schär

Hall

 

Solano

Bruno

Lee

Robert

 

Shearer (c)

Ferdinand

[Yorkie]

I can only go from about '98 onwards:

 

Given

 

Trippier

Schär 

Woodgate

Enrique

 

Bruno

Speed

Dyer

 

Ben Arfa

Shearer

Isak

[Dr Jinx]

                                                Given

 

                     Coloccini        Woodgate           Botman

 

 

                                              Tonali

Solano                                                                            Robert

 

                    Bruno G                                  Beardsley

 

 

                               Shearer                  Isak

 

 

 

Subs:

Pope

Burn

Trippier

Enrique

Lee

Speed

Ginola

Asprilla

Cole

[HawK]

17 minutes ago, Sima said:

 

 

 

 

Quite possibly the worst thing I have ever seen on here.  And I remember Ian W getting Colback on the back of the 95/96 shirt.

 

[joeyt]

Are we saying Beye > Debuchy?

 

He seems to be in a lot of second XIs whereas I remember Debuchy was really good when he first arrived

[SUPERTOON]

Will do my full one later, has to have my favourite player ever in Ben Arfa though.

[Kid Icarus]

11 minutes ago, HawK said:

 

That's why I love these forums  I could have written a post about what I think the 'NO-consensus-XI' is instead, but where's the fun in that. 

 

Be brave and write your own XI - I want to see it

 

20 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

Not necessarily the teams with the most cohesion, just these are the best players I've seen in these positions at their peak.

 

Pope

 

Trippier

Schär 

Woodgate 

José Enrique

 

Ben Arfa

Lee

Beardsley

Ginola

 

Shearer

Isak

 

Manager: Keegan

 

2nd:

 

Given

 

Beye

Botman

Albert

Beresford 

 

Solano

Guimaraes

Batty

Robert

 

Cole

Ferdinand 

 

Manager: Howe.

 

 

Very close between Bruno and Lee for which team they go in. I think Bruno will be in the first team soon.