13 October 2001

THE CURRENT SQUAD

By United Views Columnist - Michael Walton

So United have just beaten Sunderland 3-1 away and that's with no fewer than 7 changes from the midweek win away to the previously undefeated, at home, Olympiakos.

We're now right into the new season and things are finally looking good this year, that's not taking anything away from the past couple of seasons where we've won the league with embarrassing ease considering the talent that other clubs claim to possess, but after going to all but 4 of the games this season I now look at the squad and think is this the best squad that United have ever had?

Barthez in goal is arguably the best keeper in the world and a very reliable understudy in Roy Carroll we have Gary Neville who despite a lot of criticism there aren't two many full backs better than him in the game which is why he's been a United and England regular for the last 6 years, we have three great centre backs with Blanc's experience and Browns amazing potential that could be a great partnership not to mention the fit again Ronny Johnsen who is looking back to his best. At left back there's the ever improving Silvestre who won over many a hardcore red last season with back up coming from Phill Neville, Denis Irwin and David May.

In midfield we have undoubtedly the best midfield in the world bar none, Keano is doing what he does and controlling the games with ease, Beckham showing the world that he's back after a dip in form towards the end of last season when many people claimed he'd 'been found out' we have Giggs who we get such a great balance down the left from and really miss when he's not playing also Paul Scholes who although has been played as the link striker this season has still got to be classed as a midfielder and he's suffered slightly from not playing in his usual position but seems now to be getting used to his new role, And now we get to Veron the man who has refreshed the midfield and has a bit of Keane, Giggs, Beckham and Scholes all rolled into one in him he's been great this season and the things he does are quite simply Eric esque. The back up in midfield is amazing to with Nicky Butt, Quinton Fortune and Luke Chadwick plus the promising Michael Stewart I ask can we win the worthless cup with reserves this year? 

Upfront we are again blessed with a super quartet of strikers with 19 million man Ruud Van Nistelrooy doing amazingly well in the lone strikers role and looking like the player who Fergie waited a year to sign and he's still getting used to English football. Andy Cole has impressed recently and really pushed for a place in the side and he may even make Fergie revert to 4-4-2 for the Deportivo game on Wednesday. We have Ole ready and waiting to come into the team and this is a player who could get into any other premiership side but he'd rather fight for his place with us and I hope we keep him til he retires because he's an example of how footballers should be never mind a great player to boot and now we come to Dwight Yorke who had an unstoppable first season and since then has failed to live up to expectations and looked like he's lost the hunger and desire which he first shown when he signed hopefully he will regain that pretty soon. So after all that and with the team looking like gelling I'll see you all at Hampden Park in May.

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