Rafa's team vs Brendan's team

[Modo]

Which one was better?

Rafa's team 2008/09

Reina

Arbeloa (Kelly)
Carragher (Skrtel)
Agger (Hyypia)
Aurelio (Dossena)

Mascherano (Lucas)
Alonso
Gerrard

Riera (Babel)
Kuyt (Benayoun)

Torres (Ngog, Keane)

Brendan's team 2013/14

Mignolet

Johnson
Skrtel (Touré)
Agger (Sakho)
Flanagan (Enrique)

Lucas
Henderson (Allen)
Gerrard

Coutinho (Sterling)
Suarez

Sturridge

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

I have to say that Rafa's team was probably better, I mean look at that midfield. Gerrard was in his prime, Alonso and Mascherano too.


Our defence was also slightly better thanks to Hyypia, Carragher and Arbeloa.

However, we lacked creativity up front which is something I think Brendan's team is a lot better at.
Brendan's team is more lethal.

 

[Ryan]

Teams on paper mean utterly fuck all.

A front 4 of Januzaj-Mata-Rooney-RVP looks like the fucking greatest thing ever when it's written down, then you see them play.

It's akin to that poe-eyed bollocks about managers and tactics being irrelevent. Ours and conversely Man Utd's form this season has pretty much hammered the final nail in that hilarious coffin.

 

[LeTallecWiz]

Teams on paper mean utterly fuck all.

A front 4 of Januzaj-Mata-Rooney-RVP looks like the fucking greatest thing ever when it's written down, then you see them play.

It's akin to that poe-eyed bollocks about managers and tactics being irrelevent. Ours and conversely Man Utd's form this season has pretty much hammered the final nail in that hilarious coffin.

Just answer the question - he's asking you -having seen both teams play - which one would win? It's not about 'on paper,' it's about which team would win if they could face each other.

 

[gkmacca]

The better question might be: which team would do better against all the other teams?, and at the moment, I'd say Brendan's team has the edge.

 

[Modo]

Teams on paper mean utterly fuck all.

A front 4 of Januzaj-Mata-Rooney-RVP looks like the fucking greatest thing ever when it's written down, then you see them play.

It's akin to that poe-eyed bollocks about managers and tactics being irrelevent. Ours and conversely Man Utd's form this season has pretty much hammered the final nail in that hilarious coffin.

You've got a point but on some level you have to be able to compare the players as well.
By your rationale it's impossible to say if Suarez is a better player than Kevin Doyle for instance.

 

[FoxForceFive]

I honestly find this hard to answer.

The Rafa side would do a very good job at trying to stop the newer side scoring, but I doubt even they could stop Suarez & Sturridge, so I'd probably just about say this newer side.

However it'd be a very close thing. I'm struggling to remember how that side did against pacey teams tbh, cos that'd be key.

 

[RedZeppelin III]

i don't subscribe to that "managers are irrelevant " theory but i do believe that a well run club with a clear identity can make a coach/manager's job alot easier. Porto would be a perfect example , sevilla for a few seasons there etc etc.

Anyway i think the best mix of those two is Rafa's def and mid with Rodger's attackers . So who would do better with that combined team ? i think we'd enjoy watching rodgers manage it .

 

[Modo]

i don't subscribe to that "managers are irrelevant " theory but i do believe that a well run club with a clear identity can make a coach/manager's job alot easier. Porto would be a perfect example , sevilla for a few seasons there etc etc.

Anyway i think the best mix of those two is Rafa's def and mid with Rodger's attackers . So who would do better with that combined team ? i think we'd enjoy watching rodgers manage it .

this I can agree with.

 

[RedZeppelin III]

if it was a two legged european tie i guess you'd have to back rafa's team .

 

[Hansern]

Teams on paper mean utterly fuck all.

A front 4 of Januzaj-Mata-Rooney-RVP looks like the fucking greatest thing ever when it's written down, then you see them play.

It's akin to that poe-eyed bollocks about managers and tactics being irrelevent. Ours and conversely Man Utd's form this season has pretty much hammered the final nail in that hilarious coffin.

And this stat mate:

This time last season, David Moyes' Everton had 48 points from 29 games, having scored 46 goals & conceded 35

This season, David Moyes' #MUFC side have 48pts from 29 games, having scored 46 goals and conceded 34

Says it all really..

 

[refugee]

I think Rafa's team would win it, primarily because they are much better defensively and Brendan's team would struggle with Gerrard and Torres.

Unless Suarez pulled a rabbit out of a hat

 

[peterhague]

And this stat mate:

This time last season, David Moyes' Everton had 48 points from 29 games, having scored 46 goals & conceded 35

This season, David Moyes' #MUFC side have 48pts from 29 games, having scored 46 goals and conceded 34

Says it all really..

I knew it was close, but that's absolutely remarkable.

As for the question, I think there's quite a bit more class in Rafa's team, but IMO Rodgers has got the balance of attack vs defence (or, really, control, which is what that side was all about) better - I think you have a better chance in this league if you're willing to go for it a bit more. Put it this way, I'd rather have this current team for the run in.

 

[LarryHagman]

I reckon the current team is better altho Rafa's team has better players. If you know what I mean.
I also think the competition is inferior at the moment.

 

[Silver Sean]

Rafa's team would win one - nil.

 

[Ryan]

Just answer the question - he's asking you -having seen both teams play - which one would win? It's not about 'on paper,' it's about which team would win if they could face each other.

I don't know.

That Rafa side were playing in the CL that year too so probably had an extra 15 odd games to play over the course of the season. I don't think we can underestimate how much having-no-european-football-to-worry-about-this-year has helped us get to where we are. Not disparaging anything Brodge and the side have done cos it's been miraculous.

Yeah, I dunno I guess. Rafa's side would have scored against the current side I think. But then, Studge and Swarr wouldn't have had much trouble either.

 

[Silver Sean]

And this stat mate:

This time last season, David Moyes' Everton had 48 points from 29 games, having scored 46 goals & conceded 35

This season, David Moyes' #MUFC side have 48pts from 29 games, having scored 46 goals and conceded 34

Says it all really..

That's almost unbelievable. Almost.

 

[LeTallecWiz]

I don't know.

That Rafa side were playing in the CL that year too so probably had an extra 15 odd games to play over the course of the season. I don't think we can underestimate how much having-no-european-football-to-worry-about-this-year has helped us get to where we are. Not disparaging anything Brodge and the side have done cos it's been miraculous.

Yeah, I dunno I guess. Rafa's side would have scored against the current side I think. But then, Studge and Swarr wouldn't have had much trouble either.

@Modo - Ryan is predicting a 4-4 thriller.

 

[Rosco]

And this stat mate:

This time last season, David Moyes' Everton had 48 points from 29 games, having scored 46 goals & conceded 35

This season, David Moyes' #MUFC side have 48pts from 29 games, having scored 46 goals and conceded 34

Says it all really..

It does say a lot, but more about you than anything else .

Follow your train of thought - if you think the points total of a team is a reflection the manager more so than the squad - then why did Wigan and Swansea not into the position that us and Everton are in?

What does it say about Avram Grant?

It's a wholly illogical way to look at things.

 

[Mystic]

And this stat mate:

This time last season, David Moyes' Everton had 48 points from 29 games, having scored 46 goals & conceded 35

This season, David Moyes' #MUFC side have 48pts from 29 games, having scored 46 goals and conceded 34

Says it all really..

That clearly shows improvement!

 

[Rosco]

Rafa's 06/07 team was better than the 08/09 one.

But this team is better than both of those

 

[peterhague]

It does say a lot, but more about you than anything else .

Follow your train of thought - if you think the points total of a team is a reflection the manager more so than the squad - then why did Wigan and Swansea not into the position that us and Everton are in?

What does it say about Avram Grant?

It's a wholly illogical way to look at things.

It's not wholly illogical at all. In fact I'm not sure it's even a way of looking at things: he just seemed to be posting an interesting fact.

It might be extremely significant, it might be wholly irrelevant. Chances are it's somewhere in between.

 

[Rosco]

Peter cop on

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

I also think the competition is inferior at the moment.

City's mega riches hadn't arrived yet back then so that was a strong team missing. Man Utd and Chelsea were strong, as usual, and Arsenal was Arsenal, while Everton was Everton (i.e. two tricky opponents who win shit). Spurs was having a transitional period between Juande Ramos and 'Arry, and finished outside the European places. Villa was a tough opponent under O'Neill, but after that, you had Fulham under Hodgson finishing 7th.

Back then, Newcastle, Boro and West Brom were relegated with 34, 32 and 32 points respectively. Hull City and Sunderland escaped with just a point or two. Looking at the situation now, the bottom three teams have 24, 25 and 25 points respectively, with Sunderland having 2 games in hand (if they win them, then Palace with 28 points drops into the zone). At the other end, the top three finished that season with 7 points between first and third.

I think this season is shaping up somewhat close to that season. I think they've been pretty even in terms of competitiveness.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Rafa's 06/07 team was better than the 08/09 one.

You do mean 07/08 right? Because Torres didn't arrive until a season later (07/08), and the 06/07 team actually finished 3rd but had dropped 14 points from the previous season's 82 points, ending up 21 points shy of eventual champions Man Utd (89).

 

[gkmacca]

Unless it is a time travel charity match, I repeat, it's much more pertinent to ask which side would do better against all the other teams. Rafa's team could win key games but then blow the mundane ones. Brendan's team, so far, is more consistent as well as more attractive. So maybe, on a good day, Rafa's team might beat this one, but this one would go on to finish higher, which is surely the more relevant point.

 

[FoxForceFive]

Unless it is a time travel charity match, I repeat, it's much more pertinent to ask which side would do better against all the other teams. Rafa's team could win key games but then blow the mundane ones. Brendan's team, so far, is more consistent as well as more attractive. So maybe, on a good day, Rafa's team might beat this one, but this one would go on to finish higher, which is surely the more relevant point.

Agree completely.

My original answer got deleted (dropped my phone & battery came out!) but in it I said I'd fancy Rafa's side to win maybe 1 in 5 games against the newer side, basically 'on their day'. This side is definitely more consistent (so far, he says, touching wood).

 

[Mystic]

Rafa's team specialised on beating high flying teams like ours, and the midfield, Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano was just incredible.

 

[Dirkus_Circus]

Rafa's team had Kuyt so this one is easy.

Rafa's team >>>>>>>

 

[Fallon]

This side without question. I remember getting no end of shit on here because I had the audacity to suggest we were out of the title race while 2nd and still mathematically in it, while in reality mediocre draws against Bolton, Fulham and Wigan meant that we never looked like truly being capable of winning it, every single time we had the opportunity to gain ground we buckled. This team, however, looks capable of beating anybody in the league right now, and convincingly too. We seem capable of handling the pressure in any game, we are younger, we play better (subjective, but who would disagree?) attacking football that is more entertaining, and as dangerous as Gerrard-Torres could be back then, this is now the most lethal attack force in Europe.

 

[Mystic]

Real Madrid and Barcelona might disagree with that statement Fallon