Man Utd - Class Of '99 Still To Be Upstaged

There was a tinge of irony in Alex Fergusons words following the maiden Monday Night Football feast of the season at Goodison Park. The old masters assertion of a game, in which Everton’s direct and powerful approach bulldozed a sluggish United side, was that they had lost out due to his side’s lack of finesse in front of goal. This came just a week on from Fergusons bold announcement that his 2012 set of attackers were as good as the treble winning class of 1999.

No one can deny that the idea of marrying Robin Van Persie with Wayne Rooney isn’t, atleast on paper, a tantalising prospect. The Dutchman has plundered 48 league goals in 55 games since January 1^st 2011. Only one player in the Premier League has netted more than half as many in that time. Wayne Rooney himself. In theory, tying up the two most lethal men in England presents United with a massive upper hand in their quest to regain the title from their nearby neighbours, especially with Sergio Aguero potentially facing a period of time on the sidelines.

The main point behind Fergusons comparison was the strength in depth that the addition of Van Persie now brings to Old Trafford. Behind the aforementioned front two, United can also call on Danny Welbeck, Javier Hernandez and to a lesser extent, Federico Macheda. The Scot compared this to the talent he hadait his disposal in the trophy laden 98/99 season, when regular front two Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke were backed up admirably by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Teddy Sheringham. The formidable foursome combined to net 76 goals in all competitions between them, so is it fair to compare the current crop with such a golden generation?

United response to a barren 97/98 season was to splash out over £12m on Aston Villa's Dwight Yorke. The previous season had seen Ferguson partner Cole and Sheringham in nearly all of their games and despite Cole netting an impressive 25 times, a lack of unpredictability and, crucially, pace, was cited as the main reason the Reds surrendered the title for the first time in 3 seasons, as well as a poor showing in Europe. The signing of Yorke reinvigorated their attack, and he and Cole struck up an instant and memorable double act. The Trinidad and Tobago international finished as top scorer with 29 strikes and Cole managed 24 himself. The memory of the two combining with such fluidity against Barcelona in the Champions League group stage was bettered only by their clinical display against Juventus in the semi final when both men netted in a thrilling 3-2 victory to book their place in the final. In addition to the fledgling partnership, Ferguson was also boosted by the continued emergence of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The form of Uniteds main two limited him to just 17 starts in all competitions, however the Norwegians return of 18 goals endeared him as a fan favourite at Old Trafford and earned him the ‘Super Sub’ nickname that would stick until he retired. Teddy Sheringham was limited even further, starting just 11 times with a further 16 appearances from the bench, yet chipped in with 5 goals including one in the FA Cup Final against Newcastle and the all important equaliser against Bayern in the Champions League Final.

Fergie’s recent interview regarding the crop of 1999 included the line "I had Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the four best strikers in Europe". A bold assertion given this was an era when the likes of Ronaldo, Christian Vieri, Gabriel Batistuta and Raul still ruled the roost. While the four may not have been, individually, the best strikers in Europe at that time, collectively there were few better. As already mentioned, Cole and Yorke hit it off instantly, Solskjaer's searing pace from the bench always caused problems, and Sheringham's sharp footballing brain and clever movement was often utilized from the bench to unlock tight defences. It remains to be seen whether Robin Van Persie can have a similar input to this season as Yorke did upon signing 14 years ago. What is up for debate however is the strength of United’s other front men, and those operating behind the attack.

Danny Welbeck enjoyed a fruitful breakthrough season last year, netting 12 times and rounding it off with a decent showing in England’s ill-fated European Championship campaign. He is improving all the time, and showed enough last season to suggest he deserves his place at a top club for the time being. He is still raw however, and his performance on Monday night proved that playing as a wide man in Fergusons 4-3-3 formation renders him as almost anonymous. This is likely to be a problem, given that both Rooney and Van Persie are at there goalscoring best when played through the middle.

Similarly to how Welbeck broke through last season, Javier Hernandez was the surprise hit of 2010/2011, however he failed to replicate that again last year and despite matching Welbecks tally of 12 goals, he was often posted missing when given the chance to start big games. Ferguson will be expecting a big season from the little Mexican after he, citing fatigue, wangled a deal with Mexico to excuse him from Olympics duty this summer. He should arrive fresh into this campaign and, given his electric pace and the fact he is likely to start most games from the bench, the former Chivas man could be the player closest to filling the Solskjaer role of perennial super sub.

Wayne Rooney may be closer to Andy Cole in terms of the expectation to grab upwards of 25 goals this season; however he has the awareness of position and guile that compares well with Teddy Sheringham. Realistically, Rooney can do everything Sheringham could do, and more. He is likely to play a deeper role this season, with Van Persie utilised as an old fashioned number 9 in the same vein as he was last year at the Emirates. This could arguably bring out the best in both men. Rooney likes the freedom that the position of advanced number 10 brings him, allowing him to mix it in midfield and combine with the wide men around him.

A crucial point to remember in this comparison is that the 1999 attack was backed up by a fantastic midfield. Fergusons 4-4-2 of that time may seem prehistoric in today’s game,but the middle four from that season found the perfect balance between graft and guile, brains and brawn. Ryan Giggs and David Beckham were a thrilling contrast on the wings, the former ripping defences open with control and speed, see Arsenal in THAT semi final, and the latter whipping in deadly accurate crosses from deep positions and set pieces. Yorke and Cole benefited immensely from both, but it was United central midfielders who ran the show. 1998/1999 saw Roy Keane close to hitting his imperious best (he would reach his zenith in the following season) and Paul Scholes had now proved himself as one of the best of his kind in Europe. A seemingly flat four on paper would change shape dramatically when United were counter attacking, with both Scholes and Keane bursting to support, and often go beyond the strikers, Beckham coming inside to look for the angles and Giggs stretching the opposition with diagonal runs from the left. Ferguson was able to go with such a positive formation by relying on the colossal new signing Jaap Stam at the back. It did backfire on occasion, the chaotic defending against Barcelona twice in the Champions League group stages being a prime example, but when all were on their game it was a juggernaut that no team, domestically or at the time in Europe could handle.

Since then, Ferguson has adapted his tactics into a fluid 4-3-3 to fit in with changing European game. Remarkably, Giggs and Scholes remain a lasting link between the great side of 14 years ago, however both have adapted their game significantly since then, and may only feature sporadically in what will surely be their final season. Nani comes close to providing the same graceful directness from wide as Giggs did, albeit less consistently, and Antonio Valencia is closer to the Beckham model of winger whereby he relies on the quality of delivery rather than a box of tricks to beat a defence. Scholes still has sufficient quality to play at this level, as his cameo return in the last campaign proved, however he no longer has the legs for the late, blind side runs that he made his trademark. Unless United add another central midfielder to their ranks before the end of August, a Bastian Schweinsteiger or Esteban Cambiasso perhaps, they are in danger of being overrun in the middle when it comes to facing the rest of the top four sides. Lessons surely must have been learned from the last derby of the previous campaign, when a Yaya Toure inspired City powered their way into pole position for the title. There are worries too in defence. Patrice Evra is another year older and seemingly losing a yard of pace with every passing year, doubt surrounds whether Nemanja Vidic can recapture form after such a lengthy injury and both Chris Smalling and Phil Jones need perhaps another year of experience before they are fully ready. The signing of Van Persie alone will unlikely, in my eyes, be enough to win the title.

So much hope for this season therefore, depends on how quickly Shinji Kagawa can get up and running. On Monday night, there were plenty of signs to be optimistic. The little Japanese man probed between the lines of midfield and attack, bursting beyond the strikers when the opportunity arose and always looking to get his head up and move forward. There were echoes of the Paul Scholes of old in the way he cleverly always seemed ready to take a pass, and you get the feeling Wayne Rooney is going to love playing with him. An understanding between the two already seems to exist, so Ferguson may be tempted to keep them close together in a 4-2-3-1, where they can, along with Nani, offer plenty of spark and ammunition for Van Persie leading the line.

On paper, it looks glamorous and exciting, combining the two most lethal marksmen in the land with arguably one of the best the Bundesliga had to offer. However, the class of 99 may not have had the top billing names, but it will be a tall order for today’s crop to replicate the relationship and fluidity of that great side.