Best ever squad?

[Casual]

They was my favourite 2. Will always be my front 2 in the best I’ve seen at Palace. Murray and AJ would have mate a great 2 , but Wright and Bright for me.
But in world footballing terms I think they would be in the bracket as Quinn/phillips, cascarino/sheringham.
Serie A was a slower league but it was number 1 in the 90s , had all the best players. The 3 Germans at inter , 3 Dutch at Milan etc.

Wright was in an unfortunate era for English strikers. Shearer was number 1, then there was sheringham, Cole, sutton, Ferdinand, fowler, Owen, smith, Philips, Dublin, collymore. I’m sure I missed a couple.
Looking at the list above I’d say 33 England caps was a massive achievement.
Quality player,

I'm unconvinced by some of those. From what I saw Wright and Bright would score at any level. Wright should have played more for England - which has been discussed many a time. Reminds me of Greavsie.
Some of those there played in slow leagues for big teams - yet Bright and Wright played for Palace where there was barely a playmaker. They're not Ronaldo or Messi but together, that was something.

 

[est1905]

Supporter for 50 years, I reckon this our best ever squad. And maybe best Manager, Even above 'Team of 80s' and Wright/Bright era. Thoughts?

You might be right. Best way to judge is to wait until the end of the season. If we actually achieve something (Europe, good league position, FA Cup, all of the above) it will be indisputable.

Lets be honest, we all adored Coppell's team of Wright, Bright, Gray, Thomas, Pemberton, Barber, Martyn, Salako, etc but loved them as we did they couldn't play. Not like this team. I'll never forget the comment made by Steve Mcmahon as they walked off the pitch at Anfield having thumped us 9-0. He turned to (I think it was Geoff Thomas) and said 'do you lot actually have a ball when you're training?' 🤣
Revenge was sweet a few months later when the same Palace team (but without the injured Ian Wright) refused to buckle and prevailed 4-3 AET 😍

 

[Casual]

There may not have been a classic playmaker in that team.
But service from salako , mcgoldrick , gray, madden and Thomas, plus the fact there was 2 upfront (brights flick ons)
Was decent for assists.

I'm unconvinced by some of those.

From what I saw Wright and Bright would score at any level. Wright should have played more for England - which has been discussed many a time. Reminds me of Greavsie.
Some of those there played in slow leagues for big teams - yet Bright and Wright played for Palace where there was barely a playmaker. They're not Ronaldo or Messi but together, that was something.

 

[Painter]

Era's change, the 90's team was very good, but TV money has changed football forever. In those days there were very few foreigners playing in the top flight, now all the best players from all over the world are drawn to the Premier, seen as the best in the world.
So the competition is far tougher as some clubs are financed by oil rich nations and billionaires from around the world. Our current squad is very competitive against all the odds, against squads assembled by far more money than ours. Therefore our current squad are the best we have ever had, in view of the competition.

 

[RubinsCube]

You might be right. Best way to judge is to wait until the end of the season. If we actually achieve something (Europe, good league position, FA Cup, all of the above) it will be indisputable.

Lets be honest, we all adored Coppell's team of Wright, Bright, Gray, Thomas, Pemberton, Barber, Martyn, Salako, etc but loved them as we did they couldn't play. Not like this team. I'll never forget the comment made by Steve Mcmahon as they walked off the pitch at Anfield having thumped us 9-0. He turned to (I think it was Geoff Thomas) and said 'do you lot actually have a ball when you're training?' 🤣
Revenge was sweet a few months later when the same Palace team (but without the injured Ian Wright) refused to buckle and prevailed 4-3 AET 😍

I think that's a bit harsh.

Yes, the midfield was rather workmanlike and the team generally was quite physical.

But Andy Gray could dance past three or four players at any moment, and he often did. McGoldrick and Salako were livewires out wide. Pemberton had a maraude in him as Liverpool found out. Given how top flight football was at the time we were not the worst footballing side in the league.

That said, the team was very much built around Wright and Bright. Slide rule passes or balls over the top for Wright to run on to. And pace out wide with early crosses for Bright to get on the end of. In some ways the way Forest have set up this year reminds me of that team although they do mix it up more than we did.

 

[PatrickA]

I think that's a bit harsh.

Yes, the midfield was rather workmanlike and the team generally was quite physical.

But Andy Gray could dance past three or four players at any moment, and he often did. McGoldrick and Salako were livewires out wide. Pemberton had a maraude in him as Liverpool found out. Given how top flight football was at the time we were not the worst footballing side in the league.

That said, the team was very much built around Wright and Bright. Slide rule passes or balls over the top for Wright to run on to. And pace out wide with early crosses for Bright to get on the end of. In some ways the way Forest have set up this year reminds me of that team although they do mix it up more than we did.

I agree with much of this.
On occasions I would go to training sessions at Mitcham and observe Coppell and the coaching staff drill the players in direct play, hitting the channels, getting the ball forward ASAP or out wide for crosses to be fed to Wright and Bright.
This was tactical, as opposed to an indication that the players couldn't play.
Wright would have been a superstar in any era, Bright had excellent hold up play and his link up play with Wright had some finesse and wasn't only based on power.
Salako and McGoldrick were skilful players with the ability to take on the opposition and cross the ball accurately, an art that seems to be in decline.
Gray and Thomas had athletic physicality, but there was far more to their game than that.
Gray in particular was a very good striker of a ball, capable of accurate driven long passes and powerful shots.
Wright, Thomas, Gray, Salako and Martyn were all England internationals and Shaw and Bright were also in contention.

That team was a very good team and took the club closer to honours than any other team in our history.
To suggest that they couldn't play is palpably nonsense.

 

[BromleyMonkey]

You might be right. Best way to judge is to wait until the end of the season. If we actually achieve something (Europe, good league position, FA Cup, all of the above) it will be indisputable.

Lets be honest, we all adored Coppell's team of Wright, Bright, Gray, Thomas, Pemberton, Barber, Martyn, Salako, etc but loved them as we did they couldn't play . Not like this team . I'll never forget the comment made by Steve Mcmahon as they walked off the pitch at Anfield having thumped us 9-0. He turned to (I think it was Geoff Thomas) and said 'do you lot actually have a ball when you're training?' 🤣
Revenge was sweet a few months later when the same Palace team (but without the injured Ian Wright) refused to buckle and prevailed 4-3 AET 😍

We were very route one in 91, we used to get the ball forward quick for Wrighty to chase and we were very effective at crosses, corners and set pieces. Yet we had two of the best midfielders around at that time who got in the England squad in GT and Gray, it was very brief especially Gray, but I think we could play a bit more than people gave us credit for. It’s just our main strength was power, set pieces, organisation and pace

 

[herbolive]

Loving the '90s nostalgia (if not the 9-0 Anfield reminder). OK re squad depth now, but we can nearly field an 11 of international players. Several with England caps, plus Mateta, Munoz, Sarr, Hughes on fire ....go Glaziers!

 

[BromleyMonkey]

Loving the '90s nostalgia (if not the 9-0 Anfield reminder). OK re squad depth now, but we can nearly field an 11 of international players. Several with England caps, plus Mateta, Munoz, Sarr, Hughes on fire ....go Glaziers!

I’ve said it many a time, I’ve always been quite proud to say I was there. It was one of those freak results and it might seem strange but I’ve seen us play a lot worse over the years. It was just one of those nights where everything Liverpool did went in. As we all know in football, another night they could’ve had 20 efforts at goal and not scored once.

 

[1969eagle]

By results steve coppel 91 team surely. the highest achievers. Current team would probably beat them based modern levels of fitness/nutrition/tactics etc…Add in the fact that current team is drawn from all around the world ( because of PL money) and the 90s pitches were mud patches compared to todays manicured lawns with perfect bounce….all makes meaningful comparison harder.

 

[BromleyMonkey]

Hughesey would’ve fitted well into the 91 team, he’s always up for a scrap and he’s not frightened to get stuck in

Not sure how many of the 91 team would stay on the pitch now though, it’s practically non contact these days the way cards are handed out……..yes you Anthony Taylor 🤣

 

[OAPeagle]

Up front Don Rogers by a country mile. Entertainment value. Bolassie, Lazarus and Burridge. Power shots, Ambrose, Colin "Cannonball" Taylor and Townsend. Dribblers, Johnson "Budgie" Byrne, Bolassie, Eze & Don Rogers. Central defenders, Eric "Ninja" Young, Lacroix and Guerhi. OK showing my age, but resisted the temptation to list the (numerous) lemons.

 

[OAPeagle]

Up front Don Rogers by a country mile. Entertainment value. Bolassie, Lazarus and Burridge. Power shots, Ambrose, Colin "Cannonball" Taylor and Townsend. Dribblers, Johnson "Budgie" Byrne, Bolassie, Eze & Don Rogers. Central defenders, Eric "Ninja" Young, Lacroix and Guerhi. OK showing my age, but resisted the temptation to list the (numerous) lemons.

Dawned predictive text. Johnny Budgie Byrne. Apologies.

 

[RubinsCube]

Hughesey would’ve fitted well into the 91 team, he’s always up for a scrap and he’s not frightened to get stuck in

Not sure how many of the 91 team would stay on the pitch now though, it’s practically non contact these days the way cards are handed out……..yes you Anthony Taylor 🤣

Agreed yes - I also think our current fullbacks/wing backs would have fitted nicely into the 91 team.

I think some of the 91 team were good enough to have adapted their game and succeed in the modern era - but the centre halves would have struggled for sure!

I could see Gray, Salako, McGoldrick, Bright, and one or two others in the modern Premier League. Wright would have done great in most eras, although whether he would have had the chance in the modern "one forward" game is another matter. Probably he'd have needed to adapt his game to be a Rashford type of inside forward.

 

[iheartcpfc]

I've been a supporter for a similar length of time and there's no doubt that we currently have a very good set of players and an excellent manager.
If left to develop with further additions, there is the potential to equal or surpass Coppell's team.
However, that's a big 'if' and we're not there yet in my view.
The Coppell team finished third in the league and was minutes away from winning a cup final.
It had a spine of Martyn, Thorn, Young, Gray, Thomas, Wright and Bright.
That's a fearsome combination of ability, physicality and competitive spirit.
In my opinion the current team is not yet at thjs level.

This current side would pass and press them off the pitch. Put your nostalgia goggles aside

 

[PatrickA]

This current side would pass and press them off the pitch. Put your nostalgia goggles aside

Nothing to do with nostalgia.

Are you suggesting that players in the old days weren’t athletes or couldn’t adapt to modern training methods?

Guys like Colin Bell, or indeed our own Geoff Thomas , covered every blade of grass and played nearly every game.
Reaney and Cooper at Leeds as full backs were up and down the lines all game and every game.Like our own Munoz, but with the additional ability to defend.
Liverpool won the Premier League equivalent with something like 14 players, with almost no ‘squad rotation’ or missing a game with a slight cold or sore toe.
There was also no selection of ‘B’ teams for cup competitions.

I’m not seeking to denigrate our current team, which is a good one.
But it has a way to go before it can be seen to emulate the achievements of the Coppell team.

 

[ASCPFC]

Nothing to do with nostalgia.

Are you suggesting that players in the old days weren’t athletes or couldn’t adapt to modern training methods?

Guys like Colin Bell, or indeed our own Geoff Thomas , covered every blade of grass and played nearly every game.
Reaney and Cooper at Leeds as full backs were up and down the lines all game and every game.Like our own Munoz, but with the additional ability to defend.
Liverpool won the Premier League equivalent with something like 14 players, with almost no ‘squad rotation’ or missing a game with a slight cold or sore toe.
There was also no selection of ‘B’ teams for cup competitions.

I’m not seeking to denigrate our current team, which is a good one.
But it has a way to go before it can be seen to emulate the achievements of the Coppell team.

Villa won the league, which was a much longer season, using 12 players.

 

[BromleyMonkey]

This current side would pass and press them off the pitch. Put your nostalgia goggles aside

I doubt it, they wouldn’t have the time on the ball for all that modern day tippy tappy passing before they were offloaded. The press would be totally redundant as well because the 91 team would by pass it because they got the ball forward so quick. When did you ever see Nigel Martyn pass the ball out to Ninja or Thorny and play out from the back? Never!! They finished 3rd for a reason, hard to play against

Put your modern day tippy tappy pressing glasses aside 😀

 

[est1905]

Agreed yes - I also think our current fullbacks/wing backs would have fitted nicely into the 91 team.

I think some of the 91 team were good enough to have adapted their game and succeed in the modern era - but the centre halves would have struggled for sure!

I could see Gray, Salako, McGoldrick, Bright, and one or two others in the modern Premier League. Wright would have done great in most eras, although whether he would have had the chance in the modern "one forward" game is another matter. Probably he'd have needed to adapt his game to be a Rashford type of inside forward.

Jermaine Defoe was a poor man's Ian Wright. If he could thrive in the modern game Ian Wright would have playing his own game. He wouldn't have needed to play inside forward.

 

[Glazier#1]

Up front Don Rogers by a country mile. Entertainment value. Bolassie, Lazarus and Burridge. Power shots, Ambrose, Colin "Cannonball" Taylor and Townsend. Dribblers, Johnson "Budgie" Byrne, Bolassie, Eze & Don Rogers. Central defenders, Eric "Ninja" Young, Lacroix and Guerhi. OK showing my age, but resisted the temptation to list the (numerous) lemons.

Don't forget the Bobby Woodruff throw just to complete the set.