Plain and simple...which team do you think is better? Who would win? Strachan 11 Niemi Telfer Lundekvam Svensson Bridge Fernandes Svensson Oakley Marsden Beattie Ormerod/Pahars Adkins 11 Davis Richardson Fonte Hooivelt Fox Chaplow/Guly Cork/Schneidelin Hammond Lallana Lambert Connolly Personally a very tough choice for me. I think Strachans team would edge it for me. The back four were outstanding and that teams success was based on their defence. Beattie was on fire..it was a shame Pahars got injured towards the end. I think the Adkins 11 win it for pretty football. We haven't seen such outstanding football since the Strachan era...arguably way before that. Let's not forget that the Strachan 11 were playing in the Premiership but either way the players in both teams were very fit and wanted to play for the shirt. These two attributes prove that teams are successful when healthy and united. Your thoughts?
I think the current midfield is better, but Niemi and that back four were immense. Beattie and Pahars in their prime were unbelievable at times.
Interesting article - Midfield - Adkins, Defense - Strachan and Strikers - have to go with Strachan again! I believe Lambert could be as effective in the Premiership as Beattie was, with another top class striker (20 goals+) and some additions to the backline and we have the makings of a better Premiership team than Strachan ever had!
The nice thing about posts like this is that it reminds us of some of the excellent players we have seen at SMS over the years, and how depressing it was watching the Portaloo (and other) teams prior to the Pardew/Adkins revival. That we can even realistically contemplate this post is a measure of how far we have come. Strachan's central defensive partnership and keeper were as good as any we have seen so no contest, but the rest is up for grabs. I'm biased as Lambo is a scouser, but I have come to enjoy his play, which just gets better and better, more than that of Beattie who was ultimately a bit of a shooting star (no pun). In midfield I genuinely see this as a better combo, partly as I always felt the Strachan midfield was the weakness of the team
Shows what a class side we had in the Premiership. Head to head, the Strachan team has it..what a side! However, this just shows what a good manager Adkins is. He has created a team greater than their parts...something I have waited to see for a long time.
I would move to include Dodd instead of Telfer...possibly less historically accurate but he is a ledge.
The Strachan team would absolutely batter this side, That defence is another level, that midfield was decent and Beattie would have had a field day against Fonte and Hooiveld.
Strachan's boys would probably take it, although they would perhaps struggle in midfield against the quality we now have. But Niemi was amazing (I'm refusing to admit to myself he ever wore a pompey shirt!) and what a dream it'd be to have Pahars in the team right now Never was a huge fan of Beattie. I know he scored loads, but a large portion were penalties and controversially I always thought he'd be better playing in midfield! lol He had a good cross on him The Bridge/Marsden partnership down the left was a joy to watch, they worked the ball out of defence so well together.
quite a few internationals in the strachan squad, shows how good they were. However, in a one off Adkins could edge out strachan on tactics and with the confidence of the current squad -it would be a draw.
Take heed from the fact that he never actually pulled on a Pompey goalkeeper jersey for the first team. Funny also that during his 8 months at Fratton Park, he earned £450,000! That really would have helped their financial situation at the time...
I don't think you can compare the two tbh, one is a league 1 developed into a championship side, one was a good premiership side
I just thought it would be intereresting to do just that SF4L. I know they were different eras in different leagues but it's fun to compare. Niemi for me was unbelievable! How many points did he save for us over the seasons! Shame he had a mare against pompey at nottarf krap..i think that was the beginning of the end for him
Cracking compilation of Beattie's goals for Saints. So many, as well. And not nearly as many penalties as one might think..!
Imo.. Niemi vs Davis - Niemi Telfer vs Richardson - Draw Lundekvam vs Hooiveld - Lundekvam Svensson vs Fonte - Svensson Bridge vs Fox - Bridge Fernandes vs Guly - Draw Marsden vs Cork - Draw Oakley vs Hammond - Oakley Svensson vs Lallana - Lallana Beattie vs Lambert - Draw Pahars vs Connolly - Pahars
frank, I've got to agree with you there with your comparisons! Personally I feel the only place we HAVE to improve on the squad we have now is GK and RB and I felt the only place we needed to back then was RB! I feel the squad we have now can do a good job in the Prem, definitely keep us there even if it would be a typical Saints last day of the season thing! I think that shows with the fact a few of the squad from the Strachan era were still with us when we got relegated from the Prem!
