Kamis, 12 Maret 2009

Manchester United 1998-1999 the treble

Treble winners



Manchester United's treble winning competitions of Premier League, F.A. Cup and European Champions League during their 1998-1999 season required them to play 59 games. They lost just three games, all in the Premier League. They remained unbeaten throughout all their the Champions League matches. During the season they scored 128 goals.

In addition, they played the pre-season friendly Charity Shield, and also played under strength teams in their three Worthington League Cup matches. Their season record including these two competitions was as follows.




Played Won Drawn Lost For Against
63 36 22 5 128 63

Manchester United also become the first English team to head the International Federation of Football History and Statistics' top 100 teams thanks to their amazing 1998/99 season. United topped the table with 380 points, two and a half points ahead of second-placed Palmeiras.

Dwight Yorke joined United for GBP 12.6 million at the start of the campaign. It was a season in which Yorke, and fellow strikers Solskjaer, and Andy Cole were to be Manchester United's three most potent strikers, all three earning a place among the Leagues top 10 scorers. In Europe these three again produced when it mattered, Yorke and Cole often in tandem, and Solskjaer of course made his place in United folklore with his winner in Barcelona.
Prem WC FA Euro Total
Dwight Yorke 18 0 3 8 29
Andy Cole 17 0 2 5 24
Michael Owen 18 1 2 2 23
Alan Shearer 14 1 5 1 21
Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink 18 1 0 1 20
Nicolas Anelka 17 0 1 1 19
Hamilton Ricard 15 3 0 0 18
Robbie Fowler 14 1 1 2 18
Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer 12 3 1 2 18
Julian Joachim 14 0 1 1 16

For David Beckham, the season was marked by constant abuse from opposition fans on the back of his World Cup sending off with England the previous Summer. However, Beckham answered his critics by consistently providing some outstanding play. His pinpoint accuracy fed United's strikers with perfect crosses whipped in from the wings, his range of unstoppable free kicks added to United's goal scoring options. Beckham's contribution to United's season was immense.

Teddy Sheringham had joined United to win medals, and after United's trophy drought the previous season found opposition fans jeering at his lack of silverware. Sheringham found himself thrust into the team as a Substitute in vital matches at the end of the season, and he produced the goals when it mattered; in the F.A. Cup Final and above all, his stoppage time equaliser in the European Champions Cup Final.

Roy Keane was often the spirit and heart, not just of United's midfield but the team. Able to produce goals when it mattered and leadership too. Keane was a fans favourite and was without doubt one of the most influential players of the season.

Jaap Stam took time to settle at United, his GBP 10.5 million transfer then a world record for a defender. However, after a bedding in period, Stam was awesome. Rarely second best to any opposition player he added a stability and authority to United's defence and established himself as an Old Trafford favourite.

And then Schmeichel, announcing that this would be his last season at Old Trafford. For this writer at least, the turning point in the previous season had been marked by the sight of Schmeichel limping back injured towards his own goal in desperate circumstances in a match against Arsenal. Schmeichel's injury had marked the point at which Arsenal appeared to gain the upper hand and went on to win both Championship and F.A.Cup while United finished the season empty handed. In the treble season, it was Schmeichel again who was involved in one of the defining moments, this time with a last minute penalty save against Arsenal in the F.A.Cup Semi Final. At that point United were still chasing all three trophies and had still to face the away leg of their Champions League Cup Semi Final against Juventus, and the title run in. United went on to win the match with Giggs incredible solo effort, and with a place booked in the F.A. Cup Final the result galvanised United. At his best when it mattered, his vital stops from Effenburg and Scholl in the Champions League Cup Final kept the deficit at just 0-1 and set up the incredible finish.


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