Why didn't we win at least one CL from 1998-2006?

[Oxeki]

Seeing as Europe was at it's weakest during that period, why didn't we lift the trophy at least once. We had the quality. What was our team team missing during those years that prevented us from winning the CL?

 

[Notorious Big]

Think it was poor tactics.Knock out stages are always tricky and some small mistakes can decide who will win and best teams don't win all the times.We were always offensive side,so it was always kinda risky to concede goals.

Once we changed that in 2005-06 we went to the final and didn't concede goal in all knock out games.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

@GDeep™

 

[Riou]

Seeing as Europe was at it's weakest during that period, why didn't we lift the trophy at least once. We had the quality. What was our team team missing during those years that prevented us from winning the CL?

What do you mean weakest?

There were plenty of top teams during that period...that being said, us not winning at least one (or retaining a league) was very annoying.

 

[GDeep™]

Seeing as Europe was at it's weakest during that period, why didn't we lift the trophy at least once. We had the quality. What was our team team missing during those years that prevented us from winning the CL?

Think we lacked experience and know how in the CL, similar to City now, it’s taking them time to adjust to the CL despite their billions.

Only an 8 year period you’re talking about, and we did reach a final which we should’ve won. Super clubs like Barcelona and Utd have gone 30 years without winning it.

How was it the weakest btw? You had a top Utd, top Bayern, Barca and Real, but unlike now, you had a super strong Italy with some of the best Juventus and Milan sides ever.

It was a knockout competition too. Combination of simply not being good enough, unlucky etc. P

Also, we weren’t even the best team in England, so expecting to dominate Europe is a push.

 

[GDeep™]

@Oxeki is massively wrong though, it was not a weak era. Unlike now you have an elite Italian contribution. I’ll argue it was better then, top teams had more about them.

 

[Notorious Big]

The weakest period really caught me off guard, as you say if anything it was more competitive back then as teams hadn't created a hold over certain leagues.

It was tough really.There were 6 teams that could compete with us.

 

[GDeep™]

The weakest period really caught me off guard, as you say if anything it was more competitive back then as teams hadn't created a hold over certain leagues.

Teams could actually defend back then. Bit of a joke competition now, 4/5 goals in every tie, end to end stuff.

 

[Notorious Big]

Teams could actually defend back then. Bit of a joke competition now, 4/5 goals in every tie, end to end stuff.

It's because Italy was dominant.

Spanish and German teams were never that good in defence.EPL teams sometimes.

 

[GDeep™]

That’s probably my favourite era of the CL. Valencia had a great team back then with Baraja and Albelda being probably the best CM partnership in Europe.

Dortmund were good in the late 90’s, beat Utd. Dinamo Kiev were not an easy team.

Really interesting times back then.

 

[GDeep™]

I consider the current era weak. Having Ronaldo/Messi/oil money in it, overrates it.

Late 90’s, early 2000’s, peak times.

 

[Oxeki]

I'm talking about the fact that Valencia x2, Porto Monaco, Dortmund all reached the final during those period.

 

[Oxeki]

Teams could actually defend back then. Bit of a joke competition now, 4/5 goals in every tie, end to end stuff.

Our defense was one of the best in the world then

 

[GDeep™]

We were lucky to beat Villarreal maybe? CL is massively tough, especially back then.

You need quality, experience in the competition and more than anything, luck.

We were unlucky against Barcelona, the football gods were against us. It hurts, but I’m over it now.

 

[Garrincha]

Think how different history would be it Chelsea never knocked us out & we went on to win that year! Mourinho probably be a bitter no.2 or in Russia.

Never rewatched the final we were in but in my memory Thierry just not up to the task mentally when all eyes on him... that was his moment. We have seen fellow mega stars bring home the CL in such moments.

 

[Oxeki]

We were lucky to beat Villarreal maybe? .

I could argue that we could have had that tie won in the first leg at Highbury

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Seeing as Europe was at it's weakest during that period, why didn't we lift the trophy at least once. We had the quality. What was our team team missing during those years that prevented us from winning the CL?

What do you think mate? What is your opinion?

 

[GDeep™]

I could argue that we could have had that tie won in the first leg at Highbury

Why did you say Europe was at its weakest back then? Just interested in your thinking.

 

[Oxeki]

What do you think mate? What is your opinion?

I think it's disappointing that we didn't
win it at least once during that period of
seeing as that was arguably our best era,
at least our best era I did witness.
Till this very moment, a lot of my
Chelsea, utd, Liverpool mate always use
that to give me grief that we've never
won the CL.
That 05/06 campaign will haunt me for a
long time. We really should have won
that CL. We were the best team in
Europe that season. We outplayed
Madrid at the Bernabeu and Eliminated
Juve only to lose to a Barca team that
was admittedly good, but had an easier
path to the final.

 

[Oxeki]

Why did you say Europe was at its weakest back then? Just interested in your thinking.

Teams like Valencia went to the final twice. Dortmund, Porto and Monaco all made the final during that period.

I'd fancy us to beat these teams had we met in the final