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

[Oxeki]

Seeing some digs at the likes of Henry and Lehmann in here, from posters I respect...shame...

Pretty pathetic

 

[Oxeki]

Europe at its weakest? Are you high? It was a lot more competitive back then.

I'm talking about the fact that Monaco, Valencia x2 , BvB and Porto all reached the finals during that period.

I'd fancy us over those teams

 

[Rex Stone]

So glad @Rex Banter has experienced pain with Atletico in Europe too, cause what he just did is too far.

Fun fact, Atletico are the only team to have led two European Cup finals in the final minute but still have lost both.

Such wonderful traditions.

 

[Makingtrax]

If we didn't win when we were spending big in the late nineties, early naughties, we had no chance any other time.

Certainly between 2004 and 2014 when we were spending like Stoke, it was a crazy hope.

 

[Get These Hands]

I'm talking about the fact that Monaco, Valencia x2 , BvB and Porto all reached the finals during that period.

I'd fancy us over those teams

Chelsea won it beating prime Bayern and Barca teams along the way. Tortenham got to the final last season. Atletico made the final x2.

Sometimes unfancied teams do well. This happens in any era.

 

[Oxeki]

Chelsea won it beating prime Bayern and Barca teams along the way. Tortenham got to the final last season. Atletico made the final x2.

Sometimes unfancied teams do well. This happens in any era.

I'm saying we should have at least won it once during that era. We had one of the best teams and we had arguably the best coach.

What made us not win at least one?

Luck or we weren't good?

 

[say yes]

Seeing some digs at the likes of Henry and Lehmann in here, from posters I respect...shame...

Was half-joking with Lehmann, although he did get a straight red in our first ever XI final.

Anyone blaming Henry is obviously mad.

 

[OnlyOne]

God these threads are ****.

 

[Mo Britain]

We could have won the final in 2006, that Barcelona team wasn't better than us, we came very close despite being down to 10. If we'd gone 2-0 in the last 20 minutes as we could have I think we'd have won it. Perhaps if that freakish equalizer hadn't gone in we'd have won it.

The year we definitely should have won it though was 2004. Porto v Monaco in the final - neither of those teams were a match for us.

It took us too many seasons to get used to the CL, we struggled in the early years against inferior teams.

 

[GeorgiaGunner]

Because it's ridiculously hard / luck-based to win a CL. The Madrid stuff is crazy.

Messi/Xavi Barca is probably the best club team of all-time and they 'only' won 2 or 4 (depending on if you count the Deco / Neymar out-years) in their ~decade of dominance.

Bayern and ManUtd dominated their leagues for ~2 (different) decades and only won 2 apiece. Juve has destroyed Serie A for 10 years and can't get over the CL hump.

 

[scytheavatar]

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

Quite certain Valencia spanked our ass when we met them during that time...... once upon a time Valencia was equivalent to modern day Atletico.

 

[krackpot]

Wenger made us too soft. Most of the players knew nothing would change if they lost, and nothing did.

**** players like Koscielny. He alone cost us at least two trophies.

Luck

 

[Oxeki]

Terry shagged his wife a few years later, didn't he?

 

[Riou]

1998/1999...knocked out in first group stage...Dynamo Kiev, Lens, Panathinaikos...disappointing exit as we should have got through this group, lack of depth showing in some games and last minute goals conceded in the others.

1999/2000...knocked out in first group stage...Barcelona, Fiorentina, AIK...tough group tbf, plus we at least made the UEFA Cup final that year, but disappointingly didn't win it.

2000/2001...knocked out in quarter finals...Valencia, lost on away goals...Valencia were a very good team back then, made two finals in a row, decent run (especially with two group stages).

2001/2002...knocked out in second group stage...Juventus, Deportivo, Leverkusen...very tough group again, though at the time I was disappointed we didn't get through it.

2002/2003...knocked out in second group stage...Valencia, Roma, Ajax...same as 01/02.

2003/2004...knocked out in quarter final by Chelsea...biggest disappointment as others have said, could have changed everything had we won it this season.

2004/2005...knocked out in last sixteen by Bayern, 3-2 defeat...again a tough game, Sol and Gilberto were big losses through injuries.

2005/2006...Runner Up to Barcelona...great run, beat some great teams and unlucky to lose, beaten but not bowed.

Some **** ups on our side, but just wasn't meant to be it seems, sadly.

 

[Macho]

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

Late 90’s, early 2000’s, peak times.

Rarely agree with GDeep but this guy is spittin

 

[say yes]

We dominated every European team we played that season bar barca

What season? I’m talking about the entire 1998-2006 period.

If you’re talking about 2005/2006, that was the first season Wenger moved away from the 442 and decided to be more pragmatic and crowd the midfield. Incidentally, that was also out best ever campaign (despite having a comparatively poor squad), which strengthens my point.

 

[Tourbillion]

@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.

Much more "equal" too.

Top players could be anywhere, not immediately snapped up by Real, Barcelona, City and Bayern.

 

[Tourbillion]

1998/1999...knocked out in first group stage...Dynamo Kiev, Lens, Panathinaikos...disappointing exit as we should have got through this group, lack of depth showing in some games and last minute goals conceded in the others.

1999/2000...knocked out in first group stage...Barcelona, Fiorentina, AIK...tough group tbf, plus we at least made the UEFA Cup final that year, but disappointingly didn't win it.

2000/2001...knocked out in quarter finals...Valencia, lost on away goals...Valencia were a very good team back then, made two finals in a row, decent run (especially with two group stages).

2001/2002...knocked out in second group stage...Juventus, Deportivo, Leverkusen...very tough group again, though at the time I was disappointed we didn't get through it.

2002/2003...knocked out in second group stage...Valencia, Roma, Ajax...same as 01/02.

2003/2004...knocked out in quarter final by Chelsea...biggest disappointment as others have said, could have changed everything had we won it this season.

2004/2005...knocked out in last sixteen by Bayern, 3-2 defeat...again a tough game, Sol and Gilberto were big losses through injuries.

2005/2006...Runner Up to Barcelona...great run, beat some great teams and unlucky to lose, beaten but not bowed.

Some **** ups on our side, but just wasn't meant to be it seems, sadly.

Great write-up and you reminded me of many moments.

I remember Shevchenko doing us in 1998/99.

Did we not take part in 1997/98?

 

[Riou]

Great write-up and you reminded me of many moments.

I remember Shevchenko doing us in 1998/99.

Did we not take part in 1997/98?

UEFA Cup in 97/98, knocked out in our first game by a Greek team ffs

2007/2008 was probably the last time we had a chance to win it, even then it was probably an outside chance...but the ****ing refs in those two games against Liverpool

 

[Oxeki]

UEFA Cup in 97/98, knocked out in our first game by a Greek team ffs

2007/2008 was probably the last time we had a chance to win it, even then it was probably an outside chance...but the ****ing refs in those two games against Liverpool

Even if we'd gone past Liverpool, chelski or united would probably have given us a beating TBF