I was watching a tv show about the invincibles era

[Pat Vegas]

Rather than look back in fondness it made me sad :-(

why is this? that team should have done more :-(

[SWv2]

Rather than look back in fondness it made me sad :-(

why is this? that team should have done more :-(

The absence of a European triumph, or indeed coming close, is often held up as a reason to knock them.

[IUFG]

The absence of a European triumph, or indeed coming close, is often held up as a reason to knock them.

or not winning back-to-back titles

[Burney]

The absence of a European triumph, or indeed coming close, is often held up as a reason to knock them.

The European thing doesn't bother me. What bothers me is the number of leagues United won between 1998 and 2004.

[SWv2]

or not winning back-to-back titles

Indeed, a real failure in my book.

In the past we seemed to win a title then rest on our laurels as such instead of using the success as a basis for aggressive strengthening. Of course one has to acknowledge that winning the thing is difficult enough in the first place, to retain it would merely be rubber stamping the team's dominance.

[SWv2]

The European thing doesn't bother me. What bothers me is the number of leagues United won between 1998 and 2004.

Well documented on here that I am no huge fan of Europe apart from in an economic, social and cultural perspective.

One’s domestic league title is always and will always be the first priority to me. We had scattered success in this respect as opposed to sustained.

Certainly 1 was allowed to slip in the period you reference.

[Rich]

The absence of a European triumph, or indeed coming close, is often held up as a reason to knock them.

Presumably we can use this as another stick with which to bash Arsene?

[Burney]

Well documented on here that I am no huge fan of Europe apart from in an economic, social and cultural perspective.

One’s domestic league title is always and will always be the first priority to me. We had scattered success in this respect as opposed to sustained.

Certainly 1 was allowed to slip in the period you reference.

:nod: It's telling, in fact, that during what we like to call our period of dominance, United won just as many leagues as we did.

[Rich]

:nod: It's telling, in fact, that during what we like to call our period of dominance, United won just as many leagues as we did.

Well they are a significantly bigger club. What constitutes dominance for us is average for them.

[Viva Prat Vegas]

SWv2 "The absence of a European triumph, or indeed coming close, is often held up as a reason to knock them."

It really was a missed opportunity given the teams which reached the Semi-Final that year
And going out to a Wayne Bridge winner in that Quarter at Highbury... :shout: :cry:

A CL in 04 and another in 06 would have suited me

[Burney]

SWv2 "The absence of a European triumph, or indeed coming close, is often held up as a reason to knock them."

It really was a missed opportunity given the teams which reached the Semi-Final that year
And going out to a Wayne Bridge winner in that Quarter at Highbury... :shout: :cry:

A CL in 04 and another in 06 would have suited me

Of course, the question is whether we could have sustained our league performance if we'd still been in the CL?

[Tony C]

That year Chelsea knocked us out was our year and pretty pivotal to the future of European football.

Chelsea played Monaco in the Semi Final but Ranieri found a way to lose but then a young Jose Mourinho masterminded a famous win for Porto in the final...next up was his victory lap around Europe with Chelsea, Real and Inter and years of endless Arsene torment.

:shrug:

Should have got the job done that year imo

[Tony C]

It’s part of the reason I just can’t see us winning the EL.

After witnessing stuff like the above, Galatasary in the UEFA, Paris in 06, Birmingham in the Carling Cup...I just think we’ll find a way to screw it up.

We’ll probably beat Atlético 5-0 over the 2 legs then lose on penalties to Salzburg in the final :nod:

[World's End Stella]

Well they are a significantly bigger club. What constitutes dominance for us is average for them.

That's true if you ignore the 25 year period during which they didn't win the league once and were relegated.

New to football, Rich?

[IUFG]

That's true if you ignore the 25 year period during which they didn't win the league once and were relegated.

New to football, Rich?

I think he is, wes. This moment was obviously sweet for the Citeh fans...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8HQhV3ujyg

[World's End Stella]

I think he is, wes. This moment was obviously sweet for the Citeh fans...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8HQhV3ujyg

Can you imagine Vieira or McLintock relegating us, IUFG? Me, neither. :-)

That really is quite, quite beautiful. :cloud9:

[PSRB]

The European thing doesn't bother me. What bothers me is the number of leagues United won between 1998 and 2004.

Not winning the CL in 2004 annoys me more than than Henry fvcking up vs Barca. 2004 was the year we should have won it.

[Burney]

Not winning the CL in 2004 annoys me more than than Henry fvcking up vs Barca. 2004 was the year we should have won it.

I wouldn't swap it for the Invincibles year, tbh. And it might have come down to an either/or between the two.

[AFC East]

We’ll probably beat Atlético 5-0 over the 2 legs then lose on penalties to Salzburg in the final :nod:

I find this course of events perversely amusing. Although a 3-1 victory over Madrid sounds more plausible.

[World's End Stella]

Not winning the CL in 2004 annoys me more than than Henry fvcking up vs Barca. 2004 was the year we should have won it.

For some reason the 2002/2003 screw up hurts me the most. It would have been three in a row. :-(

[AFC East]

For some reason the 2002/2003 screw up hurts me the most. It would have been three in a row. :-(

But possibly gave us the sense of injustice that led to the Invincibles year? Three in a row, or two out of three and an invincible year?

[World's End Stella]

But possibly gave us the sense of injustice that led to the Invincibles year? Three in a row, or two out of three and an invincible year?

3 in a row and the invincibles, AFCE. :-)

I'm a greedy f*cker.

[AFC East]

3 in a row and the invincibles, AFCE. :-)

I'm a greedy f*cker.

**** it, let's have the CL in 2004 as well.

We'd probably still just as miserable about finishing 6th/7th :-(

[SWv2]

Not winning the CL in 2004 annoys me more than than Henry fvcking up vs Barca. 2004 was the year we should have won it.

I take your point as 2004 was a much better team, however beating Chelsea would have meant us having to avoid ****ing up for 3 more matches, 180 minutes. Who knows how we would have coped with the remaining games and team rotation.

Jeremie Aliadiere to start up top. Blimey.

Henry scoring that chance meant 20 minutes and surely victory?


The circumstances of 2004 certainly hurt more as we utterly blew it, Paris was more a sense of disbelief that we were actually winning.

[IUFG]

Henry scoring that chance meant 20 minutes and surely victory?


The circumstances of 2004 certainly hurt more as we utterly blew it, Paris was more a sense of disbelief that we were actually winning.

Henrik Fúcking Larsson

Manuel Fúcking Almunia :-(

[World's End Stella]

Henrik Fúcking Larsson

Manuel Fúcking Almunia :-(

God was I drunk that night. The George Abbott in Guildford's fault. I fancied lager and they only had Fosters and Stella so I ingeniously decided that watching the CL final and swilling endless pints of Stella was a good idea.

I can still recall the look on the Chinese woman's face at the chippy as I ordered. Not sure what she was more worried about, my ability to take my wallet out and pay or the likelihood that I was about to fall into the glass window behind me. :-(

[IUFG]

God was I drunk that night. The George Abbott in Guildford's fault. I fancied lager and they only had Fosters and Stella so I ingeniously decided that watching the CL final and swilling endless pints of Stella was a good idea.

I can still recall the look on the Chinese woman's face at the chippy as I ordered. Not sure what she was more worried about, my ability to take my wallet out and pay or the likelihood that I was about to fall into the glass window behind me. :-(

I miss the 5.2% Stella. :cry:

[redgunamo]

Rather than look back in fondness it made me sad :-(

why is this? that team should have done more :-(

They did plenty, imo. As a rule, we are not greedy supporters.

[redgunamo]

Henrik Fúcking Larsson

Manuel Fúcking Almunia :-(

Jens Lehmann :-(