Paris '06 - Where It All Went Wrong

[Arsenal Till I Die]

May 17th 2006, Arsenal faced Barcelona in the Champions League Final in Paris. 16 minutes away from being crowned European champions despite being a man down. It was going to be the greatest night in Arsenal FC history. It was going to be one of Arsene Wenger’s biggest achievements, a cup he has long since chased was going to be caught by, at the time, one of the best managers in the world. Arsenal will start the Ashburton Grove era as holders of the trophy with the big ears.

It wasn’t meant to be.

Arsenal lost.

Arsene lost his best chance of winning football’s biggest club prize and with that an obsession with the competition got out of hand. A desire of finishing in the top four took pride of place in Arsene’s mind instead of pushing on for major domestic honours. Arsenal, since May ’06 have been in just TWO finals, been knocked out of competitions in THREE semi-finals and dropped out of the league chase in 08 after that fateful day at St. Andrews – the last time we were ever considered contenders.

Arsenal have had some pretty piss poor signings in the past few years, compared to prior signings during the winning years or even compared to any standard – Gervinho wouldn’t get into Wigan’s reserves. All factors that got us where we were have been pushed out – leaders, experience, WINNERS. All gone.
The correlation between Wenger’s obsession with the Champions League and the quality of players that he has brought in speaks volumes. Wenger wants to win the Champions League on a shoe string budget because it highlights HIM and HIS philosophy.

Wenger doesn’t want to spend £20/30m on players who could get past the round of 16 with their eyes shut, he wants to spend less on unknown/not good enough players to ensure that if Arsenal win the CL it will be HIS doing.
If we had won in Paris that night, I personally believe things would be a lot different with Arsenal.

[Henry Norris 1913]

who wants to relive this shite?

League Cup Final '69. Just where did it all go wrong?

not bothered

[spendsum4uckingmoney]

IMO it all went wrong when the streak ended. From that moment on we looked so vulnerable defensively. We never recovered, its like a PTSD. But the real kick in the balls I think was the 4-4 with newcastle and more specifically, Abou the dumbfuck getting sent off. We were top of the league and had a real good squad

RVP, Fabregas, Nasri, Song, Sagna, Wilshre

Deleted You can't write things like that -flash

[Natural Born Gooner]

IMO it all went wrong when the streak ended. From that moment on we looked so vulnerable defensively. We never recovered, its like a PTSD. But the real kick in the balls I think was the 4-4 with newcastle and more specifically, Abou the dumbfuck getting sent off. We were top of the league and had a real good squad

RVP, Fabregas, Nasri, Song, Sagna, Wilshre

If we just had a decent GK, a couple more players and Deleted we could have won something.

[StuartL]

Henry fucked up two relatively straight forward 1 on 1 's

2-0 we would have won it.

[northbank123]

Our decline has been gradual and continuous and although one-off events may have sped it up I don't think you can put it down to any particular game or even run of games.

Winning the CL in 2006 would have been amazing and a huge boost for the club but it wouldn't have made Wenger replace Vieira, Henry, Lehmann, Campbell, Pires, Bergkamp, Freddie and co.

[donaldo]

Five years ago today.Birmingham 2 Arsenal 2

Threadbare squad collapsed in sight of the finishing line.Having sold Diarra in Jan and not buying anyone.Then at the end of the season sold Flamini(still not replaced) and Gilberto and put his faith in Song Diaby and Denilson

[Dan_85]

Where it all went wrong? When Gilberto was sold.

[northbank123]

Where it all went wrong? When Gilberto was sold.

I have to disagree - I thought there were points that season when he was a liability. We'd bring him off the bench to try and shore things up and at times he looked off the pace and would give the ball away continually.

Imo letting Diarra go was by far the bigger mistake.

[StuartL]

Five years ago today.Birmingham 2 Arsenal 2

Threadbare squad collapsed in sight of the finishing line.Having sold Diarra in Jan and not buying anyone.Then at the end of the season sold Flamini(still not replaced) and Gilberto and put his faith in Song Diaby and Denilson

Who have rewarded us tenfold with their application, effort, and trophy winning performances

[mcdowell42]

isnt it obvious where it all went wrong ALMUNIA coming on when lehmann got sent off

[QuartzGooner]

Five years ago today.Birmingham 2 Arsenal 2

Threadbare squad collapsed in sight of the finishing line.Having sold Diarra in Jan and not buying anyone.Then at the end of the season sold Flamini(still not replaced) and Gilberto and put his faith in Song Diaby and Denilson

THIS IS THE KEY.

We have never had a long term Vieira replacement.
Gilberto was sold at the right time as he had faded, Flamini wanted out, Diarra was a trouble maker.
But Song was not an adequate replacement.

[Supagoon]

if you go back to 2006, then go back further and say this decline was on the moment moving stadiums was discussed. Wenger always had an ego, and wanted to achieve something incredible at any cost. Building a trophy winning squad from young players.

For me it all started on that bloody birmingham draw. It started the bottling effect. It was such a spectacular turn in fortunes considering the broken leg to our wonderful finisher edaurdo, Gallas losing respect of his team mates. The nerves and lack of confidence that followed through out that particular team.

Yes we did it again in 4-4 newcastke draw. We actually had a good side then, but the better players had enough, and had better offers elsewhere.

Maybe with a bit of luck , Arsene's crazy plan may have worked, but Arsene never took out insurance in terms of quality on the bench.

[kite]

It goes wrong twice a year - in every transfer period
One game wouldn't change how the club works.

[falkirk goon]

Losing in Paris was awful,i still cant bring myself to watch it Carling cup 07 losing to the chavs? it would've put a cup in the cabinet,a first one at the bowl..Almunia eventually getting the No1 jersey in place of Mad jens..that was a fucking ridiculous piece of management from le Arsole that useless waiter prick cost us a couple of titles Birmingham in 08 that was probably the time that the slide became irreversible those dirty brummy *word censored* derailed our charge in 08 and then again in 2010 when philips scored in the last min and then again in the final in 2011.Im glad the fuckers went down cants.