2001/02 Season

stubie

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Just downloaded CM 01/02 and started a season with United and got me thinking this was the season where I’ve probably felt the biggest disappointment as we should have won the League and Champions League with the squad we had.

Spring 2001 we win another Premier League title and suffer another disappointing season in Europe. Fergie acted straight after this and brought big in Ruud van Nistelrooy and Juan Sebastian Veron.

Going into the new season we had one of the best United squads I’ve ever seen. But Fergie seemed to make some strange decisions such as selling Stam a season too soon and replacing him with an ageing Blanc. Also I think a failure to get an assistant manager in to replace McClaren and Fergie making it public knowledge that this season was to be his last all contributed to what would become a disappointing season.

Although never really in the title race due to having a series of errors with Barthez and the defence, The Champions League Semi Final exit to Leverkusen was a difficult one to digest.

Any more seasons in which anyone has felt the same level of disappointment?
 

AshRK

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Just downloaded CM 01/02 and started a season with United and got me thinking this was the season where I’ve probably felt the biggest disappointment as we should have won the League and Champions League with the squad we had.

Spring 2001 we win another Premier League title and suffer another disappointing season in Europe. Fergie acted straight after this and brought big in Ruud van Nistelrooy and Juan Sebastian Veron.

Going into the new season we had one of the best United squads I’ve ever seen. But Fergie seemed to make some strange decisions such as selling Stam a season too soon and replacing him with an ageing Blanc. Also I think a failure to get an assistant manager in to replace McClaren and Fergie making it public knowledge that this season was to be his last all contributed to what would become a disappointing season.

Although never really in the title race due to having a series of errors with Barthez and the defence, The Champions League Semi Final exit to Leverkusen was a difficult one to digest.

Any more seasons in which anyone has felt the same level of disappointment?
Every season after Sir alex's retirement have been disappointing. Losing the league in GD was very disappointing but at least we won the league in a grand way next season. I still think we should have won atleast one more CL.
 

LawCharltonBest

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I never felt disappointed when United were challenging. I liked when our teams showed effort and applied themselves, even if they were ultimately beaten.

Not disappointed now that we aren’t challenging as such, but there’s been a gigantic lack of effort and ideas post 2013. That 2 months after Olé took charge showed we have the ability to challenge, we just don’t
 

U99ted

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09/10. Even without Ronaldo & Tevez, we missed out by 1 point in the league. Still stings that we ended up losing on away goals to Bayern, as Inter went on to win the CL.
 

stubie

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Every season after Sir alex's retirement have been disappointing. Losing the league in GD was very disappointing but at least we won the league in a grand way next season. I still think we should have won atleast one more CL.
True but the level of expectations going into those seasons apart from Mourinho’s first season have been lower than expecting to win the PL and Champions League.
 

Bojan11

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01/02 we played some of the best attacking football I ever seen from a Man Utd team. The issue was letting Stam go and replacing him with Blanc.

We scored more goals than anyone that season.
 

Robertd0803

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09/10 sucked. 11/12 was beyond soul destroying and hopefully nothing will ever come close to that ever again.

Losing the two CL finals to Barca took the shine off those seasons as well.

Edit-Ill keep going. Final day v West Ham and losing the FA Cup to Everton back to back sucked.

Losing to Liverpool meaning Leeds won the league sucked.
 

charlenefan

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Ah the 01/02 season my first proper season as a football fan, still remember the elation of that FA Cup 3rd round tie at Villa coming from 2-0 down to win 3-2 (and then the inept performance away to Boro in the 4th round :mad:)

Controversial but the Arsenal team that season imo was even better than the Invincibles. The form of Pires and Ljungberg was just something else, I remember ljungberg scoring literally every game when they had like a million in hand where we were just hoping they'd slip up
 

GifLord

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Was that the season Scholesy scored that sexy goal vs Panathinaikos?
 

Jericholyte2

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Was it 07/08or 08/09 where we really should have won another Treble but Rio scored an own goal against Portsmouth in the FA Cup.....
 

charlenefan

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Was it 07/08or 08/09 where we really should have won another Treble but Rio scored an own goal against Portsmouth in the FA Cup.....
That was the league game in 06/07 it was a year later at home in the FA Cup against Portsmouth where Ronaldo was denied a stone wall penalty and we went out (I think their only goal was a pen itself but I may be wrong about that)
 

NinjaZombie

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Not making it to Hampden Park for the CL final that season was disappointing. Especially after Keane had put us in the lead early in the second leg of the semi vs Leverkusen.

"Follow, follow, follow, follow, cause United are going to Glasgow!"
 

minh_loc_xoay

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Although never really in the title race due to having a series of errors with Barthez and the defence, The Champions League Semi Final exit to Leverkusen was a difficult one to digest.

Any more seasons in which anyone has felt the same level of disappointment?
Not making it to Hampden Park for the CL final that season was disappointing. Especially after Keane had put us in the lead early in the second leg of the semi vs Leverkusen.

"Follow, follow, follow, follow, cause United are going to Glasgow!"
We couldn't beat Real Madrid in the final if we got past Leverkusen anyway, I think. Zidane was just out of this world in that season...
 

NinjaZombie

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We couldn't beat Real Madrid in the final if we got past Leverkusen anyway, I think. Zidane was just out of this world in that season...
That's a ridiculous way of thinking but to each his own. :lol:
 

SirAF

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Not making it to Hampden Park for the CL final that season was disappointing. Especially after Keane had put us in the lead early in the second leg of the semi vs Leverkusen.

"Follow, follow, follow, follow, cause United are going to Glasgow!"
Yeah, not beating fecking Leverkusen was a disaster. Probably the worst memory I have as a United fan.

Neuville’s chip would never have beaten a keeper that wasn’t a shortarse.
 

FrankDrebin

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Easily in my top 5 of favourite seasons watching United. Yes we didn't win anything and that in itself was a disappointment not least due to us spending big in the summer and ofcourse this was officially Ferguson's last season managing us.

But the football we played,for the most part, was exhilarating, not least due to the defense being all over the shop which set the process for hell-for-leather type offensive play.

I would also say,individually, the 01/02 campaign was Beckham's 2nd best season for me,after of course the Treble.

Ah the 01/02 season my first proper season as a football fan, still remember the elation of that FA Cup 3rd round tie at Villa coming from 2-0 down to win 3-2 (and then the inept performance away to Boro in the 4th round :mad:)

Controversial but the Arsenal team that season imo was even better than the Invincibles. The form of Pires and Ljungberg was just something else, I remember ljungberg scoring literally every game when they had like a million in hand where we were just hoping they'd slip up
Yes,I would generally agree with this.
I felt Arsenal played better football that season compared to the Invincible's. Not downplaying the Invicible achievement,that would be dumb,but if I was given the option to watch either Arsenal 01/02 or the Invincible's I know which one I'd choose/prefer.
Plus 01/02 had that Bergkamp goal.:eek:
 
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sizzling sausages

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That was the league game in 06/07 it was a year later at home in the FA Cup against Portsmouth where Ronaldo was denied a stone wall penalty and we went out (I think their only goal was a pen itself but I may be wrong about that)
You're right, and Rio was actually on goal for the penalty!
 

Relevated

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Three losses that really stick with me are Burnley beating us after their promotion

West ham beating us by 3/4 in a cup game and carlton coles head steaming afterwards

Wolves beating us to end our unbeaten streak
 

JustABall

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Neville said as much on his episode of Soccerbox with Carragher.

The defence never settled between Stam leaving and Rio + Vidić forming a partnership.

The GK was a huge problem. Took an age to replace Schmeichel.

Sexy midfield with Scholes just off Ruud.
 

Schneckerl

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Should have really made it past Leverkusen that season.
In hindsight getting eliminated by Porto in 03/04 thanks to the ref was another huge missed chance to add a CL title.
 

Utdstar01

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We got knocked out against Leverkusen. Probably one of the most frustrating ties I've watched. Remember Forlan having a lobbed volley cleared off the line in the last minutes of the game.
 

Inter Yer Nan

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It was a big surprise that we didn't win it that year what that team. I think, what lost us the league was the fact that we let Stam go. Blanc just didn't belong in the premier league at that point and our defense was chaos that year without his taking control. Also, Veron not really kicking on after a great start. Ruud's goals brought us back in contention and I did feel we could win the Champions League but ended up letting some soft goals in against Leverkusen to lose on away goals.
 

Inter Yer Nan

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Should have really made it past Leverkusen that season.
In hindsight getting eliminated by Porto in 03/04 thanks to the ref was another huge missed chance to add a CL title.
It just didn't feel right for us that year but the way the tournament shaped up and who Porto went on to play you'd have to say that was indeed a missed chance. A semi-final against a faded version of Super Depor and Monaco in a final? Yes, please.
 

MichaelKorleone

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Three losses that really stick with me are Burnley beating us after their promotion
I had a soft spot for Owen Coyle's Burnley after watching them in Championship back then nearly beat Spurs in 08-09 League Cup semis (lost 4-1 at White Hart Lane but were up 3-0 at Turf Moor after 90 mins in 2nd leg only for Spurs to score two in ET). But Carrick missed penalty and we couldn't convert any of our chances. That was frustrating but there was always faith in Fergie's teams to come back from such games where we dominate but fail to win. And to think we lost the league that season by 1 point..

West ham beating us by 3/4 in a cup game and carlton coles head steaming afterwards
Was that 09-10 League Cup when we lost 4-0 at Upton Park?

Wolves beating us to end our unbeaten streak
10-11 was a strange season. Only Nani and Berbatov turned up for first half of the season yet we went unbeaten all the way till Feb when Mick McCarthy's Wolves of all teams beat us at Molineux. I remember some were calling us Inconceivables when we were threatening Arsenal's Invincibles record. Park was great though, wasn't he?
 

JazzG

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Controversial but the Arsenal team that season imo was even better than the Invincibles. The form of Pires and Ljungberg was just something else, I remember ljungberg scoring literally every game when they had like a million in hand where we were just hoping they'd slip up
I'd agree with that, 03/04 we were just ruthlessly efficient, we used to have games won within 30 mins and just cruise the rest of it. 01/02 our team had so much character and fight. So many games we went down to 10 men, Pires was probably one of the top 3 players in Europe up until he got injured and then Ljungberg stepped up. Him and Bergkamp had some kind of a telepathic understanding that season. I remember that game at Old Trafford, I usually am shitting myself before games like that but that year I knew there was no way you could beat us. We had so many other injuries throughout the season and had a really big squad and everyone came in and done a job when required. That game at Anfield and cup final against Chelsea stand out, great memories! Can't believe that was 18 years ago!
 

Relevated

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I had a soft spot for Owen Coyle's Burnley after watching them in Championship back then nearly beat Spurs in 08-09 League Cup semis (lost 4-1 at White Hart Lane but were up 3-0 at Turf Moor after 90 mins in 2nd leg only for Spurs to score two in ET). But Carrick missed penalty and we couldn't convert any of our chances. That was frustrating but there was always faith in Fergie's teams to come back from such games where we dominate but fail to win. And to think we lost the league that season by 1 point..


Was that 09-10 League Cup when we lost 4-0 at Upton Park?


10-11 was a strange season. Only Nani and Berbatov turned up for first half of the season yet we went unbeaten all the way till Feb when Mick McCarthy's Wolves of all teams beat us at Molineux. I remember some were calling us Inconceivables when we were threatening Arsenal's Invincibles record. Park was great though, wasn't he?
Yes, the 4-0. Some results are so unexpected and absolutely horrible. The berbatov and nani season was a very strange one too it has an odd feeling to it. Do you remember us vs Blackpool and Charlie Adams 2 corners? I think that was the same season right
 

Tapori

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Just downloaded CM 01/02 and started a season with United and got me thinking this was the season where I’ve probably felt the biggest disappointment as we should have won the League and Champions League with the squad we had.

Spring 2001 we win another Premier League title and suffer another disappointing season in Europe. Fergie acted straight after this and brought big in Ruud van Nistelrooy and Juan Sebastian Veron.

Going into the new season we had one of the best United squads I’ve ever seen. But Fergie seemed to make some strange decisions such as selling Stam a season too soon and replacing him with an ageing Blanc. Also I think a failure to get an assistant manager in to replace McClaren and Fergie making it public knowledge that this season was to be his last all contributed to what would become a disappointing season.

Although never really in the title race due to having a series of errors with Barthez and the defence, The Champions League Semi Final exit to Leverkusen was a difficult one to digest.

Any more seasons in which anyone has felt the same level of disappointment?
That squad with Quieroz may have done better. IIRC, McLaren left in the middle of the season and Carlos joined in the summer of 2002.
 

stubie

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That squad with Quieroz may have done better. IIRC, McLaren left in the middle of the season and Carlos joined in the summer of 2002.
McClaren left in the summer of 2001 and took Greening and Wilson with him.

Agree regarding Quieroz I think we would have looked more stable, especially in Europe
 

Eckers99

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Just downloaded CM 01/02 and started a season with United and got me thinking this was the season where I’ve probably felt the biggest disappointment as we should have won the League and Champions League with the squad we had.

Spring 2001 we win another Premier League title and suffer another disappointing season in Europe. Fergie acted straight after this and brought big in Ruud van Nistelrooy and Juan Sebastian Veron.

Going into the new season we had one of the best United squads I’ve ever seen. But Fergie seemed to make some strange decisions such as selling Stam a season too soon and replacing him with an ageing Blanc. Also I think a failure to get an assistant manager in to replace McClaren and Fergie making it public knowledge that this season was to be his last all contributed to what would become a disappointing season.

Although never really in the title race due to having a series of errors with Barthez and the defence, The Champions League Semi Final exit to Leverkusen was a difficult one to digest.

Any more seasons in which anyone has felt the same level of disappointment?
91/92 was fecking awful. So much promise only to collapse and let Leeds win it, and after such a long wait. Sickening. And that cnut Cantona was partly to blame. Whatever happened to him, eh?
 

Irwin99

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It's pretty amazing we were involved in a title race that season after the league defeats we suffered before December time. Great football played that season, the defence was a shambles but the attack was fantastic. Keane and Becks were in excellent form that year, Ruud was on fire and Ole had his best scoring season I think. That 5-3 game against West Ham away kind of typifies that season.