LFC vs Man Utd - Who has had the best/worst first title-less decade

[B20]

I suppose you could hypothetically still win it this season, but let's assume you won't and welcome you to your first decade without a title. Liverpool fans can relate of course. In 2000, I never imagined we'd have to wait another 20 years to end the drought.

The 90s were a rollercoaster. Utter shit under Souness. Just shit, won't go into that again before memories of Rosenthal, Stewart, Piechnik, Dicks, no! Stop!

Some redemption under Evans, whom I feel history has judged a bit too harshly. Yes, we were experts at finishing 4th in a two-horse race, but he turned us from 6th/6th/8th into something resembling a title challenging team. We had some good bouts and played some great footie along the way. McManaman and Fowler were enchanting during the mid 90s. But then we also had to endure c*cks like Ruddock, gormless players like Babb, Bjoernebye and James and trying to make sense of a 5-3-2 in a 4-4-2 world. Our best midfielder over the decade was probably Redknapp (albeit, I always felt he was underrated) and our best defender Mark Wright and I don't think anyone even remembers Wright played for us. A league cup and fa cup to show for the decade.

Then we ended the decade with the Evans/Houllier shit show and the start of the "five year programme". It was dour as feck, but at least we ended the decade by... finishing 4th again.

Your decade brought one more major trophy than ours in the 90s, a Europa League win. And I suppose a few more second place finishes. What do you reckon? Has it been better than our 90s for you? I feel like you've managed to go through even more drama, chaos and shitshows than we had and no real standout players over the decade to cherish through it all. I don't know. I think Souness was probably the worst period for either club, but the Evans years were alright when they were happening. In context and all.

 

[Shane88]

More trophies, more European appearances but more historic beatings. Getting knocked for 4, 5, 6 and other numbers regularly over the last few seasons probably tips it as a worse decade for United, in my opinion.

The numerous "X Superstar signing will save us" and manager resets are also worse.

 

[Gio]

It’s a nice parallel. While results are broadly similar, one of the main differences for me is that Liverpool spent much of the 90s playing attractive and expansive football. If you’re not winning things, it’s a much better experience as a fan if you’ve been entertained along the way.

 

[The Purley King]

When I was born (76) I had to wait a very long time for a title so droughts like this do happen.
Given the landscape of the game now I think I’ll be waiting a few more years yet.
If I had to compare I think we’ve probably had more periods of utter hopelessness than you did.
Very subjective though!

 

[njred]

Liverpool have always been competitive and have had classic matches even when not competing for titles unlike this united team which is just plain boring. So this last ten yeas from united goes down as the worst decade

 

[daveskimufc]

I suppose you could hypothetically still win it this season, but let's assume you won't and welcome you to your first decade without a title. Liverpool fans can relate of course. In 2000, I never imagined we'd have to wait another 20 years to end the drought.

The 90s were a rollercoaster. Utter shit under Souness. Just shit, won't go into that again before memories of Rosenthal, Stewart, Piechnik, Dicks, no! Stop!

Some redemption under Evans, whom I feel history has judged a bit too harshly. Yes, we were experts at finishing 4th in a two-horse race, but he turned us from 6th/6th/8th into something resembling a title challenging team. We had some good bouts and played some great footie along the way. McManaman and Fowler were enchanting during the mid 90s. But then we also had to endure c*cks like Ruddock, gormless players like Babb, Bjoernebye and James and trying to make sense of a 5-3-2 in a 4-4-2 world. Our best midfielder over the decade was probably Redknapp (albeit, I always felt he was underrated) and our best defender Mark Wright and I don't think anyone even remembers Wright played for us. A league cup and fa cup to show for the decade.

Then we ended the decade with the Evans/Houllier shit show and the start of the "five year programme". It was dour as feck, but at least we ended the decade by... finishing 4th again.

Your decade brought one more major trophy than ours in the 90s, a Europa League win. And I suppose a few more second place finishes. What do you reckon? Has it been better than our 90s for you? I feel like you've managed to go through even more drama, chaos and shitshows than we had and no real standout players over the decade to cherish through it all. I don't know. I think Souness was probably the worst period for either club, but the Evans years were alright when they were happening. In context and all.

This is good.

Imo Liverpool tried to play their way through the bad times. They always played fast attractive football. But as you say they lacked the quality. Whereas man utd have tried to buy their way through it and failed miserably. Spending more and more on bigger and bigger names when the infrastructure, scouting etc etc could really have done with a boost.

 

[Red the Bear]

From a mainly United Liverpool centric point of view yours was better, never remember you outright rolling over for us and if anything you always seemed to up your game, the less said about the counterpart the better.

That aside we did win a major European trophy and reached another final so on that front perhaps better but as a fan it certainly felt worse.

 

[M Bison]

The problem is times have changed and it’s really difficult to gauge, with social media and player power being far stronger now but for me, and I’m possibly (definitely) biased, ours has been a lot worse. Those who lived through those times may disagree, but did the scouse teams of the 90’s ever just give up in the way we have done this season/other seasons? It doesn’t feel like they did from memory and the fact that there was never an easy game against Liverpool, whereas most Utd fans are expecting a slapping tomorrow, says a huge amount!

 

[rcoobc]

Liverpool fans in the 90s always felt they were on the precipice of competing.

I felt like about United for 5 minutes after our League Cup win. Probably we were equally delusional with our false dawns.

 

[rcoobc]

The problem is times have changed and it’s really difficult to gauge, with social media and player power being far stronger now but for me, and I’m possibly (definitely) biased, ours has been a lot worse. Those who lived through those times may disagree, but did the scouse teams of the 90’s ever just give up in the way we have done this season/other seasons? It doesn’t feel like they did from memory and the fact that there was never an easy game against Liverpool, whereas most Utd fans are expecting a slapping tomorrow, says a huge amount!

No. They didn't.

 

[Frosty]

Liverpool fans in the 90s always felt they were on the precipice of competing.

I felt like about United for 5 minutes after our League Cup win. Probably we were equally delusional with our false dawns.

The 1996 Cup Final was a slog to watch, and despite us having the best team in the country, I remember Roy Keane having to run about 50 miles to stop Liverpool's attacks.

 

[Trequarista10]

Fowler, McManaman and teenage Michael Owen make it a better decade than United's.

More teams play in Europe now so we've not missed out on participation like Liverpool did. However in reality, it's just meant more misery and disappointment for United fans except for the 1 Europa win (meh) and nicking a win away at PSG. I'd swap both for a decade of free evenings mid week.

 

[Irwin99]

The problem is times have changed and it’s really difficult to gauge, with social media and player power being far stronger now but for me, and I’m possibly (definitely) biased, ours has been a lot worse. Those who lived through those times may disagree, but did the scouse teams of the 90’s ever just give up in the way we have done this season/other seasons? It doesn’t feel like they did from memory and the fact that there was never an easy game against Liverpool, whereas most Utd fans are expecting a slapping tomorrow, says a huge amount!

Said this in an other thread but I think Liverpool finished in 8th place when we won the treble and were utter crap for a lot of the season but were five minutes away from knocking us out of the FA Cup and nearly cost us the league by putting in a fighting performance in a 2-2 draw near the end of the season, even when their two best players were missing in Fowler and Owen. Games against Liverpool were always tough. I wish we could at least make them work for their wins.

In terms of trophies I guess we have the better of it, one FA cup, two league cups and a Europa League. Doesn't feel great though.

 

[JagUTD]

I'll say United is slightly better overall if better means less shit.

Liverpool had to watch United win 6 League titles, 3 FA Cups, a CWC and a Champions League title in that decade (did we win the League Cup once as well?) as well which made it no doubt feel even worse while United have only seen Liverpool win a solitary league title, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup. You also blessed us with historic moments like the Gerrard slip and Karius which have helped many a United fan through these dark times.

 

[wormdoktor]

Great thread! United's last decade has felt worse than my perception of Liverpool's lean times. At least we haven't worn any fancy white suits to Wembley days though.

Funny I've also been thinking about this idea in the context of tomorrow's match, where in my memory during the 90's/00's Liverpool always raised their game against United and always gave us a match. I remember low scoring wins, very few spankings. This is what annoys me most about our current situation...why can't we raise ourselves to get stuck into the enemy from down the road?

 

[Yagami]

What did Liverpool fans think of their football in general during that period? I'd say pretty much every United fan has been bored silly with at least 90% of the football we've played this past decade. There's been sprinklings of entertaining, promising football, but I don't know how that compares to Liverpool.

 

[tentan]

Can anybody bother doing a full comparison - listing each season with final league position, points, cup competition finishes etc

 

[AshRK]

I was too young then but having watched Liverpool in 2000s , one thing they had is a quality to fight. Their period from 2009 to 2013 was bad while United were winning but even then their players be it Spearing or Agger or Shelvey or Lucas , they all showed more fight. Compare that to this United squad , we are a joke. I feel last decade for United has been pretty bad to the point there has been little to no redeeming quality. Had I started watching football right now, for me this club is everything one could hate for. No underdog feel, no passion, no style of football, not one player who I couldbe a fan of. You have players on high wages who could care less. We are like that boy in the class who shows off so much but has very little talent. He is not even funny or entertaining.

 

[njred]

What did Liverpool fans think of their football in general during that period? I'd say pretty much every United fan has been bored silly with at least 90% of the football we've played this past decade. There's been sprinklings of entertaining, promising football, but I don't know how that compares to Liverpool.

I would say 90/91to 2000/01 would be a good comparison to united in the last decade. 90/91 was right after our 18th.
Liverpool won 2FA Cups, two League Cups, and a UEFA cup. In the last decade since the big guy retired united has won one FA Cup, two League Cups, and one Uefa(Europa) Cup. The teams are almost the same in every aspect of their hibernation except Liverpool were more exciting to watch than this current united team. Some of those mid nineties matches against Newcastle will go down as some of the best Premier league games of all time. Also you had Fowler, McManaman, and Owen in their prime which made the team always watchable.
Any way:
Liverpool vs united 90/91 -2000/01 wins for Liverpool -6/ wins for united -8
None of united wins were more than by two goals even with having the best team in the league
united vs Liverpool 2013/14 to Present -
Wins for united-6/ wins for Liverpool -8
Obviously some big results for Liverpool
Bottom line is we gave united a better go of it by keeping the matches close back then but the results and honors are almost exactly the same.

 

[christinaa]

Liverpool have always been competitive and have had classic matches even when not competing for titles unlike this united team which is just plain boring. So this last ten yeas from united goes down as the worst decade

 

[pacifictheme]

What did Liverpool fans think of their football in general during that period? I'd say pretty much every United fan has been bored silly with at least 90% of the football we've played this past decade. There's been sprinklings of entertaining, promising football, but I don't know how that compares to Liverpool.

Football as a whole is more tactical and formulaic these days and imo more boring. The prem was way more open and lacked tactical discipline in the 90s which made for a faster product.

 

[B20]

I'll say United is slightly better overall if better means less shit.

Liverpool had to watch United win 6 League titles, 3 FA Cups, a CWC and a Champions League title in that decade (did we win the League Cup once as well?) as well which made it no doubt feel even worse while United have only seen Liverpool win a solitary league title, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup.

That's a good point. There is no doubt that it was altogether shit watching United win so much.

 

[Nevilles.Wear.Prada]

I suppose you could hypothetically still win it this season, but let's assume you won't and welcome you to your first decade without a title. Liverpool fans can relate of course. In 2000, I never imagined we'd have to wait another 20 years to end the drought.

The 90s were a rollercoaster. Utter shit under Souness. Just shit, won't go into that again before memories of Rosenthal, Stewart, Piechnik, Dicks, no! Stop!

Some redemption under Evans, whom I feel history has judged a bit too harshly. Yes, we were experts at finishing 4th in a two-horse race, but he turned us from 6th/6th/8th into something resembling a title challenging team. We had some good bouts and played some great footie along the way. McManaman and Fowler were enchanting during the mid 90s. But then we also had to endure c*cks like Ruddock, gormless players like Babb, Bjoernebye and James and trying to make sense of a 5-3-2 in a 4-4-2 world. Our best midfielder over the decade was probably Redknapp (albeit, I always felt he was underrated) and our best defender Mark Wright and I don't think anyone even remembers Wright played for us. A league cup and fa cup to show for the decade.

Then we ended the decade with the Evans/Houllier shit show and the start of the "five year programme". It was dour as feck, but at least we ended the decade by... finishing 4th again.

Your decade brought one more major trophy than ours in the 90s, a Europa League win. And I suppose a few more second place finishes. What do you reckon? Has it been better than our 90s for you? I feel like you've managed to go through even more drama, chaos and shitshows than we had and no real standout players over the decade to cherish through it all. I don't know. I think Souness was probably the worst period for either club, but the Evans years were alright when they were happening. In context and all.

Not even close, liverpool just didn't win trophies but they were absolute menace everytime up against us. You were humiliated and outplayed like us (i remember a game where hyppia was red carded) you lost bug but fought well. But these few years not just liverpool, every top 10 clubs are mopping the floor with us. Ridiculous

 

[NewGlory]

I suppose you could hypothetically still win it this season, but let's assume you won't and welcome you to your first decade without a title. Liverpool fans can relate of course. In 2000, I never imagined we'd have to wait another 20 years to end the drought.

The 90s were a rollercoaster. Utter shit under Souness. Just shit, won't go into that again before memories of Rosenthal, Stewart, Piechnik, Dicks, no! Stop!

Some redemption under Evans, whom I feel history has judged a bit too harshly. Yes, we were experts at finishing 4th in a two-horse race, but he turned us from 6th/6th/8th into something resembling a title challenging team. We had some good bouts and played some great footie along the way. McManaman and Fowler were enchanting during the mid 90s. But then we also had to endure c*cks like Ruddock, gormless players like Babb, Bjoernebye and James and trying to make sense of a 5-3-2 in a 4-4-2 world. Our best midfielder over the decade was probably Redknapp (albeit, I always felt he was underrated) and our best defender Mark Wright and I don't think anyone even remembers Wright played for us. A league cup and fa cup to show for the decade.

Then we ended the decade with the Evans/Houllier shit show and the start of the "five year programme". It was dour as feck, but at least we ended the decade by... finishing 4th again.

Your decade brought one more major trophy than ours in the 90s, a Europa League win. And I suppose a few more second place finishes. What do you reckon? Has it been better than our 90s for you? I feel like you've managed to go through even more drama, chaos and shitshows than we had and no real standout players over the decade to cherish through it all. I don't know. I think Souness was probably the worst period for either club, but the Evans years were alright when they were happening. In context and all.

I don't think Liverpool ever had a squad of the kind of entitled, prickly but incapable, and hugely overpaid primadonnas that we have, during their struggles. Or owners that don't give a shit about us and are robbing us in a bright daylight.

That is the part that hurts the most, in my opinion. Trophies are never guaranteed, players and owners being leeches is the part that really stinks

 

[Dan_F]

Fairly similar in terms of trophies. I guess the UEFA cup came just after the 90s so if we’re not counting that, maybe we’ve done slightly better. The league finishes have certainly been better and we beat them directly in a cup final in 96.

 

[the chameleon]

There was more hope for Liverpool in the 90s. My Liverpool-supporting mate in school was always optimistic about their chances against us. They produced two top-class strikers which brings a lot of hope. Had Mcmanamon, Redknapp. They were a solid 4th place team on average. Whereas, we're a 6th-place team on average.