Trophies that the losing side should have won

[Robertd0803]

Us- FA Cup 2005, 2007 and 2008.
We had the wrong approach altogether for 2009 CL Final.
2009/2010 PL.
We should have never been in the position for 2011/2012 to end the way it did.

Outside of us, Milan 2005 (muppets).
The CL where Ramos scored to make it 1-1 in injury time vs Atletico.

Argentina in 2014 WC.

 

[MayosNoun]

I watched an Old Firm cup final, maybe last season? Rangers missed a penalty and a host of chances. It was completely one sided and Fraser Forster was outstanding.

Celtic won the game with a goal from a set piece which was clearly offside. Insane how the assistant didn’t see the offside.

It was a good game to watch unlike the usual borefest this overhyped game provides.

 

[TheReligion]

I'm baffled as to the 08 Chelsea final shouts.

Was a pretty even game from memory that was always going to be decided by a fine margin.

 

[always_hoping]

By far?

It's arguable if they were even the better team at all. We were battering them first half until they got a flukey deflected Lampard special. They were better 2nd half and extra time was fairly even.

Correct, Chelseas goal and as you say a lucky one at that was their first effort on goal and totally against the run of play.

 

[SportingCP96]

Not sure how this is even getting a mention. It was a very even game, we were better in the first half, they were better in the second one and could’ve been luckier in the shoot out but they weren't.


Is this actually based on the final or on your general stance about club's statures? I assume that you mean the 2005 final and not the 2004 one, I don't really remember Sporting dominating that, even though CSKA were the underdogs going in.

As for the clear and big misses (including the ones from an ancient history):

1954 World Cup.
Literally everything went West Germany's way and even then they needed a questionable offside decision to win that. The group stage result between the same sides (Hungary beat them 8:3) was probably closer to reality.

1968 Euros.
Yugoslavia were the best team of the tournament and they have been a much better side in the original final that ended up with a draw — Italians had managed to score from a scrappy free kick to equalise later on. In the replay they had fielded pretty much a completely new fresh XI which included one of the best players in the world (Riva) and won fair and square — but that replay shouldn't have happened in the first place.

1988 Euros.
Another funny case where the finalists played each other in the group stages with a mirrored result. USSR won the group game, although they probably shouldn't have as Netherlands played better... but Netherlands returned them that favour by winning in the final, where Soviets were the better side. Even Michels himself commented on how unfair the final outcome of that game was (comparing it to the 1974 World Cup final).

This one barely gets any mentions because of:
1. Netherlands finally winning an international tournament (something they deserved to do a very long time ago)
2. van Basten's volley

1999, 2005, 2012 CL finals — I don't think that I really need to expand on them.

Mostly just the salty tears I still taste to this day Yes I meant 2005.

I can't forget the fact when the game was 2-1 we missed an open net goal from a year out and then on the counter concede the 3-1 along with a host of other missed chances. CSKA were very clinical where as Sporting as always were choke artists.

The same happened in 2016 the "title" game at home vs Benfica down 1-0 Bryan Ruiz misses an open net from 1 yard out.

 

[Guy Incognito]

I know but Arsenal played Chelsea in the semis and Wenger inexplicably decided not to play Arshavin who was in red hot form.

But I doubt he would've made a difference. Chelsea were a far stronger side and Drogba was hitting form.

Re team selections, I remember Henry got rested against United in a cup semi and you lost. But then Wenger started against Chelsea in the CL and you lost that too. You could've made a bigger case for Arsenal winning the CL that season.

 

[Dwight Corke]

Anyone think Portugal should have won Euro 2004 final? They had 58 percent possession, 17 shots to Greece's 4 and conceded from Greece's only shot on target. Still boggles the mind how Rehhagel pulled that off

 

[Gio]

2019 Scottish League Cup Final

 

[saivet]

Yeah, the 08 final was a even content til the very end.

Not sure where it ranks amongst the neutrals but I think it was a quality game , stepping back and looking at the game without the red tinted specs ofcourse.

I watched the extended highlights during the first lockdown and while it was just highlights, it reminded me how good a game it was. I think because of the nerves at the time I didn't quite take in the quality of the match properly, plenty of good stuff from both sides and a lot of talented players on show.

 

[FootballHQ]

Anyone think Portugal should have won Euro 2004 final? They had 58 percent possession, 17 shots to Greece's 4 and conceded from Greece's only shot on target. Still boggles the mind how Rehhagel pulled that off

Greece just did what they did very well yet again in the final. Actually thought there was foul on Ricardo for the goal aswell, arm in his face as he came for corner a bit like the Campbell one that was disallowed for the QF.

 

[FootballHQ]

I watched the extended highlights during the first lockdown and while it was just highlights, it reminded me how good a game it was. I think because of the nerves at the time I didn't quite take in the quality of the match properly, plenty of good stuff from both sides and a lot of talented players on show.

Premier league was completely stacked at the time, look at the midfields and attacks for those two plus Arsenal and Liverpool and all defences were very solid in european football which is why there were a few occasions of three English teams in semi finals in that era.

 

[RORY65]

The 2008 final was just a really good game that could have gone either way, we were fantastic in the first half but the goal on the stroke of half time completely changed things and Chelsea were on top for the second half until we shored things up and then extra time was more even. The most fortuitous final I can remember for us was the 2017 League Cup final, I thought Southampton were really good and clearly the better side for the most part but Mourinho found a way to be lucky in the two cup wins that year.

As others have mentioned the 2001 and 2005 FA Cup finals are two of the most unlucky losses you will see (arguably 2001 even more so given that Arsenal didn't just miss chances but were also screwed over by the ref while from memory we just missed a load of chances in 2005) while Italy should have won the Euro 2000 final but missed big chances when ahead and then conceded a poor goal with seconds left.