06 07 08 - which one was our best season?

[Archibald&Crooks]

For me 2007/2008

A lot of goals, 4-4 with Villa, 4-0 beatings of Wigan, West Ham and Derby, 5-1 against Fulham, 6-4 against Reading the 4-4 (again) against Chelsea and then the small matter of the 5-1 against the Arse and winning at Wembley.

Not a consistent season, in fact league-wise pretty shitty, but plenty of drama and excitement. Any season which ends up with silverware going in the cabinet has got to go down as a good one. Unless of course you win a cup and go down. Which we didn't.

So yeah, out of the three, i'd take a season that brings a cup. Fifth schmifth. That don't go on the honours board. :wink:

 

[scat1620]

I see what you are saying and think you make some good points and on face value the 2006/7 season was better. But, I personally think we need to take into account the context of each season. The leap in difference between the 2005/6 season from previous seasons' was gigantic and I don't think anyone saw it coming. We were definitely improving and a team on the up, but at the end to the 2004 season, when Arsenal went unbeaten, if someone had said in 2 years time you'll be ahead of that lot going into the final day of the season, I don't think anyone would have believed them. We played more games in the 2006/7 season and competed on more fronts, but there wasn't the dramatic improvement we saw in 2005/6. The 2005/6 season established us as a top club once again, whilst the 2006/7 season just went to further comfirm this and continue our improvement. In terms of significance, the 2005/6 is far greater imo than any season for many years.

Totally agree with that, especially the last sentence. 2005/06 saw a sea change where we transformed from years and years of mediocrity into something of a force, and it has been solely on the foundations that were laid that season that we have been able to attract the likes of Ramos (and following from that, the likes of Modric and Dos Santos) to the club.

 

[tRiKS]

06-07 for me. Almost 25 games more played than in the 05-06 season, with a heavier weight of expectancy but a higher level of flair. It will always be a year of what if's because of how far we progressd in each cup but a 5th placed finish, whilest still competing on all fronts in february (two 1/4's a and a semi final) proved we were not a one off and that we could play well in europe. It was it was also the year we beat a top 4 team. it was also the year King did "that" tackle. Spurs were back and but for a very, very poor penalty at sevilla could have made an even bigger impact across Europe.

I believe the 06-07 season was contributory to us getting Ramos and all the top notch players he's signed so far, are in part due to that profile rasining season.

 

[Tickers]

There were so many shitty moments in 07/08, but the CC semis and final put it top for me.

I can fully accept and understand all the arguments for the other two, but standing at Wembley waving my free flag like an utter twat was such an awesome feeling.

That's what I remember. That's the moment from those three years that makes the hairs stand on end and brings a smile to my face.

To beat - nay, dismantle - Arsenal in the semi and then beat Chelsea in the final gets the nod ahead of almost finishing fourth or having a decent Waffa run for me.

 

[DC_Boy]

mmm good cross section of views - for a little while 05/06 looked to be running away with it - but a bit closer now - for me it was the least best of the 3 seasons - I preferred the more free flowing football and the far greater number of goals 07 & 08 brought

but as I say to me they are all 3 good seasons and each had its charms

 

[Ryana]

The first 2 options but i'd say 2006/2007. no special reason...apart: we played fine..we had luck with the last minute goals, we beat Chelsea...etc.

 

[SpurSince57]

The most important season, 2005-2006, for the same reasons as joey.

The best, 2007-2008, for the silverware.

God, this fence is painful.

 

[Kendall]

2005/06

Plenty of goals, a proper defence and a good midfield, those days were so much less complicated.

 

[KentuckyYid]

The excitement of actually doing something in the league and being in the driving seat for a CL place throughout the whole season easily wins this for me.

It had been years upon years of dross then suddenly there was hope.

 

[Rackybear]

05/06 easily..

The feeling of stability, going into 90% of our games with the belief we would walk away with 3 points, confidence over the moon and a style of football that was pleasureable to watch.

We would not worry if the score was 0-0 after 70 minutes, we played patiently and knew when our oppurtunity would come we would take it. Great results against man utd away that season as well as a 1-1 draw at highbury, and were nicked off a point against chelsea due to gallas' 90th minute screamer.

A few poor results that cost us, 1-1 away to sunderland, and a last minute equaliser against west ham at the lane, pretty much cost us 4th spot.

However I remember games in which were at the business end of the season, their was just a matter of 5 or 6 games left, and we knew we had to win them to stay ahead of arsenal, Spurs 1-0 vs Bolton springs to mind. Creativity of carrick and great finish from lennon...

:up:

 

[dooey123]

I'll go with 05/06. I've still got a pic I took of the teletext league table when we were top after 2 games which I would wind up my gooner mate. I said it wouldn't last but staying 4th till the last game kept the excitement up for the whole season. The cup exits were embarrasing but the league more than made up for it. I also loved a true superstar like Davids playing for us (even though he was shocking at times!)

The following season saw us play the best football I've seen in years, just like watching
brazil but due to us failing to win anything and not grabbing the 4th place (greedy I know) it came as a dissapointment. Great having the most skillfull player in the league though at his peak (you can have the dregs man u).

Last season the cc and thumpin arse made up for a poor season, having nothing to play for the last few games was pretty crap.

 

[Freezy Water]

Great thread as there are such good arguments for each season & each has highs & lows. The giant step of 05/06 from finishing 8th previous season to realistically challenging for 4th, then playing an extra 20 or so games in 06/07, not challenging for 4th but still finishing 5th but having good cup runs, then 07/08 - a bit of a disaster from the start, a management change, some very poor league performances but 4 fantastic displays in the League Cup (v Man City, 2 v Arsenal & the final). If i had to choose what i'd want from this season - Given that day at Wembley & the fact that the previous 2 seasons delivered no silverware i'd go for 07/08

 

[DC_Boy]

Great thread as there are such good arguments for each season & each has highs & lows.

Thanks for the kind words FW I thought of it the other day as a good subject for a poll (I've never done one of them before) and it's been really pleasing the response that's come through - thanks to all who've contributed so far

I expected my 08 preference to finish bottom - it might still do yet

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I am with DC on this one. Contrary to the opinion of some I think we actually had easily the fifth best squad in the premiership 05-06 and although it was a very good season in which we ground our way to ultimate 5th, that feeling utter despair over the last couple of weeks as we limped toward the line and culminated in the two teams that hate us the most both laughing their bollocks off at us will stay with me along time. 4th place was ours to loose and we did. Various reasons but ultimately Jol found himself in uncharted territory and made tactical and team mistakes when it really matterd. Just my opinion and I know many will never see it this way and understand why. So easy to be grateful when we'd not come close to 4th for so long.

My favourite season was 07-08. We played the best football of the the three seasons, replaced Jol with Ramos, won a trophy in probably the best way since 1981 (for me I think it maybe surpassed that). Results did not reflect our performances for much of the time but the previous two seasons I couldn't even watch us away on TV as it was painful. Last season we actually played pretty well home and away. We all know why we shipped goals and Ramos has done something about it almost immediately. Maybe if we'd scraped past wimbledon and beat leicester in the final it would have been closer with 2006-7 a year in which our football again improved and we went very close in the cups.

The quality of football, and the quality of the trophy. 07-08 for me.

 

[DC_Boy]

Iit was a very good season in which we ground our way to ultimate 5th, that feeling utter despair over the last couple of weeks as we limped toward the line and culminated in the two teams that hate us the most both laughing their bollocks off at us will stay with me along time. quote]

as usual good stuff BC 05/06 was indeed such a good season and had we finished 4th it would have have been the best probably (tho of course on the back of CL money and prestige who knows what the future would have brought)

but as you say the pain of Henry getting them out of jail at Highbury- the constant taunts they'd win the CL to do us over anyway -and than that ****ing day!!!!!!!!!!! with the Spammers getting the kind of kick from us losing that their own lamentable team can never give them - aaarghhhhh

It was to our absolute credit that, far from folding as many of our enemy were predicting, we bounced back the next season and IMO played even better football than in 05/06

 

[claw_diddy]

Cant believe people voted 05/06. Can anyone remember games like Grimsby, Leicester, Sunderland? It was those performances that shaped our season, as well as Arsenal's loss of form early doors. We gave away 4th position way before the last day of the season.

I'd say 06-07 was the best, first time in Europe for over a decade, chasing silverware on a variety of fronts, beat Chelsea domestically, best game of the season 4-3 over West Ham, the rise of Berba (I spit on his name now). Yes we exited the cups perhaps when we shouldn't, but for while we stood our ground against the likes of Sevilla, Chelsea and Arsenal.

We also had a disaster of a start to the EPL season but unlike last year, fought our away up to another 5th finale and some respectable cup performances.

 

[robin09]

This thread prompted me to go back and watch some of the footage from the 05/06 season. Definitely the best.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7IRYkBYDYU

Makes me wish we still had Defoe.....

Reminded me how well Lennon played that year, too.

 

[worcestersauce]

05/06 nothing
06/07 nothing
07/08 Carling cup winners

Nuff said!

 

[DogsOfWar]

To be honest I've enjoyed all 3 seasons, Davids, Naybet, and Carrick in 2005 bringing quality back to the Lane, OK we mainly won games by a single goal but we genuinely challenged for 4th.

2006 was our return to Europe, exciting football, did well in the cups and had a great run to 5th at the end of the season.

Last season was a soap opera from start to finish with, as BC says, arguably our best cup victory in recent times. Arsenal in the semi's and Chelsea in the final is Champion's League football, not just Carling cup.

But for me, to judge the best out of the three, we need to think about answering this question in 10 years, and the answer to that will be 2008.
The petty details of the last 3 seasons will be forgotten and the only abiding memory will be the season we won the cup.

No-one sits at home and recounts the legendary tale of when Spurs came fifth, but they will remember beating Chelsea in the cup final until old age.
How many fans have a programme of our defeat to West Ham in 2005?
I'll guarantee it is a lot less than those that have kept this years CC final.

 

[tRiKS]

To be honest I've enjoyed all 3 seasons, Davids, Naybet, and Carrick in 2005 bringing quality back to the Lane, OK we mainly won games by a single goal but we genuinely challenged for 4th.

2006 was our return to Europe, exciting football, did well in the cups and had a great run to 5th at the end of the season.

Last season was a soap opera from start to finish with, as BC says, arguably our best cup victory in recent times. Arsenal in the semi's and Chelsea in the final is Champion's League football, not just Carling cup.

But for me, to judge the best out of the three, we need to think about answering this question in 10 years, and the answer to that will be 2008.
The petty details of the last 3 seasons will be forgotten and the only abiding memory will be the season we won the cup.

No-one sits at home and recounts the legendary tale of when Spurs came fifth, but they will remember beating Chelsea in the cup final until old age.
How many fans have a programme of our defeat to West Ham in 2005?
I'll guarantee it is a lot less than those that have kept this years CC final.

Salient words and i've changed my answer; For the technical merits i can currently remember 06/07. In 10 years time for the technical mertis i can no longer remember 07/08