Actually I'd say the main aim is winning trophies sustainably. How many Pompey fans do you think are happy their club blew their load on a single FA Cup and nearly destroyed the entire club in the process? No point winning a trophy if it could put the future success of the club at risk. Also IIRC since 97 the league has never been won by a side that didn't qualify for the CL the previous year. From Chelsea's point of view, if you hadn't qualified for the CL last season you almost certainly wouldn't have signed Hazard, and possibly Oscar too, and so would probably not have been challenging for trophies this year. If you miss out this season, you may struggle to get the players to move up the table next year.
That could be true. Part of the attraction of coming to Chrlsea along with money and living in London, is playing for a club that matches and beats the best in Europe: Bayern, Barca, Benfica, Milan etc
Yep, hence why I used the plural trophies instead of trophy! Like I said, we can afford to keep on the players we currently have and have consistently been winning trophies for nigh on 16 years now. Top four would be great along with a trophy, but I can't see us fighting on three fronts when our rivals are only focusing on one AGAIN for the second season in a row. It's already been mentioned, if we were just in a top four battle then we'd clinch it easy.
Last season too. Even united struggle to challenge on all fronts these days. It will be at least six years since they won a proper cup. 2008 (FIFA World Cup) to 2014 at least. Even arsenal have won the FA cup more recently than ManU. I really thought they would resume their old dominance of the cup this season but to do that they would have to beat the best FA cup team ever! They don't have the characters: keane Irwin etc to win it these days
Good example. Except you've never beaten either of the Milan clubs in Europe. Ever. Istoree! Fair point, although I think a top club will always be better off finishing in the top four instead of winning a trophy in a single season. If you win the FA Cup or EL then you have one trophy, but if you get top four you have a much better chance of winning two or three over the next couple of seasons. Unless you're Arsenal of course
Have you ever heard of the Fairs Cup? have a look at the 9th February 1966 where you will clearly see Milan took the 1st leg 2-1 (George Graham) then on the 16th of Feb we beat them at the Bridge 2-1 (Graham, Greaves) We then drew the replay 1-1 after et (Bridges) and won the tie on the toss of a coin. So I make that a win, don't you? Istoree as you call it seems to be a stranger for you United chappies but maybe that's why you're not so popular on the forum eh?
But we've beaten Real (Europe's biggest and most successful club), how did you get on in your last outing against them?
Our record v Ac Milan w1 d3 L1 United's record v Milan: Eliminated four times by Milan in succession, progressed once, finally getting that monkey off their back in 09/10.
Please see my correction district. The Milan side they beat in 09/10 was a poor one too, finishing third and way off the title pace 08/9 and 09/10. When Saffa met good Milan sides they got owned in 2005 and 2007
