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The Premier League’s bad week out gets worse – Tracking England’s plight from dominance in the UCL

By on November 5, 2014

2007 to 2009 might not be considered the “good old days”, for most, considering the global financial crisis of the period, but for English footballing teams, it was the first time they really had implemented their prowess on the international stage. Yes, the Liverpool teams of the seventies and eighties are up there with the best, but in terms of England, and specifically the Premier League’s general dominance the numbers speak volumes. From 2004-05 to 2008-09, they had six finalists over a period of five seasons – in fact, in 07-08 there was an all English final between Manchester United and Chelsea. Forget the eighties or Manchester United’s famous 1998/1999 triumph, we have just lived through England’s most successful period of club dominance at the European and even international level.

For three seasons straight, between 06-07 and 08-09, the Premier League had three representatives in the Champions League Semifinals, and only one team, Arsenal in 06-07, failed to make it into the Quarterfinals. England won three UCL titles between 2005 and 2012, all by different clubs, but had Barcelona not been going through their great period as well, they could have won three more titles. The last time England had only one representative in the knockout stages was in 2003, that is, until 2011/2012. That year, while Chelsea ironically went all the way and won the competition, only the Blues and Arsenal made it into the Round of 16, and the next year the trend continued. It got worse, in fact, as not a single English side was represented in the quarterfinals. Even Russia, in comparison, had the same amount of clubs in the knockout stages as a England did in 2012.

Of course, you have to put all of the numbers into perspective. The Premier League is still one of the best leagues, and if it needs to be said, has one of the best level of football, in the world. It is still an incredibly successful power in the Champions League, even now. Just last season it rebounded as a matter of fact with all four English clubs in the competition advancing to the knockout stages and Chelsea making a Semifinal appearance. Just this week, Liverpool, not even the best side in England at the moment, travelled to Real Madrid, the current Champions League holders and most expensive side in the world, with small hopes of a win – but at least some. In the end, they only lost by one goal. Chelsea also hosted NK Maribor, Manchester City welcomed CSKA Moscow, and Arsenal faced Anderlecht. All three matches were considered pushovers for the English sides, respectable in the fact that not many Champions League matches are pushovers.

Yet somehow, none won. First, Arsenal gave up a 3-0 second half lead and drew 3-3 with Anderlecht. However, they have already all but booked their spot into the knockout stages, though that doesn’t take away from the disappointing result. Today things got a lot more interesting. Chelsea drew Maribor at home, and while they are also basically into the next round it shows a bit of inexperience from a team that bookmakers pick on average fourth most likely to win the entire thing. Maribor, after all, are the second to worst side in the tournament behind Malmo, some of the same bookmakers say.

The most interesting result comes in the form of Manchester City’s loss to CSKA, though, as City are in the Premier League title race and did really need the win. Now, they are bottom of Group E still having to face Bayern Munich. A win against Roma, a side they drew in their first meeting in the group stages, is pivotal. City might have been on the wrong end of a few questionable refereeing calls tonight, but certainly contributed to their own downfall with two red cards. For them, it may be down to inexperience. Of course, that is what their poor showings in the Champions League have been blamed on for the past three seasons, granted, tough draws have also helped prevent them from moving past the Round of 16 on the past three occasions.

The bottom line is that England are suffering in the Champions League. It may well be down to City’s failings in the competition, but currently Chelsea seem their only legitimate chance of European success this season, and over the past three, it has been their only outlet of it. Nicolas Anelka in 2008 was England’s last player to be in the top four of the UCL scoring charts in any season.

They have not had a semifinalist other than Chelsea since 2010/2011, no finalist or winner since Chelsea in 2011/2012, and only thee quarterfinalists in the previous three seasons, whereas in 2008/2009 three semifinalists were English and all four in of EPL clubs in the competition made it to the Round of 16. It may not be a plight, so much as a break from the spotlight. If Manchester City can find their form in the competition, and Manchester United finally finish renovating their squad into a “Galacticos” team, then they may well be back on top in a few years.

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.