Ahead of Bayern's trip to Liverpool, Robben looks back at his three years with us:

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It is a rare glimpse of old wounds and partly explains why, when the fixture was confirmed, Robben called it “the worst possible draw” for Bayern. He was there when, in 2004-05 and 2006-07, Chelsea fell maddeningly short in Champions League semi-finals. The first was decided by Luis García’s “ghost goal”, and Robben prefers to leave it at “we’ll never know” when asked whether it went in. The second was settled on penalties, one of which he sent too close to Pepe Reina, and proved to be his penultimate match for the club. He remembers that as an “emotional game” and, both times, Chelsea were repelled by a formidable defensive blockade.

“At that time [Liverpool] were really capable of being this cup fighter team, also in the FA Cup or [League] Cup,” he says. “In one or two games they could really live up to it and perform; just not the whole season, which was maybe too much. That was their biggest quality: they were there at the moment they needed to be there.

“Now I think it changed and they developed really well. The manager has done a great job. Last year they were in the Champions League final and at the moment they are top [of the Premier League]. It’s a long, long time ago that they won the league and that’s the one they’re dreaming of.”

Robben managed that feat twice at Chelsea as they broke their own hex, stretching back 50 years, in 2005 before retaining their title. “We played with two strikers, two wingers; it was really like a 4-4-2, a lot of offensive players,” he remembers of a dashing José Mourinho side whose bravura nowadays feels as if it must be a trick of the memory. “But what I remember about that period is the team: a real team, all together, the players and characters all fitting together very, very well. We had a great manager as well in Mourinho, who made sure the team spirit was working well. And for me it was a big, big step because I was 20 years old [on arriving in 2004]. It was the first time I went abroad. Especially if you are that young, you have to grow up very quick.”

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/feb/16/arjen-robben-liverpool-bayern-munich-champions-league-preview

Never replaced him.

2 hours ago, JMaher94 said:

Never replaced him.

Good luck trying

Ahhh them were the days, exciting football, low expectations, blank cheque book, Jose at his best, JT still in early 20s,....... and Robben on the wing, what more could you ever want !!

7 minutes ago, coco said:

Ahhh them were the days, exciting football, low expectations, blank cheque book, Jose at his best, JT still in early 20s,....... and Robben on the wing, what more could you ever want !!

A defensive midfielder who was so good the position was named after him, a midfielder who chipped in 20+ goals a season, a number 10 with all the tricks who was one of us and a big brute of a striker battering through defences. A man can only dream...

that would just be expecting far too much, now your just making me miserable thinking about what we once had and has now long gone.

See my post in the United thread if you start having negative thoughts 

5 hours ago, JMaher94 said:

Never replaced him.

Hazard has eclipsed Robben's achievements by far at this point. Robben was great, but he was injured a lot and we never got to see the best of him.

1 hour ago, coco said:

Ahhh them were the days, exciting football, low expectations, blank cheque book, Jose at his best, JT still in early 20s,....... and Robben on the wing, what more could you ever want !!

That era of Lampard over anyone for the next ten years

1 hour ago, Scott Harris said:

Hazard has eclipsed Robben's achievements by far at this point. Robben was great, but he was injured a lot and we never got to see the best of him.

Only via longevity for me ... Robben was electric ... much more so than Hazard. With Duffer on the other side we were truly spoilt in those days. The only winger since then who has had me on the edge of my seat is young Hudson-Odoi.

Saw his debut against Blackburn where he came on for the last 20 minutes or so and me and my mate just looked at each other with our jaws dropped. He was so much better than anyone else on the pitch, devastating speed and skill. Gutted when he left.

I recall Robben and Mourinho didn't see eye to eye on when he was injured and get the impression Mourinho similarly felt Hazard wasn't as bad at times as he made out.

Is it just me?

 

7 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

Hazard has eclipsed Robben's achievements by far at this point. Robben was great, but he was injured a lot and we never got to see the best of him.

I mean on the right hand side.

Hazard replaced Cole & Duff perfectly but we've never adequately replaced Robben.

12 hours ago, Strider6003 said:

I recall Robben and Mourinho didn't see eye to eye on when he was injured and get the impression Mourinho similarly felt Hazard wasn't as bad at times as he made out.

Is it just me?

 

I tend to agree... I think its simply that some players will play when they are at 90% fitness and still give it everything and others need to feel 100% in order to perform... Robs was in the latter and Jose wanted him on the pitch as often as possible but if he wasnt 100% he didnt want to play. 

 

Just my opinion of course 

Some player and I hope Bayern hammer Liverpool.

On 18/02/2019 at 01:42, JMaher94 said:

I mean on the right hand side.

Hazard replaced Cole & Duff perfectly but we've never adequately replaced Robben.

We had Shaun Wright-Phillips!

On 17/02/2019 at 17:48, Scott Harris said:

Hazard has eclipsed Robben's achievements by far at this point. Robben was great, but he was injured a lot and we never got to see the best of him.

I actually preferred Damien Duff to Arjen Robben. Robben was exciting but he wasn't exactly the bravest soldier in the fort. Duffer was a great winger who could do both.

Duff seemed a work horse, Robben a world class player. Think having both was a good move.

13 hours ago, just said:

I actually preferred Damien Duff to Arjen Robben. Robben was exciting but he wasn't exactly the bravest soldier in the fort. Duffer was a great winger who could do both.

I remember a period when they both played at full pelt they were unstoppable together..... probably one of the best things I have seen in football. Alas wasn't to last !   

2 hours ago, andy said:

I remember a period when they both played at full pelt they were unstoppable together..... probably one of the best things I have seen in football. Alas wasn't to last !   

Shame that stopped as I also felt they were good together too.

And posters on here say Mourinho only played defensive football! Did they ever watch any of these games?

If only Sarriball looked this fast and exciting.

12 hours ago, just said:

And posters on here say Mourinho only played defensive football! Did they ever watch any of these games?

If only Sarriball looked this fast and exciting.

Those 2 with Joe Cole aswell were fantastic. I was gutted robben went, it didnt even seem like we got a good deal at the time £23m and then we replaced him with malouda who I wasnt keen on from the start. 

I actually think the football we played under Mourinho at the start of the 14/15 season was the best we have played since Ancelotti. 

We played a very attacking team. Fabregas, oscar, Willian, and hazard on the pitch at the same time. 

In hindsight we probably should've just paid what was needed for stones and pogba, since we've wasted so much more money since then trying to adapt to new managers. 

On 20/02/2019 at 00:01, just said:

I actually preferred Damien Duff to Arjen Robben. Robben was exciting but he wasn't exactly the bravest soldier in the fort. Duffer was a great winger who could do both.

I liked both but personally thought Robben was on a different level to Duff.

Robben is a freak. Up until a couple seasons ago he has remained at a consistent level since his days with us. Very few players ever keep that consistency. I always wonder how Ronaldo (R9) and Ronaldinho would have done if their primes lasted a longer time and injuries were not a problem. 

19 hours ago, just said:

And posters on here say Mourinho only played defensive football! Did they ever watch any of these games?

If only Sarriball looked this fast and exciting.

Fast and direct, it's something that has always worked in the Premier League, but we just piss about with the ball around the edge of the penalty area.