Our best ever Cup final performance?

[Cobs]

With the League Cup final approaching, having recently spanked Chelsea 5-1 and wondering if we could repeat that at Wembley (chances are not) - it got me to thinking of our past Cup final matches - both home and abroad and thinking what was our best performance?

I'm a touch too young to remember the 74 Cup final and Shanks' last hurrah when we pulled Newcastle's pants down in the 2nd half.

But other finals spring to mind of incomplete showings, often going behind first or failing to live up to League form on the big day.

 

Ultimately winning is all that counts but it would be nice to smash somebody in a final.

 

So anyway - whaddyareckon? Best footballing performance in a final that you've seen from us...?

[muleskinner]

Rome 77 was pretty f***ing special.

[Jarg Armani]

I don't reckon I've ever really seen us perform in a final... It's a bit of an issue but maybe other teams feel the same, ie maybe nobody ever plays their best in finals.

There are a few where we played well for a half, or played well and didn't score, or even played well and lost, but I'm not sure you can include any of them as the best for various obvious reasons. 

i.e. we were boss v Chelsea in the FA Cup final the other year but never scored. We were great v Alaves for the 1st half... buuut...

 

[Benzo-13]

Sunderland 2-0.

Only one I seen us dominate. 
 

Think best performance is beating Everton in 1986. They were the best team around.

[Cobs]

5 minutes ago, Jarg Armani said:

I don't reckon I've ever really seen us perform in a final... It's a bit of an issue but maybe other teams feel the same, ie maybe nobody ever plays their best in finals.

There are a few where we played well for a half, or played well and didn't score, or even played well and lost, but I'm not sure you can include any of them as the best for various obvious reasons. 

i.e. we were boss v Chelsea in the FA Cup final the other year but never scored. We were great v Alaves for the 1st half... buuut...

 

this is it - 2nd half v Everton in 86, the 6 minutes v Milan

I've watched the Bruges 78 final in full and we battered them and should have won 6-0 but only managed Kenny's chip.

Smash and grabbed Arsenal in 01, Gerrard's late heroics in 06, Alaves was a rollercoaster, loads of wins on pens - and that's before we get to the finals where we haven't really turned up at all - Utd in 96....

perhaps it is just the occasion is too big but the Mancs smacked Chelsea 4-0 in a Cup final and City annhilated Watford the other year - be nice to have one like that in our canon

[WillG]

Gotta be Istanbul

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

2-0 in the 2003 LCF vs the Mancs - although I didn't see the game at the time. We defo had the rub of the green at times so maybe not the best performance....

You'd probably have to say 86 vs Everton or 77 vs BM

2019 vs Spurs we weren't really in trouble but it wasn't a great game

[Ombudsam]

I haven’t seen it but we beat Newcastle 3-0 in a the FA cup final. Can’t have been that bad.

We’re murderous in finals. Doesn’t matter who we play. Not complaining as I’ve seen us win a load.

[Cobs]

3 minutes ago, Sir Tokyo Sexwale said:

2-0 in the 2003 LCF vs the Mancs - although I didn't see the game at the time. We defo had the rub of the green at times so maybe not the best performance....

 

we did play well that day, in that kind of solid, functional way we were under GH - Dudek had a stormer as did Diouf, iirc

Owen's winner as Keane tried to break his legs was a wonderful moment too

[Jarg Armani]

12 minutes ago, Sir Tokyo Sexwale said:

2-0 in the 2003 LCF vs the Mancs - although I didn't see the game at the time. We defo had the rub of the green at times so maybe not the best performance....

That's a great shout, forgot about that one.

It got instantly memory holed by the general public due to it being right in the middle of The Ferguson Long Winter.

[WillG]

14 minutes ago, Jarg Armani said:

That's a great shout, forgot about that one.

It got instantly memory holed by the general public due to it being right in the middle of The Ferguson Long Winter.

Yeah same - forgot how much I hated that Utd side too.

 

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

didn't RvN miss about 100 good chances? Hit the post & stuff?

[Hassony]

The Owen final is a personal favourite of mine,  with a special performance from Henchoz in goal that day 

[Tosh]

Keane really did try to hack Owen down

[Cobs]

6 minutes ago, Tosh said:

Keane really did try to hack Owen down

aye, the filthy s***bag

[kop205]

Screen Sports Super Cup

[smithdown]

8 minutes ago, kop205 said:

Screen Sports Super Cup

Yes lad.  Goals galore and could walk it to both games.  

[smithdown]

West Ham league cup final replay we look brilliant btw 

 

Battered them.

 

 

just had a quick look at the SSSC games - Dalglish up front in the first leg (and kevin Mac Donald wtf was he all about) and then Molby in his position as a number 10 in the second

 

[JRC]

1 hour ago, smithdown said:

West Ham league cup final replay we look brilliant btw 

 

Battered them.

 

 

just had a quick look at the SSSC games - Dalglish up front in the first leg (and kevin Mac Donald wtf was he all about) and then Molby in his position as a number 10 in the second

 

Beat me to it. We were outstanding that night, should have won by more. Was brutal around Villa Park getting out, those lovely Hammers weren't happy and kept launching attacks from the side streets. 

Wast there in 74 as well, which was comprehensive to say the least, although there were the usual fears when first half dominance didn't lead to a goal - soon put it right in the 2nd, and one of the most one-sided finals you're likely to see. 

And don't diss Kevin MacDonald. His form was a prime reason for us catching Everton and winning the 86 double, after a really difficult start with us - legitimately kept McMahon out of the team for half a season. 

[Cunny]

we battered Everton in 1989, should never have gone into extra time or have been close

[Dominus Maximus]

Istanbul for for me. Most epic win ever for any team in any tournament ever. Rafa that beautiful blessed man and his weird bunch of mad lads. So many stories in that one. Hands down. 

[downunder]

It was 2 legs but Hamburg Super Cup 1977 was special. Keegan coming back and Terry Mac got a hat trick in a 6-0 demolition.

[Earl Hafler]

Watched the 82 final against Spurs earlier - must have been some game because they were a cracking side 

Whelan loved Wembley 

[muleskinner]

6 minutes ago, Earl Hafler said:

Watched the 82 final against Spurs earlier - must have been some game because they were a cracking side 

Whelan loved Wembley 

It's why Crooks is so f***ing weird. Would have been a travesty not winning that day.

[BigBird]

19 hours ago, WillG said:

Gotta be Istanbul

 

11 hours ago, Dominus Maximus said:

Istanbul for for me. Most epic win ever for any team in any tournament ever. Rafa that beautiful blessed man and his weird bunch of mad lads. So many stories in that one. Hands down. 

So blatantly obvious it's not even a debate.