How Arsenal's dream of a trophy have ended since they last won one

Its almost been 8 years since Arsenal last won a trophy, a long time for a club which back in 2005 seemed to be starting to dominate the English game. They became invincible, they became a pleasure to watch, and now they have become just better than a disgrace to witness. Week in week out the fans pray for their team to re-capture their lost glory, re-capture their lost tenacity but the team fails miserably. It is hard to be a Gunner at the moment.

Players left, for greed or for glory or for more recognition or to improve, the fact remains that they left the club. Here is what Arsenal's side looked like on 21 May 2005 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff facing Manchester United in the FA Cup Final.

Lehmann (GK)

Ashley Cole(LB)

Senderos(CB)

Kolo Toure(CB)

Lauren(RB)

Viera(CM)

Gilberto Silva(CM)

Fabregas(CM)

Reyes(RF)

Bergkamp(CF)

Pires(LF)

None of these players are at Arsenal, some left, some retired, and some were moved forward by Arsene Wenger. What happened to the players which left Arsenal and went to other clubs is well-documented, I will keep it short and write: They won trophies.

Now, I will have a look at how the next season went for Arsenal, for sure, the downhill spiral did not start the very next season or did it?

Season 2005-06

Barclays Premier League

Position: 4th

Points: 67

Wins: 20 Losses: 11

Eleven losses in the season were more than the combined losses of Chelsea(1st) and Manchester United(2nd) and most among the top five teams that season

When did the challenge end?

Loss at home to Chelsea all but finished their aspirations for the title. They lost at home and away to the mighty blues that season.

League Cup

Knocked out: Cruel as it may sound but against lowly Wigan Athletic you would think Arsenal should win comfortably but they were knocked out on away goals rule in the semi-finals.

FA Cup

Knocked out: 4th round and Arsenal were licking their wounds as Bolton Wanderers crashed their party and they were knocked out.

Uefa Champions League

Runner-up: This was bitter as Arsenal lost out to Barcelona in the final of the major European competition.a Jens Lehmann red-card and an 81st minute strike by former Chelsea man Julian Beletti sealed the cup for the Catalan Giants, and from then onwards Arsenal have not yet recovered.

Season 2006-07

Barclays Premier League

Position: 4th

Points: 68

Wins: 19 Losses: 8

When did they crash out of the league title?

Losses away to Bolton, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool, Sheffield United, West Ham United and Manchester City, draws at home, and eventual lost to West Ham at Emirates left them with a lot to do even after recording a double on the eventual winners Manchester United.

League Cup

Runner-up: Contesting the final of the league cup against Chelsea, Arsenal were rocked and shocked by a mighty Ivorian, Didier Drogba also scored a late goal, in the 84th minute to let Wenger feel the pain of another final's defeat.

FA Cup

Knocked out: A replay away to Blackburn Rovers saw Arsenal lose out 1-0 in the 5th round.

Uefa Champions League

Knocked out: PSV Eindhoven knocked them out in the first knock out stage.

Season 2007-08

Barclays Premier League

Position: 3rd

Points: 83

Wins: 24 Losses: 3

When did they lose?

This was when Arsenal made most of their fans fall in love with them all over again. Beautiful on the eye, they were magnificent. But an away trip to Old Trafford which they lost meant that they could not materialise a famous league title win.

League Cup

Knocked out: Oh you lillywhites, how dare you! Tottenham Hotspurs thrashed Arsenal 5-1 to progress to the final and went on to win the cup as well.

FA Cup

Knocked out: 5th round again, but this time against Manchester United, a bitter defeat but they were prioritizing the league I guess

Uefa Champions League

Knocked out: Another famous game in the final 8 as Arsenal and Liverpool produced a real master-piece, Liverpool edged it but it was attacking football at its very best.

Season 2008-09

Barclays Premier League

Position: 4th

Points: 72

Wins: 20 Losses: 6

When did they lose?

They never looked like title-contenders this season with home defeats against Hull City and Aston Villa diminishing any chance of a title-fight from them.

League Cup

Knocked Out: 5th round again, lowly Burnley this time as Arsenal were poor in this tie.

FA Cup

Knocked out: Lost in the semi-finals to Chelsea, making the world wonder Is Chelsea really becoming the new king at London.

Uefa Champions League

Knocked out: Manchester United produced an efficient display to knock Arsenal out in the semi final 4-1.

Season 2009-10

Barclays Premier League

Position: 3rd

Points: 75

Wins: 23 Losses: 9

When did they lose it?

They were the best of the rest but not enough to get into the top fight. Chelsea and Manchester United dispatched them to keep them at bay.

League Cup

Knocked out: Cash-rich Manchester City laid waste to Arsenal 3-0 in , yes you guessed it, the 5th round.

FA Cup

Knocked out: 4th round this time, a loss to Stoke ended their cup run.

Uefa Champions League

Knocked out: Quarter-finals opponent Barcelona were too good for Arsenal to overcome.

Season 2010-11

Barclays Premier League

Position: 4th

Points: 68

Wins: 19 Losses: 8

When did they lose it?

Again, it was not meant to be a title-run-in for them. Too many defeats and draws against weak oppositions left them way off the pace.

League Cup

Runners-up:  The best chance for them to land a trophy, facing a Birmingham City side which was eventually relegated from the league, this is when the world unanimously picked Arsenal to end the trophy-drought. To the agony of the fans, Arsenal failed!

FA Cup

Knocked out: 6th round, Manchester United, awfully similar!

Uefa Champions League

Knocked out: Round of 16, Barcelona, awfully similar again!

Season 2011-12

Barclays Premier League

Position: 3rd

Points: 70

Wins: 21 Losses: 10

When did they lose?

I 8-2 write this, but i have to, they never recovered to get in the title-mix, they recovered enough to finished 3rd thanks to Robin Van Persie, who to the pain of the Gunners left them to join the side which thrashed them 8-2 the following season.

League Cup:

Knocked out: Manchester City were hands-on again to defeat Arsenal in the quarter-finals.

FA Cup:

Knocked out: Sunderland knocked Arsenal out in, yes yes, the fifth round. OH CURSE YOU THE FIFTH ROUND!

Uefa Champions League:

Knocked out: Round of 16, AC Milan knocked Arsenal out in a decent football match.

They are out of the premiership, Lost to Bradford City in the league cup, Blackburn in the FA cup and on the brink of elimination against Bayern Muncih in the Champions League. What is next for Arsenal, Gunners? I ask you, what is next?