Since 2004, Arsenal fans have had a lot to complain about. Their lack of consistency in both the Premier League and in Europe has given their fans diminishing hope that they may one day return to the glory days at the beginning of the millennia. The 2003/2004 Premier League season is one that was supposedly dominated by Arsenal, who went undefeated in their 38 game season, winning 26 and drawing the remaining 12. This earned them the name "The Invincibles" and is a fond memory that Arsenal fans can cling too when watching the current outfit lose to Burnley at the Emirates. However, when you dig a little deeper, this so-called unbeatable side was just lucky enough to be in the right era at the right time.
Of all the great sides that have graced the Premier League since 2000, there is no question that the Invisibles should still be included. With world-class talent in Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Sol Cambell, the 2003/2004 Gunners were pretty much stacked at every position and was managed by the great Arsene Wenger. This was truly the golden age of north London football and they produced 73 goals (30 from the feet of Thierry Henry alone) and finished at the top of the table with 90 points. Now in 2004, this did the job. However, if you fast forward to recent seasons, this squads reputation would begin the crumble. In the 2017/2018 Premier League season, Manchester City truly dominated English football. In their 38 appearances, they won 32 games, only losing against bitter rivals Liverpool and Manchester United. In this campaign, they also scored 106 goals whilst only conceding 27 and finished the season with 100 points, 19 points clear of 2nd. Now, if you insert Arsenal's squad and their results into this equation, not only would they finish 2nd to Manchester City, but would probably lose their famed title as well. Furthermore, in the 2019/2020 season, Liverpool captured the title in a similarly commanding fashion, winning 32 games with only 3 losses and pulling clear of all rivals by 18 points at the season's end. Again, if you insert 'The Invincibles' into this era of football, they would be contending for Champions League places against the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea, instead of league titles.
Nevertheless, Arsenal still dominated their own era right? Well not exactly. Although they walked away with a league title, that's the only piece of silver that was put in the trophy cabinet that season. Losses in the Champions League quarter-final and FA Cup semi-final showed the world that this unstoppable force still had a few cracks to exploit. These cracks were also exploited in the Premier League with an unusually high 12 draws, one of the highest ever in a title-winning effort. But that's okay because they drew against big teams right? Again, not exactly. Although some drawn results came at the hands of league giants such as Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, the majority came from teams such as Portsmouth and Bolton Wanderers, whose presence in the top flight of English football hasn't been seen in years.
Now before I finish, I want to make something clear. The 2003/2004 Arsenal squad is still one of the greatest squads that have ever been assembled on European soil. The point I am really trying to get across is that in true Arsenal fashion, they cataclysmically underachieved, both in their success in the Premier League and in Europe. However, due to Arsenal's current state, it's fanbase must have something to hold onto and therefore place this squad as a benchmark for their team's success. Little do they know, even after surpassing this mark, their precious Gunner's will probably still fall short.
All very fare on reflection !
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