The Gunners have reached 50 points at the halfway stage of a Premier League season for the first time since the 2003/04 Invincibles went unbeaten. Mikel Arteta’s side leads Manchester City by eight points. This is Arsenal’s best position at this point in a Premier League season for a decade and there are plenty of observers suggesting it may herald the arrival of another great era at the club.
The Invincibles
The Gunners’ record-breaking season of 2003/04 is renowned as one of the greatest Premier League campaigns of all time. They won a remarkable 90 points over the course of 38 games and were never defeated in England’s top flight.
The side that went unbeaten included players such as Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, and Cesc Fabregas, and was built on the principle of possession-based, free-flowing football. During that season, Wenger’s team won every single game against Manchester United except for the infamous 0-0 draw at Old Trafford that is now infamously known as ‘The Battle of The Invincibles’.
Arsenal’s record is still unsurpassed. Former Arsenal star Paul Merson recently debated with fellow panelists Geoff Shreeves and Craig Bellamy whether Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side this season has surpassed the achievements of The Invincible. It is difficult to compare these two teams, but the Frenchman believes that Arsenal’s season in 2003/04 remains a benchmark for all other teams in English football.
The Champions League
The North London club has only reached a single Champions League final in the modern era, which is a major disappointment considering how long they have been competing at the highest level. Although they have never won the competition, their best performance came when they finished fourth in the 2004–05 season and lost to Bayern Munich.
Mikel Arteta’s side are on course for another top-four finish and could even make the quarterfinals of Europe’s premier club competition. Qualifying for the latter would provide a massive boost to Arsenal’s prize money, which is already an impressive sum.
There have been some real positives from this season’s Arsenal team, particularly the youth players who are bursting with promise. Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and William Saliba have all shown great maturity, playing with confidence and poise. It’s the perfect group of youngsters to build a Gunners dynasty—but only if they can keep improving.
The FA Cup
In 2022, Arsenal won their seventh FA Cup trophy in 22 seasons under the stewardship of Arsene Wenger. The north London club had a period of dominance in the 1930s under Herbert Chapman that produced five league titles and two FA Cups.
In the final, a Santi Cazorla goal in the 17th minute settled nerves and set the stage for a dramatic finish. A 0-0 draw after 90 minutes led to extra time, where Aaron Ramsey scored in the 101st and 109th minutes, respectively, to win it for the Gunners.
The victory was a record-breaking season for the Gunners and also marked the first time that Manchester City lost to their rivals in a Premier League title decider since the Hillsborough disaster of 1989, which claimed 96 lives. It was a bitterly disappointing day for the hosts, but the victory lifted Arsenal into second place. They remained there for 248 days and ended the season 12 points behind leaders Manchester City.
The League Cup
Arsenal were a mid-table First Division club in the 1920s. But Herbert Chapman was determined to bring silverware back to Highbury. It was 1971 when they finally made it to Wembley. Thousands turned up to watch them beat North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur 1–0 in the League Cup Final (known as the Micky Mouse Cup by some).
The following season, they won another double, a record-breaking feat. Thierry Henry, Denis Bergkamp, and Ian Wright notched up an astonishing 38 league goals between them as they put 12 points between themselves and Manchester United.
In the same season, they won their first European Cup, beating one of Europe’s finest teams, Anderlecht, in two games. Despite not winning the Champions League, Arsenal’s year was still one of their best. Adding the League Cup, FA Cup, and Europa League, they have won 30 trophies, which is more than Liverpool, Manchester City, and Chelsea combined.
Learn how to “Get the Most Out of Apex Legends With the Right Play Style.” like Arsenal. This article compares Arsenal’s tactical victories to your gaming strategy. The right play style can lead to greatness on the pitch or on the virtual battlefield. Learn tactics for winning in sports and games.
