What does it take to be invincible? To do one thing so particular that you simply obtain immortality. Superior abilities? Unwavering want? The capability to soak up strain and bounce again? Luck? Perhaps, you could have all of it.
Twenty years in the past, on May 15, 2004, Arsenal Football Club breathed in that uncommon air. They went unbeaten throughout the 38-game Premier League season to be hailed as ‘The Invincibles’. In 1888-89, two years after Arsenal’s start, Preston North End had gone unbeaten too, however that league season comprised 22 matches. As far because the English top-flight is anxious, Arsenal completed one thing no staff had, and no staff has since.
In a contest that featured Alex Ferguson’s mighty Manchester United and a high-spending Chelsea beneath Roman Abramovich, the Gunners’ unconquered run that had 26 wins ensured they’re counted among the many best sides England has ever seen. In a staff sport, particularly, the place there are such a lot of transferring components, they set a unprecedented instance of collective ambition.
When within the zone, that Arsenal aspect was a sight to behold. A close to excellent mix of particular person and collective brilliance, they might catch opponents off-guard from wherever on the pitch. They may glow and be gritty too. And the brains behind the operation, the person who developed that extremely engaging model of soccer, was Arsene Wenger.
It was the Frenchman’s eighth season in cost. Having arrived on the north London membership in 1996, he gained the league the next season and once more in 2001-02. They couldn’t defend their title the subsequent time period, regardless of having an eight-point lead in March, however by the point the 2003-04 season got here round, Wenger’s squad, bolstered by the arrival of Jens Lehmann in objective, was on the peak of its powers and hungry for revenge.
“In 2003, we lost the championship and I asked the players, ‘Why did we lose?’. They told me, ‘Because of you’. I said, ‘Why?’ and they said it’s because I put them under too much pressure,” Wenger was quoted as saying on arsenal.com.
“They wanted to win without losing a game and I told them I believed they could. I don’t know how it happened, but game after game we didn’t lose, and we won with five games to go. Usually, you lose the next game because everybody switches off, so I told the players who wanted to have a breather, ‘Now you can become immortal’.”
If Wenger was the architect behind the scenes, the primary man on the pitch was the irresistible Thierry Henry. Then 26, he completed because the league’s highest scorer (30) that season and was most likely the best striker on the planet. He might be scientific in entrance of objective, hearth screamers from outdoors the field, go away defenders trailing in his wake on the flanks and scythe defences with velocity and ball-control. Who can overlook his strike from 35 yards out towards Manchester United, or his well-known run towards Liverpool the place he beat 4 defenders, had Jamie Carragher in knots, earlier than discovering the web.
While Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg have been essential cogs on the wings, it was Henry’s partnership with Dennis Bergkamp that stood out. The Dutchman, regarded by many as essentially the most skilful in that Arsenal aspect, was a grasp at discovering pockets of area by dropping deep. That usually allowed Henry the liberty to do his factor by drifting vast. They had the telepathic connection strike companions dream of.
“The whole partnership was based on respect,” stated Bergkamp. “We respect each other immensely and at that part of my career I was really happy to just play the backing vocals for Thierry. I wanted to help the team to be perfect by knowing exactly my role. My role was to gel with the midfielders and then provide the King – King Thierry!”
Skipper Patrick Vieira epitomised the metal that helped Arsenal overcome quite a lot of difficult moments that season. Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell, Kolo Toure and Lauren made for an intimidating again 4, with Viera and Gilberto Silva marshalling the midfield.
The closest Arsenal got here to dropping a sport was towards United early within the season. In what stays some of the well-known battles between the 2 rivals, Arsenal have been compelled to play the dying minutes at Old Trafford with 10 males after Viera was despatched off. But they confirmed resilience in defence and, after a penalty miss by Ruud van Nistelrooy in stoppage time, held on for a 0-0 draw.
Then got here the Liverpool conflict the place Arsenal rebounded from the frustration of FA Cup and Champions League exits, to Manchester United and Chelsea respectively, to attract degree twice earlier than securing the three factors; Henry scoring a hattrick.
“The strength of that team was our togetherness,” stated Viera. “We played some good football at times, of course, but it was not always spectacular. What was spectacular was our competitiveness, our winning mentality and having players who would put their head where others would put their feet. We were a team that never gave up, because we had players who could win a game from nothing.”
It’s been a tricky trip for Arsenal since. They haven’t gained one other Premier League title however progress has been made beneath Mikel Arteta. Uner their former captain, Arsenal have already gained extra video games than they did 20 years in the past. But as the present and future technology of gamers try to pull the membership to the highest, they’ll at all times have the Invincibles for inspiration.
Source: www.hindustantimes.com
