For many football fans, Arsenal’s 2003-04 squad will go down in history as one of the finest lineups of all time. It was during this season that the Gunners had taken home their third Premier League trophy. However, what made this win so special is that the squad managed to walk away from the tournament without ever losing a single game.
Becoming the Invincibles
Arsenal wasn’t the first team to go by the moniker of the “Invincibles”. That honour goes to the 1888-89 Preston North End Squad who enjoyed an unbroken streak of 22 matches without a loss. More than a century later, the Gunners became the new beneficiaries of the name, with an incredible 38-game streak. While other teams competing in smaller cup competitions have enjoyed similar success, nothing like this has ever been achieved in high-level English football.
To be fair to Arsenal’s rivals during the 2003-04 season, the Gunners didn’t chalk up 38 perfect wins. Only 26 games ended in victory for Arsenal, with a further 12 ending in a draw. However, it’s not results alone that make this Premier League team so special. Arsenal were on incredible form that year.
Standouts From the Squad
To many people, Thierry Henry was the undisputed star of the 2003-2004 season. It’s hard to argue the fact that the Frenchman was at his peak, but Henry was just one part of a killer attacking formation. Backed by the likes of Bergkamp, Vieira and Ljungberg, Henry managed to put away 30 goals over the course of the season. Fellow Frenchman and Arsenal player Robert Pires was another standout, with the legendary left winger putting away 14 goals.
When it came to defence, Arsenal also delivered. During this Premier League season, the team conceded just 26 goals. Compare that to the 43 conceded during the 2022-23 season and you start to get an idea of just how well these boys were playing. While the likes of Kolo Toure, Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell were in defence, Jens Lehmann rarely had reason to break a sweat in goal.
Arsenal’s winning streak would continue on past the Premier League finals. In fact, it wasn’t until a 2004 match with Manchester United that the Gunners were finally defeated. Up until that fateful meeting with the Red Devils, Arsenal had soared through 49 games without losing a single match.
Will Arsenal ever be able to reach these heights again?
A quick look at the scorecard from the past year reveals a mixed bag. In April 2023, they were dealt an eye-watering 1-4 defeat when they went up against Manchester City during the EFL Cup semi-finals. However, a second-place finish at the 2022-23 Premier League is nothing to be scoffed at.
Arsenal look set to mount an offensive campaign going into the 2023-24 season. Mikel Arteta has already announced a raft of new signings, with Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz all joining the squad. Will this fresh blood be enough to make the Gunners invincible once again? Only time will tell.