Arsenal News 24/7Writer: Rocky7 
Date:Tuesday May 15 2012
Time: 11:42AM
UK time is: 07:08:01
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The Invincibles Named Greatest Team In PL History
The 2003/04 campaign, for me, represents the pinnacle of English football.
For a single season, it just does not get any better. Arsene Wenger`s Arsenal won the league in the most spectacular fashion, playing through an entire campaign without losing a single match.
Played 38, Won 26, Drew 12, Lost precisely none.
My views also appear to be shared by a whole host of other non-Arsenal fans too as The Invincibles have been named the greatest team in Premier League history.
It`s no secret that I`m not a fan of the so called awards and accolades that use the phrase "since the start of the Premier League", it infers, to me at least, that football simply wasn`t worth bothering with before the inception of the league`s current format (case in point, the excitement at the apparent greatest title race ever for Man City`s league win, completely ignoring the once in a life time events of Anfield `89 simply because they occurred outside of the Premier League brand), but that said, this is a team that needs recognising, and happily this award shows the magnificence of what they achieved.
Arsene Wenger talked of his pride in that amazing team. 'I am very proud of this [award] and very happy, I told the players at the time that they could achieve something special once we were champions - being invincible."
'And they did it. At the time they didn't realise how much it would mean in the future, but I'm very proud of the achievement of course."
My target is to get Arsenal back to that level."
'I feel personally that we are not far away from being able to fight for the championship, and let's hope we can show that next season.'
I feel very privileged to have been a part of that season, if only as a cheering supporter, there are fans all over the world who`d give their right arm to be in our current position, so to have witnessed a team play such amazing football and accomplish such an unprecedented feat gives me great satisfaction.
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Your Comments
I'm half surprised at this, I thought it'd either be given to United in 99 or Chelsea in 05, interesting that in Gary Neville's autibiog he says our team in 98 was the best he's seen on these shores.
shewore
I thought United's 99 might have got it .... but considering this is a PL award, their FA Cup and CL win are irrelevant. And baring in mind we threw that one away, 2004 title has to be the only logical choice. We were f***ing awesome.
Rocky7
Seeing the Invincibles in the flesh demolishing all league opposition is the greatest privelege one has had. That side had everything - skill, power, pace and an indomitable resolve. United in 1999 were amazing but the one that won in 2007 was the best United team I've seen. With Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez up front they were extremely devastating on their day.
Deltaforce
I definitely thought Man United's 99 team would get it. Pleasantly surprised. Just look at our invincible team, look at it, it's insanely good. I love Wenger but there's no way he will ever get back to that level. Different era with a different type of player, this was before the Black Gold Bling, our challenge back then was purely a football one.
Professor calculus
Fantastic timing!
Wyn Mills
And this is why Wenger is one of the greatest managers in PL history: http://blog.emiratesstadium.info/archives/21211
Wyn Mills
Great feat, indeed and not easy to attain. If it was easy, this very talented City team could have achieved it.
Naijagunner
United in '99 was a very good side too and should run the invincibles side very close.
Naijagunner
A well deserved award. Although that Utd team of Kanchelskis, Ince, Keane, Giggs, Cantona, Hughes, Pallister, Parker, Irwin, Bruce and red nose in goal would of made for an amazing couple of head to heads if they occupied the same time period.
Scotch Eggs Rule
Oh! As everyone else has mentioned as well. Great minds and all that...
Scotch Eggs Rule
Great article Wyn
No 10
I was talking to somebody about how this City team vs The Invincibles would be probably the greatest match-up in Premier League history. Both outstanding teams, but The Invincibles are unsurpassable.
Goofle11
Can't agree with any of that Goofle. This City team isn't special mate, they limped home in first with the most expensive squad in the history of the PL, losing a hatful of games in the process. One of the most average Arsenal teams (talent wise) in years absolutely played them off the park at The Grove and more than matched them in the two other games this season. That is NOT special. The Utd side mentioned by others here would shaft this, expensive, but over rated City team. The Invincible's? They'd of battered them.
Scotch Eggs Rule
Goofle you having a laugh mate!? Our so called worse team in wengers era bossed them at the grove this season, where they did there annual tradition of parking the bus. Henry, bergkamp, pires and co would have torn them a new ass hole. Credit where credit is due as city won the league and all, but this city team comes way down on my list which is dominated by the invincible team, the 98 team and quite a few utd teams over the years. I would even put Chelsea 2005 ahead of this city team.
gunnerman76
City would get creamed by the Invincibles. But there's no shame in that.
Rocky7
Hear hear scotch
gunnerman76
I swear blind Goofle is a double agent
gunnerman76
You guys must be joking right? Have you actually watched City play? They have some amazing players, and if you try and make a combined 11 it is pretty damn hard in some areas.
Goofle11
No joke. Did you watch that Utd side play? They were ALL great players so were The Invincible's. Question then - Can I ask your age? Because that Utd team were excellent and the only reason they didn't dominate Europe was because of the 3 foreigners rule and to not realise that would mean you probably never saw them play. This City team does have some great players, Aguerro, Toure, Kompany and Silva. outside of those 3 the rest are all good, but no where near great. The Invincible's were all great players perhaps bar Lauren and Lehmen who were very good and probably only Parker and Bruce weren't great players in the Utd team. That there my friend is the difference.
Scotch Eggs Rule
*those 3? Who the hell here can't count!! I meant 4.
Scotch Eggs Rule
Truth is, if you ask most Arsenal fans what you think of this team they would say it is one of Wengers weakest...but we like the resilience they showed......on occasion. Ask a Man U fan what they think of their team this season and they will say one of the weakest they've had in the PL. Ask a Newcastle fan at the start of the season and they'd say 'wyeianwataweak****inteamweavthisyerman'. What I'm saying is that this City team, for all the money spent on players that most people would love to have in their team, just and I mean just scraped over the line to win it in a season where other top teams had a very weak squad.
No 10
Nowhere near as good as Man U '99 and not even woth the same comment box as The Invincibles.
No 10
Scotch Egg - I'd add Hart to that list you know. Rarely saw him get beaten by anything that wasn't a deflection or a wonder goal.
No 10
'wyeianwataweak****inteamweavthisyerman'. LOL After having a Geordie mate pop down and see me this weekend I can attest to the accuracy of this comment!!
Scotch Eggs Rule
Have to agree that this City team is up there at times, can be unplayable.
shewore
Goofle I will give you the benefit of the doubt. I'm assuming you didn't see any of the united teams in the 90's and your under the age of 20? Surely that has to be the only explanation of your opinions. No matter how many gooners tell me how good Brady was, I will never appreciate it as I was not there to see him myself, but I certainly don't disregard his greatness. Henry for aguero? Bergkamp for silva? Pires for nasri? Lungberg for balotelli? Viera for toure
gunnerman76
Shewore, usually agree with you mate, but this Arsenal team can be unplayable at times, Sp*rs when they fancy it can be unplayable at times. Great teams are nigh on unplayable most of the time and grind out results when they're not.
Scotch Eggs Rule
No 10 - You reckon mate? I know he's a good GK, but don't think he's any better than Lehmen in his pomp and especially not, as Jamie Redknapp thinks, "The worlds best".
Scotch Eggs Rule
And I disagree, I would take lehmann 2004 over hart every day! The defence played so well in front of him because if they didn't lehmann would kick the living ***** out of them
gunnerman76
I think we can agree that a great team does great things, City haven't done anything great yet so therefore cannot be labelled great imho. Maybe if they win the next 3-4 leagues or go unbeaten next year or win back to back CL then yes.
Scotch Eggs Rule
The greatest thing is that he did it AFTER Roman came to England.. The greatest team ever.
Sajit
Like that "great" Blackburn side that won the league.......remember them?
gunnerman76
Arsene's Invincibles managed something not even Fergie's strongest United squads could manage- go through this tough, physical league without losing one single game. And for all the talk of Citeh this season, they still lost FIVE league games, one of which was to US, in our weakest ever EPL season.
The award is thoroughly merited.
julieloveshenry4ever
Lauren? I thought Lauren was a fantastic player. Might not have been a flair player like the rest of the invincibles, but that dude took no ****. I loves me some Lauren.
Rocky7
Scotch Egg I think that in a few years Hart will be a great keeper so I don't think I'm too far off to say he is better than just good now. Maybe just very good? Is that a happy middle ground?
No 10
I have all respect for Lauren, I thought he was a solid, dependable right back who happened to be hard as nails, but I didn't rate him as highly as you. Judging from your description I think I'll agree to disagree mate lol
Scotch Eggs Rule
Oh he'll get better, no doubt just saying I don't think he's a great keeper right now. Semantics? Maybe, but the difference between a good and a great player can often appear to be nothing.
Scotch Eggs Rule
Lauren was a proper defender who did his job. As we had Ljungberg or Pires in front of him he didn't need to take too many risks. He'll go down as a legend for me for being part of the invincibles, and almost crashing Ronaldo into the Internation Space Station. Lol
Rocky7
I've got a soft spot for Lauren, a lot of fond memories of him.
No 10
Wow.... what a team, just had a day dream about 4-4-2 at highbury then..... teams actually feared playing there, imagine that!! I'd revise my opinion on this Citeh team the more I think on it, still very very strong though, and a very solid backbone... something that we haven't had for a while unfortunately
shewore
Rocky7 - Loved that tackle by him. Remember at OT when one of the Neville sisters was giving him some lip and as Lauren walked away and Phyllis put his hand on Lauren's shoulder and span him around (forgetting who he was dealing with) and in one movement he'd managed to practically lift the aforementioned Neville Sister off the ground by their throat. The look on his face was the one of the biggest surprise and "Oh no! I didn't just do that did I"? I maybe embellishing, but that's how I remember it.
Scotch Eggs Rule
Do you remember wenger telling the press he thought his team could go a season unbeaten. The press hammered him, saying he was delusional! That was the season before the invincibles. I can imagine arsene sat reading the newspapers after his success with a smug grin on his face. Genius.
gunnerman76
"Comical Wenger" was the term they labeled him with after the Iraqi offiicer "Comical Ali" who claimed things like they were winning the Gulf War as a battalion of American tanks drove past his house. United fans actually had Tshirts printed with Comical Wenger on and the phrase "I think we can go the whole season unbeaten" with a mock up of Wenger looking like the Iraqi officer. There is a picture out there somewhere of Wenger holding the shirt after that game against Leicester. It's stuff like this that makes it all the sweeter.
Rocky7
Would just like to point out that my son was born slap bang in the middle of the Invincibles season- February 2004- so it was a year I look back on with immense satisfaction and fondness :)
julieloveshenry4ever
Anyone who kills a showboater like Ronaldo deserves massive respect. Love Lauren
Sajit
Good memory rocky, I don't remember utd fans printing off those t shirts, I certainly remember the abuse he got in the press though. Need to find that picture of wenger now.
gunnerman76
Was an incredible team for sure, easily the best in the world at that time IMO. Only regret is that we didnt bag the C/L that season. Was already a marvellous season but that would have just been phenomenal if we lifted the C/L too. So many fond memories from that season, the United v Arsenal game at OT and the drama that ensued, the match v Liverpool, Reyes awesome debut against the chavs and of course who can forget the spanking we gave Inter at the San Siro
Ned Stark
Rocky, Lauren was a proper defender but "didn't need to take many risks"? I thought he was as good going forward as he was defending and was the typical Wenger full back; always looking to join in break aways and displaying fantastic skills in the process. He scored 7 goals in his time with us which is not bad for a proper defender.
Naijagunner
Rocky, Lauren was a proper defender but "didn't need to take many risks"? I thought he was as good going forward as he was defending and was the typical Wenger full back; always looking to join in break aways and displaying fantastic skills in the process. He scored 7 goals in his time with us which is not bad for a proper defender.
Naijagunner
He took a couple of penalties if I remember rightly (never missed?), not much defensive risk there. By defensive risk I didn't mean he never crossed the half way line, he just wasn't your Sagna/Eboue/Jenkinson type bombing forward RB as memory serves.
Rocky7
It is so nice to revisit the invincibles. Lauren did not have flair but was hard as stone and knew how to score. I remember from time to time Freddy with his red hair running all arround the pitch, i could not believe any one had so much stamina. One of my kids used to call him "Fleddy the Red". I liked the coolness of Gilberto getting the job done with minimum fuss, still can not get over the skill of Bergkamp, the maurading skills of Viera, the intelligence of Pires, the speed of Cole, the comanding effects in defence of Campbell and Toure, the madness of Lehmann and the wizardry of Henry. WOW it was so nice and I was so proud. I actually have a big smile on my face right now. Can't ever forget the flopped penalty between Henry and Pires, those guys even knew the rules of the game better than the referrees. I am happy with Wengers intentions of trying to build a team similar, although now with money being thrown arround by the Ruskies and Emirs it would be tough.
phreddy
I get your point Rocky. Memory plays tricks on you sometimes but I can recall his runs which resulted in goal assists. Maybe, he picked his moments as against just bombing forward at will. He took penalties (I can recall 2 occasions) when cool heads were required and did take one in the '05 FA cup final.
Naijagunner
That coolness Naija, was probably down to being a central midfielder when at Mallorca i'd say.
Scotch Eggs Rule
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