Chelsea finished with 95 points under Jose Mourinho, Liverpool with 99, and City with a perfect 100. All of these teams are outstanding, and they have broken numerous records along the road, but none of them can claim to have gone undefeated throughout the season.
That patent only belongs to Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal.
Arsenal went undefeated in all 38 games in the 2003-04 season. They won the league with a total of 90 points.
The achievement of being undefeated has never been replicated since.
26 victories, 12 draws, and 0 defeats. The Invincibles truly stand out as the best Premier League side ever!
So, let’s put that incredible 03/04 season under the microscope and vividly talk about it!
The Competition
Wenger and his men did not have an easy ride to the league’s victory, they had fierce competition throughout their way.
Alex Ferguson and his Manchester United were the defending champions and they were not going to bow down. This was the peak of the Ferguson-Wenger rivalry and both the clubs were eminent to outdo each other.
In the same season, Manchester United signed one exceptional teenager from Portugal. He played as a winger and his name was Cristiano Ronaldo.
On the other hand, there was a new competitor in town. Roman Abramovich brought Chelsea in the same year.
Now with the wallet size quadrupled, Chelsea signed some exceptional players like Hernan Crespo and Claude Makelele to join their already established players like Damien Duff and Joe Cole.
Chelsea was ready to challenge the old elites of Arsenal and United for the title.
The team
Arsenal typically used a 4-4-2 formation, though it may also be referred to as a 4-2-3-1 due to the manner Dennis Bergkamp dropped into the ‘No.10’ position between midfield and attack.
The team is best known for its attacking prowess. Thierry Henry was at the pinnacle of his talents, finishing second in the Ballon d’Or voting in 2003 and fourth in 2004, and even though Bergkamp was towards the end of his career, he had not lost his remarkable mobility or vision.
Robert Pires, a left-winger, supplied a secondary source of goals, scoring 14 in the league, while Patrick Vieira, a central midfielder, was both the team’s heart and intellect. On the right, Freddie Ljungberg was a ferocious box-to-box player who raised his game for the big occasion.
The Gunners were also excellent defensively, conceding only 26 goals. At center-back, Sol Campbell and Kolo Toure were a wonderful combination of athleticism and intelligence, Jens Lehmann brought international class in goal, while Ashley Cole and Lauren were a dynamic full-back duo.
Finally, champions
The Gunners‘ 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in February was a defining moment in the title race. Wenger’s team came back from a 2-1 deficit to defeat Liverpool 4-2 at Highbury.
Finally, the title was sealed when Arsenal drew 2-2 with north London rivals Spurs at White Hart Lane, capitalizing on second-placed Chelsea’s loss to Newcastle.
On the final day of their unbeaten season, they defeated relegated Leicester City 2-1.
What Arsene Wenger accomplished was nothing short of magic. To go undefeated the entire season is truly a remarkable feat. A feat that no other manager including Ferguson and Pep has achieved.
Arsenal 03/04, undoubtedly the best team ever in English football.
