Are the Arsenal Invincibles Overrated?

The final whistle blew at Highbury on the 15th of May 2004, concluding an Arsenal 2-1 win over Leicester. A result that solidified The Fox's relegation to the Championship and The Gunners' invincible season. 

38 games played, 26 won, 12 drawn, 0 lost. 

Unbeaten champions. A title not bestowed upon an English top-flight outfit since the Preston North End side of 1888/89 and a feat not accomplished since. 

The Invincibles are one of the great Premier League sides. A team who on that final day wrote themselves into English football folklore. The first English side to achieve immortality in 115 years and, most likely, the last ever top-flight English side to do it.

Arsenal's league campaign of 2003/04 is rightly remembered as one of the greatest ever. So it would be almost unfathomable for someone to suggest that maybe it was ever so slightly overrated, right? 

Well, in my ever so humble opinion, I believe The Invincibles are, in fact, overrated. I don't want to diminish the achievements of Arsenal that season, however, I do believe that; The Invincibles, through a concoction of divine right and lack of thought, are often wrongfully labelled as the 'Greatest Premier League Side'.

But I'm not here to tell you what to think, so let's dissect their season and you can make your own distinction on the topic. 

Accounting for every competition Arsenal competed in that season, The Gunners played 59 games, won 38, drew 14 and lost 7. Their losses came against Manchester United in both the Community Shield and the FA Cup semi-final, against Chelsea, Inter Milan and Dynamo Kyiv in the Champions League and against Middlesbrough home and away in the semi-final of the League Cup. Meaning their total trophy count that season was only one. 

This could be seen as a harsh angle of critique, as the coined achievement 'Invincibles' only applies to Arsenal's league accomplishments that season. So let's focus on that.

We've been over the metrics of Arsenal's league campaign so, in more detail, let's examine those 12 draws. 

Arsenal that season surrendered points to Portsmouth twice, Manchester United twice, Charlton, Fulham, Leicester, Bolton, Everton, Spurs and Birmingham. Which isn't necessarily something to turn one's nose up at, teams and players have bad days. 

However, from an overrated perspective, for a side to be touted as the 'Greatest Premier League Side', there comes an insinuation that said side dominated and dismantled every team in their wake. Yet that season, The Gunners couldn't overcome Portsmouth or Manchester United and dropped points to five teams that finished tenth or below, including two teams that finished in the bottom four.

I'd like to pedantically hone in on Arsenal's record against Manchester United that season. In all competitions, Arsenal failed to beat Manchester United on four occasions, losing two and drawing two. Only being spared a loss in the league when Van Nistelrooy missed a last-minute penalty at Old Trafford in game week six.

Prior to the season opener, Manchester United were the clear favourites for the crown, having won eight of the previous eleven Premier League titles since the competition's creation. Therefore, it seemed integral that for Arsenal to succeed, they needed to beat The Red Devils. Arsenal succeeded without having to do this of course but it's always somewhat of a stain on their season that they only managed to hold off their title rivals instead of beating them.

Harking back to the Invincible's 'domination' of the league, let's explore the manner in which they achieved their wins. 14 out of their 26 games were won by only a single goal, with The Gunners only winning by more than two goals on five occasions. 

Again, this could be seen as pedantic as it doesn't really matter how you win, as long as you do. But contrarily if a side is to be dubbed 'the greatest', then that should be considered a factor. 

But if they're not the Greatest Premier League side, then who is? 

Ultimately, it's subjective. There is no singular award for the Best Premier League Side of all time. However, since this is an opinion piece, my vote would be for the Manchester City Centurions side of 2017/18. 

For me, the goal of a football match is to win, rather than not lose, and at times it felt like the Arsenal side of 2003/04 focused on not losing more than winning, hence the 12 draws.

Therefore, based on the metrics discussed above, in my opinion, the Manchester City side of 2017/18 tick all the boxes in the 'Greatest Premier League Side' debate.

Record number of points amassed (100), joint record number of wins (32), record number of goals scored (106), record points margin between first and second place (19), record goal difference (+79), most consecutive wins (18), beat every team in the league at least once only losing to runners up Manchester United and fourth place Liverpool. The first and only side to amass 100 points.

Arsenal's 2003/04 and Manchester City's 2017/18 campaigns are comparable as they are both case studies of how to win the Premier League in an extreme fashion.

But you could go invincible and still get relegated. 100 points speaks for itself. In my opinion, it's genuinely not up for debate. 

Is the achievement itself overrated?

We've established the reasons why one may argue the invincible season as overrated. But is the achievement of immortality overrated? 

Let me provide some context; the invincible season and subsequent golden Premier League trophy Arsenal were awarded, is often used as leverage in the ever-present 'biggest team in England/London' debates. 

While the achievement is unique and impressive, the way in which one wins a trophy should not be used to bolster a side's credibility. Winning a tournament or league in an impressive way doesn't give you anything else; you ultimately still come away with only one trophy. 

The City Centurions and Chelsea's 2004/05 side who only conceded 15 goals are further examples of grand ways to conquer English football. Yet the same applies, as impressive as the ways in which were, aside from the title, the only additional accolade gained was pride. 

Conclusion 

I did not write this piece to diminish the achievements of Arsenal's 2003/04 side. I think winning the league unbeaten is an incredible accomplishment. Furthermore, as stated above, I believe that due to the quality of the Premier League, no top-flight English side will be able to replicate the achievement.

I just believe in football it's healthy to open dialogues. 

No, my opinions are not at all swayed by the fact I am a Chelsea fan. I cannot believe you would even suggest that.