Congratulations Arsenal

[Wengerland]

A whole season unbeaten,good stuff.

At least we managed to give them a scare.:)

[Cactus Sid]

Not much I can say which everyone, pundits and fans alike haven't said

Truly amazing season, truly amazing team.

[Wengerland]

Hopefully they can show Europe what they can do next season.

[packt up]

Yeah a great achievement :y:

[Rob Ban Fan]

<font face=verdana size=3 color="#ff6600">good work

but you didn't beat us in the league this season :cool: ;)</font>

[The Mask]

we beat them twice and drew with them twice :cool:

also, a few seasons back we finished with 91 points, to their 90 :mad:

and we've won the treble.

in conclusion, f</>uck arsenal :mad:

[Dazz]

Yeah it wasn't bad or anything, but really, you'd expect them to get over 100 points if they are unbeaten.

[The Mask]

Tremendous piece in The Observer by Paul Wilson:

The record books will always show that Arsenal went through the 2003-04 league season undefeated, but the trouble with record books is that they never tell the real story. They will only hint at the fact that most of the opponents that Arsenal met were rubbish, that Manchester United were distracted by horse semen and missing urine samples, or that Chelsea conclusively proved it is possible to have more money than sense.
If league tables do not lie, they can be incredibly economical with the truth. As Arsène Wenger has agreed, the key moment of Arsenal's campaign and therefore the whole league season came in the last minute at Old Trafford in September with Ruud van Nistelrooy's missed penalty. There was a lot more than the width of a crossbar between Arsenal and the rest of the Premiership this season, but that was how close they came to being beaten.

It would be a good record book, too, that would convey the hilarious aftermath of that penalty miss, with Martin Keown providing the image of the season by dancing all over Van Nistelrooy. There had been a lot going on in that match, with the United striker contributing, shall we say, to the dismissal of Patrick Vieira, and the final few minutes were English football at its glorious, unpredictable best. Someone should force Sepp Blatter to watch it. A goalless draw provided the best entertainment on offer all season.

Without those few moments of mayhem Arsenal would hardly have figured in the extraordinary roll call of off-the-field issues that characterised the season. Yes they went unbeaten for 38 games, but how could they expect recognition for rising above an extremely ordinary Premiership when there was so much else going on?

In the very week their title was confirmed they were kept out of the headlines by Big Ron. This was the season when England threatened to go on strike because Rio Ferdinand failed to pee in a bottle. When Gordon Taylor of the PFA told the FA they would be mad to take on Manchester United.

Meanwhile, in Ireland a couple of horse traders decided to do just that, and won hands down. To be more precise, the Coolmore millionaires used United to attack Sir Alex Ferguson, forcing him to back down by turning a withering spotlight on the way the club was run. The moral high ground over the horse dispute quite possibly belonged to Ferguson, but he was unable to hold on to it once 99 embarrassing questions were asked of the plc. In that United published the agent's commission upfront in the later purchase of Louis Saha and were still sharply criticised for unnecessary wastage, the Rock Of Gibraltar saga may come to be seen as a high-water mark in Premiership decadence.

Then again, with Chelsea around, don't bank on it. Let's not go into the legality of Roman Abramovich's wealth here, or the morality of pouring it into such a frivolous cause, let's just reflect on the absurdity of Peter Kenyon briefing against Claudio Ranieri and courting Sven-Göran Eriksson all season, only to blow it at the last minute. Someone should have told Sven it was supposed to be a clandestine meeting. He might then have decided against turning up in his FA Mercedes. Yet even this sorry tale had a twist in it. When Wayne Bridge slotted home the winner in the Champions League quarter-final against Arsenal a nation cheered. Even though Arsenal could surely have gone all the way to European glory had they just kept up their unbeaten record against their local rivals. If Ranieri has to go, it would be well if he were to go quickly; then it would be OK to hate Chelsea again and we would all know where we stood.

Arsenal put Chelsea out of the FA Cup, but their quest for a Treble fell at the next hurdle when they faltered against Manchester United at Villa Park. Wenger's team selection was questionable, although the overriding memory of the day was the United supporters' confidence and vocal backing for their team. For wit, invention and style United fans have been in a class of their own all season, and although their personal barracking of Wenger was ugly, Villa Park was an affirmation of some benchmark values in English football. Without a prawn sandwich or a corporate jolly in sight, United fans palpably lifted their team, even though the only prize on offer was an FA Cup final against a Nationwide League club. At the other end, with a Treble to play for and the most attractive side in Europe to crow about, Arsenal fans remained too posh even to sing.

And what of the rest? Well, what of them? Aston Villa and Bolton had decent seasons, Fulham proved most pundits wrong by not coming even close to relegation. No one else outside the top three did anything worth mentioning. Next time, guys, try to push Arsenal a little harder, otherwise it takes the gloss off going through the season unbeaten.

Finally, a word for Leeds, who deserve a soap-opera award for enlivening not just this season but the past three with their rolling cast of over-remunerated directors, short-term managers, wayward players, bankrupt rescuers, blubbing supporters and the weird notion that the honest and likeable Alan Smith scores enough goals to be considered a natural replacement for Alan Shearer or Van Nistelrooy. Goodbye

[Dazz]

Christ I'm not reading all that, however I did read the first paragraoh, and yeah The Duck said that to me and I agree, the teams have been crap, 30 points between first and fourth shows just how bad the rest of the Premiership performed.

[Wengerland]

At the end of the day they can only beat,or not lose to,whatever is put in front of them.It's not their fault United were affected by the Magnier business and then remember that after the 'battle of Old Trafford' Arsenal themselves were hit with numerous bans.

That guy can moan all he wants about a lack of a challenge but the teams were just the same as last season in terms of stature and quality,weakened by transfers of their own choice (i.e Beckham) and if they've gone from losing 6 games last season to 0 this term,then they have to be doing something right.

They were only 1 point short of equalling the premiership best and no other European team who have achieved this feat has done so in as many premiership games and,having seen in the paper that Milan did it in 91/92,only that can come close because of the quality of teams in that league.

[Dazz]

Bollocks were United affected even in the slightest by Magnier, I would say Chelsea were affected by off stage business more then United, but I wouldn't blame anything but the players on either side for the season, you cannot blame Magnier in the slightest.

When Preston did it in 1888 they only played 22 matches.

And the only arguement you can come up with for the teams in the league, is that Manchester United lost to NINE of them.

[Wengerland]

Well thats more or less what the article is saying,or at least not blaming the players performances as the reason.

[packt up]

the honest and likeable Alan Smith scores enough goals to be considered a natural replacement for Alan Shearer or Van Nistelrooy. Goodbye

LOL at that

Hey I'm an Alan Smith fan (I wouldn't mind us signing him) but which Alan Smith is he watching? The same one who's score 17 Premiership goals in the past THREE seasons? Maybe he's imagining all these other goals going in or something but him replacing Shearer or Van Nistelrooy is bullshit. Van Nistelrooy has 20 this season alone on a shit season and Shearer has 22.

Smith maybe a good player but an out and out goalscorer he ain't.

[packt up]

Yes they went unbeaten for 38 games, but how could they expect recognition for rising above an extremely ordinary Premiership when there was so much else going on?



Is he saying that the other teams were rubbish or something and that Arsenal didn't have much opposition here? Cos I'm sure I saw a stat that on the points that Chelsea had at one point that that would have been enough to win the Premiership in most of the past seasons. It wasn't an ordinary Premiership - Arsenal raised the bar.

[The Mask]

LOL at that

Hey I'm an Alan Smith fan (I wouldn't mind us signing him) but which Alan Smith is he watching? The same one who's score 17 Premiership goals in the past THREE seasons? Maybe he's imagining all these other goals going in or something but him replacing Shearer or Van Nistelrooy is bullshit. Van Nistelrooy has 20 this season alone on a shit season and Shearer has 22.

Smith maybe a good player but an out and out goalscorer he ain't.

"and the weird notion"

he's basically saying smith is shite :p

And I think he's right about the premiership being weak this season. We lost 9, but that's cause we were f</>ucking dire this season.

[Wengerland]

The premiership probably has been pretty weak but thats the best its gonna be,with sides like West Brom and Norwich coming up.

Dire or not,United are still no pushovers as a team.

[packt up]

"and the weird notion"

he's basically saying smith is shite :p

And I think he's right about the premiership being weak this season. We lost 9, but that's cause we were f</>ucking dire this season.

lol :$ my bad.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

There is an article at football365.com by an Arsenal fan that puts it best.

Arsenal are unbeaten, but that does not take into account the dynamics of individual matches. The history books won't show that if Van Nistelrooy had put away his penalty at Old Trafford, Arsenal would have been beaten in September, a month into the season. If Pires hadn't dived at Portsmouth, Arsenal would have been beaten in October.

You get the idea. The fact that they were not beaten in the league this season is not nearly as significant as the style of football they played. That is the impressive part. They won the league fair and square, but in my eyes, United's treble will always be a greater achievement than an unbeaten league run.

[Wengerland]

Going back to that Observer guy,i'm pretty sure he's in some way biased either for United or against Arsenal.

I mean where he says United's fans have been in a class of their own this season.:| Portsmouth are the only club you could say that about.I've admitted that most Leicester fans who go to games are poor (though have improved towards the end of the season) yet when we played at Old Trafford it wasn't until we started singing "Champions League,your having a laugh" that the United fans chanted at all.The commentator even said that the United fans only really get behind the team when they're having a period of pressure or something,and that to me is not the sign of fans "in a class of their own" for "wit,invention and style".

[The Mackem]

Sunderland are coming up, I can feel it.

[91]

What a load of tosh that report was, an "aren't United great" piece written by a United supporter. Please - the quality of opposition Liverpool were facing in the 80's was weaker but nobody is denying their place as one of the greatest of all time. Arsenal have pulled off a helluva achievement - and I'm a Spurs supporter so if anything, I'm biased AGAINST Arsenal.

[packt up]

LOL the more I read that article the more I think its a joke.

Shame it isn't.

Anyone who thinks Man U have vocal fans obviously hasn't ventured out of Old Trafford.

[packt up]

I could refute that by saying that ManYoo never won any of their trophies with the ease that Arsenal did. Or the fact that, had Bergkamp put away his penalty in 1999 we wouldn't be having this discussion.



Let's not forget that they were also losing the champions league final for about the first 89 minutes.

Saying Arsenal nearly lost is a bullshit argument and smears what a great achievement they have completed.

That guy can bang on about what if's all he likes the fact is they didn't lose and deserve all the praise they get.

[packt up]

-edit- double post :$

[Wengerland]

Also,who's to say Arsenal wouldn't have scored anyway against Pompey,without the penalty.

That what if argument can be applied to so many things its untrue,like what if Leeds and Leicester could have hung on to more leads,what if Wolves and Pompey didn't have key players getting injured,what if United had kept Beckham e.t.c.At the end of the day it they didn't happen so it has to be accepted.

The stats may not show how close they came to losing but they also won't show Man United being a Bergkamp converted penalty away from not winning the FA Cup in the treble winning year,also that they were behind for more than 85 minutes in the champions league final that year as Wee Gooner and packt up have said.

[The Mask]

schmeichel had that one the whole time. he even said he knew bergkamp always shot right with penalties :love:

[samichna]

I don't follow the "football" at all really, but even if the teams were crap, their record is still impressive. A lot of times when powerhouse teams face perennial losers, they take them for granted and expect a win, often resulting in upset victories for the underdogs.

Anyways, this weapons team seems to have not done that. I DUNNO

[The Mask]

Yeah it is a pretty good record. I'm not going to deny them that at all. they're a great side as much as it pains me to say it. The only thing is the "invincibles" or whatever tag was getting thrown around is utter shite. they've lost 7 (i think) in all competitions, and they've only got the league to show for their "invincible" season. That's all I'm getting at.

and before anyone starts, I wouldn't label the treble team invincible either. We came incredibly close on a lot of occasions, and we fought back every time the odds were against us. A lot of lucky wins and near misses, and to be honest, I don't think I'd change any of it. Those two minutes in barcelona were probably the most incredible in my life thus far. I'd take a lucky comeback like that for a CL final over a 3-0 win any day.

[toxic rooster]

It's a great talking point though, this unbeaten thing, isn't it?

[packt up]

The fact is if anyone had said a team would go undefeated through the Premiership at the start of the season you would have laughed at him and dared him to put a wager on it (wonder what the odds would have been first day actually).

It was thought impossible in the modern age and they did it.

And its blatently obvious they aren't invincible its just a tag that was attatched to Preston and so is being thrown around again *shrug*

[packt up]

Oh yeah and they are getting a special trophy too to commemorate (sp?) it.

A replica of the Premiership trophy to keep but with the colours reversed so what's gold is silver and vice versa.

Thats one big gold trophy :eek: