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Arsenal‘s unbeaten Premier League season in 2003/04 gave that team the nickname, ‘The Invincibles’. It’s a feat that will likely never be matched again – at least in England, anyway.
In order to achieve something so remarkable, every single member of that squad must have been at their absolute best. Of course, goals and assists aren’t everything, but they are pretty damn important.
Football FanCast breaks the squad down (of those with a minimum of ten appearances) in order of their goal contributions across the historic Premier League campaign.
Related
Football FanCast takes a look at the best games from their Invincible season.
Arsenal’s other French forward, Jeremie Aliadiere mostly played in the FA Cup and League Cup during their Invincibles season. He only managed 10 Premier League appearances and didn’t score once or get an assist, but to be fair to him, only three of those appearances were starts. If he had been given more of a chance, he would likely have contributed more.
Invincibles highlight: Starting as the Gunners came from behind to see off Liverpool at Anfield in early October, playing a part in Robert Pires’ winner.
By the time the 2003/04 season came around, Martin Keown was very much in the twilight of his career. The old centre-back had been a loyal servant to the Gunners since 1993 when they re-signed the Hale End graduate from Everton. Just because he didn’t feature much on the pitch, doesn’t mean he didn’t make a major contribution to the Invincibles season. His wealth of experience and leadership was likely invaluable for Wenger as the season went on.
Invincibles highlight: Begging Arsene Wenger to bring him on during the final game to earn a Premier League medal (or jumping over Ruud van Nistelrooy).
French left-back Gael Clichy was signed that season, with Ashley Cole, one of the best in that position the Premier League had ever seen, ahead of him in the pecking order. The youngster was therefore not going to be given the chance to make much of an impact. Still, when called upon, Clichy proved he was more than capable of filling in for Cole after making 12 appearances throughout the campaign, and would make the position his own when his predecessor left for Chelsea.
Invincibles highlight: Becoming the youngest-ever Premier League medallist at 18.
Another member of Arsenal’s French contingent, Pascal Cygan was only ever going to be a squad player for Wenger. With an incredibly solid defensive partnership of Kolo Toure and Sol Campbell ahead of him, it was going to take a miracle for Cygan to displace them. But, much like Clichy above, he was an incredibly reliable option who definitely played his part (18 times, to be exact) in this amazing season.
Invincibles highlight: Providing solid cover as Arsene Wenger was forced to shuffle his pack over the winter months.
Arsenal legend Ray Parlour was another member of the squad who was approaching the end of an impressive career. Parlour’s role was to do the dirty work that many of his counterparts avoided. In his 25 appearances, he got eight yellow cards. Like Keown, Wenger would have loved having such an experienced player at his disposal when needed, particularly when injuries bit.
Invincibles highlight: Captaining the side during Patrick Vieira’s absence, including during the Gunners’ derby victory over Spurs.
It’s obviously very harsh to judge a goalkeeper by goals and assists, but it has happened before. Jens Lehmann – a rare goalscorer himself – is without a doubt one of the best goalkeepers the Premier League has ever seen. The big angry German only conceded 26 goals during the 2003/04 Premier League campaign, keeping 15 clean sheets. Not only was he remarkable between the sticks, his never-say-die attitude rubbed off on his teammates as they chased records.
Invincibles highlight: Superbly denying Craig Bellamy during a tense 0-0 draw at Champions League-chasing Newcastle.
The first player on this list to get a goal or assist, Invincibles right-back Lauren played a pivotal role for Arsenal at the other end of the pitch. The Cameroonian is something of a forgotten man; he may not have had many overly explosive performances, but he was very consistent. Wenger knew exactly what he was going to get from Lauren, and he was the type of player needed to win titles.
Invincibles highlight: For a player as understated as Lauren, it has to be his one assist – a cross put away by Thierry Henry after the Newcastle defence failed to deal with it.
Tottenham Hotspur fans may hate him, but Arsenal fans love him. When Sol Campbell swapped White Hart Lane for Highbury, he immediately became the lynchpin of the Gunners’ defence. He was a rock at the back throughout his 35 appearances, but he also popped up with the odd goal, evidenced by the fact he got one in the 2003/04 season. His only goal was the opener against Aston Villa in their 2-0 victory in August.
Invincibles highlight: It has to be his consistency. Only ever missing through injury or suspension, Campbell played the full 90 whenever possible. It is hard to imagine the Invincibles achieving what they did without him.
Kolo Toure may have made a massive two more appearances than defensive partner Campbell, but he didn’t get any more goals or assists. Just like Campbell though, he was a man mountain at the back, playing a huge role in Arsenal’s season. If it weren’t for the Ivorian’s calm defensive play, it’s unlikely they’d have won the title, never mind gone the season undefeated. He also dropped into midfield when required.
Invincibles highlight: Just take a look at his highlights reel. Enough said.
Ashley Cole may have tarnished his Arsenal legacy by leaving to join London rivals Chelsea two years later, but in 2003/04, he was as good as they got at left-back. The position has evolved since then, and while Cole was more than capable of evolving with it, this campaign shows exactly what he could do defensively. Back then, three assists was a very healthy goal-contribution tally for a full-back.
Invincibles highlight: Dramatic late header in the Champions League aside, his best moment in the league arguably came on the final day, when he won the penalty that drew Arsenal level in their historic comeback win over Leicester City.
|
Arsenal 2003/04 top goalscorers (all competitions) |
|
|---|---|
|
Player |
Goals |
|
Thierry Henry |
39 |
|
Robert Pires |
19 |
|
Freddie Ljungberg |
10 |
|
Edu |
7 |
|
Dennis Bergkamp |
5 |
|
Jose Antonio Reyes |
5 |
|
Gilberto Silva |
4 |
|
Sylvain Wiltord |
4 |
|
Jeremie Aliadiere |
4 |
|
Kolo Toure |
3 |
|
Patrick Vieira |
3 |
|
Nwankwo Kanu |
3 |
|
Sol Campbell |
1 |
|
Ashley Cole |
1 |
|
David Bentley |
1 |
|
Cesc Fabregas |
1 |
It’s impossible to overstate just how good Nwankwo Kanu was on his day. The lanky Nigerian forward was magnificent throughout his Arsenal career, but in 2003/04, it was clear that he couldn’t quite cut it at the very top level. Kanu made just 10 league appearances, with only three of them being starts in the Premier League that season. It would prove to be his last at the club, but what a way to go out.
Invincibles highlight: Kanu’s best bits undoubtedly came in league and cup, with his flashes of brilliance still evident. While showing glimpses of his weaving best, his set-up for Freddie Ljungberg against Middlesbrough helped Arsenal top the table that night (on alphabetical order).
Spanish winger Jose Antonio Reyes didn’t actually join the club until the end of the January transfer window, so he’s a little harshly judged to be ranked here in terms of the best members of the squad. While making plenty of appearances for the club in cup competitions, when called upon in the league, he was electric. His incredible pace and directness made him a handful for pretty much every defender in the league.
Invincibles highlight: Making Edwin van der Sar look foolish by nicking the ball off his toes to give Arsenal the lead – and points – at Fulham.
He may have been somewhat overshadowed by Thierry Henry, but Sylvain Wiltord’s versatility made him a very useful weapon in Wenger’s arsenal – literally.
His ability to play both as a right-winger and as a more traditional No 9 made sure the manager could count on him when needed. Wiltord was 29 years old at the time and was deemed surplus to requirements when the season came to an end. He headed back to France, joining Lyon, but no before becoming immortal.
Invincibles highlight: Wiltord didn’t play in the league after December, but his double against Middlesbrough in August kept Arsenal’s perfect league record.
Before he was making moves as Arsenal’s sporting director, Edu was a very talented central midfielder. The Brazilian didn’t have too many goal contributions, but that wasn’t necessarily his job. Both of his Premier League goals came against Chelsea, so while there weren’t many of them, they were certainly important. Edu would only play one more season at Arsenal before leaving the club in 2005.
Invincibles highlight: Another player who shone in the Champions League, you can’t really look past Edu scoring home and away against Chelsea.
French midfielder and captain Patrick Vieira was so good at Arsenal, they couldn’t replace him for a decade. A defensive midfielder, Vieira wasn’t particularly involved too high up the pitch, but where he excelled was just in front of the back four, recycling possession in a way that very few can. Vieira is an undeniable Arsenal legend, though his main contribution wasn’t with goals, it was with leadership and an overarching quality that made the players around him better.
Invincibles highlight: Sealing the win on the final day moments before lifting the Premier League trophy as unbeaten champions.
Arsenal’s midfield in 2003/04 really was hard as nails. Gilberto Silva was definitely a player you wouldn’t want to mess with. And despite being deployed in a similar role to Patrick Vieira, he still popped up with the occasional goal. A future captain, it is no wonder the Gunners were so difficult to beat that year,
Invincibles highlight: A glorious half-volley at the Riverside Stadium set the tone for a dazzling season.
Despite an immense contribution to the Gunners, Freddie Ljungberg would only pop up on the scoresheet on four occasions, though only two players managed to better that tally.
Another player often trusted by Wenger to start when available, it is difficult to imagine Arsenal’s squad without their super Swede.
Invincibles highlight: His deflected effort against Spurs secured a dramatic victory at Highbury when their unbeaten run had looked under threat.
The silky Dutchman is living proof that statistics aren’t everything in football. If someone new to the game were to browse Dennis Bergkamp’s number of goal contributions, they may be a little disappointed, but as soon as they watched him play, they’d know exactly what all the hype was about. The man glided across the football pitch, and there is a reason he’s considered one of the best the Premier League has ever seen.
He wasn’t at his most prolific in 2003/04, but another hugely influential member of the squad who knew how to win titles – with the customary flash of class to boot.
Invincibles highlight: His trademark touch to set up Robert Pires’ goal against Bolton Wanderers is a sight to behold (he later scored himself).
With his long hair and goatee, Robert Pires was flying for Arsenal in 2003/04. The French winger was the club’s leading assist-maker that campaign, and his goal tally wasn’t too bad, either. Perhaps his best goal came against Liverpool, cutting inside before curling it in from distance to help secure a vital 2-1 comeback win at Anfield. He also came up with winners against Everton and Southampton, while he chipped in on that title-clinching day at White Hart Lane.
Invincibles highlight: It still gets better every time you see it – his majestic winner at Anfield.
Let’s be honest, it was obvious who was going to be number one: Mr Va Va Voom himself, Arsenal’s greatest-ever player, Thierry Henry. 36 goal contributions in one season is ludicrous, but Henry managed without seeming to break a sweat. Four goals in one game against Leeds United just about sums up how important he was to the Arsenal team. Without Henry, none of this would have been possible.
Invincibles highlight: Scoring seven goals in a week, thanks to successive Highbury hat-tricks against Leeds United and Liverpool – during which he effortlessly knocked Jamie Carragher off his feet.
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