nickname applied to successful football teams
This article is about the unbeaten seasons of Preston North End and Arsenal in England. For other alike achievements, see List of unbeaten football club seasons In football, “ The Invincibles “ is a nickname used to refer to the Preston North End team of the 1888–89 season, managed by William Sudell, [ 1 ] [ 2 ] and the Arsenal team of the 2003–04 season managed by Arsène Wenger. [ 3 ] Preston North End earned the nickname after completing an integral season undefeated in league and cup rival ( 27 games ), while Arsenal were undefeated in the league ( 38 games ) in a run that stretched to a record 49 games. The actual dub of the Preston team was the “ Old Invincibles ”, but both versions have been in manipulation.

Preston North end [edit ]

Preston North End became known as “ The Invincibles ” after they won the inaugural Football League contest in 1888–89, completing the season unbeaten in both the league and the FA Cup, so becoming the beginning team always to achieve the “ bivalent “. Preston ‘s league record was 18 wins, 4 draw, and 0 losses out of 22 games played, while in the FA Cup they won all 5 of their matches without conceding a single finish. [ 4 ] Preston achieved this with a squad chiefly composed of scottish players, part of a wave of scottish footballers in England whom became known as the Scotch Professors. [ 5 ] [ 6 ] The adopt season, Preston won their first league meet to stretch their unbeaten league discharge to 23 games ; in their moment game they suffered their first-ever league frustration against Aston Villa, losing 5–3. [ 7 ] In his autobiography, Tom Finney wrote : “ The championship stayed with north end — by now tagged the Old Invincibles — the trace class, but runner-up spot had to suffice for the future three seasons ”. [ 8 ] Of the seven teams to have completed the Double in England, Preston remain the alone one to have done so unbeaten. In 2008, Preston opened a modern 5,000 seater resist at their Deepdale stadium, named the Invincibles Pavilion in award of the unbeaten 1880s team that had besides played their home matches at the same locate. [ 9 ] The Preston team that won the 1889 FA Cup Final at Kennington Oval, beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–0, was as follows :

Matches [edit ]

FA Cup [edit ]

arsenal [edit ]

After Arsenal became the alone team to finish a 38-match season unbeaten, the Premier League commissioned a unique gold trophy to commemorate the accomplishment. Arsène Wenger was presented the trophy as a parting give from the cabaret after his last dwelling game as coach on 6 May 2018. In May 2002, Arsenal beat Manchester United to regain the Premier League and equal Preston ‘s record of not losing an away equal all season. In assessing the team ‘s accomplishment, Tim Rich of The Independent wrote : “ Invincibles, they called the last team to go through a season unbeaten away from home, although it is a word which belongs far more to the Arsenal side of 2002 than it ever could to the Preston team of 1888–89. ” [ 10 ] Arsenal director Arsène Wenger wanted his team to push on for more honours and described the get the better of of Manchester United as a “ switch of world power ” in English football. [ 11 ] The team began the following season in good stead ; a 4–1 acquire against Leeds United in September 2002 meant Arsenal broke the domestic record for scoring in straight games ( 47 ), and away league games without get the better of ( 22 ). [ 12 ] Such was their effective startle to the campaign, Wenger reiterated his belief that Arsenal could remain the solid season undefeated : [ nota bene 1 ]

“ It ‘s not impossible as A.C. Milan once did it but I ca n’t see why it ‘s so shock to say it. Do you think Manchester United, Liverpool or Chelsea do n’t dream that american samoa well ? They ‘re precisely the lapp. They barely do n’t say it because they ‘re scared to look farcical, but cipher is farcical in this occupation as we know anything can happen. ” [ 14 ]

“ person threw me a jersey after the trophy was presented which read ‘Comical Wenger says we can go the whole season unbeaten. ‘ I was just a season excessively early ! ”

Arsène Wenger, May 2004 [ 15 ]
After breaking a Premier League record of 30 matches unbeaten, [ 16 ] Arsenal lost to Everton in October 2002 ( the decisive goal was struck in the last minute by Wayne Rooney, the inaugural at senior floor for the actor who would go on to become England ‘s record scorer ) [ 17 ] [ 18 ] and failed to win their next three matches in all competitions, representing their worst range of shape in 19 years. [ 19 ] By March 2003, Arsenal had established themselves as league leaders, but nearest rival Manchester United overhauled them to win the entitle. [ 20 ] Arsenal finished the season with league wins against Southampton and Sunderland and were late consoled with success in the FA Cup – they beat the former team 1–0 in the 2003 concluding. Wenger sought to strengthen his team with child additions : goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, arsenic well as a count of young players from academies abroad, namely Gaël Clichy and Phillipe Senderos. In comparison to their rivals Chelsea, bankrolled by raw owner Roman Abramovich, and Manchester United, Arsenal ‘s transfer action was calm. The fiscal constraints that came with the Ashburton Grove stadium stick out meant Wenger had little income to spend on newly players. [ 21 ] once fund was found amidst the temper, the club added to its roll, with José Antonio Reyes arriving in the winter transfer window. In the 2003–04 season, Arsenal regained the Premier League without a one defeat. Over the 38 games played, their league record stood at 26 wins, 12 draws and 0 losses. The unbeaten run came near to ending six matches into the crusade against Manchester United, as striker Ruud van Nistelrooy missed a punishment in injury time ; the couple then ended 0–0. At the turn of the calendar class, Arsenal won nine league matches in a rowing to consolidate first place ; they secured their status as champions with a reap against local rivals Tottenham Hotspur in April 2004. Their form did not continue into the domestic cups ; Arsenal exited the semi-final stage of the Football League Cup and the FA Cup to eventual winners Middlesbrough and Manchester United, respectively. In Europe, Arsenal lost two of their open three UEFA Champions League group stage matches, 3–0 at home to Internazionale and 2–1 off to Dynamo Kyiv, but finally finished top of the group. [ 22 ] Arsenal ultimately reached the quarter-final stagecoach of the Champions League, where they were eliminated by London rivals Chelsea. [ 23 ]
Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira presented with the trophy at Highbury on the final day of the season. Continuing into the following temper, a special gold version of the Premier League trophy was commissioned to commemorate Arsenal winning the title without a individual frustration. [ 24 ] In May 2018, this gold trophy was presented to Arsene Wenger as a endow from Arsenal Football Club at Wenger ‘s final home game as coach after 22 years. [ 25 ] In addition to their two wins at the end of the 2002–03 FA Premier League, Arsenal beat Middlesbrough in their second gear league bet on of 2004–05 to peer Nottingham Forest ‘s record of 42 league matches unbeaten ; [ 26 ] the feat was eclipsed with a gain at dwelling to Blackburn Rovers. [ 27 ] The run extended to six more matches for a full of 49 league games undefeated, before coming to an goal with a controversial 2–0 get the better of to Manchester United. [ 28 ] The Guardian noted that Arsenal never trailed in the stopping point 20 minutes of a game during their unbeaten run. [ 29 ]

formation [edit ]

Soccer Field Transparant.svg

Lehmann Lauren campbell Touré kale Pires Vieira Gilberto Ljungberg Bergkamp henry

The most used Arsenal players in the 2003–04 season, positioned in a 4–4–1–1 formation.

Of the players from Arsenal ‘s double-winning side of 1998, only Patrick Vieira and Dennis Bergkamp remained as first team players throughout the unbeaten run ; Martin Keown featured briefly, while Ray Parlour made 25 league appearances. Defenders Lee Dixon and Tony Adams had retired from professional football in 2002 and goalkeeper David Seaman joined Manchester City a class later. Kolo Touré, signed as a right-back and defensive midfielder, was chosen to play in central defense alongside Sol Campbell after impressing during pre-season. Lauren, who had played as a midfielder for Real Mallorca, was shifted to right-back when he joined Arsenal. Wenger initially replaced left-back Nigel Winterburn with Sylvinho, but an injury to the defender allowed Ashley Cole to take his locate as first base cream by the 2000–01 season. In midfield Gilberto Silva partnered Vieira, with Freddie Ljungberg and Robert Pires playing either side of them on the wings. Thierry Henry, signed as Nicolas Anelka ‘s successor in 1999, was the team ‘s focal point in attack ; he was supported most much by Bergkamp. Although the team were interpreted as one who organised themselves in a 4–4–2, their formation with the ball was closer to a 4–4–1–1. Wenger ‘s tactics emphasised attacking football and relied on apparent motion and interchange, with full-backs joining in attacks. journalist Michael Cox noted that Arsenal ‘s strengths lay on the leave english of the pitch, and added that, because the resistance focused on containing Cole, Pires, and Henry, this allowed Lauren and Ljungberg to find space for crosses. Arsenal were besides potent on the counter-attack, exemplified in their away performances against Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur. [ 30 ]

Matches [edit ]

Premier League

See besides [edit ]

Notes [edit ]

  1. ^[13] Before the season commenced, Wenger told reporters : “ cipher will finish above us in the league. It would n’t surprise me if we were to go unbeaten for the whole of the season. ”

References [edit ]