This Is The Best Arsenal Squad Since They Were Tagged “The Invincibles” – Thoughts?

Arsene Wenger, the long-term servant of the Emirates outfit has entered his 3^rd decade at the club this month and will be looking to cap it off with some success come the end of the season. The summer transfer window saw the manager add the likes of Shkodran Mustafi, Lucas Perez and Granit Xhaka to his squad and after initial hiccups against Liverpool, they have managed to stitch 5 back to back victories leading to the international break. They are looking like a team that will be hard to beat but how do they compare to ‘the invincibles’ at the Emirates from more than a decade ago?

For starters, the currents squad has already been beaten this season so the tag is irrelevant in its true sense anyway. But the way they have fought back in the league and also in Europe has got the fans raving about their chances at silverware this season. Back in 2003-04, the Gunners beat Everton, Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea in the first 9 games and drew against Manchester United making an explosive start to the campaign. Wenger bought in the likes of Robin van Persie and Cesc Fabregas to add to his squad in the summer leading into the season and managed to build a squad that has depth and strength in each and every position on the field.

In the 2003-04 season, the likes of Sol Campbell and Kolo Toure managed to create a top class center back partnership that helped them stay strong for the entire season even under pressure and the summer spending by Wenger meant that for the first time since then, the club can boast a center back partnership that they can depend on for the entire season. Just behind them is Petr Cech, who has enjoyed a great career so far in the Premier League and also for his country. He is easily in the bracket of the greats likes Lehmann who was Arsenal’s go to man 12 years ago and has provided that much-needed strength at the back that will help the Gunners in crunch situations.

It is not just the defense that gives Arsenal a strong look. In attack, the Gunners were by and large dependent on one individual to provide the attacking moments for some years now. After years, Arsenal finally have a group of attackers who are thriving on each other’s game and are scoring for fun. The likes of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez have had their effect on the entire squad and have got the best out of the likes of Theo Walcott and others this season.

This, added to the midfield presence of Granit Xhaka, who has already chipped in a couple of stunning goals, and that makes Arsenal one of the strong contenders for the Premier League title this season. They have the ingredients to survive the challenges of the Premier League this season and the few additions in the summer will only add to their strength. For the first time in years, Wenger will not have to worry about keeping 11 players fit as he has bought himself a few options all over the field. Surely, they are looking stronger than recent years and are not too far away from their performances from 12 years ago.

Do you think Arsenal’s squad this season is their best since they won the Premier League title in 2004?