Arsenal’s Invincibles or Chelsea’s unbeaten crop: vote for which team you rate higher

TEN years ago Arsenal became the first Premier league team to go through a season unbeaten. How do Chelsea stack up to the ‘Invincibles’?

TEN years ago Arsenal had the Invincibles. Are Chelsea the Inevitables?

With the Blues’ supposed title rivals stuttering through various defensive catastrophes the major talking point is not the title race, but whether or not Jose Mourinho’s team can march through a season undefeated like Arsenal did in 2003-04.

The boss is playing it right down of course: “That, I’m sure, no, not possible”.

So how does Chelsea stack up against the Arsenal of 10 years ago?

Amy Lawrence, a journalist who has just released a book on the Invincibles sees strong similarities.

“There are certain characteristics in the Arsenal team 10 years ago that you can see very much in this Chelsea team,” she told BBC’s Monday Night Club this week.

“The blend between technically having a lot of gifts and having that phenomenal base of power and strength, they seem physically stronger than everyone else in the division.”

Chelsea's Serbian midfielder Nemanja Matic.

The competition

Arsenal’s best team in living memory came along at a time when Manchester United were not at their peak and finished third. Chelsea were nouveau riche in 2003. It was the first stages of Roman Abramovich’s massive investment and before Mourinho had rolled up for his first go. Chelsea came second and knocked Arsenal out of the Champions League while fourth and fifth behind United were Liverpool and Newcastle.

Adaptability

Arsenal’s team of a decade ago were a perfect combination of silk and steel, attributes you can see in Chelsea now. If teams wanted to mix it up both sides would take on the physical battle and win. Bullies were battered. But try and play them at football and they destroyed you.

Chelsea: a tight unit and adaptable.

In 2004 it was Sol Campbell and Vieira with the grit, and Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Robert Pires supplying the flair. This year Branislav Ivanovic, John Terry and Nemanja Matic are enforcers allowing Eden Hazard, Oscar and Cesc Fabregas to bewilder opponents.

Arsenal, says Lawrence, were “all built like middleweight boxers — they’d be in that tight tunnel at Highbury and sense the other team getting nervous. Chelsea have that. They walk out every game and fully expect to win.”

Midfield star dust

Arsenal has Pires on the left and Freddie Ljungberg bombing down the right, Vieira striding forward through the centre and Bergkamp popping up with the occasional wonder strike or, more often, putting the ball on a platter for Henry. Chelsea have magic in the mix as well, making them, for a Mourinho side, quite spectacular.

Thierry Henry embracing Patrick Vieira after winning the league in 2004.

Unsung heroes

Matic is shaping as a key man of Chelsea’s challenge in much the same way Gilberto Silva, nicknamed the “Invisible Wall” was the Invincibles' glue, the grafter in front of the powerful back four who organised, worked hard and made everyone fall into line. It’s a job Matic plays so well — a foot on the ball to stop threatening attacks and superb organisational skills.

Arsenal's manager Arsene Wenger holds up the Premiership trophy after winning the Premiership title and defeating Leicester City at Highbury in London.

Stability and squad depth

Both the Arsene Wenger of 2003-04 and Mourinho of now were certain of their first choice starting teams, but had enough weapons in depth to cover for injuries or form dips along the way. The Invincibles had back up that included wizened veterans such as Ray Parlour and Martin Keown and impressive stand ins like Sylvain Wiltord, Edui and Jose Antonio Reyes.

Chelsea is likewise packed with talent on the bench. World Cup winner Andre Schurrle would walk into most teams but is yet to play 90 minutes. Willian, Ramires and Mikel are bit partners and Petr Cech is the world’s best No. 2 goalkeeper.

Firepower

Thierry Henry was immense throughout his Arsenal career and scored 30 in the Invincible campaign from 37 games, and 39 in all competitions that year. He was a completely different beast to Diego Costa, scoring some magical solo goals during the run in, including an imperious hat-trick in a 4-2 win over Liverpool. But if the Chelsea poacher stays fit and continues to get the service he has been so far, who would bet against him reaching the 30 goal mark. He’s already got 10 from just 11 games.

Thierry Henry scores on his way to a hat-trick against Liverpool in 2004.

Ride your luck

Six games into Arsenal’s unbeaten EPL season they were staring down the barrel at Old Trafford. Ruud van Nistelrooy stepped up for a last minute penalty to win the game, and he smacked it against the crossbar, provoking an insane reaction from Keown that lives as one of the enduring images of that season. So far Chelsea haven’t been on the brink in any game, but you imagine that time will come.

Which team is better?

Arsenal have the games on the board and Chelsea have plenty to do. But who do you think is the better of the two teams?

Originally published as Arsenal’s Invincibles or Chelsea’s unbeaten crop: vote for which team you rate higher