Liverpool loss a reminder of the might of Arsenal’s Invincibles

There has been considerable revisionism about Arsenal’s Invincibles. Too many draws, not enough points, apparently. Over time the achievement of Arsene Wenger’s 2003-04 team has been slowly diminished.

So events at Vicarage road at least restored balance. It was a feat, unparalleled, since the days of bare-knuckle fighting and Vincent van Gogh. A team as great as Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool could not pull it off. They might win every match from here, record the greatest points total in english football history, but they couldn’t go a season without losing. Arsenal remain alone, in the modern era. That still means something. That should never be disparaged.

It was Sir Alex Ferguson, naturally, who started it. ‘Too many draws,’ he would sneer. And, yes, there were quite a few. Arsenal drew 12 matches of 38, which was double the number of Manchester United in that campaign. But United lost nine times.

So it turns out drawing isn’t always that easy, or invincibility would be commonplace. And Arsenal won plenty, too. The second-best team that season were Chelsea — and Arsenal beat them home and away.

They were 11 points clear by the end, the second highest winning margin in 19 years, only eclipsed by Manchester United in 1999-2000. But United lost three times that season. It’s not easy staying unbeaten.

True, the last three titles have been won with a points total greater than the Invincibles’ 90, including Manchester City becoming the first to three figures in 2017-18. Yet in the 10 seasons before that, nobody had topped Arsenal. Indeed, in the era of three points for a win just seven champions in 38 have exceeded 90 points.

Nor did Arsenal have it all their own way. On the first day of the season, they went down to 10 men against everton when Sol Campbell was sent off after 25 minutes, but won.

They also recorded wins from losing positions against Tottenham, Liverpool and Leicester at home, and Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea away. They came back to draw against Portsmouth twice and Charlton. This was a gutsy team. The comeback victory over Leicester was on the final day of the season when the crown of invincibility seemed about to slip. Paul Dickov put Leicester ahead, Arsenal found a way to win.

And they did so at a time when football had never been faster or more athletically demanding. Preston’s Invincibles of 1888-89 didn’t have to deal with a crossbar or any pitch markings bar the centre line. Their goalkeeper could handle the ball anywhere on the pitch and was given to putting up an umbrella when it rained. Arsenal had to resist the remains of Manchester United’s Treble-winners and the prototype of Mourinho’s Chelsea. They had to overcome teams inspired by John Terry, Steven Gerrard and roy Keane.

They never had to play at Vicarage road, but other trips were no less daunting. And they didn’t lose. Not once. It has taken Watford to remind us what an achievement that was.