In the second part of an exclusive interview with Ladbrokes: Fanzone, former Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos compares the current team with the Invincibles from the 2003-4 season.
Read part one of his thoughts on the Gunners by clicking on the link.
There are similarities between Invincibles and Arteta’s side
I was in and out of the team environment during that Invincible season. I faced a lot of injuries around that time but still spent many training sessions with the first team. I definitely felt a part of it all. In fact, I’d say the injuries perhaps helped me settle into life at Arsenal – especially coming to the club with so much pressure and expectation; the injuries slowed things down a little but definitely helped me settle at the same time.
The energy around the place was huge that season. There were so many big characters who all had so much respect for each other. Big characters, big egos, but so much respect for each other. We often talk about family in football, and your team-mates being like family, but at that time, in the 2003/04 season, I really felt that.
Don’t get me wrong, though, of course we had moments of doubt throughout the season, especially when it came to going unbeaten. Even on the last day, we went a goal down to Leicester. Each week, people were convinced the run was going to come to an end, but we kept on going and grew in confidence with every game.
There was something so special around the place at the time, and it’s something I saw a glimpse of recently in this current Arsenal side. That run was something which started small, and continued to grow and grow, with more people inside the club believing in ourselves with every game, with every win.
Moments like this take time to develop and I’m seeing similarities in Mikel Arteta’s side. We’ve seen in a couple of games that Arsenal have gone a goal – or even two goals – behind, but as a result of all the hard work everyone has put in on the training ground, you just feel like this team is convinced they’re going to come back. They’re thinking about the right moves, the right way of playing, they’re thinking about the decision which helps the team, rather than individuals. The Bournemouth win was the best example of a moment which really reminded me of that spirit we had in 2003-04.
These players at Arsenal now are saying exactly the kind of things we were saying back in that Invincible season. If you go back and listen to any interview with a player from that season, they’ll all say the same thing; we’re taking it one game at a time. It’s a phrase you hear a lot in football nowadays, actually, but I really believe it stemmed from that Arsenal side. We take one game at a time, we fight for each other and we keep moving forward. Every single person would turn up at an interview and say the same thing, and that resonated across the whole team, on and off the pitch. When everyone is pulling on the same string, you’re only going to go in one direction. Special things will happen.
Current crop would probably get into Invincible team
It’s so difficult to pick a current Arsenal player to put into that Invincible team – they’re two completely different eras, so it’s difficult. The game has evolved so much, so I think a lot of the current players would probably get into the team. But, for me, looking at two names in particular who I think would fit in well with their combination play, I would say Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka. They would adapt and combine really well with the type of football we were playing at the time.
Do I think there’ll be another Invincible season in the Premier League? Again, it’s so difficult to say. It’s such a hard thing to replicate. Will someone be able to match it? Maybe, but it really was an incredible thing that side achieved. The game has evolved so much now, it’s faster, it’s stronger, and there’s so much football being played at the top level – to be able to sustain that every single week for the duration of a season is very, very tough. Teams have threatened it. I think Liverpool went on a really good run a few years ago before losing to Watford. Was I glad they lost and that run came to an end? Of course! I think every Arsenal fan was celebrating that night.
Not winning Premier League would be disappointment
On the whole, this season has been fantastic for Arsenal, of course. The only thing that’s lacking,is securing the title. There are 10 games to go andthey are eight points clear. While another trophy – particularly in Europe – would have been great, you can ask any Arsenal fan right now and they’d rather be in the position they find themselves in right now with no trophies to their name yet.
🎞 Now showing: Martin's 1Ø @PremierLeague goals so far this season pic.twitter.com/ikmIIs5y3J
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 28, 2023
They’ve had an incredible run so far this year and they’re in a very strong position in the title race. Would it be a failure if they didn’t go and win the league? No. Would it be a disappointment, though? Yes.
They’ve been so controlling in games throughout the season, and that’s the really reassuring thing which makes me think they can go on and win the title… they’re controlling things from start to finish in most of the games they’re playing at the moment. It’s a great position to be in, and if they continue like this for the next 10 games, they have a really great chance of going on to win it. But it wouldn’t be a failure if they were to miss out, in my opinion. This is still a very young squad and success is building.
