Sports Nicknames - Invincibles

Arsenal's "Invincibles" are one of the most famous squads in Premier League history. They are the only team in the competition's history to go the full 38-match season unbeaten. They finished with 26 wins, 12 draws and zero losses.

The showdown between Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson of Manchester United had been rising for a few years, but this was a year where Wenger came out on top. This, despite his relatively minor spending compared to rival teams. He brought in goalkeeper Jens Lehmann and defenders Gael Clichy and Phillipe Senderos. Lehmann actually played a strong role in the team, becoming the starting goalkeeper.

The formation that Wenger used was a 4-4-2, though it often became a 4-4-1-1 because Dennis Bergkamp dropped behind Thierry Henry. On the wings were Freddie Ljungberg and Robert Pires, both on the wing that would allow them to cut inside on their favourite foot. In the middle of the park were Patrick Vieira and Gilberto Winterburn. The centre backs were Sol Campbell and Kolo Toure, flanked by the attacking full-backs Ashley Cole and Lauren.

The unbeaten run nearly came to an end on matchday 8, when Arsenal played their rivals Manchester United. United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy missed a penalty against the Gunners in extra time, resulting in a 0-0 draw. They finally confirmed their champion title after a draw at arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

The Premier League gave Arsenal a special gold version of the Premier League trophy in order to celebrate this remarkable achievement. While the run eventually came to an end against Manchester United, it lasted a remarkable 49 games during that time. Certainly the Invincibles must be remembered as one of the greatest teams of all time.

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-- Arsene Wenger



-- Dennis Bergkamp



-- Thierry Henry



-- Patrick Vieira


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