Can Arsenal reclaim their “Invincible” Status?

Arsenal is one of the most supported and loved football clubs in the world. While in recent times, our club has put up performances that have been hard to watch, fans of Arsenal are some of the most loyal and passionate out there.

This passionate belief is rooted in the Arsenal we saw in the late 90s into the early 2000s, where the likes of Thierry Henry & Co. tore apart the other teams vying for English football’s most sought-after title. After decades however, Arsenal fans around the world are wondering whether we’ll ever see an Invincible-like Arsenal again.

For the last few decades, our beloved Arsenal has slipped from being one of the most feared teams in all of Europe, to being a mid table team in the English premier league. Fans and pundits alike have their thoughts as to why this is, but what remains is the sad truth that we’ve seen the fall of a giant, which stings so much more because we all love this club so much.

In the old days, placing soccer bets on Arsenal to win felt like a sure thing, whereas now, it feels like a gamble.

If we are to pose the question “will we ever see Arsenal reclaim their Invincible status”, we need to understand what it was that made the Invincibles so good. Words like balance, efficiency and precision come to mind. Arsenal at that point was home to some of the best players in the world, in attack, midfield and defense.

What’s more, is that the club was an institution that developed some of the biggest names in football. When Thierry Henry arrived at Highbury, he was a relatively unknown winger from France. At Arsenal, he became one of the most memorable players of a generation. The same can be said for the likes of Cesc Fabregas.

Nowadays however, the club signs talent, and for some reason, these players tend to dip in form as they go on their Arsenal journey. We’ve seen it with Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, who was sensational for two seasons, but dropped off after that. We’ve seen it with Granit Xhaka, Nicolas Pepe, Willian, Petr Cech, the list could go on and on. If Arsenal are to reclaim their Invincible status, there needs to be a mindset shift that pushes these high calibre players to continue performing.

Where Gooner positivity lies is in the fact that Arsenal remains a destination for positive development, as we have seen with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, and some other youngsters who have been performing at a high level. This rings of the Arsenal of old, where youngsters were groomed into dynamic and creative threats that tormented even the best defenses.

But this on its own is not enough. Arsene Wenger was known for his revolutionary managerial tactics, that included having his players commit to strict dietary programmes, higher training loads, and advanced training methods. These days, football is a professional business and these methods have become standard practice. Now the difference is money. The richest clubs are the best clubs.

Arsenal’s ownership have proved time and again that their main priority is not for Arsenal to be the superpower it once was, but rather for it to be a cash cow for their other sporting endeavours. The Kroenkes are the bugbear of many Arsenal fans, yet their hopes were reignited with Spotify owner Daniel Ek’s interest in buying the club.

Whether Arsenal can reclaim their Invincible status depends on a number of different factors. The stars would quite literally need to align. Only time to tell.

Gunners Town

Gunners Town is a premier Arsenal blogging platform for passionate and knowledgeable Gooners. Established in 2012, the site has garnered over 5 million views.