Arsenal 2007/08
Recent Premier League history is not kind to Arsenal. Prior to a string of fifth and sixth place finishes in the last three seasons was a 10-season spell of third and fourth place finishes (sandwiched between the two was a second place in 2015/16). While consistent, these league positions display Arsenal as a shadow of the exciting, successful side it once was. In all of the eight seasons spanning from 1997/98 to 2004/05, Arsenal finished in the top two without fail, picking up three Premier League trophies along the way.
Of course, the game has changed. Russian and Middle Eastern money has thrown up new Premier League contenders, making lower finishes an inevitability. But among this recent mediocrity is one season which saw Arsenal excel. Despite finishing third in the 2007/08 season, this Arsenal side was almost certainly one of the best they have constructed in the Premier League era. It is most certainly the strongest Arsenal team to miss out on a title, and maybe one of the strongest of all teams to not win it.
Time to rebuild:
The 2006/07 season marked Arsenal’s first at The Emirates, and the transition from Highbury (a ground which had been used to seeing trophies and successes) was far from seamless. They finished fourth in an unconvincing campaign, in which a 23-year-old Robin Van Persie finished as their top scorer with 11 in the league.
It was very much a transitional season, with Bergkamp, Pirès, Campbell, Cole and Lauren all making their departures. August 2007 saw Henry and Ljungberg depart – the last of the remaining ‘Invincibles’. With a constrained budget due to the construction of The Emirates Stadium (a factor contributing to Arsenal’s demise in the following seasons), replacing these players like for like was not an option. Wenger had to adapt to a new style of play which would suit the players he had and could afford. And adapt he did.
Arsenal signed Tomáš Rosický and William Gallas in the summer of 2006 to begin phase one of the rebuild. This season also catered for the development of the likes of Van Persie, Hleb, Fàbregas, Adebayor, Clichy and Flamini. In the summer of 2007, Wenger signed Bacary Sagna from Auxerre and Croatian striker Eduardo from Dinamo Zagreb.
Of course, the game has changed. Russian and Middle Eastern money has thrown up new Premier League contenders, making lower finishes an inevitability. But among this recent mediocrity is one season which saw Arsenal excel. Despite finishing third in the 2007/08 season, this Arsenal side was almost certainly one of the best they have constructed in the Premier League era. It is most certainly the strongest Arsenal team to miss out on a title, and maybe one of the strongest of all teams to not win it.
Time to rebuild:
The 2006/07 season marked Arsenal’s first at The Emirates, and the transition from Highbury (a ground which had been used to seeing trophies and successes) was far from seamless. They finished fourth in an unconvincing campaign, in which a 23-year-old Robin Van Persie finished as their top scorer with 11 in the league.
It was very much a transitional season, with Bergkamp, Pirès, Campbell, Cole and Lauren all making their departures. August 2007 saw Henry and Ljungberg depart – the last of the remaining ‘Invincibles’. With a constrained budget due to the construction of The Emirates Stadium (a factor contributing to Arsenal’s demise in the following seasons), replacing these players like for like was not an option. Wenger had to adapt to a new style of play which would suit the players he had and could afford. And adapt he did.
Arsenal signed Tomáš Rosický and William Gallas in the summer of 2006 to begin phase one of the rebuild. This season also catered for the development of the likes of Van Persie, Hleb, Fàbregas, Adebayor, Clichy and Flamini. In the summer of 2007, Wenger signed Bacary Sagna from Auxerre and Croatian striker Eduardo from Dinamo Zagreb.
2007/08 was Arsenal's second season at The Emirates Stadium, and definitely the season which the stadium saw some of its best football
Wenger had been forced to deviate from his massively successful pace and power approach of the late 1990s and early 2000s. The new style of play he was pioneering was now based on fluidity of possession, technique and quick combination play. His team would keep the ball until the time was right to shift up a gear. From here quick movements would ensue, confusing opposition defences and creating space for midfield maestros to operate, who could dribble and shoot themselves or aim to feed the strikers. The use of possession and a pick-your-moment attacking attitude was very successful.
The need to change the style of play and method by which Wenger did so is perfectly encapsulated by the story of Patrick Vieira’s departure. The Frenchman was a world beater, he could do it all, so it was no surprise that in the summer of 2005 Juventus offered him a lucrative contract and sealed the transfer for a fee of nearly £14m. Arsenal hadn’t the financial capacity to convince him to stay, nor did they have the funds to sign a replacement of his quality (if one even existed at the time). Arsène Wenger had to alter his tactics. The irreplaceable midfielder whom his style of play relied on was gone. Arsenal turned to Mathieu Flamini as the man who could fill the Vieira void. He was nowhere near as physically imposing, but was a tidy, intelligent footballer nonetheless, who could cover enough ground to protect the back-four and allow the other three midfielders to go about their attacking business. Flamini was the man who facilitated all the attacking brilliance in that Arsenal team of 2007/08, and his role should not be overlooked.
These other three midfielders were Fàbregas, Rosický and Alexander Hleb. 2007/08 saw Fàbregas begin to perform consistently, he had developed into your archetypal playmaker. He scored seven and assisted 17, and was now a player willing to take games by the scruff of the neck. He was also the brains of the team, aware of everyone’s strengths and being able to play to them. This resulted in him having a hand in many more goals further down the line of attack, the way he could craft moves forward was truly mesmeric. He also won PFA Young Player of the Year and a spot in the Team of the Season.
Tomáš Rosický, or ‘The Little Mozart’, was adept at driving at opposition defences and injecting life into an attack as the team shifted up the gears. He created spaces in opposition defences with his movement which Fàbregas could exploit.
Alexander Hleb was perhaps the most underappreciated of the three. Throughout his career his goal and assist tallies were unimpressive, but he and Arsenal knew that the game was about much more than that. Similar to his Czech counterpart, the Belarusian would run opposition defences ragged, offering selfless one-twos and making runs with and without the ball to create spaces for Fàbregas to pick out one of the two strikers.
With Adebayor and Van Persie firing on all cylinders at the start of the season, this new Wenger style of play which was trialled the season prior now seemed to be a formula for success. The way in which the midfield created space was something new to the English game, and with a somewhat solid defence behind them, Arsenal quickly emerged as the team to beat in the Autumn of 2007.
The need to change the style of play and method by which Wenger did so is perfectly encapsulated by the story of Patrick Vieira’s departure. The Frenchman was a world beater, he could do it all, so it was no surprise that in the summer of 2005 Juventus offered him a lucrative contract and sealed the transfer for a fee of nearly £14m. Arsenal hadn’t the financial capacity to convince him to stay, nor did they have the funds to sign a replacement of his quality (if one even existed at the time). Arsène Wenger had to alter his tactics. The irreplaceable midfielder whom his style of play relied on was gone. Arsenal turned to Mathieu Flamini as the man who could fill the Vieira void. He was nowhere near as physically imposing, but was a tidy, intelligent footballer nonetheless, who could cover enough ground to protect the back-four and allow the other three midfielders to go about their attacking business. Flamini was the man who facilitated all the attacking brilliance in that Arsenal team of 2007/08, and his role should not be overlooked.
These other three midfielders were Fàbregas, Rosický and Alexander Hleb. 2007/08 saw Fàbregas begin to perform consistently, he had developed into your archetypal playmaker. He scored seven and assisted 17, and was now a player willing to take games by the scruff of the neck. He was also the brains of the team, aware of everyone’s strengths and being able to play to them. This resulted in him having a hand in many more goals further down the line of attack, the way he could craft moves forward was truly mesmeric. He also won PFA Young Player of the Year and a spot in the Team of the Season.
Tomáš Rosický, or ‘The Little Mozart’, was adept at driving at opposition defences and injecting life into an attack as the team shifted up the gears. He created spaces in opposition defences with his movement which Fàbregas could exploit.
Alexander Hleb was perhaps the most underappreciated of the three. Throughout his career his goal and assist tallies were unimpressive, but he and Arsenal knew that the game was about much more than that. Similar to his Czech counterpart, the Belarusian would run opposition defences ragged, offering selfless one-twos and making runs with and without the ball to create spaces for Fàbregas to pick out one of the two strikers.
With Adebayor and Van Persie firing on all cylinders at the start of the season, this new Wenger style of play which was trialled the season prior now seemed to be a formula for success. The way in which the midfield created space was something new to the English game, and with a somewhat solid defence behind them, Arsenal quickly emerged as the team to beat in the Autumn of 2007.
Arsenal huddle before a 1-0 home win against Man City in August 2007
A sweet start:
From the beginning of August to the end of November, Arsenal won 10 of 13 in the league, drawing the other three. The growing pains of The Emirates had seemed to have worn off, as Arsenal were marvellous on the large London pitch – they would end the Premier League season unbeaten at home.
On November 12th, Arsenal beat Reading 3-1 at the Madejski stadium (Reading didn’t score until the 87th minute). Reading striker Dave Kitson afterwards praised Arsenal's performance and asserted they were “the best team on the planet”: “…they are not just passing to each other – they are passing so that person can run on to the ball and then his mind is already made up what he is going to do next. It is just magic, it is unbelievable.” The new midfield four seemed to be clicking.
Following a win at Villa Park on December 1st, the Gunners were shooting for the stars as they moved five points clear at the summit of the Premier League. The media were speculating a return of the title to North London, and perhaps even an ‘Invicibles’ part two. To this speculation, Wenger responded: “People will talk…just let us play.” The playing in the next two matches wasn’t great however, as they only managed one point in two away matches against Newcastle and Middlesbrough – ending their 22-match unbeaten streak (in all competitions). However back-to-back wins at home to rivals Chelsea and Tottenham restored some order and ensured Arsenal remained in the driving seat.
Injuries strike:
Alexander Hleb was absent for both the Newcastle and Middlesbrough matches, in which Arsenal were uninspiring at best against two weak sides. Hleb was known as an enabler for Fabregas – with him in the team, the Spaniard had many more opportunities to seek out passes and create chances.
Robin Van Persie had scored seven goals in his first 11 games, and was developing a lethal partnership with Adebayor. However, a thigh strain in early 2008 sidelined the Dutchman for two months. It seemed intuitive for Wenger to use new signing Eduardo to fill the void but he was reluctant to do so, and shifted to a 4-4-1-1 formation (instead of sticking with a 4-4-2) moving Hleb in behind the striker and bringing in Eboué on the right wing. The right flank would suffer creatively during this period, despite PFA right-back of the season Bacary Sagna’s effort to drive the team forward.
Tomáš Rosický suffered a knee injury in January 2008. Ongoing knee issues sadly robbed the Czech of over a year of his career at a time when he was really starting to flourish in the Arsenal team. He had scored six goals for the Gunners but his contribution to the team’s overall performance was far greater. He would start central and either drift wide or come deeper, taking a midfielder or a centre-half with him. During this movement, he would typically play a one-two with Fàbregas. Upon receiving the ball back, Fàbregas had a wealth of space to aim at, and he knew with the imposing Adebayor up front, both a ball into feet or in behind were possible. Without the ‘Little Mozart’, the chances would dry up. Fàbregas would have to look for new ways to open up defences and the movement of the striker(s) would have to be altered.
Despite a few dropped points in early 2008, Arsenal were still for the most part playing very well. Importantly, they were picking up results.
A new partnership:
Once Wenger had integrated striker Eduardo Da Silva into the team fully, he and Adebayor formed somewhat of a formidable attacking duo. From the 29th December to the 11th February, Arsenal went on a run of winning six out of seven matches and drawing the other. In each of these seven, either Adebayor or Eduardo scored at least once, and often more. The dynamism of this partnership was personified during a 3-1 win away at Man City, in which Adebayor scored two, and set up Eduardo for the other. During a run of fixtures in which Arsenal’s midfield was forced to chop and change due to injury, the two up front managed to steer Arsenal to 19 points out of a possible 21.
From the beginning of August to the end of November, Arsenal won 10 of 13 in the league, drawing the other three. The growing pains of The Emirates had seemed to have worn off, as Arsenal were marvellous on the large London pitch – they would end the Premier League season unbeaten at home.
On November 12th, Arsenal beat Reading 3-1 at the Madejski stadium (Reading didn’t score until the 87th minute). Reading striker Dave Kitson afterwards praised Arsenal's performance and asserted they were “the best team on the planet”: “…they are not just passing to each other – they are passing so that person can run on to the ball and then his mind is already made up what he is going to do next. It is just magic, it is unbelievable.” The new midfield four seemed to be clicking.
Following a win at Villa Park on December 1st, the Gunners were shooting for the stars as they moved five points clear at the summit of the Premier League. The media were speculating a return of the title to North London, and perhaps even an ‘Invicibles’ part two. To this speculation, Wenger responded: “People will talk…just let us play.” The playing in the next two matches wasn’t great however, as they only managed one point in two away matches against Newcastle and Middlesbrough – ending their 22-match unbeaten streak (in all competitions). However back-to-back wins at home to rivals Chelsea and Tottenham restored some order and ensured Arsenal remained in the driving seat.
Injuries strike:
Alexander Hleb was absent for both the Newcastle and Middlesbrough matches, in which Arsenal were uninspiring at best against two weak sides. Hleb was known as an enabler for Fabregas – with him in the team, the Spaniard had many more opportunities to seek out passes and create chances.
Robin Van Persie had scored seven goals in his first 11 games, and was developing a lethal partnership with Adebayor. However, a thigh strain in early 2008 sidelined the Dutchman for two months. It seemed intuitive for Wenger to use new signing Eduardo to fill the void but he was reluctant to do so, and shifted to a 4-4-1-1 formation (instead of sticking with a 4-4-2) moving Hleb in behind the striker and bringing in Eboué on the right wing. The right flank would suffer creatively during this period, despite PFA right-back of the season Bacary Sagna’s effort to drive the team forward.
Tomáš Rosický suffered a knee injury in January 2008. Ongoing knee issues sadly robbed the Czech of over a year of his career at a time when he was really starting to flourish in the Arsenal team. He had scored six goals for the Gunners but his contribution to the team’s overall performance was far greater. He would start central and either drift wide or come deeper, taking a midfielder or a centre-half with him. During this movement, he would typically play a one-two with Fàbregas. Upon receiving the ball back, Fàbregas had a wealth of space to aim at, and he knew with the imposing Adebayor up front, both a ball into feet or in behind were possible. Without the ‘Little Mozart’, the chances would dry up. Fàbregas would have to look for new ways to open up defences and the movement of the striker(s) would have to be altered.
Despite a few dropped points in early 2008, Arsenal were still for the most part playing very well. Importantly, they were picking up results.
A new partnership:
Once Wenger had integrated striker Eduardo Da Silva into the team fully, he and Adebayor formed somewhat of a formidable attacking duo. From the 29th December to the 11th February, Arsenal went on a run of winning six out of seven matches and drawing the other. In each of these seven, either Adebayor or Eduardo scored at least once, and often more. The dynamism of this partnership was personified during a 3-1 win away at Man City, in which Adebayor scored two, and set up Eduardo for the other. During a run of fixtures in which Arsenal’s midfield was forced to chop and change due to injury, the two up front managed to steer Arsenal to 19 points out of a possible 21.
Cesc celebrates a 1-0 home win against Chelsea on December 16th, the perfect way to respond to their disappointing defeat to Middlesbrough the week prior
A stand out goal in the aforementioned Man City game was Eduardo’s. Gaël Clichy (who would go on to be voted left-back of the season) charged forward and floated a somewhat hopeful ball into the Manchester City penalty area. Arsenal had three players in the box, the home side had seven. The cross found Adebayor deep in the box who was being marked by two defenders, but he used his strength to hold them off and lay it on to Eduardo, who was on the corner of the six-yard box. In one motion, the Croatian chested the ball and took flight to launch a ruthless overhead kick into the net and give Arsenal a 2-0 lead.
With these two men up top, the types of goals that Arsenal could score were endless. Adebayor was impressively quick and strong, and was comfortable with the ball into feet or in behind (or even on his chest – check out his goals away at both Tottenham and Newcastle). He was a rare breed of Premier League striker and almost unstoppable in 2007/08. He would go on to score 24 in the league. Eduardo on the other hand was full of flair and an intelligent runner. He could dribble past a man and was a more than competent finisher. Both men had efficient conversion rates, which are needed with fewer chances being created from the men behind you. It seemed that Arsène Wenger had adapted his formula successfully and had a team that could definitely deliver a fourth Premier League to North London.
The Gunners were five points clear with 12 games remaining after Manchester United lost 2-0 to their rivals, Man City. Wenger described Arsenal as “phenomenal”, and he, along with the fans, were thoroughly enjoying watching this team play. A style of play that had been in the works for 18 months had finally come to fruition – and the payoff was potentially great.
St. Andrews:
On the 23rd February, Arsenal visited Birmingham. Eduardo suffered a career-threatening broken ankle, inflicted in the third minute by Martin Taylor. Birmingham were reduced to ten men but Arsenal looked stagnant following the shock of the horror-injury. Beginning the second half 1-0 down, it took youngster Theo Walcott to inject some life into Arsenal, as he scored a five-minute brace. However, in the 95th minute, Clichy clumsily brought down Stuart Parnaby in the box and Birmingham equalised. This prompted a William Gallas tantrum in which he attacked an advertising board and refused to come into the dressing room after the game, sitting down in the middle of penalty area alone instead.
This match signalled what would be the beginning of the end for Arsenal. They went on a run of four draws in a row and one win in eight matches. During which 2-1 losses to both title challengers Chelsea and Man United occurred. In the space of 7 weeks, the title had slipped through Arsenal’s fingers.
Spring misery:
The injury to Eduardo coincided with a severe loss of form for Adebayor. He failed to score in seven games in a row. With the only other striker in the squad being Nicklas Bendtner, Wenger had to keep his faith with the misfiring Togo international. With Rosický and an exciting Abou Diaby (who had started to impress on the left side of midfield) out injured, chances at the attacking end of the field were slim for Arsenal in these eight matches; and when they did come, they were wasted.
During this time Arsenal were also eliminated from the Champions League 5-3 over two legs by Liverpool. Manchester United would go on to win the competition.
After the loss to United on April 13th, Arsenal were way back in third. They would stay here for the rest of the season and finish on 83 points – the highest ever for third place in the 38-game Premier League format. Following this game, United only needed two wins in four to win the league. From a run of one loss in their first 30 games, Arsenal had truly crumbled, with the Birmingham game and Eduardo’s leg break often cited as the reason why. Before that game, Arsenal had a points per game figure of 2.42, subsequent to it, it was at 1.66.
With these two men up top, the types of goals that Arsenal could score were endless. Adebayor was impressively quick and strong, and was comfortable with the ball into feet or in behind (or even on his chest – check out his goals away at both Tottenham and Newcastle). He was a rare breed of Premier League striker and almost unstoppable in 2007/08. He would go on to score 24 in the league. Eduardo on the other hand was full of flair and an intelligent runner. He could dribble past a man and was a more than competent finisher. Both men had efficient conversion rates, which are needed with fewer chances being created from the men behind you. It seemed that Arsène Wenger had adapted his formula successfully and had a team that could definitely deliver a fourth Premier League to North London.
The Gunners were five points clear with 12 games remaining after Manchester United lost 2-0 to their rivals, Man City. Wenger described Arsenal as “phenomenal”, and he, along with the fans, were thoroughly enjoying watching this team play. A style of play that had been in the works for 18 months had finally come to fruition – and the payoff was potentially great.
St. Andrews:
On the 23rd February, Arsenal visited Birmingham. Eduardo suffered a career-threatening broken ankle, inflicted in the third minute by Martin Taylor. Birmingham were reduced to ten men but Arsenal looked stagnant following the shock of the horror-injury. Beginning the second half 1-0 down, it took youngster Theo Walcott to inject some life into Arsenal, as he scored a five-minute brace. However, in the 95th minute, Clichy clumsily brought down Stuart Parnaby in the box and Birmingham equalised. This prompted a William Gallas tantrum in which he attacked an advertising board and refused to come into the dressing room after the game, sitting down in the middle of penalty area alone instead.
This match signalled what would be the beginning of the end for Arsenal. They went on a run of four draws in a row and one win in eight matches. During which 2-1 losses to both title challengers Chelsea and Man United occurred. In the space of 7 weeks, the title had slipped through Arsenal’s fingers.
Spring misery:
The injury to Eduardo coincided with a severe loss of form for Adebayor. He failed to score in seven games in a row. With the only other striker in the squad being Nicklas Bendtner, Wenger had to keep his faith with the misfiring Togo international. With Rosický and an exciting Abou Diaby (who had started to impress on the left side of midfield) out injured, chances at the attacking end of the field were slim for Arsenal in these eight matches; and when they did come, they were wasted.
During this time Arsenal were also eliminated from the Champions League 5-3 over two legs by Liverpool. Manchester United would go on to win the competition.
After the loss to United on April 13th, Arsenal were way back in third. They would stay here for the rest of the season and finish on 83 points – the highest ever for third place in the 38-game Premier League format. Following this game, United only needed two wins in four to win the league. From a run of one loss in their first 30 games, Arsenal had truly crumbled, with the Birmingham game and Eduardo’s leg break often cited as the reason why. Before that game, Arsenal had a points per game figure of 2.42, subsequent to it, it was at 1.66.
Captain William Gallas and Wenger pictured subsequent to the 2-2 draw at St Andrews
Before the injury issues, Arsenal had an excellent midfield four and three adept finishers up top, backed up by a solid defence. However, when the goals dry up, you’re only one mistake away from defeat and this ultimately punished Arsenal.
One must argue that Wenger would have wanted to strengthen the squad in January by bringing in an experienced player or two who could refresh the team and bring them over the line – like he did in January of 2004 with the signing of Jose Antonio Reyes. The Spaniard gave a tiring Arsenal a new lease of life and was a massive aid in the ‘Invincibles’ season. Due to the new stadium costs, Arsenal were financially restricted and could not afford to do something similar this season. This would hurt Arsenal as the injury problems worsened as the season wore on.
Though Arsenal won all of their last four, and a fit-again Van Persie experienced a renaissance of form, it was too little too late for Arsenal. They had been usurped by the more experienced and richer teams.
United and Chelsea:
Arsenal finished two points behind Chelsea and four behind champions Man United, who accrued 87 points that season and are remembered as one of the greatest United sides due to their Champions League win.
United scored six more than Arsenal and conceded nine less – markedly better figures on both sides of the pitch. It is easy to ask what could’ve been for Arsenal, but ultimately, they didn’t have the squad depth to compete with Man United. It must be noted that Man United’s foursome of Giggs, Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo were excellent, with the latter three scoring around three-quarters of United’s goals (Ronaldo alone scored 31). Matching this is not easy, and Arsenal would have had to rely on no injuries nor any loss of form – something you can’t do over the course of a 38-game season.
It was the resolute defences of Chelsea and United too that slightly but importantly rid Arsenal of a title. All you need to do is consider the goalkeeping options of the three sides. United had a near unbeatable Edwin van der Sar between the sticks, and Chelsea had all-time Premier League clean sheet record-holder Petr Čech. Arsène Wenger had the choice of an erroneous Jens Lehmann and an inexperienced Manuel Almunia.
Arsenal’s back four were far from awful. 15 clean sheets and 31 goals against are brilliant figures, but despite half of their back line making it into the PFA Team of the Year, there was always an error pending. The weak spot in their defence was undoubtedly Kolo Touré, and when this is compared to United’s Ferdinand and Vidić, and Chelsea’s Terry and Alex, we can see Arsenal’s shortcomings.
After their 1-0 defeat at the Emirates on the 16th December, Chelsea didn’t lose a game for the rest of the season. They came into form when Arsenal dipped out, and would ultimately end up two points better off courtesy of their resolute defence.
Manchester United were brilliant. Solid all around and full of flair and threat up top. They balanced experience and excitement perfectly, and their defensive but quick transitional play style proved to be the way to win matches consistently.
Arsenal’s record against the other three of the ‘big four’ that season was a huge issue. They only won one in six, and drew three, meaning six points in six games. With better performances in big matches, Arsenal undoubtedly could’ve won the title.
One must argue that Wenger would have wanted to strengthen the squad in January by bringing in an experienced player or two who could refresh the team and bring them over the line – like he did in January of 2004 with the signing of Jose Antonio Reyes. The Spaniard gave a tiring Arsenal a new lease of life and was a massive aid in the ‘Invincibles’ season. Due to the new stadium costs, Arsenal were financially restricted and could not afford to do something similar this season. This would hurt Arsenal as the injury problems worsened as the season wore on.
Though Arsenal won all of their last four, and a fit-again Van Persie experienced a renaissance of form, it was too little too late for Arsenal. They had been usurped by the more experienced and richer teams.
United and Chelsea:
Arsenal finished two points behind Chelsea and four behind champions Man United, who accrued 87 points that season and are remembered as one of the greatest United sides due to their Champions League win.
United scored six more than Arsenal and conceded nine less – markedly better figures on both sides of the pitch. It is easy to ask what could’ve been for Arsenal, but ultimately, they didn’t have the squad depth to compete with Man United. It must be noted that Man United’s foursome of Giggs, Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo were excellent, with the latter three scoring around three-quarters of United’s goals (Ronaldo alone scored 31). Matching this is not easy, and Arsenal would have had to rely on no injuries nor any loss of form – something you can’t do over the course of a 38-game season.
It was the resolute defences of Chelsea and United too that slightly but importantly rid Arsenal of a title. All you need to do is consider the goalkeeping options of the three sides. United had a near unbeatable Edwin van der Sar between the sticks, and Chelsea had all-time Premier League clean sheet record-holder Petr Čech. Arsène Wenger had the choice of an erroneous Jens Lehmann and an inexperienced Manuel Almunia.
Arsenal’s back four were far from awful. 15 clean sheets and 31 goals against are brilliant figures, but despite half of their back line making it into the PFA Team of the Year, there was always an error pending. The weak spot in their defence was undoubtedly Kolo Touré, and when this is compared to United’s Ferdinand and Vidić, and Chelsea’s Terry and Alex, we can see Arsenal’s shortcomings.
After their 1-0 defeat at the Emirates on the 16th December, Chelsea didn’t lose a game for the rest of the season. They came into form when Arsenal dipped out, and would ultimately end up two points better off courtesy of their resolute defence.
Manchester United were brilliant. Solid all around and full of flair and threat up top. They balanced experience and excitement perfectly, and their defensive but quick transitional play style proved to be the way to win matches consistently.
Arsenal’s record against the other three of the ‘big four’ that season was a huge issue. They only won one in six, and drew three, meaning six points in six games. With better performances in big matches, Arsenal undoubtedly could’ve won the title.
Arsenal pictured before their second round Champions League home leg against AC Milan. They would win the tie but go on to lose to Liverpool in the quarter-finals
What could’ve been:
Wenger pioneered a new, effective style of play, based around the players he had and those he could afford in the transfer window. The midfield was brilliant, the strikers were clinical, and for the most part the defence was solid. Had he not been so budget constrained, Wenger could’ve strengthened the squad and secured the title by March. Instead, an injury-ridden squad had to rely on inexperienced players to fill the gaps. With such an intricate style of play being implemented, anything less than a perfect replacement for an injured player is detrimental to your performance.
This has been Arsenal’s best shot at a title to date. The way they played was new and hard to defend against, big players were on form for the majority of the season, and they seemed to have settled into the new stadium. Surely then, there was more hope than dread for the 2008/09 season?
Sadly, it was not to be. Hleb and Flamini both left in the summer of 2008 and with Rosický out injured, only one of Arsenal’s midfield quartet remained for the 2008/09 season. Van Persie and Adebayor both misfired and Arsenal finished in a measly fourth position, meaning a still financially constrained Arsène Wenger would have to rebuild once more.
It is a shame that that group of players only got one shot at the title. Injuries struck important players at important times and it was just not to be. One must appreciate the work Arsène Wenger did; he revolutionised a new way to play the game which would influence the next decade of Premier League football. He kept his team highly competitive with the financially superior football superpowers and, for the majority of the season, sat at the table’s summit and had his side labelled as favourites.
“If” is the biggest word in history, and one must wonder what would’ve happened if Rosický, Eduardo, Van Persie and Hleb didn’t get injured? What would’ve happened if Arsenal won the league and held on to big players next season? What would’ve happened if they had won a trophy in 2008 and were rewarded with more cash to strengthen the squad? One could envisage somewhat of a new period of dominance at the club, sticking to their fluid and agile style of play and winning more trophies and titles in the years to come. Sadly, the wrong results and injuries happened at the wrong times, and the 2007/08 Arsenal side is one which, along with so many others, will fade into history.
Wenger pioneered a new, effective style of play, based around the players he had and those he could afford in the transfer window. The midfield was brilliant, the strikers were clinical, and for the most part the defence was solid. Had he not been so budget constrained, Wenger could’ve strengthened the squad and secured the title by March. Instead, an injury-ridden squad had to rely on inexperienced players to fill the gaps. With such an intricate style of play being implemented, anything less than a perfect replacement for an injured player is detrimental to your performance.
This has been Arsenal’s best shot at a title to date. The way they played was new and hard to defend against, big players were on form for the majority of the season, and they seemed to have settled into the new stadium. Surely then, there was more hope than dread for the 2008/09 season?
Sadly, it was not to be. Hleb and Flamini both left in the summer of 2008 and with Rosický out injured, only one of Arsenal’s midfield quartet remained for the 2008/09 season. Van Persie and Adebayor both misfired and Arsenal finished in a measly fourth position, meaning a still financially constrained Arsène Wenger would have to rebuild once more.
It is a shame that that group of players only got one shot at the title. Injuries struck important players at important times and it was just not to be. One must appreciate the work Arsène Wenger did; he revolutionised a new way to play the game which would influence the next decade of Premier League football. He kept his team highly competitive with the financially superior football superpowers and, for the majority of the season, sat at the table’s summit and had his side labelled as favourites.
“If” is the biggest word in history, and one must wonder what would’ve happened if Rosický, Eduardo, Van Persie and Hleb didn’t get injured? What would’ve happened if Arsenal won the league and held on to big players next season? What would’ve happened if they had won a trophy in 2008 and were rewarded with more cash to strengthen the squad? One could envisage somewhat of a new period of dominance at the club, sticking to their fluid and agile style of play and winning more trophies and titles in the years to come. Sadly, the wrong results and injuries happened at the wrong times, and the 2007/08 Arsenal side is one which, along with so many others, will fade into history.
Written by - Ben Rowe
Edited by - 3-At-The-Back
Edited by - 3-At-The-Back