The Arsenal team that won the Premier League season in 2004 without a single defeat have quite rightly got a big and possibly never to be rivalled position in the history books. The recent release of the video celebrating their amazing achievement has brought them back into the limelight recently and I hope that every current Arsenal player has watched it at least once.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain certainly has and he has called on the Gunners team of today to take one big thing from it, namely BELIEF. A few of those former Gunners’ legends spoke about the way that team went into every game convinced they would win and even more determined that they would not be defeated and that would be a precious quality to add to Arsenal right now.
With a crucial FA cup vclash away to Man United just around the corner, the Ox knows that Arsenal are in for a tough task but he also knows that we have the quality to come away from Old Trafford with a result, but that would be much more likely if the Gunners could find some of that invincible attitude.
Chamberlain told Arsenal.com, “When we go there it’s a tough environment, The game we always speak about is the 8-2 but you can’t go into those games with any doubt or any fear.
“I was at the premiere of the Invincibles documentary the other day and was listening to legends like Martin Keown and Thierry Henry talking about how they had no fear going into those games.
“They had no doubt they were going to get the right result. That’s clearly the kind of attitude that you need to take into those big games.
“You have to believe in yourself, go there with no fear, be 100 per cent confident in yourself and go to get the result we are capable of getting.”
The problem is that the invincibles had that belief because they were so hard to beat and lost so few games. The current Arsenal team have the painful memories of some heavy defeats weighing on their minds or at least lurking in the back of them. So can Arsenal somehow summon up that spirit of a decade ago? We do have the same manager, but how about someone like Thierry Henry giving a pre match talk on Monday?
Yes we haven’t beaten Man U in years, but I think that fear should have subdued these past few seasons. We came close to beating them last season and we really should’ve beaten them last fall. Maybe an Henry speech could work, but in the end, it’s up to our Gunners to believe they can end our winless streak against Man United. And it’s about time we f*cking do.
i’m so happy: we’re going to beat MU . that will allow us to go to the final.
MU preparing to lose.
they’re scared of playing us at emirates: Fellaini: “We have to win it in one game because playing at Arsenal would be difficult. “.
LVG is also preparing his excuses, that the PL is higher priority: “…My target at the start of this season was to finish in the top four and that is till my target. If I have a priority, then it is the top four”
wenger should show then video of cameroon beating argentina in 1990 WC (not that we’re so small compared to MU). a game is 11 v 11: on that day u always have a chance.
When the Manager admitts that 4th place
in the league is the major goal the players
always know that anything else is a bonus
not essential.
We shud play like its d cup final.
I hope not! Haha. Did you see how bad we were in lasts years final? We were nearly 3-0 down at one point against Hull…HULL!!
I just pray that Wenger uses some tactics this time, instead of all out attack from the first minute.
Its all about mental toughness and digging deep! Coyg!
I tink itz nw a ryt tym 4 arsnl 2 beat united as we beter them in som certain key areas if nt al..our naive dpence stil betr than thier’s, midfle nd atack also we’r miles betr.
Nice statement from ox but more than a tad naive..
Belief is the key but it has to be cultivated, instilled over a career and a do or die attitude is more often than not formulated at an early age. Can’t just be summoned up the night before.
But it’s his rallying call I guesd to say they have a responsibility to be a ‘bit’ more like them.
Colney training ground Saturday morning:
OX: have you seen the invincibles?
Mesut: no, but my nephew has and he loved it!
..Let is start wif u MR Chamberlain…
I mean dis guy comes wit
h bundle of talent with his dynamism I can’t see wot is holdin him back to be up there with eden hazard…ever wonder y he plays better for England.
Wenger should use him more on the left wing and he should express himself better…the guy can take on players…shoot from outside d box nd inside…occssionally run @ true ball…I will neva understand y he hasn’t developed more thn this…a goal nd an assist doesn’t speak well for the so called most improved player this season…believe in ur ability boy
For me, he is much better player than last season’s Ox. Yes, he has everything to be successful. He got lot of games under his belt this season, if he continues his development in this way. I dont see any reason for him not to be our second Alexis..!
I`m worried for Monday. We have looked shaky at times recently, especially after spuds beat us bar the middlesbrough game. I think it has to do with the mentality of our players. We even looked bad against QPR in the 1st half but once we got going in the 2nd half we witnessed a totally different game. Some of the players just seem to be so mentally week.
I’m confident Arsenal will do us proud. They somehow do when you least expect them to.