Robert Pires compares Arsenal's 'Invincibles' to Liverpool's 'Inevitables'
Table of Contents
 |
Arsenal legend Robert Pires has pointed out the similarities between the current Liverpool team and the last Gunners side to reign supreme over English football.
In the 2003/04 season, Arsenal became the first and so far only team to lift a Premier League title without suffering a single defeat.
They came to be called "The Invincibles", a title that was given to Preston North-End when they went unbeaten in the first-ever season of the Football League in 1888/89.
The team managed by Arsène Wenger also went a record 49 games unbeaten, the longest of any side.
The French boss was even rewarded with a golden Premier League trophy to honour this great feat.
Yet over at the Premier League headquarters, another gold trophy could very soon be in the making for Liverpool's record-breakers.
The Reds have not lost a league match in more than 12 months and look destined to win a first league title in 30 years.
Jürgen Klopp's unbeaten side now hold a mammoth 22-point gap at the Premier League after winning 24 and drawing one of their 25 top-flight matches.
Speaking to France Football, Pires - a key part of Wenger's "Invincibles" side - sees similarities between Liverpool and his old Arsenal side in the way in which they do not rely on one player to carry the team.
I think we're quite close, fairly similar in terms of players, but not in terms of tactics since we were playing in a traditional, very old-fashioned 4-4-2. But physically and technically, I think we're very similar.
They, like us, have several players capable of making a difference, not only one or two. That's the strong point.
Sadio Mané is Pires! [Roberto] Firmino is Thierry Henry. Again, I don't think anyone can match Thierry Henry, even though Firmino is very good. Titi is too far ahead.
That's why I would have liked to see a Virgil van Dijk - Thierry Henry duel. It would have been really interesting.
Henderson... no, Pat Vieira is stronger, I'm sorry. Gilberto Silva, too.
Arsenal's unbeaten run came to an end with a 2-0 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford in October 2004, and they went on to lose a further four times that season as they lost their title to Chelsea.
And Pires believes Liverpool's acid test will come when their own run without defeat is ended.
You win, you win, you win - there's no problem. You feel euphoric, invincible, which is normal. But when you lose, it's a real blow. You're not used to it. Psychologically, you take a hit, and you have to be careful afterwards.
They've been telling you for months that you're invincible, that you're the best team, and it can be brutal when that stops.
