2003-04 ARSENAL FC

Backstory
Following the 2002 championships in the English Premier League and the FA Cup, a postseason tournament for all English soccer teams, Arsenal manager Arsene Wegner was supremely confident. He not only wanted a Treble (Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League titles), but thought his team could go undefeated. As he was quoted in the Sept. 21, 2002 Daily Mirror: "It's not impossible. I know it will be difficult for us to go through the season unbeaten. But if we keep the right attitude it's possible we can do it." But instead Arsenal got none of those titles in 2002-03, much less went undefeated.

The regular season
Among the top teams, Manchester United had sold off David Beckham before the 2003-04 season, Chelsea -- under its new owner, Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich -- had invested 100 million pounds in new talent, and Arsenal purchased the contract of German goaltender Jens Lehmann. It turned out Arsenal's move worked out best. The Gunners finished 12 points above Chelsea, but more importantly accomplished Wegner's goal of going undefeated. Arsenal had 26 wins and 12 draws, becoming the first undefeated first-division English soccer club since Preston North End in 1888-89, the first year first-division English soccer existed. This accomplishment is why you see Thierry Henry in U.S. shaving-supplies ads.

The postseason
The Premier League doesn't have a postseason. The FA Cup and the Champions League (which features the top clubs from throughout Europe) occur concurrently with the Premier League season. Taking the FA Cup and the Champions League into account, Arsenal did not have an undefeated 2003-04. The Gunners were bounced in the FA Cup semifinals by Manchester United and in the Champions League quarterfinal by Chelsea.

On April 9, after those losses, Arsenal rallied from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits against Liverpool for a 4-2 victory to keep their undefeated Premier League season going.

Postscript
Arsenal has not won a Premier League title since its undefeated season. But it did win an FA Cup in 2005.

The greatest regular seasons ever Introduction 1934 Chicago Bears 1971-'72 Los Angeles Lakers 1972 Miami Dolphins 1976-'77 Montreal Canadiens 1979-'80 Philadelphia Flyers 1990-'91 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels 1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers 1995-'96 Chicago Bulls 1997-'98 Tennessee Lady Vols 2001 Seattle Mariners 2003-04 Arsenal FC VOTE: Which was most impressive?

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