1. The Arsenal of Old
Any Arsenal team at any time will always draw comparisons to the Invincibles of 03-04, but the way they were passing the ball around today reminded me of a more clinical reincarnation of the Cesc Fabregas era, and thus of the Invincibles. The Gunners today were not afraid to shoot from outside the box, and were not terribly wasteful in possession. Better yet, they were amazing in transition and leading the counterattack. Arteta in the defensive midfield role is no Patrick Vieira, but he is perfectly capable of shielding the back four and creating plays from deep inside his own half. The Arsenal team this season also have shown plenty of steel, as they refuse to go down without a fight. Even after going down 1-0 from a superb strike by Diame, Arsenal looked confident, comfortable, and eager. This team is both a combination of youth and experience, and no longer deserve to be derided as a group of boys. This team is hungry for trophy, and there are no longer long-timers (Van Persie, Song, Clichy, Fabgregas, just to mention a few) who dream of greater glories and think of defecting. Despite a managing a meager 12 points from a possible 21, Arsenal is looking rather settled and ready for a challenge.