Each week, we'll reminisce about our incredible Invincible season 20 years on by looking back at what was going on at the club on and off the pitch, as well as remembering key news stories and the pop culture buzz at the time.
A fortnight before, we came from behind to beat Manchester City and remain top of the table going into an international break but our winning streak was about to come to an end thanks to an old foe.
Setting the scene
Having claimed 12 points from our opening four games, the season paused for an international break at the start of September 2003 as we awaited the visit of newly-promoted Portsmouth, who had remained unbeaten so far in 2003/04.
With a large quantity of his team jetting off around the globe, Arsene Wenger fielded Martin Keown, Dennis Bergkamp, Ray Parlour, Edu and Gael Clichy in a reserve team game against Tottenham Hotspur to help keep them match-fit, which ended in a 4-0 success against our north London rivals.
Wenger’s words
Despite being the newly-crowned Manager of the Month, Wenger was not too happy with the scheduling of the internationals. “When we have about 10 players away with their countries it is a disturbance to our routine,” he wrote in his programme notes for the Portsmouth game.
“After the midweek games, the players returned to us on Thursday, they can arrive at any time on that day depending on where they played the night before. It's too short a time to focus, too short a time to recover and there's no time at all if a player has a minor knock.
“I think it's unfair to the clubs to have such a short time with the players after international matches because it's the clubs who pay the wages and prepare the players, and we have just as much at stake as any of the national teams.
“Because of the time difference, a South American international doesn't play Wednesday night. By the time the game finishes, it's seven or eight o'clock on Thursday morning and then he's supposed to play Saturday afternoon? It's impossible and it's why Gilberto can not play today.”
From the dressing room
Gilberto’s replacement was compatriot Edu, who reflected on how he managed to settle so quickly into life in England: “When I signed for Arsenal I was really looking forward to coming here,” he said. “Not only to play for the club. I was also excited about living in the country and studying English and I think that's important.
“I have seen some Brazilian players who have gone to France or to Italy but they don't feel good there because they don't want to live there, they just want to play football and then leave. But I really wanted to live and settle here, so I think that has helped me.
“Also it's good that Arsenal is in London because everything is here. If you mention London to a Brazilian they will tell you it's unbelievable, there are also some nice Brazilian restaurants in London too!”
On the pitch
GAME 5: ARSENAL 1-1 PORTSMOUTH
Saturday, September 13 2003
With our Champions League opener against Inter Milan the following week, Wenger opted to also rest Freddie Ljungberg and Sylvain Wiltord after their international exploits.
Many had labelled Portsmouth as prime candidates for relegation but they showed that they could play their way to safety. The game started in a lively manner with Teddy Sheringham attracting the attention of Sol Campbell and Kolo Toure as well as the Highbury crowd, and the former Tottenham striker responded by heading the game's first goal in the 26th minute following a cross from Steve Stone.
Pompey’s other frontman, Yakubu was a constant menace for our back four and could have put his team in front a few minutes previously, had he shot either side of Jens Lehmann when put through by Nigel Quashie but buried his shot into the arms of our German keeper.
We then came to life and with five minutes remaining in the first half, Robert Pires was sent galloping into the box only to be felled by the outstretched leg of Dejan Stefanovic. Thierry Henry tucked away the penalty but was forced to re-take his spot-kick after the referee spotted players encroaching into the box. The Frenchman netted the retake too, to send the teams into the interval level.
In the second half, Wenger introduced Ljungberg and Wiltord as he looked to take the three points that would solidify his team's presence at the top of the table. Harry Redknapp’s team however showed resolve and defied the critics by holding out for the draw.
Their quality was not lost on Wenger, who said post-match: "Portsmouth impressed me. They have good players, they fight for every ball and they are hungry. Newly-promoted teams are like that early in the season. They certainly have enough technical ability to stay at this level.”
Line-up: Lehmann, Lauren, Toure, Campbell, Cole, Parlour, Edu (Ljungberg 70), Vieira, Pires, Bergkamp (Wiltord 74), Henry. Subs not used: Stack, Keown, Aliadiere.
What the press were saying
"Arsenal's laboured performance was probably not helped by the fact that nine of the 13 players they used had been on international duty. But Pompey also had a fair number away last week." - The Guardian
"Arsenal dropped their first points of the season as Wenger - the master of squad rotation - ditched his settled side." - Daily Star
"This was the contest between the master tactician, the smooth Gallic operator with the razor-sharp mind and encyclopedic knowledge of his game, and the bodger, the streetwise wheeler-dealer, the fast-on-his-feet crafty old fixer." - Daily Express
Also this week
Our financial report for the previous year was released, with the headlines being a record turnover of £117.8 million while operating profits before player trading and exceptional items hitting another high of £25.3 million.
In what would prove to be a fantastic piece of business, 16-year-old Cesc Fabregas joined the club from Barcelona. He had recently won the Player of the Tournament and Golden Boot at the FIFA Under-17 World Championship.
Our Champions League campaign got off to the worst possible start as Inter Milan ran out 3-0 victors at Highbury, with Julio Cruz, Andy van der Meyde and Obafemi Martins netting in the first half, with Henry also missing a penalty.
Image of the week
Henry smashes a free-kick into the Inter Milan wall during our opening Champions League game at Highbury. In the first-ever meeting between the teams, the Italian giants inflicted our joint-biggest loss in European competition.
UK number ones
- Top 40: Are You Ready for Love - Elton John
- Album chart: Permission to Land - The Darkness
- Box office: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (fourth week at no. 1)
In the news this week
Having already had eggs, golf balls and insults hurled at him by passers-by in the first 10 days of his 44-day starvation stunt, illusionist David Blaine had his perspex cage attacked by protestors who tried to cut his water supply outside Tower Bridge.
County music legend Johnny Cash died aged 71 due to complications from diabetes. Over 1,000 people would attend his funeral in Tennessee.
Channel 4 moves game show Countdown from 4:15pm to 3:15pm, something that leads to questions being asked in Parliament and the launch of petitions to have it rescheduled back to its old slot.
Find out what happened next, as we headed to Manchester United for what would become one of the Premier League's most infamous encounters.
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