Arsenal last won the English title when they were the Invincibles, going unbeaten through a whole season and with warriors like Sol Campbell and Patrick Vieira fired up to take on the opposition in the tunnel, let alone on the field.
Arsenal have not lifted the Premier League trophy since those 2004 champions and know they need to repeat the indefatigability of Campbell, Vieira and all the Invincibles to end the long wait.
Mental toughness is a prerequisite to survive the rigours of the Premier League marathon. Manchester United teams of Steve Bruce and Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney had resilience in abundance. They reflected the tough manager, Sir Alex Ferguson. They refused to give up and overcame opponents so often late on that “Fergie time” entered football’s lexicon.
José Mourinho’s Chelsea teams were led by John Terry and driven by Frank Lampard. Similarly determined men, Vincent Kompany and Kevin De Bruyne, underpinned the years of Manchester City’s dominance.
No team can be mentally robust for every minute of the 3,420 that make up a Premier League season. Liverpool kept prevailing in injury time this season, showing their strength of character (and bench), yet couldn’t repel one final Crystal Palace attack on Saturday when Eddie Nketiah struck in the 97th minute.
Maintaining concentration and determination all game is demanding. Switch off for a second in the Premier League and punishment frequently ensues. It’s one of the reasons why the elite tier of English football is so popular around the world. Every second matters.
Arsenal's Mentality Tested at St James' Park
Arsenal had periods during their 2–1 comeback triumph over Newcastle United at St James’ Park on Sunday where their mentality was tested. A school of thought exists in English football that Arsenal’s belief can be brittle, and that they are good enough to finish second in the title race, but lack the character to get over the line.
They’ve never flown the champions’ pennant at the Emirates. Arsenal need the robustness of the Invincibles.
Since those halcyon Highbury days, there has been a feeling that Arsenal can be got at, mentally and physically. Newcastle tried from the first whistle. Joelinton harried Bukayo Saka, bringing him down with a combination of his right foot, then left, then right. Saka rearranged his limbs in the right order, rose to his feet and looked at the referee Jarred Gillett, asking for some protection. Mikel Arteta complained to the fourth official, Anthony Taylor.
Arsenal became so concerned about being targeted last year they actually contacted the refereeing body, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited, to discuss the matter. It stirred a debate in English football: “Are Arsenal soft?” Their chronic injury record was used as a critique of their mentality. Weak of mind, weak of body. It was an unfair accusation, but they did need to toughen up.
The Arsenal Hardmen of Yesteryear
Like all clubs, Arsenal have a history of players with steel to protect the silk in their ranks. “The Ironman” Wilf Copping, a defender in their 1930s pomp, an ex-miner so tough he saw out a vital title-winning victory over Everton with a badly damaged knee. Peter Storey was another of Arsenal’s hard men, often deployed as a suffocating man-marker, and so strong mentally the defender took a crunch penalty in the FA Cup semifinal en route to the League and Cup double of 1971.
Storey readily admitted that opponents used to describe him as “merciless.” He turned to crime and was imprisoned after being found guilty of conspiracy to produce counterfeit money. Arsenal have always had these tough, occasionally rough types.
Tony Adams used to go round the dressing-room shouting “Are you ready?” at teammates. He embodied the team’s comeback mentality celebrated in the fanzine “One-Nil Down, Two-One Up.” Adams won four titles. His fellow defender, Martin Keown, entered games with the demeanour of a gnarled boxer climbing into a ring.
I ghosted Keown’s newspaper column when he played for England at Euro 2000 and the 2002 World Cup and he talked like he tackled—he didn’t hold back. Keown won three titles.
Another centre-back, Campbell, had the mental toughness to cross the north London divide, moving from Tottenham Hotspur to Arsenal, a journey of a few miles and endless acrimony. Campbell won two titles. Vieira had a hunger for the ball and for victory. He won three titles.
The New Breed of Tough Characters at Arsenal
Since the revered Invincibles, Arsenal have occasionally been mocked as the Invisibles.
They began addressing this with their recruitment: Declan Rice is a fierce competitor, not screaming or snarling at opponents, simply encouraging his teammates. Arsenal sought reliability and durability in the characters of those brought in.
Viktor Gyökeres is a hard-working Swedish centre-forward who readily engages in skirmishing with his markers. The homegrown players nurtured at their Hale End academy, the likes of Saka, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri, are imbued with a will to win.
Arsenal are getting there, getting closer to a team hardy enough to win the Premier League. There were still moments of softness on Tyneside. Gabriel collapsed under minimal contact from Nick Woltemade when Newcastle’s German striker scored.
Gabriel’s mentality was questioned further when he appeared to raise an arm into Woltemade’s face. But Gabriel proved the key figure in Arsenal’s eventual show of defiance, helped by Arteta’s adventurous subs.
Mikel Arteta Took the Handbrake Off
Early season swing. pic.twitter.com/PaO7RTfA99
— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) September 28, 2025
With seven minutes remaining, St James’ baying, and Newcastle leading 1–0, Arsenal responded. They overcame frustration at Nick Pope’s defiance in Newcastle goal and not being awarded a penalty when Pope took out Gyökeres.
Arteta’s mentality was strong. Handbrake off, subs on, positivity defined Arteta. Gone was the caution in the defeat to Liverpool, and in the first half against Manchester City. Arsenal finished the game against Newcastle with the desire of a team wanting to be champions.
Corners, the first a short-corner, brought reward. Rice delivered with his right foot from the left, Mikel Merino headed in, and all sprinted back to the halfway line. There was no admiring their handiwork, no over-indulging in celebrating. They had a game to win.
Martin Ødegaard then delivered with his left foot from the right and Gabriel headed Arsenal to their 46th set-piece goal in 25 months, and all three points.
Arsenal’s resolve needs testing in greater furnaces than the final third at St James’. These are fine lines. If Pope’s clearance hadn’t gone to Rice, allowing Arsenal to force a corner and score, then the headlines would be less adulatory. The points, and the manner they were acquired, will do wonders for Arsenal’s belief.
It doesn’t mean they are destined to win the title. It just means when they encounter challenging occasions and oppositions in the months to come, Arsenal know they have the players and the mentality to turn situations around.
READ MORE FROM SI FC COLUMNIST HENRY WINTER
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Arsenal Reveal Title-Winning Mentality in Newcastle Victory .
