Since the bulk of the Invincibles squad filtered out of the club in the mid-2000s, the question as to whether Arsenal have a real winning mentality and willingness to defend has been posed to managers.
Arsene Wenger showed in glimpses that he could instil the needed grit to get over the the line while Unai Emery failed to put his stamp on the side in his 18 months in charge.
With Mikel Arteta, however, one of the major improvements to the side have been how they defend. As things stand, the Gunners have conceded 18 goals [seven clean sheets] in 18 Premier League games under him compared to 27 goals [three clean sheets] in the 18 games under Emery and Freddie Ljungberg this season.
These initial steps forward have been impressive - as shown against Liverpool and Manchester City - but Arteta insists the key is that the players actually enjoy defending rather than having it become a chore.
"I try to convince them that without that we cannot compete with the top teams at the moment because there are other areas where we have to improve a lot," he said.
"But if we are willing to do that and we do it throughout the game, we are going to give ourselves a big, big chance because we have big moments in every game where we have enough players to make the difference for us.
"The fact of the trick here is if they are really enjoying doing that. If they do it because we have to push them all the time to do it, for me it’s not the right way and we’re not going to accomplish it long term. If they start to enjoy doing it together, they can see the results and sense that unity and togetherness then it’s powerful and hopefully we can do that.
"It’s one of the basics that we have to be one of the best at doing it. That criticism, sometimes it’s fair, sometimes it’s not. When you when, everything is more positive. Doing a very similar performance and you lose, the perception is different. But it’s about what we are feeling and how we want to do it. I think that process, in that sense, is going in the right direction."
Since taking over, Arteta has also been very keen to highlight the "games within the game" that happen on a matchday.
When Arsenal were in their peak, one of the main 'games within the game' which they were heralded for was beating teams before they had even set foot on the pitch. Players wilting at the sight of Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and co. has been a tale told by many a footballer from that era.
Now in the head coach's seat pitchside, Arteta gave an insight to how that plays out for him as a manager and how he goes about ensuring it doesn't have an adverse impact.
“I think it’s in everybody’s nature. Players and managers, you look at the opposition before games and you think of all the beautiful and great things they do," he added.
"Sometimes as a manager we look at ‘Oh no, if they do that, we’re not going to be able to control that’. That worry, that uncertainty, I think it’s always there. That’s why for me it’s so important that at least if you know that the people around you are going to be doing and you have zero doubts about how they can do that together, that gives you a lot of security going into the game.”
Although he has already made tangible improvements to the side both on and off the pitch, Arteta was asked if he is confident that these changes of mentality can be maintained in the long term.
“Yes, but that takes some time," he explained.
"Training is not one of things we’ve had the most since I arrived with the schedule that we had through December, January and February and then with the lockdown but we will improve in those areas as well and be more comfortable and better, I’m sure. How far and how quickly is the question in every process but I will do my best to do it as quickly as possible."
