Gael Clichy says Manchester City can be the Invincibles II
Posted Saturday, October 29, 2011 by The Sun
REPEAT THE FEAT ... former Arsenal star Gael Clichy believes Man City can go unbeaten
GAEL CLICHY was once a proud part of the awesome Arsenal Invincibles.
Now he has a starring role in the marauding Manchester City Incredibles.
So who better to gauge the progress and promise of Roberto Mancini's unbeaten Premier League leaders?
A side already five points clear at the top with 33 goals scored and just seven conceded.
A team that has just thrashed champions Manchester United 6-1 at their own Old Trafford fortress — prompting talk City could now go all season unbeaten.
That record-breaking derby victory made it eight wins and just one draw this season.
But City are unbeaten in 12 league games if you add the three victories with which they clinched third place last term.
It is a fine record that reads: WWWWWWWDWWWW.
Pretty impressive hey?
Well, until you compare it to this: WWWWWWDDWWWDWW WDDWDWWDWWWWWWWW WDWDWDDDWWWWWWWD WWW.
That is Arsenal's incomparable 49-game unbeaten run that ran from May 2003 to October 2004 and boasted an astonishing 36 wins and 13 draws — and a league title.
City's 26-year-old defender remembers it all vividly, especially his prized champions' medal — and would love a repeat. But he knows it is far easier said than done.
Clichy said: "It's far too easy for people to talk about City being the new invincibles. But I know it's so, so difficult to achieve. That Arsenal team was unbelievable. And to be involved was so incredible.
"Ok I wasn't a regular but I was still part of it and have the big medal to show for it.
"Every time I played with those guys, I just concentrated on doing my best and felt they would take care of everything else. And they did.
"We had the best players in the world — teams were scared of us. There was this aura around the team that we were untouchable, unbeatable.
"Thierry Henry was scoring 40-plus goals, Denis Bergkamp could make the difference at any time.
"There was Ashley Cole, Patrick Vieira, Robert Pires and at the back Sol Campbell, Kolo Toure and Jens Lehmann.
"And there were top players who weren't involved as much like Kanu and Sylvain Wiltord. So I see there are similarities because City has a squad like that now.
"One big difference is the Arsenal side had been together for years, most of us at City have only been together for four months.
"But we do have 25 top players and we could field two great teams if we wanted.
"So we are progressing but I'm sure we can improve as we get to know each other better.
"That's why I believe we can do great things this year.
"It's just I'm not the kind of guy to spout off saying 'we will do this and we will do that.' I know anything is possible.
"It's possible we can lose our next game, it's possible we can go six years without a trophy. Although I think that's unlikely!
"It's also possible we can be champions. I'm not saying we will do it but I'm certain we will be very close.
"But if you start looking too far ahead you can crash and burn very quickly.
"So I understand the fans are excited — but to be invincibles, to go all season unbeaten?
"Yes, right now, we are playing games in the Premier League without losing but it's too early.
"Lose just one game then your chance of being "invincibles" is over. Finished.
"And remember the Premier League is the most competitive league in the world.
"So if you say to me we can lose five games and still be champions I'd take it. Silverware is more important than anything.
"I'm sure the City fans wouldn't want us to play fantastic football every week without winning anything.
"So it's a balance. We want to play good football, to entertain but most of all we want to win."
City managed all three spectacularly last weekend in the rout of arch-rivals United.
Clichy grinned: "It was the first time I had won at Old Trafford in nine years in English football.
"So it was a helluva victory, a great moment, one of the sweetest in my career. It's a result that happens once in a lifetime.
"So, yes, we are right to enjoy it but we have to move on from there now. The United win's in the record books, it's history.
"Now it must be about Wolverhampton — 11 players who will be giving everything to make sure we don't beat them."
Clichy is expecting a tough test despite City's second string winning 5-2 at Molineux in the Carling Cup in midweek.
Because he believes every team, every fan is hoping moneybags City come a cropper.
He added: "The main thing we are fighting against is people see us at the team that has spent hundreds of millions to try and buy success.
"That will continue until we win trophies on a regular basis. Until then we won't get any credit.
"We have to go out and earn it. We are now the team that everyone wants to beat.
"We have to ensure we are at our best in every game. So far it is working – but this is still only nine games.
"But I believe there's many more games yet where we can continue to get good results like we did last week."
Just maybe not 37 of them!
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