Wednesday 21 September 2016 09:21, UK
Arsene Wenger inherited a formidable defence when he arrived at Arsenal 20 years ago, but does he deserve more credit for assembling the back four that went unbeaten in 2003/04? Nick Wright talks to former right-back Lauren about the bedrock of the Invincibles.
When it comes to Arsene Wenger's early success at Arsenal, his critics can be quick to point out a caveat. Yes, he revolutionised the club and yes, he steered them to only the second league and FA Cup double in their history in 1997/98. But could he have done it without the defence he inherited from George Graham?
After all, the defining image of that historic season was Tony Adams' rasping finish and swaggering celebration in Arsenal's decisive 4-0 victory over Everton at Highbury, and Wenger's starting line-up on that sunny day in north London also featured the familiar names of Martin Keown, Nigel Winterburn, Lee Dixon and David Seaman. Even as a late substitute, it was Steve Bould who set up his captain's famous fourth goal.
With the exception of Keown, who arrived in 1993, those players had formed the foundations of Arsenal's previous title success in 1990/91. And while it was under Wenger that they conceded a club record of just 17 league goals in a single season, it was under Graham that they came together. They will always be synonymous with the previous era.
Wenger was undoubtedly fortunate to take over such a strong defence, but talk of his inheritance has irritated him in the past. "People always speak of the defence I inherited when I arrived here," he said in 2013. "But people forget a lot about the defence that was unbeaten. They never speak about that. It's unbelievable that that defence never gets any credit."
It is a valid point. The Frenchman had already begun the process of replacing the old guard when he won his second double in 2001/02 with Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell and Lauren featuring prominently, and by the year of the Invincibles, Arsenal's defence was entirely of their manager's making. Kolo Toure had been plucked from obscurity to take over from Keown. Jens Lehmann had replaced Seaman.
The diversity of the unit bore stark contrast to the all-English back-line that came before it, but Wenger was careful to ensure the old values were not lost. Lauren, who arrived from Mallorca in 2000, remembers the emphasis the Frenchman placed on the mental qualities of his defenders.
"When I met Arsene Wenger for the first time it was at David Dein's house in London," he tells Sky Sports. "He explained to me all about Arsenal and what he expected from me. He knew everything about me in football terms, but he wanted to know about my personality and my character."
Wenger swiftly ascertained that as well as being a promising player, Lauren was a determined and combative individual. But he was also new to English football. Surely it was daunting for an outsider to walk into such an experienced dressing room? "What do you mean daunting?" comes Lauren's response. "I didn't like the weather or the food, but the big personalities weren't an issue for me."
That attitude helped Lauren to fit in, and the big personalities weren't an issue for academy product Cole, either. The teenager had made his first-team debut six months earlier and became a regular starter at the age of just 19, and similar qualities were at the forefront of Wenger's mind when he signed Campbell, Toure and the vastly-experienced Lehmann in the seasons that followed.
The process of bringing that tough, fiercely competitive defence together began in 2000, but it culminated in that extraordinary unbeaten season in 2003/04, and while the Invincibles are chiefly remembered for their slick attacking football, their defensive resolve was arguably more important. Arsenal kept 15 clean sheets and only conceded 26 goals over the course of the campaign. Thirteen of their 26 victories came by a one-goal margin.
Lauren describes it as a "winning mentality". Arsenal's back-line typified the team's desire and strength of character, and communication was invaluable too. "We had a very good understanding between all of us," says Lauren. "I had a very good connection with Kolo on the right, and Sol Campbell had a good relationship with Ashley Cole on the left."
Arsenal's defence developed into a formidable unit. Other Wenger signings Patrick Vieira and Gilberto Silva provided a shield further forward, and the manager's influence becomes all the more apparent when you consider that both Lauren and Toure arrived at the club as midfielders. Lauren laughs as he recalls the moment he was told he would be playing in defence. "I thought I was going to play as a midfielder," he says. "That was my intention, but he wanted me as a right-back."
Wenger felt Lauren had defensive potential and the physical attributes to get up and down the right flank. The Cameroonian reacted angrily and there were some heated conversations at Arsenal's London Colney training ground, but Wenger was persuasive, and once Lauren accepted the situation, the manager made the transition easy.
If the manager believed you could do something in the right way, that was it. He gave me the confidence and he trusted me.
"He was very important because he believed that I could do it well," says Lauren. "If the manager believed you could do something in the right way, that was it. He gave me the confidence and he trusted me. That meant a lot. If you needed to ask him anything, he was always in his office. He listened to his players. Then it was up to me to show I could do it."
Lauren was given specialist training by assistant manager and former right-back Pat Rice, and soon enough he could see the logic behind Wenger's decision. "Wenger has an offensive mentality," he says. "He innovates. He wanted his right-back and left-back to have an offensive mind, to keep the ball, pass it out from the back and go forward as much as possible. I was perfect for that position really.
"For me," he continues, "Wenger represents the transition from a strong defensive style of football under George Graham to a new level of very attractive football with good combinations and passing. That transition was made by him, and that's why he is one of the greatest managers in Arsenal's history."
That, surely, will be the crux of Wenger's legacy when he does finally leave his post, but looking back does make you wonder why he has struggled so badly to recreate that balance of defensive resilience and attacking flair in the years that have followed.
Arsenal's stagnation in the second half of Wenger's reign has taken the sheen off his early achievements, but his role in building the Invincibles should not be forgotten. Wenger inherited something special when he arrived in north London 20 years ago, but he made his greatest success himself.
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