5 long-lasting impacts Wenger has made at Arsenal

Today marks Arsene Wenger’s 66th birthday, just a short while after he reached a landmark 19 years in charge of Arsenal.

Wenger’s impact in the red half of North London has been nothing short of astronomical, achieving numerous success, creating countless memories and becoming an icon at the club, as well as in world football in general.

As a celebration to Arsene Wenger’s tremendous achievements, we’re dedicating a wealth of exciting content to the man himself today in the form of a number of pieces that will roll back the years for many Arsenal fans.

We’re starting with the recognition of the things Wenger has done that will last for decades at Arsenal, both on and off the field of play. If you think we’ve missed anything be sure to let us know in the comments below!

Click the birthday man himself to see FIVE long-lasting impacts Wenger has made at Arsenal.

The Invincibles

A record that will stand proud at Arsenal forever, and one that will be remembered across English football, is Arsenal’s unbeaten Premier League campaign in the 2003/04 season; as part of a run that stretched across 49 league matches.

Arsenal were the first side to achieve such a feat since Preston North End and the only side to successfully avoid defeat throughout a 38-game campaign, establishing a record that is never likely to be beaten.

Sensationally, Arsene Wenger predicted his Gunners side could go unbeaten prior to the achievement himself but was mocked for it. This wasn’t an absurd suggestion, it was an amazing prediction and Wenger will forever be remembered for such a sensational achievement.

Thierry Henry

Arsene Wenger has seen, and brought, many players at Arsenal but none signify his 19-year tenure as much as Thierry Henry.

Wenger paid around £11m for the Frenchman, who was not thought that highly of after a difficult spell at Juventus. At Arsenal though he thrived, winning two Premier League titles, three FA Cups and captaining Arsenal for the inaugural season at the Emirates Stadium.

Despite the many accolades and award, one number will be forever remembered alongside Henry: 228. A figure that saw him surpass Ian Wright, Henry is Arsenal’s all-time record goalscorer and boasts a number that any future player will find extremely difficult to beat.

Style Of Play

Arsene Wenger’s fluid style of football is recognised as one of the best approaches to the beautiful game, with strong defensively responsibility crafted expertly alongside fluid moves and a blistering attacking force.

Mixing the likes of Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry, or Alexis Sanchez and Francis Coquelin in the modern era, is far from an easy task. You have to know when to attack and when you defend, when to accept a draw and when to go all-out for victory.

It comes to Wenger easily though, it’s in his veins, and Arsenal are likely to keep a similar style of football moving forward; in a similar fashion to what Barcelona have done since Johan Cruyff’s reign.

FA Cup Record

Arsene Wenger made history in May 2015 by winning a record sixth FA Cup crown, an honour he shares alongside former Aston Villa boss George Ramsey; who last lifted the trophy in 1920, when football was a far different game.

Whether Wenger adds another FA Cup to his honour list before his retirement remains to be seen but he is undoubtably the most recognised manager in the modern era of the historic trophy, which is something Arsenal will remain to be insanely proud of.

Some great names have lifted the FA Cup for Arsenal, including Patrick Vieira and Tony Adams, but one thing the captains have in common is the iconic French manager behind them.

Emirates Stadium

Arsene Wenger doesn’t need a statue of himself at Arsenal because there is a monstrous 60,000 seater stadium in North London that has his name etched all over it. Without Wenger, the Gunners would still be at Highbury.

Whilst we remember our old home in Islington with fond memories, it was clear that Arsenal needed to move to a new world-class home in order to compete with the biggest sides in Europe. Wenger had to juggle financial struggles with a successful side during this period, which is an insanely difficult task.

Remarkably, Arsenal remained amongst European’s elite in the Champions League throughout this transitional period and Wenger won consecutive FA Cup titles to bring an end to the new era.

For all extensive purposes, the Emirates Stadium is the Arsene Arena.