Every manager worth his corn has tried this psychological move before: A case of ‘them versus us’. This season Arsene Wenger seems to have excelled at the tactic.

When Thierry ‘The King’ Henry left, the whole world was saying that Arsenal were going through a season of change, a season of rebuilding that would mean no chance of the title or even the FA Cup. In fact, some critics concluded that if the Gunners achieved fourth place and made the Champions League, it would be a successful season.

All the doom merchants conveniently helped Wenger to create his 'them and us' mentality, 'us' being the players Henry left behind when he went to Barcelona. The Gunners felt short-changed and overlooked. They felt the whole world was condemning and judging them before the season had even started. This built a sense of togetherness and determination so lacking in past seasons.

‘While in previous seasons, they would crumble against the more physical approach of teams like Bolton or Blackburn, this season they have responded in kind.’


The players stand up for one another and cover for one another. While in previous seasons they would crumble against the more physical approach of teams like Bolton or Blackburn, this season they have responded in kind. As they feel deprived of respect, they have channeled this anger into a strength and commitment that means they can beat anyone. Such is the power of unity.

Another famous example of this is the Danish team that won the 1992 European Championship. They only took part because group winners Yugoslavia were disqualified from the finals in Sweden. Other teams might have thought they had no right to be there – it was a true 'them and us' scenario and the Danes rode on this feeling all the way to the title and their camaraderie was evident to all.

Basketball's Detroit Pistons went through the same treatment when they won the 2004 NBA Finals. They were ridiculed for being incapable of winning anything. They were treated like a team of ragbags brought together on the cheap and merely masquerading as a championship team. It was classic 'them and us' again, 'them' being the LA Lakers with their star players and seemingly the whole USA behind them. Well, the Pistons worked their socks off and conquered all to win the series 4-1.

Will this Arsenal team of 2007-08 be the next team to stick together and win against the odds?