Winning the league is hard, defending it harder still

Tim Stillman examines the historical challenges Arsenal has faced when attempting to defend Premier League titles, noting the club has not retained a league championship since 1935. The analysis reviews the 2004-05 campaign, where Arsenal started with eight wins and a draw in nine matches before a controversial defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford disrupted their momentum.

Several factors derailed that title defense, including injuries to Edu and Gilberto Silva, off-pitch distractions involving Patrick Vieira and Ashley Cole, and the rise of Jose Mourinho's Chelsea. The piece also compares these struggles to the 2002-03 season, where a 30-match unbeaten run was halted by Everton.