Tony Adams remains one of the greatest legends in Arsenal’s history.
The iconic defender won league titles across three different decades at the club and became the face of Arsenal’s famous defensive dominance under George Graham.
Adams’ achievements were so extraordinary that Arsenal immortalised him with a statue outside the Emirates Stadium.
Since retiring, Adams has continued to speak passionately about his former club and has never hidden how much defensive standards matter to him.
That is exactly why Arsenal’s latest achievement this season will make him incredibly proud.
Arsenal are Champions League finalists, sum up your emotions in one sentence
Arsenal have kept 30 clean sheets in a single season for the first time since 1993/94
Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final second leg was another massive moment in their extraordinary season.
Bukayo Saka scored the winning goal to send the Gunners through to the final in Budapest. However, the result was also significant for another reason.
That clean sheet against Atletico was Arsenal’s 30th across all competitions this season.
It is the first time the Gunners have reached that figure in a single campaign since the 1993/94 season.
That legendary Arsenal side, managed by Graham and built around the famous back four of Adams, Steve Bould, Lee Dixon and Nigel Winterburn, finished the campaign with a staggering 34 clean sheets.
That defence became one of the most iconic units English football has ever seen because of how difficult they were to break down.
Now, 32 years later, this current Arsenal side has finally matched those defensive standards again, and if they don’t concede in their final four games, they will equal that record.
Arsenal could do what Tony Adams’ legendary defence never could this season
As iconic as Graham’s Arsenal side was, there is still one thing they never managed to achieve – they never won the Champions League.
This current Arsenal team now has the chance to do exactly that when they face PSG in Budapest later this month.
If Mikel Arteta’s men lift the trophy, they will achieve something no team in Arsenal’s history has ever done before.
That would elevate this defence alongside the greatest in the club’s history – perhaps even above them.
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