You're right after we won the league we were happy with draws as we knew we were 6 matches away from going the whole season unbeaten. but Liverpool have had this league won for some time, and being unbeaten became a thing, Liverpool fans started bringing it up, not just the media, and you didn't lose at Watford because you were going for a win, you were just outplayed massively on the day.
But that's the point; we were not just going for ''unbeaten'' we were going for win every game, after the Utd draw. And we had the first league in 30 years burden on our shoulders as well. These things must have taken quite a toll, but we kept finding a way...until we just couldn't. The fail point was reached.
Also I think you guys were probably ''happy'' with some draws before you'd wrapped up the title as well, because that was not unusual back then; a draw against a strong side, esp. away was deemed a good result. It's only because of City's doping and massive raising of the bar, that draws were viewed as almost as bad as losses for us this season. We knew we had to be almost perfect after last season's ''failure'' (97 pts and only second, my days!).
But I'm not really making excuses; we failed in terms of that particular record, without doubt, whereas Arsenal managed it, and hats off to you. But I do wonder if this had been just another title challenge instead of the first for 30 years, and if we didn't have the City behemoth to worry about, making us try and win every game...well, who knows.
I'm certainly disappointed we didn't manage it; I'm not going to pretend it wouldn't have been amazing to do it, and I hope we have another chance in years to come. I'm not much for all the gazillions of ''records'' seemingly on offer, but unbeaten and highest points total are two I would like to be able to boast (also winning 38/38).
No matter how good you are, you are always going to have an off day sometime in a league season, that's why its so hard to replicate, that team went through the off days without getting beat.
I agree, but whatever combination of application and good fortune allowed Arsenal to achieve the feat, could surely strike again, at some point, so another team will eventually notch up the same feat. I hope it's us.