'People are afraid' - why 'unstoppable force' Arsenal have become the squad everyone fears.
It's clear why Arsenal have become many people's top picks to secure the Premier League this season.
Examine their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title goal.
They stand first for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but rival sides still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Credentials
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the premier instance at this point of the season since 1992 that none of Manchester City and United, Liverpool or Chelsea are in the Premier League top four.
The expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and purpose.
