'People are fearful' - why 'unstoppable force' Arsenal have become the squad everyone fears.
It's obvious why Arsenal stand as many people's preferred choice to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title goal.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but rival sides still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Claims
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors are struggling. 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 scrutiny was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and determination.
