'People are fearful' - why 'juggernaut' Arsenal are the squad everyone fears.
There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as many people's top picks to win the Premier League during this term.
Examine their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title goal.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but rival sides still struggle to stop the Gunners from these chances.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the premier instance at this juncture 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 outset, having allocated around ÂŁ250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and resolve.
