'People are intimidated' - why 'unstoppable force' Arsenal have become the squad everyone fears.
There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as many people's top picks to win the Premier League during this term.
Consider their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They lead the league for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but rival sides still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and purpose.
