'People are afraid' - why 'powerhouse' Arsenal are the squad everyone fears.
There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' preferred choice to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They stand first for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but opposition teams still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more 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 wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Credentials
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.
