'People are afraid' - why 'powerhouse' Arsenal have become the squad everyone fears.
It's obvious why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' top picks to secure the Premier League this season.
Examine their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title goal.
They stand first for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly 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 well known, but competing clubs still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have scored 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Championship Claims
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they maintain victories, 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 expectations was on boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and resolve.
