'People are afraid' - the reasons 'unstoppable force' Arsenal have become the squad everyone fears.
The proof is unmistakable why Arsenal are now countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League during this term.
Examine their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but opposition teams still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional 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 daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Title Potential
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and resolve.
