'People are intimidated' - why 'juggernaut' Arsenal have become the team to beat.
It's obvious why Arsenal have become countless pundits' favorites to secure the Premier League this season.
Consider their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title goal.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but rival sides still struggle to stop the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 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 do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Title Claims
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the first time 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 beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and purpose.
