'People are fearful' - the reasons 'unstoppable force' Arsenal have become the side to defeat.
There's no doubt why Arsenal have become countless pundits' favorites to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title goal.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but competing clubs still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
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 fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Claims
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced 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 maintain victories, their historic competitors are struggling. 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and determination.
