'People are intimidated' - why 'unstoppable force' Arsenal have become the squad everyone fears.
It's obvious why Arsenal stand as many people's preferred choice to win the Premier League during this term.
Look at their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title ambition.
They stand first for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but competing clubs still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds 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 initial occasion at this stage 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 outset, having spent 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 among the highest scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and resolve.
