It's obvious why Arsenal have become many people's top picks to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to at last realize 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 defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but opposition teams still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Credentials
What is even more notable about Arsenal's commencement 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 continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents are struggling. 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and resolve.
