'People are intimidated' - the reasons 'powerhouse' Arsenal have become the squad everyone fears.
The proof is undeniable why Arsenal are now numerous fans' top picks to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title target.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but rival sides still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.
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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and resolve.
