There's little doubt why Arsenal are now many people's favorites to claim the Premier League this season.
Consider their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title target.
They lead the league for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best 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 neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Claims
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that elusive 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 tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and resolve.
