It's evident why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' preferred choice to claim the Premier League this season.
Look at their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title target.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but rival sides still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 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 do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and resolve.
