It's clear why Arsenal have become numerous fans' favorites to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but lost 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 crucial element why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title ambition.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo 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 Superiority
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but rival sides still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Potential
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and resolve.
