It's evident why Arsenal are now countless pundits' preferred choice to claim the Premier League this season.
Consider their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They stand first for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but competing clubs still struggle to stop the Gunners from these chances.
They have notched 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Claims
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's beginning 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 leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors 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 expectations was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and resolve.
