There's no doubt why Arsenal are now countless pundits' top picks to win the Premier League during this term.
Examine their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title goal.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but opposition teams still struggle to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Claims
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. This marks the first time 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and purpose.
