It's evident why Arsenal have become countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League this season.
Look at their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title ambition.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but opposition teams still don't know how to contain 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Claims
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the first time at this stage 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 quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and determination.
