There's no doubt why Arsenal are now countless pundits' top picks to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo 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 Mastery
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but competing clubs still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra 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 intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Credentials
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the premier instance 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 scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and resolve.
