'People are afraid' - the reasons 'juggernaut' Arsenal have become the side to defeat.
There's little doubt why Arsenal are now many people's preferred choice to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but opposition teams still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Potential
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. This marks the first time at this juncture 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 start, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that long-awaited 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 boasting the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and purpose.
