Arsenal are setting the pace in the Premier League this season as Mikel Arteta’s squad continue to perform at full tilt. The Gunners secured their fourth consecutive league victory on Sunday after narrowly defeating Crystal Palace 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium.
This marked their fourth successive match without conceding a goal, with their impregnable defence maintaining the dominance they’ve exhibited over the past three years. The north London outfit have triumphed in 11 of their 13 matches across all competitions, boasting an impressive 10 clean sheets across this period. Currently leading their domestic league and boasting a flawless win record in the Champions League, focus now shifts to the Carabao Cup for Arteta’s team, who welcome Brighton on Wednesday. Express Football provides the latest updates from the Emirates.
Paul Merson’s prediction
Nine games into the Premier League season, Arsenal have emerged as the standout team, but there are still 29 matches remaining. Despite the unpredictable nature of football, Gunners legend Paul Merson is already convinced his former team are on track to clinch league glory for the first time since the Invincibles season of 2003/04.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Merson said: “I don’t see anyone stopping Arsenal. They are an efficient machine but with super footballers in that machine. They remind me of the Chelsea team of old under Jose Mourinho.
“As soon as that Chelsea team got in front it was game over. It was the same playing in my Arsenal team. Get a goal and it was back to the halfway line, and you could see in the opposition faces, they knew it was over.”
He highlighted their defensive strength as a crucial factor and confessed he’d be shocked if they didn’t lift the trophy come the end of the campaign. He added: “I’d be flabbergasted if Arsenal didn’t win the league.
“People will say there are 30 games left but we are only a once-in-a-season strike from Dominik Szoboszlai from asking the question: ‘Who beats Arsenal this season?’ They have the best defensive record in the whole of Europe, so you don’t have to score multiple goals to win football matches.”
Jamie Carragher hits back
As set-pieces continue to gain significance in the modern game, Jamie Carragher was quick to bemoan the volume of long throws being deployed following Brentford’s 3-2 triumph against Liverpool. Arsenal have been proponents of the impact that can be had from dead-ball situations, regularly leading the charts when it comes to set-piece goals.
“I used to like that dynamic of the game,” the Reds legend said on Monday Night Football. “I am frustrated with the fact that I feel like every team this season has taken a long throw at some stage. You see the numbers and it’s off the scale.”
The use of set-piece tactics in the Premier League has expanded enormously in recent years, and the Gunners have been the most effective of the lot when it comes to converting strategy into goals. Arteta’s side have netted 11 goals from such situations in the Premier League this season, two more than any other team, with 69% of their goals this campaign coming from dead-ball situations (11/16).
Speaking on The Overlap, Gary Neville claimed Carragher despised long throws and the direction football appears to be heading. This prompted the Liverpool legend to take to X and set the record straight.
He posted: “For the 100th time I didn’t say I hate set pieces or long throws!!!! What I don’t like is every team taking long throws, and the time it’s taking out of the game. I totally get teams doing it who struggle and lack quality of getting the ball in the box, I also like seeing how teams cope with them.
“But teams who have great technical players and have spent 100 millions on them should be getting the ball in play as quick as they can to get these players on the ball. I’m no football snob but this is taking the game backwards!”
Defensive confidence
Arsenal’s defensive resilience has remained a hallmark of Arteta’s squads in recent seasons. Having shipped the fewest goals in the Premier League over the past two campaigns, the north London outfit’s backline appears as formidable as ever.
Jurrien Timber has praised his team’s defensive prowess this season, with only three goals conceded in nine league games. Speaking to the official Arsenal website, he said: “It gives you confidence and it shows that we’re doing really well, and also, if it’s for multiple games in a row, I think it says something about consistency.
“We just have to keep that going game-by-game, keep improving, look at what we can do better still, but also take that feeling with you, that confidence and go into the next game with the same mindset.”