The Premier League is currently on hiatus due to the October internationals. Arsenal have a lot to be proud of thus far this season. We are unbeaten and second on the Premier League log with 20 points after eight match days. We may be tied in points with Spurs, but if recent experience has taught us anything about our North London rivals, we will climb to the top soon.
Attacks win games; defense wins titles, as Alex Ferguson once said. In line with this quote, there’s a statistic indicating how defensive we are, considering we are the team that is difficult to break down, as we have allowed the fewest shots on target against us. We’ve only had 16 shots on target so far, letting in 6 goals and making 10 saves. the least of all Premier League teams. Interestingly, Raya and Ramsdale have made 5 saves each,
Man City are not far behind us with 6 goals against and 11 saves made, while Tottenham have conceded 8 while saving 29 shots already.
This statistic demonstrates Mikel Arteta’s tactical acumen, which has made us difficult to break down. Before the international break, against probably Europe’s best team, Manchester City, our defense was unshaken; it was disciplined, stayed firm, and laid the groundwork for our 1-0 victory, while limiting Pep’s men, including Haaland, only getting one shot on target against us.
Without a doubt, our defensive prowess has kept us unblemished in the league. We struggled defensively towards the end of last season and paid the price by losing the title race after we led for the majority of the season.
As we await the return of the Premier League, we hope Odegaard and co. will continue to follow Arteta’s instructions to the letter, which should propel us to glory and if our defence stays as solid as it has been so far, we will definitely be challenging for the title in May.
Sam P
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Our defence is NOT unblemished, as Fulham and the spuds results indicate…. BUT they are a superb unit, even with Zinchenko playing out of position.
With Timber to return, Tomiyasu and Kiwior as back ups for all four positions, along with Raya and Ramsdale, this defence looks to be set to improve on their already impressive stats.
This is a real feather in MA’s cap and he should be acknowledged for what many will consider to be the best defence in the PL – not unblemished, but simply the best, better than all the rest 🎼
Your last line is a cue for a well known song, as you intended , I reckon Ken.
Even included a decent emoji for once, a treble clef. Now THAT, I do understand!!
I may even sing it at karaoke tonight! Seriously!
And more seriously, you are of course CORRECT!
TBH, a great deal of my long time beef with AW over his last decade or so concerned his lack of a top class defence, esp CB s of real quality and pace, with such depth of quality defenders, as we have right now.
That is a PRIME reason I respect MA, as I have always known that ALL great sides MUST have a superb defence, as history shows us.
Jon, check the defensive record of AW’s last ten years and you will be surprised what was achieved.
But this is about the present and we have an excellent defence, just need to sign another Henry, Wrighty or Giroud type player in January.
Please don’t ruin the song tonight, it’s one of my favourites!!
I have sung professionally KEN for most of my long life and still, even now, get paid for my regular individual concerts, albeit only locally to me these days, so I will ignore your humourous banter,if you dont mind. I never “ruin songs” but enhance them, old chum!
On the more important defence matter, are you trying to argue we have had a defence in AW s last decade that was comparable to the standard and depth we have today? If so, we part company, hardly unsurprisingly.
Jon, I did ask you to check :
From 2008/09 up until his penultimate season – the year you 49-36wanted AW out – Goals Against :
37-41-43-49-37-41-36-36-44
MA’s Goals Against from his first season to the end of last season:
Oops forgot to put in the GA
19/20 – 48
20/21 – 43
21/22 – 48
22/23.- 43
So you see Jon, it’s only this season that MA has finally got his defence together.
Of course, we don’t know what the final GA will be, but apart from the one season (49) and AW’s final season (51) MA has NOT improved on Wenger’s dross ridden defence, has he?
Of course, you are aware how much MA has spent on defenders I’m sure?
And, Ken, I am also aware how much and how diligently MA coaches defenders, whereas AW just let them play and seemed only interested in attacking coaching. The other valid point I make is you seem only interested in actula goals against totals but a proper defence tightens the whole team and makes them harder to beat. I do accept that it is NOW, as in THIS SEASON that MA has finally achieved a proper defence.
I suspect that had Timber not been injured so early and badly, our defence would be better still.
Likewise, if Mertesaker, Kos, Bellerin had not had long term injuries, AW would have had a better record.
Glad that you accept that, until this season, there had been no improvement though and, of course, with Rice now ib the midfield, we should see a VAST improvement… I think we will.
This season it seems arteta has gone for a more control heavy approach compared to last season where we pushed far more in attack and were more fluid. So we are far stronger in defence but lacking the fluidity in attack.
Opponent are getting very limited chance in open play. 6 goals conceded:
2 were a huge mistakes basically gifted goals saka vs fulham, jorginho vs spurs.
1 from a corner caused by a mistake by zinchenko vs fulham.
2 counters of which one was caused a bad pass by havertz vs man utd.
So basically 1 goal from open play. son 1st goal
Arteta’s tactics are very good defensively, as shown in our status as the best away team in EPL since last season and as compared to his predecessors’ :
– Our CF and right AM press high up the pitch relentlessly, which forces the opposition’s GK and defenders to kick the ball long. The panic reaction makes it easier for our defenders to win the ball aerially
– Our offside-trap is almost perfect
– We rarely concede in defending set-pieces
– Our fullbacks rarely overlap with our wingers, which makes our defense stronger against counter-attacks
Astute analysis. Could not agree more!
Not really Jon.
Just like you, GAI doesn’t know the GA record before and after MA took over.
Please see above for confirmation and GAI, perhaps YOU could advise how much MA has spent on defenders since he arrived, starting with Cedric?
Our defense has been excellent for a couple of moons now, it has always been when you get past Arsenal starting team that’s where it gets tricky.
The other problem was the defensive shield that protects that back four, with the signing of Rice solve that part of the equation.
Arsenal is still not out of the woods yet but it’s a great defensive set up to weather the current storm.
Our defense is our best defense in ages.
Fantastic midfielders too
Our CFs are not as good as our midfielders and defenders but still good. Jesus is our best but wish we had a more prolific striker
only once in the last 10 years has a 30 goal striker won the PL, famously the only striker to score 30 goals more than once in the last 10 years won nothing, not just didn’t win the PL but absolutely zero silverware
strikers do not guarantee anything
the obsession with a new striker is for sad simpletons, we are scoring plenty enough goals to win the PL, what has cost us this year and last is our defence leaking sloppy goals and our opposition knowing we are capable of conceding at any time – hence the 11 behind the ball catch us on the counter every week, even Man U
our defensive vulnerability is the reason why this non-sense new striker talk is even happening, i.e. we need a new striker so we score 3 to 4 goals a game, the reason to out score the goals our defence leaked against Spurs, Fulham and Lens
3 to 4 goals per game is 114 to 152 goals in a PL campaign, no PL team has ever done that, no PL winner has ever needed to because ultimately it is down to your defence – we conceded 8 more home goals than City last season, that’s why they won the PL and we didn’t
Man City last week aside I don’t think we have been that great at the back this season
stats are famous for manipulation
performance over stats
Now that’s what fans like Jon Fox slip up when bigging MA up all the time aesenal1886.
The fact that we conceded 8 more home games than city, passes over their heads as they clamour to praise MA.
There is no doubt in my mind, that this season, our defence has become a terrific unit and I praise the manager for, finally after spending oodles of money, getting a PL winning defence.
Not so KEN. It is you, not I who constantly trot our stats usually simply goals against totals in this thread and you ignore context.
EG After all those many years since Gilberto left and AW left that vital CDM position in the hands of lesser players and made NO SERIOUS ATTEMPT to install a top class CDM, it took MA to bring in the first actual top class CDM since Gilberto. And Rice has totally transfomed our solidity throughout the team.
AW could, ought and should have done similarly, but never thought it that important, and so we were easily bullied for many years prior to his” ahem” resignation!
Countless fans constantly called for a proper CDM but AW never took the slightest bit of notice.
Just check the records again Jon… and wasn’t it you who always said defenders needed to defend?. Well, up to this season, even without a CDM, MA has failed to improve the GA record.
By the way, just remind me how much MA has spent versus AW before his ‘ahem’ sacking?
Our defence has been impeccable this season and long may it continue. Saliba and Gabriel have performed par excellence and with rice and Partey ahead of them, it has been a real wall impossible to penetrate.
When talking about how good our defense is you have to talk about how we defend as a team and about midfield in particular as well as the back four