Arsenal don't need No. 9 to score 25 goals to win the title

Arsenal have a reliable goalkeeper.

But if they are to succeed, it will not be down to Viktor Gyökeres - a £64m signing - but rather a defensive framework of William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães and goalkeeper David Raya.

Defense Platform - The Biggest Difference

In modern football, people often talk about the classy number 9, the “goal machine” who can decide the championship. Arsenal did not avoid that trend when they brought Gyökeres from Sporting Lisbon. But in fact, Mikel Arteta has quietly built another foundation: the most solid defense system in the Premier League.

Raya has kept two clean sheets, while Saliba and Gabriel have barely allowed opponents a chance to score. The stats speak for themselves: Arsenal have had the best defence in the league over the last two seasons, with Declan Rice making their defence a more important weapon than any striker.

Arsenal don’t need a tactical revolution. They just need a small step forward to turn last season’s 14 draws into wins. That’s what Gyökeres is here for: to rotate, to provide a solution when teams sit deep. But to lift the trophy, they still have to rely on the solidity of the trio of Raya – Saliba – Gabriel.

What worries Arteta is not tactical, but medical . Since the start of the 2023/24 season, Arsenal have suffered 75 injuries, 21 more than the league average. Those losses disrupted their rhythm and left them out of breath against Liverpool last season.

Arsenal's strength lies in defense.

This weekend, Arsenal will be without Havertz and Saka again, while Odegaard is also uncertain to return. That trio was absent during the crucial stages of last season. The problem for Arteta is not only rotation, but also how to maintain the fitness of the stars in the long race.

Many will ask: is this just bad luck or the result of too much training? This was a problem for Liverpool under Klopp or Tottenham under Postecoglou. For Arsenal, if left unchecked, it could ruin everything.

Liverpool - strong in attack, weak in defense

While Arsenal are confident in their defence, Liverpool have entered the new season with an explosive attack but a fragile defence. They have scored the most goals in the league in their first two games, but have also had to defend an average of 42 clearances per game, compared to just 18 last season. This imbalance clearly reflects the transformation of Arne Slot.

Liverpool have signed Florian Wirtz, Ekitike, and even targeted Alexander Isak. New full-backs like Kerkez and Frimpong are more offensive than defensive. But in return, the gap behind is becoming more and more obvious. That makes Van Dijk and Alisson have to struggle. If Slot does not quickly adjust, Liverpool could lose the advantage they had under Klopp.

A win at Anfield would be a powerful statement for Arsenal. They are unbeaten in their last 22 games against the “Big Six”, but Arteta has yet to win at Anfield or the Etihad in 11 attempts. He doesn’t necessarily need to break that streak to win the title, but until he does, the doubt remains: Arsenal are “almost there” but not quite there yet.

Havertz will not be able to play against Liverpool.

For Liverpool, this match is also an important test. It will show whether Slot can maintain the sublime attack while tightening the defense. A defeat to a direct competitor will question the ability to defend the title.

This season's title race is likely to be a three-horse race: Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City. Pep Guardiola still has stability, Liverpool have attacking power, but Arsenal have something that neither of them is sure to have - a defense that is on another level.

If Saliba, Gabriel and Raya continue to perform well, Arsenal can dream of winning the trophy that has eluded them for two decades. And if Gyökeres can turn a few draws into wins, it will only add to the foundation Arteta has worked so hard to build.

The Premier League title doesn’t necessarily come from a striker scoring 25 goals a season. For Arsenal, success can come from a solid defense, from small details that improve each season. This weekend at Anfield is not just a 6-point game, but also a place to test whether Arsenal are ready to step out of the shadow of “almost” becoming real champions.

Source: https://znews.vn/arsenal-khong-can-so-9-ghi-25-ban-de-len-ngoi-post1581080.html