Premier League: Hard to stop the 'Gunners'

Having faced the threat of finishing second for four consecutive seasons (which would be a record in English football), Arsenal have looked to have strengthened significantly this season. They will enter round 8 as the top team in the Premier League.

THE MOST STEADY DEFENSE EVER

In all competitions, the Gunners have only conceded 3 goals in 10 matches this season. In their 134-year history, Arsenal have never conceded so few goals after the first 10 matches of a season. It can also be said that Arsenal is the team with the most solid defense in Europe today.

In the last 6 Premier League matches, the xG (expected goals) that Arsenal have faced has always been less than 1. Overall, Arsenal are the best team in the last 7 Premier League rounds in all defensive indicators: lowest number of shots on goal (56), lowest shots on target (18), lowest expected goals conceded (4.4)...

Arsenal under coach Mikel Arteta has always been a team that relies on defense as the foundation of their playing style. Since the start of the 2023-2024 season, Arsenal has kept a clean sheet 35 times in the Premier League, far ahead of Man.City (29 times) and Liverpool (26). While main rivals like Liverpool or Man.City have conceded 2 goals many times, Arsenal have never conceded more than 1 goal this season.

Arsenal (right) currently has the most solid defense in Europe.

PHOTO: REUTERS

These are the things that give fans hope: Arsenal this season will not suddenly stumble after dominating. Tonight (11:30 p.m.), Arsenal will begin to enter the easy phase of the Premier League, with a trip to Fulham. The next opponents are only Crystal Palace, Burnley, Sunderland. So it is highly likely that Arsenal will maintain the top position in the table for the next month or so. Of course, this is also an opportunity to test the level of stability, to see if Arsenal this time will have "the old disease relapse" like in the past seasons, to always have to finish second.

WILL AALAND CONTINUE TO SCORE?

For the first time in his career, Erling Haaland has scored in 10 consecutive matches, both for club and country. His brilliant form is the biggest reason why Man.City is still capable of competing for the top spot, although everyone can see how coach Pep Guardiola's team has declined since last season.

Today, Man.City hosts Everton in a series of matches at 9pm with a very clear position of superiority. One of Everton's best players this season, Jack Grealish (on loan from Man.City), will not be able to play due to the rule of not being able to face the parent club. Not only lacking their best attacking star, but also having to struggle to deal with Haaland, Everton seems to have a hard time standing firm on the opponent's field.

Haaland alone has scored 9 goals in the last 7 rounds, equal to Everton's total (and higher than the other 9 teams in the whole tournament). His playing style this season is very different. Man.City's playing style is also very different now. Never before has a team coached by Mr. Guardiola only kept the ball for an average of 57% and passed the ball an average of 574 times per game like now. These are all details worth waiting to see, as Man.City enters round 8 with the goal of winning 3 consecutive matches - the first time this season.

Today's early match at 6:30pm is between Nottingham Forest and Chelsea. The remaining matches are all at 9pm, including: Sunderland - Wolverhampton, Burnley - Leeds, Crystal Palace - Bournemouth, Brighton - Newcastle.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ngoai-hang-anh-kho-can-buoc-phao-thu-185251017190421056.htm