Arsenal manage to keep another clean sheet
Arsenal continue their electrifying form this season as they cruise to a comfortable 3-0 victory against Club Brugge. The Gunners secured their sixth victory in the Champions League, maintaining their spot at the top of the group table. They also currently sit at the top of the Premier League table, highlighting their dominance in European football this season. The North London side boasts the best defensive records in both competitions, with Gabriel and Saliba at the heart of their defensive solidity. Stay tuned as we unpack all the factors behind Arsenal’s glittering form and assess their chances of winning the Premier League and Champions League.
Can the Gunners really go all the way this season
Football experts argue that Arsenal, who tend to start seasons on a high note, go on to experience a dip in form towards the end of the season. However, if you’re an Arsenal supporter, you cannot help but feel that this season might be different. First of all, Arsenal has more experience playing on the big stage, having challenged for the league in the past three seasons and qualified past the last 16 in the Champions League two seasons in a row. Not to mention, they have improved squad depth, and their squad is perfectly balanced compared to many major European powerhouses. The North Londoners’ defensive solidity has seen them concede nine times in 15 league appearances and only once in six European appearances. Their midfield is excellent at absorbing pressure from opponents, with Zubimendi and Rice creating a formidable duo in the middle of the park. Despite not always having a proper striker, Arsenal are not shy of goals, with Merino executing the number 9 role well.
The beating heart of Arsenal’s midfield
It seems absurd to talk about Arsenal without discussing their star man in midfield, Declan Rice. Rice has been the chief conductor of Arsenal’s midfield, leading to their domination in the middle of the park. The 26-year-old Englishman has improved his productivity by primarily focusing on the left side of the pitch rather than covering the whole field. Rice brings a blend of dynamism, athleticism, technical ability, passing, and positional awareness, which has revolutionized Arsenal’s midfield since he joined. His ability to break up play, control the rhythm of games, and his ball recovery rate has seen him become one of the best box-to-box midfielders in modern-day football. Not to mention his contributions in attack, which must not go unnoticed, with his late runs into the box often catching defenses out, who fail to detect his runs from deep.
