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Arsenal's victory against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League underscored their strengths.
Mikel Arteta's Arsenal continue to grow from strength to strength, as is evident in their latest Champions League triumph over Paris Saint-Germain, beating the French champions 2-0 at the Emirates.
The Gunners kept a clean sheet against a high-scoring PSG side, underscoring their defensive solidity, a trend in their meteoric rise to being one of the best teams in Europe.
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22:02 - 01.10.2024
Havertz stars as Arsenal punish hapless PSG to send strong warning to Europe
Mikel Arteta's Arsenal made light work of Paris Saint-Germain, winning 2-0 in the UEFA Champions League thanks to goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka.
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21:35 - 01.10.2024
‘How Is This Possible?’ — Arsenal Boss Mikel Arteta Recalls Being Roommates with Ronaldinho at PSG
The Gunners boss once lived with Barcelona and Brazil legend Ronaldinho
That imperviousness is showcased by a key defensive metric in which they trail only European Champions Real Madrid in all of the continent's big-five leagues this year.
Arsenal dominating defensive metrics
Although he came through Spanish possession-based education in football and cut his teeth under the modern godfather of attacking football, Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta has always prioritised defensive solidity.
His first signing as Gunners coach was Pablo Mari, and although the Spaniard was unsuccessful at the club, Arteta has gone on to sign or integrate Gabriel Maghalaes, William Saliba, Ben White, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakob Kiwior, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber, all of whom have contributed immensely, albeit in varying degrees.
Of the 30 players Arteta has signed in his stint as Arsenal boss, 10 have been defenders, and seven have been goalkeepers, underscoring the importance he places on defence.
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They also have a solid out-of-possession shape that is almost impregnable, as seen in their 2-2 draw against Manchester despite being a player short for 45 minutes.
Opta put some numbers behind their defensive solidity, and with the clean sheet against Paris Saint-Germain, their total rose to 17 for the year in 32 games. Only LALIGA champions Real Madrid have managed more (18)
Arteta will bank on his defence this season in their bid to depose Manchester City and win their first Premier League title since the 2003/04 season. Thanks in part to their defence, they are also one of the favourites to win the Champions League—the first in their history.
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