Arsenal Achieve Unprecedented Feat In English Football History

“More than control, I want dominance,” Arsenal head Mikel Arteta erstwhile said. “Dominance successful nan correct area and not allowing nan force to breathe. This is what we do.”

Dominance, specifically defensively, has been undoubtedly achieved.

Wednesday night’s 2–0 victory complete Brighton & Hove Albion was Arsenal’s sixth consecutive cleanable expanse successful succession, nan continuation of a tally which began pinch different 2–0 triumph complete Olympiacos connected Oct. 1. The Gunners now guidelines unsocial arsenic nan only top-flight broadside successful nan 137-year history of nan section to play, triumph and not concede crossed six games successful nan aforesaid month, per Opta.

Arsenal’s Run of Clean Sheets

Arsenal person 2 of nan champion centre backs successful nan world. / George Wood/Getty Images

In a measurement it’s ironic that Arsenal achieved this feat aft their worst protect capacity of nan season.

Brighton squandered 2 aureate opportunities wrong nan opening 10 minutes to pierce an wholly rotated rearguard. Fabian Hürzeler’s well-drilled if erratic broadside fired disconnected 18 shots, nan astir immoderate broadside has amassed astatine nan Emirates since Brighton themselves successful August 2024, erstwhile nan Gunners were reduced to 10 players for almost half of nan contest.

Stand-in goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga was forced into six saves. Over nan erstwhile 5 matches of this unprecedented run, David Raya only faced 5 shots connected target.

Ever nan perfectionist, Arteta was notably unimpressed pinch his side’s slack commencement to nan cup tie. “It’s immoderate very sloppy giveaways that we did give, successful very vulnerable areas. We didn’t use 2 aliases 3 rules that we ever person successful 2nd phases, for example, and we could person been punished,” he huffed.

While Brighton missed their openings, fewer sides person been fixed immoderate opportunities to squander.

Arsenal’s Defensive Record successful October

Arsenal scored 4 goals successful 13 minutes against Atlético Madrid. / Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images

Only 3 players person scored against Arsenal this season; Dominik Szoboszlai courtesy of a staggering free kick, Erling Haaland connected a speedy breakaway for Manchester City and Newcastle United’s Nick Woltemade pinch a towering header backmost successful September.

Both West Ham United and Fulham were denied a azygous changeable connected target while Atlético Madrid were only capable to muster 1 tepid pea-roller from Thiago Almada. “I would opportunity [they are] nan champion squad we person faced this season,” a visibly defeated Diego Simeone sighed aft that 4–0 Champions League reverse. “They compete truthful well, their players tally and tally and they person value each complete nan pitch.”

Arsenal’s tally should travel pinch immoderate context. Five of their past six games person travel pinch nan location comforts offered by nan Emirates Stadium against guidance not peculiarly famed for deadly frontlines. The Gunners were not nan first to snuff retired a West Ham onslaught spearheaded by Niclas Füllkrug and they won’t beryllium nan last.

Yet, astatine a clip erstwhile their fluency going guardant has not ever been truthful evident, Arsenal’s dependency successful defence has underpinned a tally of shape which has matched Arteta’s lofty demands of dominance.

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