There is in this astonishing 2022-23 Premier League vintage a player, Erling Haaland, who has scored more goals single-handedly in 16 games (21) than nine teams in the Championship.
And yet his team, Manchester City, is only second in the standings.
This year, English football is dominated by the
Gunners
of Arsenal, astonishing and attractive leader who, thanks to the draw of his runner-up this Saturday against Everton (1-1) and his own victory against Brighton (2-4), took a 7-point lead in the lead.
This first place, the men of Mikel Arteta seized it on the 3rd day and never let go.
It is the first time since December 2015, under the reign of Arsène Wenger, that the London team has sat in the leader's chair for more than two consecutive days.
But then, why is this team so irresistible this season?
A devilish realism
16 games, 14 wins, a draw and only one small defeat: Arsenal are simply irresistible this season.
With his 40 goals scored (2nd best total in the championship) for only 14 goals conceded (2nd), his 252 shots attempted (3rd) or even 7
clean sheets
(2nd), Arteta's men started on the basis of a season of excellence in all areas.
A rhythm of future champion, neither more nor less.
One stat highlighted by Opta sums it up nicely: these
Gunners
are only the fifth English Premier League side to bag 43 points from their first 16 games, with the previous four all lifting the trophy at the end of the season.
In the past this team, often mocked for its attachment to fourth place in recent seasons, has rightly been criticized for its inability to translate its philosophy of the beautiful game into results.
This season, Arsenal are not only a pleasant leader, but above all a powerful one.
As proof, three of his four games against the other “Big-6” teams (Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and City, Tottenham, Chelsea) ended in victory.
A breath of fresh air for Gunners fans used to being weak against the strong.
Youth leading by example
Arsenal has always been a club that relied on its young people.
This is no less true this season.
Nine of his eleven most used players in this exercise are 25 or younger, and his attacking quartet, made up of Bukayo Saka (21), Gabriel Martinelli (21), Martin Ødegaard (24) and Gabriel Jesus (25) or Eddie Nketiah (23) in his absence, is the most beautiful symbol.
This success is above all the long-awaited result of recruitments, most of which are several years old.
If Arsenal and their fantastic 4 shine so much, it is because they have for the most part - only Gabriel Jesus arrived this summer - developed in the mold of Arsenal, together.
This praise of patience is also embodied by William Saliba, indispensable this season after being loaned out on several occasions and who was only really used by the Gunners after a great season in Marseille, which saw him come of age. for the Premier League.
A coach who proves his worth
If this season is a happiness for Mikel Arteta, it is up to the difficulty that he could experience during his first months on the bench of Gunners then in full reconstruction.
The Spaniard then arrived in the shoes of an assistant finally ready to take the leap, after learning alongside one of the best, Pep Guardiola.
Day after day, his rhythmic and attacking style permeates the legs of his players.
8th in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, 5th last season and leader so far this season: like Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool, whose results were only really felt after several seasons, the third full season of Arteta, who arrived in December 2019 on the Gunners' bench, seems to be the right one.
