Arsenal's strong defensive record is a key factor in their European ambitions. The team has the most clean sheets, the fewest goals conceded, the lowest xG against, and the fewest shots on target faced across Europe's top five leagues this season.
Arsenal 's defensive record is the strongest across Europe's top five leagues this season. They have the most clean sheets (19), the fewest goals conceded (27), the lowest xG against (28.3) and the fewest shots on target faced (90).
Nigel Winterburn, a defensive stalwart of the club for 13 years and three times a title winner, says that when they are strong at the back, Arsenal win trophies. Winterburn recalls the days of George Graham's Arsenal, who ended an 18-year wait for the title in 1989 with a settled defence. They conceded only 18 goals in 38 league games and lost just once.
Four of the defensive unit - David Seaman, Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn and Steve Bould - played in every game. Tony Adams missed only eight, including that one defeat while in prison for two months for crashing his car while drunk. The team's title triumphs in 1989, 1991 and 1998 were built on a rock-solid defence.
Their first championship for 22 years was no different as they kept 19 clean sheets, led by centre backs William Saliba, Gabriel and goalkeeper David Raya. Arteta's brilliant defence has featured various permutations of a back four, with no defender starting more than 30 games. Seven have made at least 20 appearances. Ben White, injured for parts of the season, only made 12 appearances.
Winterburn believes that Arteta's vision for the team is similar to George Graham's, who remodelled the squad and brought in younger players. The team has supreme depth at centre back thanks to the likes of Cristhian Mosquera, Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie. They can all operate in centrally or at full back. Like a fleet of London cabs, they have the knowledge and wait to be summoned by Arteta and sent on their way with instructions for the day.
It led to 19 clean sheets in the Premier League and a third consecutive Golden Glove for Raya. Winterburn praises the combination of Gabriel and Saliba, who are perfect together. Hincapie is an out-and-out defender, while Timber can do everything.
Ben White is a traditional right back, plays up and down the wing, doesn't invert like Myles Lewis-Skelly or Calafiori, who is just wandering around the pitch, but if they are caught out of position there is someone filling in or recovering
Arsenal Defensive Record European Ambitions Mikel Arteta Nigel Winterburn George Graham William Saliba Gabriel David Raya
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