Arsenal can extend outstanding defensive run vs Brentford

The biggest concern to arise from the lack of activity in the January transfer window was that Arsenal failed to address their goalscoring issues at centre-forward.

Across the season the leading ‘problem’ in the team has shifted numerous times, although goal threat has remained mostly prevalent throughout. There was the spell in December where Arsenal couldn’t stop scoring, but for the most part it’s remained in the foreground.

Barring the three opening matches, however, there has been no such concern over the defence. Mikel Arteta has changed plenty at Arsenal, with nowhere more noticeably altered than at the back. He’s tinkered with systems and personnel, all of which has had an emphasis on remaining solid defensively.

The back five he has in place now, one entirely different to the five he had in his first game in charge, is his strongest to date by far. There is balance, progression, resilience and structure to the quintet, that which is demonstrated by the team’s excellent defensive record this term: only Wolves and the current Premier League top three have conceded fewer goals.

Arsenal can extend outstanding defensive run vs Brentford having conceded just one goal from open play in past seven Premier League matches

Boasting a magnificent 11 clean sheets in the past 19 league outings, it’s evident at Arsenal that when it rains it pours: the eight other matches have seen 16 conceded for an easy to decipher average of two per game. Seven of those came in two matches against Manchester United and Liverpool.

But Arsenal are distinctly more solid and their vastly improved defence, backed by overall solid team structure, hasn’t come under any real scrutiny at all this season. Nor should it have. As they prepare to host Brentford on Saturday there is also the chance to extend a run of form at the back which has seen them concede just the solitary goal from open play in their last seven Premier League outings.

That goal came via the boot of Rodri in stoppage time against Manchester City when Arsenal had been down to ten men for over 30 minutes, with the only other goal in that run being a penalty scored by Raphinha in the 4-1 win at Elland Road.

As Arsenal look set to morph into a late-era George Graham team (preferably with better results) until they source a new striker, the strength of the team lies in its defence. And there is an opportunity to extend that against a Bees side who average just over one goal per game.

Thomas Frank’s side could welcome back Ivan Toney from injury but there is a serious lack of cutting edge in their front line. Coupled with the Gunners’ fine home form, they’ve been presented with a fine opportunity to maintain what has been without doubt their greatest strength this season.