How Arsenal have built the league's meanest defence

Adrian Clarke looks at key tactical points and players who can be influential in Matchweek 32.

Team analysis - Arsenal

Arsenal’s peerless defensive record in 2024 will give them confidence they can make it 10 wins from 11 matches at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

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Mikel Arteta’s side have conceded only four goals since the turn of the year, consistently keeping opponents at arm’s length as they chase a first Premier League title in 20 years.

With 13 clean sheets secured already - and having suffocated the Seagulls in a 2-0 success at Emirates Stadium in December - the Gunners will believe they have what it takes to produce another shutout and another win.

As the data below outlines, Arsenal have the meanest defence in the division this calendar year, and by quite some distance.

Opponents are averaging just 0.44 Expected Goals (xG) per match against them, producing only 1.8 shots per 90 minutes on target.

Arsenal's defensive stats 2024

* Expected Goals Against; **including blocks

Goalkeeper David Raya will be proud of his 11 clean sheets in only 24 league appearances for the club, but in truth he has been well protected.

Over the course of the campaign Arsenal have faced only 71 shots on target, 20 fewer than Manchester City and 32 lower than Liverpool.

Brilliant at both ends

Centre-backs Gabriel and William Saliba, along with record signing Declan Rice, have rightly been credited with making a colossal impact, but Arsenal’s excellent defending is a team effort.

Inspired by their captain Martin Odegaard, usually the trigger for a press, they have fast become a side who defend from the front with quality and organisation.

Roberto De Zerbi knows all about this aspect of the Gunners’ play, admitting they had made his side "suffer most" when trying to play out from the back in the reverse fixture.

This freeze frame from only 19 seconds into their last meeting is a good example of how Arsenal went man-to-man with hostility in a bid to force errors when Brighton were inside their own half.

It was a ploy that paid off handsomely, as Arsenal regained possession time and time again inside Brighton territory.

Arteta rotated five players for the midweek encounter with Luton Town, and this in part could have been an attempt to reserve energy ahead of a match at the Amex Stadium that will require a big physical effort to unsettle De Zerbi’s men for a second time.

The only top-flight sides to win the ball back inside the final third more often than Arsenal in 2023/24 have been Man City and Tottenham Hotspur.

Possession won in final third 2023/24

At the other end of the pitch the pace, strength and chemistry between Arsenal’s centre-backs has undoubtedly helped them snuff out a series of opposition attacks.

In tune with one another and growing in belief, Gabriel and Saliba have forged the most formidable partnership in the division.

When pushed back into their own box the duo show bravery and are willing to put their bodies in the way of shots.

Arsenal have blocked over 32 per cent of efforts on their goal this season, the second-highest rate behind Nottingham Forest.

Gabriel is the leading blocker for Arsenal, with 26 blocks, followed by Ben White's 17, the 12 of Saliba, and Rice's total of eight.

Highest rate of shots blocked 2023/24

Seeking a repeat

Brighton failed to attempt a single shot during the opening 45 minutes of their match at Arsenal just before Christmas, the first time that had happened since De Zerbi had taken charge.

Arsenal dominated a one-sided affair as they defended high up the pitch and backed themselves to disrupt Brighton's passing style.

This graphic below shows how often the Gunners regained the ball inside Brighton's half.

The Seagulls have a philosophy that guarantees they will take risks playing out from the back again this weekend, but it will be fascinating to see if De Zerbi modifies their approach.

Brighton found it almost impossible to play through the lines down the spine of the pitch that day, and Arsenal will surely attempt something similar again.

Pressuring the ball

Odegaard covered over 12km on Wednesday night against Luton, and he was the catalyst behind Arsenal’s last success against Brighton from transitions.

His pressures helped to provoke seven turnovers inside the final third.

Arsenal's pressing v Brighton, 17 Dec

The entire front four will work hard to shut down passing lanes, but the Seagulls will also need to look out for Rice, who is outstanding at jumping out from a deeper position to intercept or make tackles.

Arteta has his players well drilled and hungry to assert themselves in a physical capacity.

Their collective enthusiasm for defending, anywhere on the pitch, has instilled a clean-sheet mentality that has put them in contention to finish the season as champions.

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