That's for good reason too. No side conceded fewer goals in the Premier League than Mikel Arteta's side. No goalkeeper kept more clean sheets than Raya.
Yet, in 2024/25, they have struggled. Context must be applied, though. The Gunners have already had three red cards, have faced Manchester City and Liverpool and are enduring defensive injuries left, right and centre.
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Riccardo Calafiori (injury) and Saliba (suspension) both missed the 2-2 draw with Liverpool at the Emirates on Sunday while Jurrien Timber has missed the first two games since the international break due to injury.
As a result, it was perhaps hardly unsurprising to see the Gunners ship twice against Arne Slot's team on Sunday.
They started the game with Thomas Partey at right-back and Ben White at centre-back. They ended it with 17-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back and Jakub Kiwior at centre-back. Why? Timber went off with suspected cramp and Gabriel was forced off through injury.
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It's far from ideal, is it? Either way, the same magic that's been present at Arsenal in recent years doesn't truly feel like it's there this time. There's a setback every week and galvanising your troops through so many challenges is completely unsustainable.
Still, despite everything thrown in their direction, Arsenal have still only lost once in the top flight this term. Let's not panic just yet, right?
Arsenal's defensive numbers against Liverpool
One of the biggest concerns for Arsenal at the moment will be their defensive deficiencies, notably from set-pieces too.
Everyone knows who Nicolas Jover is now. Arsenal's genius set-piece coach has led the Gunners to become the best team from a dead ball in the Premier League.
Since the beginning of last season, no team has scored more from set-play situations and they very rarely concede in such a manner either.
Well, against Bournemouth and now against Liverpool, they have been caught out from a corner. Against the Cherries, it was a lovely worked routine that led to Ryan Christie's opener and when Liverpool came to north London, it was something a bit more classical.
Trent Alexander-Arnold's corner from the left was flicked on by Luiz Diaz and then nodded home by captain Virgil van Dijk.
Still, there were some positives at the back considering Saliba was missing and Partey started at right-back.
It was White's sublime ball in behind Andy Robertson that led to Bukayo Saka's opener after six minutes and Diaz got very little change from Partey on Liverpool's left wing.
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The Ghanaian - who is a central midfielder by trade - won 13 duels, of which five were tackles, as he restricted Liverpool's tricky number 7 from succeeding with many of his take-ons.
Gabriel was his imperious self until he had to be withdrawn with injury but his replacement left plenty to be desired...again.
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Jakub Kiwior's performance in numbers
Last season Jakub Kiwior was an admirable performer in Arsenal colours. With Oleksandr Zinchenko enduring a period out of the team, the Pole was an underrated performer during one of Arsenal's most gleeful passages of 2023/24.
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Indeed, throughout a run in February and March where Arteta's team won six games on the bounce, scoring 26 goals in the process, Kiwior contributed with three assists, one goal and three clean sheets.
At that time the former Spezia man was playing at left-back, a role that suits him far better. He may not have been able to invert as well as someone like Zinchenko, Timber or Calafiori, but he did an admirable job.
Sadly, now playing in a more familiar centre-back role from the bench against both Bournemouth and Liverpool, he has not been good enough.
Jakub Kiwior for Arsenal
It was Kiwior's poor backpass that led to Raya giving away a penalty at the Vitality Stadium and it was his indecisiveness and lack of awareness that led to Mohamed Salah's equaliser at the Emirates.
Alexander-Arnold clipped a tremendous ball in behind and had it been Gabriel, it's likely the Brazilian would have made the intervention. Instead, he didn't fully commit to the ball and was then outpaced by Darwin Nunez who raced clear before laying the ball on a plate for Salah who was never going to miss.
It was another poor cameo from Kiwior who was handed a 5/10 match rating by The Standard's Simon Collings. It was hardly surprising considering his 36 minutes on the field saw Kiwior win none of his contested duels.
It's a difficult situation for the Poland international, that there is no doubt. He shouldn't really be playing at all. Sadly, he's completely out of his depth at centre-back and with so many options now to choose from at left-back, he needs to be moved on sooner rather than later.
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