This weekend will see the return of the premier league after a six-week break.
Pundits such as Match of the Day's Alan Shearer have said that Gabriel Jesus is a game-changer and that he has a different mentality.
When looking at the results against the teams that were promoted and the teams that were demoted, it's shown that the team has claimed eight more points this season than they did in the previous season.
sceptics may point to the fact that the one match against the league's 'top' eight sides, Manchester United, ended in defeat, if they choose to do so.
Are they a lot better this season than they were last season? The numbers are looked into by theBBC Sport.
In comparison to last season's equivalent matches, those against newly promoted sides have been compared with those against teams that were demoted.
Better quality chances are being created by Mikel Arteta's side, compared to last year.
According to data from Gracenote,Arsenal created 31 big chances, compared with 12 last year, and could have scored 45% more goals. In those games they have scored 70% more.
According to Gracenote's model, the 17 goals scored by the team matches the expectation of 16.2 Simon Gleave, Gracenote's head of sports analysis, said that this is over five goals up on the expectation from the chances created.
The signing of Gabriel Jesus has given them a constant threat up front, something they have lacked during Arteta's time in charge.
There is a slight formation change which has seen Granit Xhaka push further forward.
In the past three seasons, the 30-year-old has two goals and two assists, but this season he has one goal and three assists.
Ian Wright said on Match of the Day that Granit Xhaka is a player that we are finally seeing play like he plays for Switzerland.
He plays in a position that suits him. He is confident and has authority.
The addition of Jesus and a tactical change has allowed the team to press more effectively, with three of their goals coming after they retrieved the ball from the opposition.
Even though they finished fifth, they gave up 48 goals and had a goal difference of 13 less than fourth-place Spurs.
This season they have conceded just seven goals, compared with 11 last season, with only four sides having a better record at this stage and they are limiting opponents to fewer efforts, with shots on target also down.
The average time in possession has gone down, but the average number of tackles made has gone up.
While England's Ben White has been shifted from the centre of defence to right-back, France's William Saliba has returned to the side after a loan spell. They've been boosted by the signing of Oleksandr.
Alan Shearer said on Match of the Day that they lost 2-0 on the opening day of the season because they had a different mentality.
Shearer said there was a difference in hunger and desire.
Now they are a bigger team. Characters who want to compete, don't mind a scrap and don't mind putting their head in where it might hurt are some of the ones they have.
The key to success is the same as having Jesus in your side.
He's scored in 50 of the 50 games he's played in the premier league. James Milner has won 43 games and drawn 11.
Jesus has the second-best expected goals in the league behind Erling Haaland, but he has four goals.
Jesus is one of three players in the top 20 of Gracenote's expected goals list.
Shearer said that Jesus is the game-changing person.
The tone is set from the front by him. Defenders don't like forwards who are prepared to run in behind. The closing down begins with him.
Everyone will look at him and see that he's had success at Manchester City and he wants to take that attitude into the team.
If you take into account the end of last season and the beginning of this, they have taken 77 points from their past 38 games, a total that would have seen them finish in the top four in nine of the past 10 seasons.
Over the course of this season, Arteta will be looking for his side to reproduce the 59 points they achieved in the 38 before that.
The early season form of Jesus, Xhaka, and Saliba will hopefully lead to a spot in the playoffs for the first time in two years.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
