Talking on the BBC’s Monday Night Club podcast, pundits praised Arsenal’s defence and more cautious approach this season.

Conor Coady, Chris Sutton and the New York Time’s Rory Smith were on the panel discussing Mikel Arteta’s men.

The case for Arsenal’s defence

After listening to the BBC podcast, Monday Night Club, Arsenal fans would certainly be pleased with the recognition of the team’s solid defence, which has been a cornerstone of their success, leading them to the top of the table with only 10 goals conceded in 13 games.

The insights from Leicester defender Conor Coady emphasise the importance of defensive solidity in winning leagues and trophies while Coady’s reference to Steve Holland’s philosophy about successful teams not conceding goals reinforces the significance of Arsenal’s defensive record.

“Not many people talk too much about this any more,” Coady said. “Having those numbers and that defensive solidity is huge. All the best teams who go on to win things have that.

“When we were with England at the World Cup, [assistant manager] Steve Holland mentioned this – major tournaments are different to the Premier League, I get that – but he said successful teams don’t concede goals, it’s as simple as that. It’s so big when it comes to coaching and teams, you need to have those numbers to win leagues and win trophies.”

Chris Sutton’s comments about Arsenal’s defensive prowess, especially in the game against Manchester City, would also be well-received by Arsenal supporters.

His comparison to the early Premier League days, where Arsenal was known for its strong back line, and his acknowledgment of the team’s ability to find different ways to win, such as the 1-0 victory over Brentford, is a nod to the team’s adaptability and resilience.

“You look back to the game earlier in the season against Manchester City and I can’t ever remember City being as shot-shy against a team,” Sutton said. “That was down to [Mikel] Arteta being defensively minded. He is doing it a different way.

“Arsenal, in the early days of the Premier League, were famed for their back line. A 1-0 win [at Brentford] at the weekend, it’s important, it’s about finding a way. If that’s the way they want to do it, the end justifies the means.”

New York Times’ Rory Smith’s observation about the “quietness” of Arsenal’s approach this season is intriguing. It suggests that the team’s success isn’t just about flashy attack but also about being a more well-rounded team.

His remark that Arsenal being top of the league is no longer a novelty, and therefore not getting as much attention, might resonate with Arsenal fans who feel their team’s achievements this season haven’t been as celebrated as they should be.

“There’s a quietness to what Arsenal are doing that I find really interesting,” Smith said. “The sense you get is that they’re not clicking quite as much in attack as they were at times last season, but I can’t work out whether they’re maybe a more complete team this time around.

“It’s just that they’re not new, it’s not new that Arsenal are top of the league, we’ve got used to that, so we’re not noticing the fact that they’ve had an amazing start to the season.”