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Laura Kirk-Francis
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

It has been a long standing football cliché that ‘defences win titles’, but for Arsenal it could be the decisive factor that propels them to their first Premier League trophy since 2004.

Arsenal, who sit second in the Premier League following Sunday’s win in the North London Derby, have a remarkable away record in the 2024 calendar year - 11 games, 10 wins, and just three goals conceded. Given the defensive softness that plagued Arsenal season after season in the latter years of the Arsene Wenger era, it is quite the turnaround that they have become a team that is simply very hard to score against.

However, when we say that ‘defences win titles’, we often mean an ability to keep a clean sheet or concede few goals, particularly in high pressure games. But with Arsenal, there’s another element at play here. Defences do win titles, but even more so if they contribute towards the goal scoring responsibility as well.

Arsenal have one of the smallest squads in the Premier League, which was plain to see on Sunday as they fielded an inexperienced bench including Ayden Heaven, Maldini Kacurri, and Ismeal Kabia. With no Martin Odegaard and a below-par Gabriel Martinelli, fans might have been worried where the attacking creativity and ultimately goals would come from.

Enter Gabriel, whose header in the 65th minute proved to be the winner, and took his total goal tally for Arsenal to 15. William Saliba also has the potential to cause chaos in the box. Much like a tennis player having a powerful serve, having two powerful centre-backs as a constant threat from a set-piece gives Arsenal another handy layer of attacking threat, and another headache for their opposition. No midfield? No problem.

Perhaps defences do win titles, but it might not be in the way we think.

Find more from Laura Kirk-Francis at the Latte Firm podcast, external