With 13 clean sheets last season, Arsenal had the eighth-best defence in the league. First-choice keeper Aaron Ramsdale kept 12 of those, but that was still two below Edouard Mendy and four below Hugo Lloris. The Gunners conceded 48 goals in the 25 matches they conceded in.
At that rate, nearly two per game, whenever Arsenal conceded, they had to score three to win. It wasn't a sustainable model, even with three new defensive reinforcements brought in.
Ben White from Brighton on a big-money move, Ramsdale himself from Sheffield United and Takehiro Tomiyasu from Bologna all formed part of Arteta's youthful defensive rebuild. As might be expected from a new look backline, their performances were hit and miss.
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As well as adding goals this campaign, tightening up the defence was seen as part of the drive to ensure more consistency, and with five wins from six matches this term, it looks to be working. Although there have only been two clean sheets in those six, it took 13 matches towards the end of last season to get their last clean sheet, so there has been an improvement.
Part of that has been down to the impressive start that William Saliba has had in the Premier League, but Arteta has made more tweaks that would have otherwise caught the eye if things weren't going so well. Part of that is playing £50m centre-back White at right-back to fit Saliba and Gabriel into the side, and it's working so far.
The 24-year-old has started all six matches and has the more energetic legs of Tomiyasu as a backup option, and he feels like it's a role that is pushing him.
"I am really enjoying it," said White. "I am still learning the role, but it has been exciting to play there and apart from Manchester United, it has been a really good season so far.
"A lot more running. A lot more running. My legs feel a little bit more the next day."
Part of the attraction to White is his youthfulness and speed, which makes a transition to right-back easier to cope with. However, given the modern-day attacking need from a full-back, Oleksandr Zinchenko on the left side shows that it will be an interesting development as the season goes on to see how White can expand his game.
The attack is firing so far, with 14 goals in six matches and returning players still to come. White's foundation at the back is key to allowing those players further forward to enjoy themselves.
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