More focus on defense and also more reliance on key attacking players to produce that one moment of brilliance to win/level the game. I think this is the vibes for this first half of the season, and maybe in Jan/Feb.

There will be a point in time Arsenal will have to play the usual attacking football, but there is a lot more game management happening atm. Hopefully saving the energy for the long season as we know what happened last season.

My theory is that Defending is more stressful and tiring than a possession based offense. It requires more running and more focus. Both of which get harder to do the more tired you get.

As a result they might not close down Saka quick enough so that he can get his cross off, or They just loose track of Rice on the back post and he gets a quick shot.

Another thing to think about is that a lot of teams go even more defensive in the last 15 twenty minutes of a game trying to hold a result. It means that the offensive team as a lot more chances, because the defensive team isn’t competing for possession.

They are the most dominant team in terms of field tilt and how deep the opponent sits back. Source

This means teams will be defending their own box for 80 minutes and will get tired. They are then more likely to switch off and make mistakes the longer the match goes and the more tired they become.

Another factor is that because they have a great record of scoring late on, the players will believe that they can score. The opposite is true that the opposition may believe they will concede late on because of Arsenal’s record. This was certainly the case with Manchester United under Fergie.

Lapse in concentration of Brentfords RB. Otherwise they’d still be playing goalless.

And luck. Havertz doesn’t make that every day. Maybe 1 in 7.

On more serious note, if Brentford punished some mistakes in first half, you’d have to change the title to reason for Arsenal late game escape or smth worse.

Some call it luck. I call it - Arteta literally has no idea how to properly manage that squad. He runs out of ideas and then resorts to the football that lost them the title last season. And it will happen once again

Fitness levels. Overall young squad.
It’s a good tactic to use when you know you have fitness and youth on your side.

Play steady until the opposition start blowing then go for the jugular.

We (coaching team) used to use this with my grassroots team. We had extremely quick wide players we used to keep on the bench and unleash around 60 minutes into the game to give fullbacks nightmares. They almost always scored. Tired legs can’t compete.

Mentality monsters

Ex professionals say its always more tiring defending for long periods rather than attacking and as we tend to have most of the possession it puts a lot of pressure on the opposition. As they tire at the end of the game it gives us the edge to break them down.

It’s mostly about fitness of the squad. Mostly players start getting more and more tired the longer a game lasts. The Arsenal players seem to be extremely in shape and can continue even after 80 minutes, while the opponent starts to get more and more trouble keeping up the pace.

Improved mental stamina

Well against Chelsea they had to be given a way back into the game and they looked like they had absolutely no chance of digging themselves out.

They looked completely despondent at how they were being dominated and were only buoyed by Sanchez’s gift.

We try not to burnout towards the end given matches now can go into the 100minute territory

Because we are fucking inevitable mate

I think it is common to have goals around 15 mins towards the end.

Because arsenal have formulated a game plan that they believe will win the every game they play. They have full believe in themselves, their play style, and the commit to their training to the last minute.

They will relentlessly play Arteta’s way an Arteta will relentlessly back then and that belief and confidence trumps anything most teams have to offer againts them