Arsenal enter the 2025/26 Premier League season with a clear ambition: turn a sophisticated, possession-first model into a title that’s decided by repeatable habits, not hot streaks. Under Mikel Arteta, the Gunners have built one of Europe’s most coherent structures—stout rest defense, fluid positional play, and relentless right‑side combinations. The task now is to raise the floor in tricky away fixtures, keep transition risk low without sacrificing threat, and spread end product so defenses can’t overload Bukayo Saka’s flank.
Strategic priorities for 2025/26
- Maintain the 3-2 rest-defense platform behind attacks to kill counters before they start.
- Convert territorial dominance into higher-quality chances: more cutbacks, fewer floaty crosses.
- Keep Saka’s lane lethal while diversifying the left side’s output.
- Sustain set‑piece excellence as a weekly margin.
- Protect the spine’s availability (Saliba–Gabriel, Rice, Ødegaard, Saka) through smart rotation.
- Manage game states better away from home—control the tempo, then pick moments to accelerate.
Tactical blueprint
In possession
Arsenal’s settled shape morphs from a nominal 4-3-3 into a 3-2-5. Ben White can tuck to form the back three, or the left-back (Timber/Tomiyasu/Zinchenko profile depending on opponent) inverts while Declan Rice holds as the single pivot. The twin goals are simple: create a free man between the lines and arrive in the box with timing, not just numbers.
- Right-side carousel: Saka, Ødegaard, and White weave rotations that manufacture pockets. Saka pins the full-back, Ødegaard receives on the half-turn or plays the wall pass, and White underlaps to deliver low crosses. This triangle is Arsenal’s metronome.
- Left-side variation: Martinelli’s direct dribbles and back-post runs pair with an overlapping full-back, or a more controlled set-up with an inverted left-back to stabilize rest defense. Trossard’s false‑winger movements create inside overloads and quick combinations at the top of the box.
- Final-third patterns: Prioritize cutbacks to the penalty spot, low driven balls across the six, and third‑man runs from the eights. Havertz/Jesus‑type movements—near-post darts, lay-offs, and double movements—keep center-backs occupied.
Out of possession
Arsenal press to control. The 9 screens the pivot, wingers curve runs to trap outside, and Ødegaard leads jumps on back-passes or square balls. When distances stay tight, the press yields 3–5 high turnovers that convert into shots. Against elite build-up sides, the team can drop into a compact 4-4-2/4-5-1, funneling play wide and winning second balls through Rice’s coverage and Gabriel’s first contact.Transitions
- Offensive: Recoveries in the right half-space are gold—Ødegaard to Saka in two touches, then a cutback. On the left, Martinelli attacks the blind side with diagonal runs while the striker pins the near center-back.
- Defensive: The first five seconds after losing the ball decide rhythm. The 3+2 safety net—two center-backs plus Rice, with a full-back ready to cover depth—turns potential footraces into routine regains. If spacing breaks, reset the block rather than chase.
Set pieces
Arsenal treat dead balls as a phase of play, not a pause. Outswingers to the penalty spot for Saliba/Gabriel, near-post flick routines for second balls, and short‑corner patterns that pull markers out of the line are staples. Defensively, a zonal‑personal hybrid with a dominant first contact keeps scrambles to a minimum. A 12–15 goal swing across the league season is a realistic, title-grade margin.Squad outlook by unit
Goalkeepers
David Raya’s calm distribution, cross command, and punch selection support the high line and short build-up. The deputy must mirror bravery with the ball and high starting positions so identity survives rotation weeks.
Defence
Saliba–Gabriel is the anchor: elite dueling, recovery speed, and composure under pressure. White’s hybrid role (full-back/auxiliary center-back) stabilizes exits and underpins the right-side carousel. On the left, Arteta can choose profiles by opponent:
- Inverter (Timber/Zinchenko-type) to create the 3-2 platform in possession.
- Overlapper (Tomiyasu/Kiwior in certain matchups) to stretch deep blocks and add weak-side crosses.
Continuity in this back four correlates directly with field tilt and shots allowed.
Midfield
Declan Rice is the metronome and the airbag. He screens central lanes, wins first contact on clearances, and progresses with simple forward passes that keep tempo. Martin Ødegaard is the tactical compass—occupying pockets, flipping tempo with disguised passes, and leading counter-press triggers. Arsenal’s third midfield role flexes by game state:
- Controller to protect leads and slow chaos.
- Vertical 8 to arrive late in the box and spike chance volume.
Rotation matters on three-day cycles; minutes targets maintain intensity without inviting soft-tissue issues.
Attack
Saka is the league’s most dependable right‑sided force: inside‑out carries, reverse passes, and far‑post finishes. Martinelli’s separation and back‑post timing punish back lines that tilt to Saka. Across the middle, Arteta has options:
- A 9 who pins center-backs, links play, and attacks near-post cutbacks.
- A hybrid forward (Havertz/Jesus profile) who drops to connect, creates third‑man runs, and drifts wide to open the lane for Saka.
Trossard remains a clutch finisher and connector; a right‑side deputy who preserves pressing intensity and adds 10–12 league goal contributions keeps output resilient.
Performance benchmarks to watch
- Expected goal difference (xGD): target +0.8 to +1.0 per match—championship process.
- Field tilt (final-third pass share): 60–64% in most matches signals territorial dominance.
- High turnovers leading to shots: 3–5 per game to keep identity sharp.
- Shots allowed: 7–9 with low average shot quality.
- Set-piece goals: 12–15 across the league season.
- Game-state control: win >80% when scoring first; improved points gained after trailing.
Five questions that will define 2025/26
- Does the 9 role deliver efficiency every week, not just in streaks?
- Can the left flank sustain end product when teams overprotect Saka?
- Will the 3-2 platform remain automatic in attack, especially when both full-backs advance?
- Can Arsenal turn away parity into away superiority through tempo control and set pieces?
- Does the spine’s availability hold above 80–85% league minutes?
Game plans by opponent type
- Versus low blocks: Stretch, then split. Use right-side underlaps, third‑man runs from the interior 8, and low cutbacks to the spot. Switch quickly to isolate Martinelli 1v1. Keep two (often three) behind the ball to kill the single counter.
- Versus pressing teams: Use the goalkeeper as the spare, rotate Rice/one interior to open the far‑shoulder lane to Ødegaard, and hit Saka early before the press resets. If squeezed, clip diagonals into the weak‑side winger running off the full-back’s blind side.
- Protecting a lead: Shorten the match with longer possessions, smart fouls, and set‑piece pressure the other way. Press selectively; don’t drop the block too deep, control territory with the ball.
- Chasing a goal: Add a second penalty‑area presence, spike corner volume, vary delivery angles (low across the six, near‑post flicks), and raise counter‑press intensity to create repeat waves.
Ceiling, floor, and most-likely path
- Ceiling: Title winners with room to spare if the spine stays fit, set pieces keep cashing, and the left side’s output matches the right.
- Floor: A top‑four finish with deep cup runs if injuries bite or transition control slips during winter congestion.
- Most likely: A wire‑to‑wire title challenge, improved away control, and underlying numbers that reflect inevitability rather than streaks.
How Arsenal turn control into inevitability
- Own the first 15 minutes of each half to set game state.
- Keep the 3+2 always on behind attacks—bravery with a handbrake beats reckless pressure.
- Treat corners as designed chances: weekly routines and second‑phase traps.
- Value the first pass after regains: vertical if the lane is on, reset if not to lure pressure.
- Spread goals across Saka, the 9, Martinelli/Trossard, and one midfield runner.