After successfully getting their hands on the Premier League trophy last year, which had previously avoided them for a good 22 years, The Arsenal now have the opportunity to rid themselves of the stigma that has haunted them during Arteta’s reign and instead transcend into the next calibre of footballing dynasties. Heartbreak in the Champions League final will have only stoked the fire inside Mikel’s men, fuelled by the prospect of revenge, a replenished and predatory side will be eager and raring to put right what was so gut-wrenchingly ripped from them during the 25/26 campaign. With the departure of Pep Guardiola, a weakened Manchester City seem vulnerable, will surely not be themselves and may offer limited challenge to the title. This never-seen before chance to etch their names into the footballing history books sits invitingly right in front of them, but the question is, will The Gunners take it?
Attack from the back - An overview of previous seasons
Three times in a row Arsenal finished second in the league before they finally got it over the line last year, frustrating but ultimately worthwhile and deserved. At times during last season it seemed as if history was repeating itself as Arsenal went frighteningly close to dropping crucial, title-securing points. However, due to Man City’s failings and of course their own merit, they were eventually crowned champions at Selhurst Park after defeating the South London club 2-1. This ‘merit’ I mentioned, for me, is undoubtedly their formidable defensive line, which boasts its many superiorities. For example, last term, The Gunners prevented opponents from having a shot on target in six different Premier League games, the joint-most of any side in a campaign on record (since 2003/04) in the competition and this achievement has been normalized since Mikel Arteta’s team showed the world their defensive capabilities in the 23/24 season.
Over the course of the past 3 seasons, anchored by Gabriel and Saliba, the Arsenal defense have unquestionably been the best in the league and most probably in the world, for that matter. According to my research, every metric has been dominated by The Gunner’s backline: David Raya has picked up 3 of the last 3 Premier League golden gloves, averaging 16.6 clean sheets between the sticks during that time. Additionally, during the same time, Arsenal averaged 30.6 xGC (expected goals conceded) per season, where, most impressively, during the 25/26 period, the next best team for the measure (Manchester City) lagged 15.9 expected goals conceded behind the champions, with a total of 44.2 xGC. To really prove my point, I have more to share with you. Arsenal ranked first also in the index for goals conceded per match (GC/match), registering 0.7, 0.9 and 0.8 GC/match across the 23/24, 24/25 and 25/26 seasons respectively, which, of course, scored them first place for the stat after each and every year. To put the outcome of these statistics into perspective, The Gunners won 11 games last year by a scoreline of 1-0, across all competitions - 9 in the domestic league and 2 in Europe - and if it wasn’t for the formidable four at the back and goal guarder, many of those games could’ve been fatally thrown away, which would’ve hindered their chances for the title and even getting to the Champions League final in the first place.
Furthermore, this defense has not only showcased their off the ball prowess, but in recent times has evolved and added another dimension to their abilities, offensively. If you saw what I did there, you should now understand that this once simply suffocating, impenetrable block now offers the best of both worlds, at both ends of the pitch. At points during the last campaign, the Emirates would roar as if a goal had been netted at the simple prospect of a corner, often striking fear into opponents and chaos into their penalty area. Spearheaded by the revolutionary set-piece coach, Nicolas Jover, looming centre-halfs and menacing fullbacks among panic-stricken inferiors would maraud purposefully and dominantly towards ball and net until the mesh would bulge amidst pandemonium on the pitch and in the stands. I may have overdramatised that, but you get the point. They were unstoppable. Resultantly, excluding penalties, The Arsenal broke the record for most set piece goals scored in one term, with 23 last year in the premier league, with defenders Gabriel and Jurrien Timber being the greatest contributors to this feat. Ranking first among centre backs for goals and assists combined during 25/26, the Brazilian, Gabriel, set the standard for his teammates and Timber followed suit, who also topped the charts for goal contributions in his position also, the fullback. All in all, approximately one third - 32.4% - of all of Arsenal’s goals scored last year in the league were via the set piece, proving how much of a lethal weapon and simultaneously major contributor to Arsenal’s domestic and international successes the defenders truly were.
In summary, since taking the job in North London in 2019, Mikel Arteta has been granted a sufficient period of time, in which he has nurtured and coached his team to the very top, into the aerially dominant and defensively superior side we all dread to see coming. Now, after many underwhelming failings, he has finally created this opening for The Gunners which they quite frankly must grasp with all their might, in order to cement their reputation as the most fearsome club in the land.
The key man - Declan Rice
After being used like a workhorse by club and country last year, the England international will surely be awarded some overdue rest during this summer and start of the coming season, which is the least Arsenal can do to repay him for his heroics last campaign. Acting as the red side of North London's permanent backbone, Declan Rice ensures all is always well, enabling his teammates to free roam as they are assured of his reliability: everything starts with him, nothing goes through him.
Firstly, let's start with his offensive expertise. In 25/26 Rice showed us all his true capabilities, proving that he is not any old central midfielder, instead a multifaceted and relentlessly working powerhouse, who commands the pitch whenever he steps foot onto one.
During that campaign, the numbers he put up are quite astonishing and as follows: among the competition in his position in the Premier League, Declan ranked first for big chances created (17), also first (joint) for chances created with 63 and accumulated an xA of 7.0 which placed him second among central midfielders, behind Adam Wharton. Simultaneously, according to Fotmob, Rice finished 4th across Europe’s top 5 league for chances created from set pieces (48). However, there is still more to this man’s game, he not only provides a playmaking spark, but additionally is a very smart ball winner and carrier. Out of all players who played in the league last year this time, the former East Londoner was seeded second for total distance carried with the ball - 7460.8 metres - with 3360.2 of these metres being progressive over a total of 328 progressive carries. Now onto his ball winning, (yes I know, we’re still going) with credit to the Opta stats database, after filtering the metric down to players who played a similar amount of minutes to Rice, 3000-3420 minutes last year, he was positioned 3rd for percentage of ground duels won with 57% won, showing his elite efficiency, yet graded 4th for possession won per 90 (5.23), also through the same filter, proving his tenacity.
In short, shown through the eye test and the ever reliable statistics, the talismanic Englishman has definitely shown that he is the full package and everything you'd ever need from a midfielder. From set piece mastery to covering every blade of grass in sight, Declan Rice has got you covered and can do so for 90 minutes, whenever you need him, as displayed last year, playing a key role in their domestic success during the season of last and also in potential further successes in years to come.
Losing Leandro amidst the distraction of incomings
Up to the time of writing, the champions have made only 2 signings, but neither seem to lack the ability to play at the highest level, with Arsenal. Despite this, one major outgoing is Leandro Trossard, who has accumulated many tens of goal contributions during his time in North London, since joining in January 2023, and could prove to be a fatal withdrawal, especially with a goalscorer crisis (to be elaborated on) and slightly questionable number nine up-top.
As shown by my DIY data table I constructed during research, it may shock you, but since the Belgian’s arrival, Trossard has provided the second most goal contributions for Arsenal, across all competitions, only topped by Bukayo Saka. Despite going relatively under the radar, in my opinion, Trossard was steadily chugging along, always reliable and quite realistically, underappreciated by the media and vast majority of football watchers. In fact, many of these goals have proved to be vital and actually title winning, for example, you will all remember that 83rd minute strike versus West Ham, sending the away end into a frenzy and The Gunners well on their way to picking up the Premier League trophy, or even the winger’s goal in the 23/34 season versus Porto, forcing extra time and penalties, which they subsequently went on to win, ending a 14-year wait to reach the Champions League quarter-finals. Now after departing for Turkish side Besiktas, a massive hole in the squad has been left. With limited materials to refill it, Arsenal now may begin to wonder where on Earth all their goals are going to come from, especially with striker Gyokeres leading the line, who at times looks as if he plays in jeans and hardwear boots, only managing 22 goals - 4 of which being penalties - in 55 appearances last season.
Building on this, Arsenal recently lost out on superstar Vinicius Junior, after he renewed his contract with Los Blancos, who could’ve been a game-changer and would’ve made this section of the article redundant, however, this, for the rest of the league’s sake, thankfully fell through and so I may continue. By losing out on the Brazilian, Arsenal are still lacking an out and out goalscorer, after possibly foolishly letting go one of the closest things they had to one themselves. Shockingly, I discovered during my scour of the web on all things Arsenal, in 25/26 they had a rather large total of 18 goalscorers, which ranked second worst in the league behind Brighton (19), when the league average stood at 14 players. With a lack of a consistent poacher, they may have to rely on corners and set pieces, which will eventually prove to be unsustainable or unreliable, as more and more teams begin to find ways to stop their scheming technical area and set piece coach, after the set-piece craziness of last term.
Nevertheless, the first signing we will cover, does add a glimmer of hope to the goalscoring situation and his name is Christos Tzolis, who came to North London from Club Brugge for £35 million this summer and after take a quick look through his numbers, that sum feels like a steal. Topping pretty much every goal contributing metric, the Greek international had: the most assists (23), most goals + assists (40), most xG (17.4), most big chances created (25), most chances created (135), most xA (15.9), most xG + xA per 90 (0.98) and was the highest goalscorer with 17 goals. Yeah, I know. On paper, Tzolis seems to be an unbelievable Trossard replacement, matching his profile nicely, and looking like a very versatile and well-rounded player, however this does have to be taken with a pinch of salt, as we know of many seemingly unstoppable forwards that have transferred from the Belgian league and had a tough time. For example, the 24/25 Belgian league top scorer, Tolu Arokodare, transferred to Wolves for the 25/26 season and managed a meager 3 Premier League goals which compared feebly to the 21 he registered in the prior league campaign. Despite his predecessors’ failings, I do believe Christos Tzolis will definitely have some impact on the league with Arsenal, I’m just not convinced if it will be enough to entirely fill the boots that Trossard left for him. The forward lacks experience in the top 5 leagues and I fear coming straight to the best of the lot straight away may just be equivalent to plunging him right in at the deep end. With the lack of competition for the left-wing role at Arsenal, with Martinelli rumoured to be getting a move to Galatasaray also, Tzolis may be forced into a first team role immediately, he may not be ready and things can only go downhill from there. With the pressure of playing for Arsenal on his back, even the slightest mistake will raise eyebrows, and if performances begin to falter the Greek could quickly lose all of his confidence. Of course this is all hypothetical, but a severe worry as we all know of the unrivalled demands of the Premier League.
Lastly, we simply must consider the genius signing of Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle for £75 million, who not only provides midfield maestro Declan Rice with much needed rest, after he appeared 69 times for club and country last year, but has proven (in the Premier League, crucially) that he also has the skillset to perfectly slot into Rice’s role, when needed or even play alongside him, to the same standard that Rice sets. Able to take corners, famously even scoring directly from one, brings a creative spark, not afraid to shoot, would never back out of a tackle or battle, are all key abilities that would be on the Brazilian’s resume. To illustrate this, Guimaraes registered 9 goals last year in the league, as he climbed to the top of that index, for midfielders, excluding CAMs, which will most certainly battle the problem of the shortage of prolific bagsmen. Moreover, also among midfielders, disregarding CAMs, the ex-magpie averaged 0.8 shots on target per 90, which you’ll never guess, is also a league high. Similarly to his midfield counterpart, Bruno G also offers a playmaking dimension to his game, shown through the stats, where he amassed 21 through balls in the 25/26 season placing him 4th out of all players on that scale and 5th out of all non attacking midfielders for chances created (45), a symbol of actual competence in that underperforming Newcastle side. This g/a monster is a perfect fit for The Gunners, who, with years of Premier League experience under his belt, will seamlessly enter this side, will step up to his role with tenacity, yet ease and will without doubt offer a solution for their lack of a regular goalscorer, on their charge to defend the title, and crusade towards European glory.
The final verdict
With all things now considered, we have arrived at the closing judgement. For me, Arsenal do successfully defend their title in the league in the 26/27 season, but mainly due to the lack of competition. Of course, we do have to give The Gunners their flowers, with their highly commendable set piece dominance, which had the footballing world fooled last year, and omnipotent defenders, however I don’t truly believe their squad has gamechangingly improved over this summer, instead other sides have lost irreplaceable figures. For instance, Man City have lost Pep Guardiola, who won them 15 major trophies, changed football as we know it and masterminded one of the best teams to ever play the beautiful game, all in just a decade long tenure. Without even mentioning the all but confirmed loss of World Cup player of the tournament, Rodri, it is easy to see that City will need to restart from square one, just the same as any other team to lose their generational coach - Man United post Sir Alex, for example - and in my opinion will fail to pose any threat to the champions. As I see it now, Arsenal will have an ever improving, impenetrable defensive line and goalkeeper, a world class central midfield pairing and the critic defying Bukayo Saka leading the charge from the right, which frankly in our domestic league is all unrivalled. So, unless catastrophic injuries occur, the Premier League crown is all but their’s. In terms of how Arsenal fare in Europe in the forthcoming season, I anticipate an even more promising story for all Gooners out there. After gut-wrenchingly losing out on the Champions League last campaign, Arteta will give even more priority to this competition than ever seen before. Consequently, powered by the enticing thought of payback, with the experience of a final loss under their belts, The Gunners should definitely be able to learn from prior miscalculations and bring the Champions League trophy to North London for the first time in their history.
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