What the First Seven Matches Really Tell Us About Arsenal’s Contenders’ Credentials

Seven league matches now give a reliable picture of Mikel Arteta’s 2025 Arsenal. The season has moved from early exploration into refinement. Across the first six weeks, the team built a clear identity: control through possession, a stable defensive base, repeatable right-sided progression, and varied set-piece value. New signings such as Riccardo Calafiori, Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi, and Viktor Gyökeres have each influenced the model, while existing leaders continue to shape outcomes.

Week 7’s 2-0 home win over West Ham was not a reset. It was another data point showing how Arsenal’s structure holds up under changes and injuries. The match featured early loss of Martin Ødegaard, no Ben White, and yet complete territorial dominance: 69 percent possession, 21 shots to four, 3.4 expected goals to 0.8, and no shots on target conceded. Those numbers strengthen many season-long themes while adding fresh insights about depth, midfield flexibility, and attacking chemistry.

Trends That Continued

Right-sided progression remains the base

Through seven matches the right flank continues to drive Arsenal’s buildup. Even without White and with Ødegaard leaving early, the pattern stayed intact. Bukayo Saka led the attack with five progressive passes, five deep completions, and 1.37 expected assists. Jurrien Timber combined repeatedly with Saka to dominate West Ham’s left side. Passing networks and half-space maps again show a dense cluster on the right edge of the area.

This confirms that the structure is system-driven rather than tied to one individual. The team can rotate personnel and still create right-side overloads and cut-back lanes. Opponents know what is coming but continue to struggle to contain the timing and movement.

Possession control as defensive and attacking tool

Long controlled spells remain the backbone of Arsenal’s game management. Through seven matches, field tilt and possession share have repeatedly pushed opponents deep. Against West Ham, 74 percent of final-third touches were Arsenal’s. Saliba and Gabriel carried or passed nearly 1,000 progressive yards combined, with Zubimendi adding 424 after replacing Ødegaard. This mirrors earlier weeks: Manchester City, Liverpool, and Newcastle were all forced into low possession and few central entries.

The model travels. Whether against deep blocks or teams pressing high, Arsenal use circulation and calm passing to suffocate transitions. David Raya’s role in short buildup and Saliba’s range give safe exits. Once established, the ball moves side to side until half spaces open.

Defensive platform remains elite

The Gabriel–Saliba spine remains the most stable part of the side. Through seven weeks no opponent has created more than 1.0 non-penalty expected goals. West Ham finished with four shots and none on target. The pattern is consistent: few box touches allowed, early midfield pressure, and sweeping cover behind.

Even when forced to adjust, Saliba left early at Anfield, Ødegaard went off versus West Ham, the defensive metrics hold. Raya’s sweeping and distribution keep control, and Calafiori’s hybrid role helps lock central lanes. Clean sheets in controlled game states are now standard rather than occasional.

Set-piece threat continues to produce

Arsenal continue to create decisive chances from dead balls. Calafiori’s opener at Old Trafford, Timber’s brace against Leeds, and a series of designed routines since remain a key scoring edge. Week 7 did not require a set-piece goal, but delivery volume and variety were visible. The playbook remains a weapon when open play finishing slows.

Newly Emerging Trends

Midfield flexibility under pressure

Earlier weeks showed Rice and Zubimendi controlling tempo but mostly in fixed roles. Week 7 added a new layer: the ability to restructure mid-match without losing control. Arteta started with Rice as single pivot and two advanced 8s (Ødegaard and Eze). When Ødegaard left on 20 minutes, Zubimendi entered, Rice moved higher, and the system kept possession while adding forward runs. Later, Mikel Merino came on to lock the center.

This multi-shape midfield kept West Ham pinned and created both goals. It suggests Arsenal can now change pivot balance on the fly, a sign of tactical maturity and depth.

Left side expanding influence

Weeks 5 and 6 hinted at more left-side progression; Week 7 strengthened it. Calafiori logged 28 final-third touches and five entries while stepping inside as an extra midfielder. Eze combined well in the left half space and created from cut-back zones. This development keeps defenses honest and reduces the burden on Saka’s channel.

Pressing control reaching new consistency

Arsenal have varied their pressing by opponent all season. West Ham provided a case where pressure and possession worked together. Passes allowed per defensive action dropped to low single digits during the middle phase when Arsenal created their best chances. The block stayed compact but engaged when the ball went wide or when West Ham attempted to build short. Earlier matches showed this against Leeds and Forest; now it appears stable across contexts.

Depth delivering match stability

Rotation has moved from emergency use to competitive advantage. Timber and Calafiori continue to add value, Eze gives creative variety, and Zubimendi changed the midfield dynamic after Ødegaard exited. Late use of Merino and Martinelli helped close the game without losing control. The squad can adjust roles without losing structure.

Concerning Trends

Central chance creation still limited

Zone 14 use remains a weak spot. Arsenal’s non-shot expected goals were strong against West Ham, but many valuable actions came from half spaces and cut-backs. Shots from the central edge of the box remain rare. High-level opponents that crowd the wide lanes may still limit Arsenal to lower-value crossing and rebounds.

Gyökeres without a league breakthrough

The striker’s drought extended to six matches. The underlying shot value remains solid, 1.37 expected goals from two quality chances versus West Ham, but timing with the midfield and wide players is still off. Several first-half moves broke down due to being disconnected or even making runs too early. He continues to help possession and create space but needs sharper movement cues with the creators. Until that clicks, Arsenal’s control will not fully convert to goals against top defenses.

Injury load building

Ødegaard’s early exit added to a run of stop-start weeks for key players. Saka and Saliba have logged heavy minutes, and others are missing matches. Arsenal have shown they can win while shuffling, but a sustained injury wave could disrupt chemistry, especially as the fixture list tightens after the break.

Finishing variance

Shot quality remains high, but conversion is uneven. Against West Ham 3.4 expected goals yielded two finishes. Leeds earlier produced five goals from 2.9 expected goals. Matches against City and Newcastle were decided by small swings. Without more reliable finishing from the center forward or late runners, dominance risks translating into narrow scorelines.

Reinforced Positives

• Elite defensive metrics across all contexts: Seven matches, minimal high-value chances conceded, no shots on target for West Ham, low xG totals for City, Liverpool, and Newcastle.

• Pressing adaptability: High against weaker build-ups, selective and compact against strong ones. Week 7 showed smooth transitions between phases.

• Full-back asymmetry remains effective: Timber advanced on the right in White’s absence, Calafiori provided balance and occasional interior play on the left.

• Set-piece playbook stays sharp: Still a repeatable scoring route when open play stalls.

• Squad depth holds up: Injuries to key creators did not break structure; substitutes sustained control and chance creation.

Conclusion

Seven matches provide a clear picture of this Arsenal. The defensive floor is elite and portable. Possession control shapes matches home and away. Right-sided progression remains the heartbeat, but the left is contributing more, and the midfield is now flexible enough to adapt mid-game without losing grip.

The main gaps are still central incision and finishing. Gyökeres has service but not goals. Zone 14 remains underused, and shot conversion has swung between hot and cold. Injuries threaten rhythm more than tactical weakness.

If the attack can add reliable central patterns and the striker starts finishing the chances arriving from cut-backs and half-space feeds, Arsenal’s control model can produce decisive wins against any level of opponent. With a strong defensive base, a repeatable possession structure, and growing depth, the platform for a title run remains intact.