Lines and Lanes: Arsenal’s Tactical Trends After Three Weeks

Three weeks into the new campaign, Arsenal’s performance data is beginning to form a more reliable picture of where this side is strong and where gaps still exist. The first match against Manchester United showcased a team intent on controlling matches through structured buildup and intelligent occupation of space. Against Leeds in Week 2, Arsenal extended their grip, dominating possession and producing their most expansive attacking display of the season. Week 3, away at Liverpool, represented the stiffest challenge so far, with a narrow 1–0 defeat offering insight into both persistent strengths and areas that require improvement.

Across these fixtures, a consistent story emerges. Certain tactical traits have held steady regardless of opposition. New elements have surfaced, shaped by personnel changes and match context. Concerns have been reinforced, particularly around set-piece vulnerability and creating chances against elite opposition. Positives, too, have become more pronounced — notably midfield control and the stability of the central defense.

By examining Arsenal’s first three matches together, we can see the early outline of a team that is structurally solid but still searching for sharper attacking output against the best sides.

Trends That Continued

Right-Side Reliance

From the opening whistle of the season, Arsenal have leaned heavily on the right-hand channel as their primary means of progression. In Week 1 against Manchester United, the interplay between Ødegaard, Saka, and Timber (supported by White when needed) repeatedly advanced the ball into dangerous areas. Week 2 against Leeds followed the same template, with Saka heavily involved in touches and Timber providing support runs inside or outside the winger.

In Week 3, the personnel changed. Saka was unavailable and Ødegaard entered only late as a substitute, leaving Noni Madueke to fill the right-sided wide role. Even with different players, the structure persisted. Madueke provided directness through dribbling and carrying into the penalty area, while Timber overlapped to stretch the defensive block. Although the productivity was lower without Saka’s creative weight and Ødegaard’s sustained presence, the emphasis on building through the right remained. This pattern has now been reinforced as a structural principle rather than simply a function of individual talent.

Control Through Possession

Another theme evident from Week 1 is control through possession. Against Manchester United, Arsenal managed tempo effectively, limiting their opponent’s transitions by maintaining compact passing structures in midfield. Week 2 against Leeds saw Arsenal convert this control into overwhelming territorial dominance, with final-third possession tilted decisively in their favor.

Week 3 at Anfield provided a sterner test, but the overall pattern held. Arsenal maintained steady spells of possession, moving the ball through Rice and Zubimendi to prevent Liverpool from dictating the tempo. While possession was not translated into high-quality chances, the ability to manage phases of play against a pressing side confirmed that Arsenal’s approach to control is resilient.

Defensive Solidity in Structure

Through all three matches, Arsenal’s defensive shape has limited opponents to relatively few clear openings. Against United, the back line stayed compact, forcing most attempts from outside the box. Leeds were suffocated, producing almost nothing of note in central zones. Liverpool generated energy through pressing and second balls, yet Arsenal restricted them to one decisive set-piece strike and minimal threat from open play.

This trend shows a side increasingly comfortable at managing space without the ball. Gabriel and Saliba’s partnership has been central, reading situations early and dominating in duels. Even under pressure at Anfield, they prevented Liverpool’s forwards from finding consistent high-quality looks.

New and Emerging Trends

Greater Use of Left-Sided Progression

Weeks 1 and 2 were heavily tilted to the right, but since the Leeds match there has been a gradual balancing of buildup. Calafiori’s introduction at left-back has been key. Against Leeds, he carried the ball forward and linked well with midfielders, offering a second route. Against Liverpool, the left side again saw meaningful involvement, with Rice drifting wider to connect play and relieve pressure from the right.

While the left remains a supplementary channel, it represents an important development. Teams expecting Arsenal to funnel exclusively down the right must now account for greater variation in buildup.

The Madueke Factor

Saka’s absence in Week 3 meant Noni Madueke was given a first league start on the right flank. His interpretation of the role contrasted with Saka’s. Rather than combining and cutting inside to thread passes, Madueke drove at his marker more directly, attempting to force openings through dribbling. Timber provided balance by overlapping and underlapping, ensuring the system still produced width and depth.

Madueke’s presence confirmed that Arsenal’s reliance on the right side is not tied to a single player. Even without Saka, the team defaulted to the same structure, with the new winger tasked to interpret it in his own way.

Concerning Trends

Limited Chance Creation Against Elite Opposition

The match at Anfield highlighted an issue that was less visible against United and Leeds. Arsenal finished with just 0.4 expected goals, and while they circulated possession well, genuine clear chances were scarce. United and Leeds were contained defensively but offered less resistance to Arsenal’s attack. Liverpool, by contrast, restricted space in the final third, and Arsenal lacked the spark to create quality openings.

This pattern raises a question: can Arsenal turn structural control into cutting-edge chance creation against top-tier opposition?

Vulnerability on Set Plays

Arsenal’s defensive solidity in open play has been consistent, but set pieces remain a concern. United threatened from late corners and free kicks in Week 1, and Liverpool’s decisive goal in Week 3 came from a direct free kick. While Leeds were unable to exploit dead-ball opportunities, stronger opponents are more likely to capitalize. Set-piece defending, rather than open-play structure, has been the Achilles’ heel so far.

Reliance on Creative Depth

Week 3 exposed how dependent Arsenal remain on certain profiles for creativity. With Saka unavailable and Ødegaard limited to a late cameo, the team struggled to maintain their usual combinations in the final third. Madueke offered energy and dribbling, but the balance was different. Without Ødegaard orchestrating for long stretches and Saka stretching defenses, Arsenal found it difficult to manufacture consistent chances. This suggests that depth in attacking creativity remains an area to be addressed.

Reinforced Positives

Rice and Zubimendi Dictating Midfield

Across all three fixtures, midfield control has been the defining strength. Declan Rice continues to act as the defensive anchor, recovering possession and providing distribution. Martin Zubimendi has complemented him, offering passing lanes in buildup and calm progression under pressure. Together they form a pivot that allows Arsenal to manage games territorially, even against sides with high pressing intensity.

Central Defensive Partnership

Arsenal’s defensive structure across three weeks has remained broadly reliable, though Week 3 forced an early adjustment. Saliba was withdrawn after just six minutes at Anfield, replaced by Mosquera alongside Gabriel. The reshuffled pairing largely held firm, limiting Liverpool to few meaningful chances in open play. The eventual winner came not through defensive breakdown but a moment of high technical quality — Szoboszlai’s free kick. Across the first three matches, Arsenal’s expected goals conceded has stayed consistently low, suggesting the overall framework remains sound, though the setback at Anfield exposed how little margin for error exists against elite opposition.

Tactical Flexibility in Wide Roles

The first two weeks featured Saka and Ødegaard combining down the right, with Timber offering support. Week 3 showed that the structure can adapt, with Madueke interpreting the role differently but maintaining the same system emphasis. This flexibility is valuable across a long season, where injuries or rotation are inevitable.

Balance Through Calafiori

Another reinforcement is the integration of Riccardo Calafiori. His ability to step forward from left-back has given Arsenal a more varied progression pattern. Where earlier systems tilted almost exclusively to the right, Calafiori’s presence has started to balance play, ensuring the left side contributes more meaningfully to buildup.

Conclusion

Three matches into the season, Arsenal’s data reveals a team with clear tactical identity. The right-hand channel remains central to progression, whether staffed by Saka and Ødegaard or Madueke and Timber. Midfield control through Rice and Zubimendi has become a consistent strength, while the defensive pairing of Gabriel and Saliba continues to provide security.

Concerns remain, but this latest match turned on a high-skill direct free kick from Szoboszlai rather than a structural or individual lapse. The bigger issue was failing to convert long spells of control into quality chances. Creative burden should balance out as Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze, and Viktor Gyokeres settle into roles and connections. With Saka unavailable and Odegaard limited to a late cameo, familiar combinations were missing; the newer links are still forming.

The overall trajectory, though, is positive. Arsenal are structurally stable, increasingly adaptable, and capable of dictating territory in difficult matches. The next step is clear: translating control into cutting-edge attacking output when margins are tightest.