Arsenal's victory: cause for concern or proof of champions' mentality?

Arsenal began the 2025-26 Premier League campaign with a 1-0 triumph over Manchester United at Old Trafford, an impressive result considering their traditionally tough outings at this ground.

Nevertheless, the Gunners' display revealed some troubling aspects, especially in their ability to convert chances and execute counter-attacks. While they secured three points, these signs of vulnerability prompt questions about Arsenal's championship aspirations.

Counter-attacks lacking impact

This summer, Arsenal focused on a more "direct" approach, bringing in players like Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke to speed up transitions from defense to attack. Yet at Old Trafford, their counter-attacking was ineffective. They managed only four sequences of ten or more passes, compared to last season’s average of 14.5, and the average passes per sequence dropped from 4.27 to 2.53. Technical mistakes and hurried decisions meant Arsenal failed to make the most of their opportunities.

Arteta voiced his disappointment: "We should have finished them off in the open spaces, but they immediately countered." According to Opta, Arsenal could not turn two "direct attacks" into goals, and over half of their expected goals (xG) came from Riccardo Calafiori's solitary goal (from a set piece). Last season, Arsenal were the worst at converting fast breaks into shots, with only one in five chances resulting in an attempt. This issue persisted when they won the ball in the final third, with just 14.33% of 335 successful recoveries leading to a shot—lower than Crystal Palace's 18.25% from 252 recoveries.

The problem became more evident as Arteta experimented with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli moving closer to Martin Odegaard, rather than staying wide. This narrowed the passing lanes, making it harder for Odegaard to pick out teammates. A typical example was when Saka and Martinelli both cut inside, disrupting the attacking flow. Saka lacked his usual explosiveness, while Martinelli wasted chances and hesitated. New signing Gyokeres registered only 21 touches and no shots, indicating Arsenal haven't yet tailored their system to his strengths.

Dependence on set pieces and Raya

Arsenal’s victory was secured through a corner kick and a stellar performance from goalkeeper David Raya. The Spanish keeper, who has won the Golden Glove two years running, made crucial saves against Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo to keep the clean sheet. However, the reliance on set pieces and the keeper to win matches underscores the lack of cutting edge in Arsenal’s attack.