Veteran Spanish football analyst Guillem Balague has described Arsenal’s current style and form as “modern dominance” in a ringing endorsement of his compatriot, Mikel Arteta.
The journalist described in detail why he believes the Gunners are ahead of the curve at present, with the fruits of Arteta’s labour having the squad fighting on four fronts, as the 2025/26 campaign reaches the business end of the season.
Arsenal lead the Premier League table, while they will play Borussia Dortmund/Atalanta or Olympiacos/Bayer Leverkusen in the Last 16 of the Champions League.
In domestic cup competitions, an eagerly awaited EFL Cup Final against Manchester City will be contested on March 22, while the Gunners will face a different test in the FA Cup 5th round with a trip to Mansfield Town.
At Arsenal FC under Mikel Arteta, training sessions are shown live on video walls.
Actions are seen instantly.
Corrections happen immediately.
Learning accelerates. pic.twitter.com/sqFOPv3oMO
— ⚽️Pedro Mendonça🧠 (@PedMenCoach) February 18, 2026
What everyone is saying about Arsenal across Europe
The fans will be dreaming of an unprecedented quadruple success this season, and as much as that will be a difficult feat, it is attainable for such a high performing squad at Arteta’s disposal.
However, it’s not the star quality or number of individual superstars in situ at the Emirates Arena, it is the overall standards and sum of the significant parts that set the North London side apart.
“Let me tell you what everyone is saying about Arsenal across Europe, began Guillem Balague.
“Arsenal are not seen here as a team that has stalled. They are seen as a reference point. As the team many look at when trying to understand where elite football is heading.
“The game has shifted, it is no longer enough to dominate the ball or to attack well. The top sides now compete in, and often decide matches through, the four phases that make teams excellent: organised attack, attacking transition, defensive transition and structured defence. At the highest level, those phases matter more than possession percentages or aesthetic debates.
“This is where Arsenal stand out, added Balague.
Arsenal’s style is understood as “modern dominance”
On Boxing Day last year, Mikel Arteta marked the sixth anniversary of his reign at the club.
His stewardship has been a case of evolution and revolution, but the time is now for Arsenal to reign, especially after sustained consolidation in the Premier League.
The Gunners have achieved three consecutive second-place finishes over the last three years, they now have to go one better.
They have matured and improved what they have been about under Arteta.
After rebuilding the squad and putting the jigsaw in place, the challenge is now to put the final pieces in place.
Balague believes they are well placed to get the job done.
“Under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal control space, time and another very important element, rhythm.
“They are aggressive without being chaotic, but can create chaos to find gaps, they are compact without being passive. Their pressing is prepared in detail, lose the ball and the reaction is immediate. The opponent is denied oxygen.
“Across Europe, this is understood as modern dominance,” he added.
In concluding his analysis, and reflecting the growing admiration of the Gunners across the continent, Balague detailed:
“Arsenal are seen as a team that has absorbed (Pep) Guardiola’s ideas and pushed them forward, they have strengthened them for a football world that now plays faster, presses harder, and it totally punishes hesitation.”