Arsenal wrapped up their pre-season with a controlled, polished performance against Athletic Club at the Emirates Stadium, prevailing 3-0 in their final dress rehearsal before the Premier League begins at Old Trafford this weekend.
The stakes weren’t in the scoreline but in the subtler, slower-burning indicators of readiness for the new campaign. The win capped a mixed summer, yet the performance spoke more of cohesion, tactical fine-tuning, and personnel bedding in than of result-chasing.
The game offered a clear look at the new dynamics Mikel Arteta has been trying to cultivate: a striker ready to act as a focal point, a midfield able to dictate tempo while staying defensively engaged, and an attacking structure more vertical, more direct, and less predictable than in previous seasons.
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Gyökeres off the mark – unlocking defences with direct running
Viktor Gyökeres arrived at Arsenal with clear intentions: add cutting edge, mobility, and physical presence to a forward line that, for all its intricacy, could lack the blunt instrument to turn possession into punishment. His first two outings for the Gunners hadn’t produced a goal, and while pre-season friendlies rarely dictate how new signings will fare for their new clubs, strikers live on goals.
Against Athletic Club, his goal came. A powerfully guided header from a pinpoint Martín Zubimendi cross was a moment of both technique and timing. His run starting from deep, the leap decisive, the placement exact.
The reaction was modest. A measured fist pump, and huddle with his new teammates, seemingly gave off the impression of someone who knows this is step one rather than the finishing line. In fact, that celebration only gave way to his now trademark mask routine after Declan Rice prompted him to oblige the crowds expectations.
Had his finishing been slightly sharper, Gyökeres might have left with the match ball. A miscued early shot came after he found himself completely unmarked in the box, later, a near-post header from Noni Madueke’s early cross was saved by Unai Simón and turned on to the post. Those moments, alongside the goal, showed why Arsenal were willing to invest – this is a striker who will regularly get into high-value attacking positions, and one who offers angles of attack that will benefit Arsenal’s wide players.
His direct running into the inside-left channel was a consistent feature, giving Arsenal’s midfielders an out ball whenever Athletic tried to press. This movement – strong, slightly arced, drawing defenders diagonally – is precisely the sort of pattern that can destabilise Premier League backlines. It forces centre-backs to make uncomfortable choices and opens pockets of space for midfield runners.
If Gyökeres provided the spark, Zubimendi was the engine. Arsenal’s summer signing from Real Sociedad arrived with the reputation of a cultured passer, but this match showcased the depth of his defensive work and positional intelligence.
From the outset, his awareness of space was evident. He constantly adjusted his position to close passing lanes while offering himself as the easy outlet in possession. His defensive metrics told a clean story: four tackles attempted, four won; two ball recoveries in midfield areas that set Arsenal moving forward quickly again.
But the more striking element was how quickly he moved the ball. Of his first 30 touches, 25 were passes, almost all one-touch. It was a midfield performance that evoked the fast-tempo control of Arsenal sides from the Arsène Wenger era – when midfielders operated like metronomes.
A 94% pass-completion rate is impressive enough, but the distribution wasn’t without purpose – there was meaning to it. Several times, Zubimendi broke the opposition lines with disguised passes into Martin Ødegaard or clipped diagonal switches that found Bukayo Saka on the right flank, initiating attacking patterns before Athletic’s defensive shape could reset.
This constant in midfield gave Ødegaard and Rice the freedom to push higher without sacrificing balance. In some sequences, Rice sat deeper while Zubimendi pressed forward to nick the ball in advanced areas; in others, the roles reversed. This rotation was deliberate, allowing Arsenal the tactical fluidity in the build-up play without changing shape.
In short, Zubimendi didn’t just fit into Arsenal’s midfield – he subtly re-engineered it, giving the side both tempo control and a new gear in transition.
Vertical play starts to click – accelerating Arsenal’s transitions
If the Villareal friendly earlier in the week was about probing for openings, this match was about attacking them before they closed. The tempo change was unmistakeable. From the first whistle, the plan was clear: find the wide men earlier, find them in space, and let them loose in one-on-one situations.
Bukayo Saka’s role was particularly instructive. Hugging the right touchline, he became the natural out ball for diagonal switches from Zubimendi and Gabriel. The frequency of those left-to-right diagonals was not an accident, they were part of a deliberate attempt to stretch Athletic’s shape and isolate their left-back.
When Saka did receive the ball, he found himself in the kind of duels he thrives on – one defender, space to run into, and the option to hit the byline or cut inside. His success rate was high, beating his marker several times on the outside to cut the ball back into dangerous central areas inside the box.
The shift in attacking pace had knock-on effects elsewhere. With Gyökeres occupying the central defenders, Martinelli on the opposite flank could attack the inside channels without crowding the middle. In the second half, Madueke provided a similar dynamic: a wide runner with the acceleration to carry the ball 20-30 yards and shift defensive lines in the process.
This was the first time Arteta had started Rice, Zubimendi, and Ødegaard together. The impact was structural as much as individual. With two midfielders capable of operating as either a deep pivot or an advanced presser, Arsenal had license to push numbers forward without risk of getting caught in transition. That security allowed the full-backs to be more adventurous and the front line to hold higher positions, increasing the likelihood of regaining the ball in the final third.
Perhaps most importantly, the quicker ball movement seemed to solve a familiar problem for Arsenal from last season: the ease with which teams could load up on Saka without fearing punishment elsewhere. With Gyökeres offering a constant threat centrally, and Martinelli stretching play on the opposite flank, double, or triple-teaming Saka, now carries a tangible cost for opposition defences.
Arteta’s transfer hints – and the bigger picture
While the performance suggested a side gaining a bit of momentum, Arteta’s post-match comments served as a reminder that his squad in not yet complete. The manager openly acknowledged that Arsenal are“actively looking at options” in the market, while also noting that some players may have to leave before any arrivals are finalised.
Leandro Trossard’s absence against Athletic Club was officially put down to injury, but there isgrowing speculation about his future. If he does move on, it would free up both squad space and wages for an attacking addition. The profile Arteta seems to want is clear: a versatile forward capable of playing across the front line ideally with the technical ability to operate centrally and the athleticism to stretch defences from out wide on the left.
Eberechi Eze’s name continues to hover around Arsenal’s rumour mill. His blend of ball-carrying, creativity, and ability to shift between central and wide positions makes him an attractive option. More than just depth, such a signing would give Arsenal another method of breaking down low blocks – something they struggled with at key points last season.
Last year’s title challenge faltered in part because injuries left Arteta short of options in decisive moments. This lesson appears to have been learned. While the core of the squad looks strong and balanced, ensuring genuine quality on the bench will be just as important in sustaining a challenge across four competitions.
Final thoughts
Pre-season results fade quickly once the competitive fixtures begin. What matters is the cohesion of the group remains strong and match fitness has been reached to optimal levels. Against Athletic Club, Arsenal showed a sharper attacking structure, new midfield partnerships, and a striker who can act as both finisher and creator of chaos.
It was, in many ways, a glimpse of what Arteta wants his side to be. Quicker to the front foot, less reliant on one attacking outlet, and anchored by a midfield that can both control possession and spring into transition. The trip to Old Trafford on Sunday will demand all of those qualities – and perhaps reveal how much work remains in the final weeks of the transfer window.
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