Arsenal Pre-Season: The Four Biggest Questions for Mikel Arteta | OneFootball

Ahead of the 2024–25 season, Mikel Arteta set some lofty ambitions for his Arsenal side. “We want to improve in everything,” he declared. “Attacking metrics, defensive metrics, restarts, set piece.”

Arsenal suffered a decline in almost every metric. Scoring fewer goals while conceding more, the Gunners were 15 points adrift of the tally they had set in the campaign prior. Arteta’s side did, however, manage to match their second-place league position—a level of objectively impressive consistency which opposition fans have nevertheless taken great pleasure in mocking.

If Arsenal hope to break their run of forever finishing as the bridesmaid, there are some clear areas of concern to address. What better time to broach these issues than during preseason?

1. Which Striker Should Arsenal Buy?

Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres have dominated transfer gossip columns. / IMAGO/ANP|ZUMA Press Wire

Sporting director Andrea Berta may be leading this particular dilemma, but Arteta will undoubtedly have some say over which deeply flawed target Arsenal pay through the nose for. Does the manager want a largely unproven 22-year-old completely unequipped and unfamiliar with anything vaguely resembling a settled defence, or the footballing embodiment of Fool’s Gold?

There’s every chance that Benajmin Šeško, RB Leipzig’s gangly striker who delivered a grand total of 11 Bundesliga goals last term, will struggle to hit double digits while adapting to the unique demands of Premier League football. How many of Viktor Gyökeres’ 39 goals in the Portuguese top flight will be transplanted into its English equivalent is anyone’s guess.

Perhaps the real question should be why recent reports claim that Arsenal’s interest is cooling in Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins—a Premier League proven forward fresh from two of the best seasons of his career.

2. What Does Martin Odegaard Need to Recover His Form?

Arsenal's Martin Odegaard has struggled mightily for most of the season as pressure builds on the captain. / IMAGO/Sportimage

Before the wailing around ‘OhDearGaard’ gets underway, it’s worth putting into context how much of a decline the club captain has actually suffered. The headline figures of his goal tally dwindling from 15 in 2022–23 to eight (2023–24) and last term’s three completely ignores the randomness of finishing.

When considering the quality of non-penalty shots Ødegaard has taken over the past two seasons, there is only a minimal dip; his xG average of 0.17 per 90 in 2023–24 was nudged down to 0.16 last term. It’s a similar story when considering his chance creation, which endured only a marginally more pronounced drop-off.

Nevertheless, some simple and likely changes in circumstance could benefit the 26-year-old. Avoiding another two-month ankle injury in the middle of the campaign would undoubtedly help, just as the fact that he won’t be dealing with the birth of his first child mid-season again.

Other injuries to Ben White and Bukayo Saka robbed Ødegaard of his two favourite partners in crime down the right flank, while there should be an actual centre-forward—rather than Mikel Merino—to pass to next season.

3. What is Arsenal’s Best Midfield?

Declan Rice is a mainstay of Arsenal’s midfield. / IMAGO/News Images

While the transfer activity upfront likely won’t be completed in time for preseason, it appears increasingly likely that Arteta will have a new-look midfield to work with this summer. With Thomas Partey set to follow Jorginho out of the door, the Gunners are closing in on deals for Christian Nørgaard and Martin Zubimendi.

Before getting a look at each asset out on the grass, a trio anchored by Zubimendi with Declan Rice and Ødegaard on either side would presumably be Arteta’s first choice.

The Spanish coach would also have the attacking option of dropping Rice into the pivot role and bringing Kai Havertz back into midfield with Ødegaard.

Arteta’s reluctance to rotate has been held up as an explanation for Arsenal’s proliferation of injuries last season. The impending arrival of Nørgaard would give the skittish manager an experienced option at the base of a second-string midfield that could be completed by Merino and perhaps even Ethan Nwaneri.

4. Who Will Be the Next Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri?

Starting young doesn’t guarantee Premier League success. / IMAGO/News Images

Arteta handed a combined 2,264 Premier League minutes to Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly last season. No other top-flight side afforded more than 700 minutes of league football to players who started the campaign under the age of 18.

With Nwaneri pushing to be more than just a reliable deputy for Saka and Lewis-Skelly arguably first-choice at left back, attention now turns to the next young gems at Hale End. The name on everyone’s lips is Max Dowman.

The record-shattering 15-year-old already trains regularly with the first team and is expected to be given the opportunity to break into a Premier League squad based upon his performances in preseason. Arteta warned at the end of last term that Dowman would be a prospect for the “near future.” “Let’s see how this evolves,” the inherently cautious boss warned, “but we certainly got a big, big talent there.”