There may be a sense that the only thing stopping Arsenal from claiming the Premier League title is themselves, with the Gunners now boasting a remarkable squad depth that has left them perfectly poised to pounce on Liverpool’s woes.
After three second-place finishes in succession, Mikel Arteta is gearing up to go one better this time around, with his in-form side notably conceding just three goals in their first seven league games of the season – a mark of champions?
If anything is to derail this early positivity, however, it could well be injury, with even that aforementioned depth likely to be continually tested if the early-season signs are anything to go by.
Having seen Kai Havertz sidelined before the campaign had even kicked off, following knee surgery, the north Londoners were dealt a further setback as Noni Madueke’s bright start to life at the club was halted by his own issue late last month.
With the likes of Piero Hincapie and Gabriel Jesus currently out of action, perhaps the biggest concern has rested with struggling skipper, Martin Odegaard, with the Norwegian’s latest blow likely to see him ruled for what could be as many as nine games.
While the 26-year-old’s influence has faded over the last 12 months or so – as we’ll come on to – his absence will still have left Arteta plenty to ponder ahead of this weekend’s return to club action.
Why Odegaard has lost his crown as Arsenal’s most creative player
Losing a player of Odegaard’s quality is hardly ideal, with it not too long ago that the ex-Real Madrid man was even being recognised as the best player in the Premier League, as noted by the likes of Luke Shaw.
Across the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns, for instance, the Arsenal captain registered 40 goals and assists in the top-flight alone, while creating 31 ‘big chances’ in that time, as per Sofascore.
Unfortunately for the £30m man, however, such influence has notably faded since then, not just due to injury, with last term seeing the Gunners’ former creative hub register just 11 goals and assists in the league.
While he did still conjure up 13 ‘big chances’, the creative mantle appears to have passed on to teammate, Bukayo Saka, with the Englishman ranking first in the division in 2024/25 for both shot-creating actions per 90 and goal-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.
Saka isn’t alone in having stolen Odegaard’s thunder in that regard either, with new man Eberechi Eze already looking ready to usurp his skipper in that number ten berth, with two assists already to his name in 2025/26.
Bukayo Saka
1.20
James Maddison
0.90
Amad
0.85
Jeremy Doku
0.83
Savinho
0.76
Mo Salah
0.72
Martin Odegaard
0.70
Diogo Jota
0.68
Dwight McNeil
0.66
That included the ex-Crystal Palace man’s stunning lofted pass for Gabriel Martinelli to clinch a point against Manchester City, having also picked out Viktor Gyokeres to tap home against Nottingham Forest, putting the ball on a plate for the Swedish striker to convert.
With Declan Rice also in the equation, not least for his set-piece prowess, with two assists of his own, the burden and reliance on Odegaard appears to have been extinguished, with his absence unlikely to be felt quite so heavily as in previous years.
That being said, a replacement will still need to be found in the midfield ranks – might young Myles Lewis-Skelly be the solution?
Arsenal's perfect Martin Odegaard replacement
As already noted, Eze could comfortably slot into a more central role, although there might be a preference to utilise the England star off the left, flanked by the marauding presence of Riccardo Calafiori.
The rise of the resurgent Italian has had a knock-on effect on that man Lewis-Skelly, with last season’s golden boy limited to just 83 minutes of league action all season for the Gunners, having been ousted from that left-back berth.
Such reduced involvement looks like it could come at a cost for his hopes at international level too, with Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel suggesting that a lack of regular minutes may “become a problem” in this vital World Cup year.
Thankfully for the teenage sensation, he is no one-trick pony, with the promotion of Calafiori potentially set to prove a blessing in disguise, should it allow Lewis-Skelly to solidify a central midfield berth instead.
That change to what would be a permanent new role at first-team level would be a welcome one, with the 19-year-old previously flourishing as a left-sided number eight in the academy ranks.
Even in the senior ranks, he has often been utilised as an inverted full-back, popping up for his first goal for the club against City in an advanced position in that left channel, ensuring the transition should be a relatively easy one.
Indeed, analyst Ben Mattinson has outlined that in the “long-term” the Hale End graduate “is a midfielder”, despite his arrival onto the scene at left-back, ensuring he could slot in alongside Rice and Martin Zubimendi in the weeks to come.
While Mikel Merino is also in the equation, the Spaniard can remain an emergency option at centre-forward, in the absence of Havertz and Jesus, with it likely to be far more exciting to witness Lewis-Skelly being handed a consistent run of games in the centre of the park instead.
Already looking like a “£100m footballer”, as noted by The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid following the home win over Real Madrid last season, the homegrown superstar is simply far too good not be playing.
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