Arsenal’s midfield dynamics have exploded on to the scene as Martin Zubimendi, Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice partnership is key to success
Arsenal’s season has been shaped by a midfield that no longer feels like three separate specialists taking turns. However, a single unit that can stretch and shrink depending on what the game asks.
The arrival of Martin Zubimendi has given Mikel Arteta a calmer organiser at the base, someone comfortable starting attacks, but also brave enough to play forward and take responsibility when opponents press.
Around him, Declan Rice’s role has continued to expand beyond protection and recovery work, with his growing attacking output and influence feeding the idea that he is moving into the “all-phase” conversation. And since returning from injury, Martin Odegaard has lifted Arsenal’s creative rhythm again, with his chance creation numbers underlining how much sharper their attacking structure looks when he is dictating the tempo.
It is also why Arsenal’s best spells this season have looked less like a team forcing patterns and more like a side letting the midfield decide the speed of the match. With Zubimendi acting as the reference point in possession, happy to take the ball under pressure and play forward rather than simply recycle it, Arsenal can build with more confidence and commit bodies higher up the pitch without feeling exposed.
That, in turn, changes Rice’s job description: instead of spending entire matches putting out fires, he can pick moments to surge, tackle, cover wide spaces and then arrive into advanced zones with purpose, the kind of rounded influence that has fuelled the “complete midfielder” conversation around his current form.
And when Odegaard is available and sharp, Arsenal’s attacks gain a clear conductor again; his chance creation output since returning from injury reflects a side that is generating opportunities through structure and timing rather than hope. In a season where margins decide titles, this is the sort of midfield balance that can travel from routine league afternoons to the higher-wire nights in Europe.
Arsenal’s midfield has settled into a genuinely fluid unit because Zubimendi gives structure, Rice supplies power and coverage, and Odegaard restores the team’s attacking rhythm
The Arsenal midfield blend
When Arsenal brought in Martin Zubimendi, the intention was clear: add a controller at the base who can start attacks and still defend space like a proper No.6. Sky Sports’ scouting of him highlighted how he circulates possession, plays forward more often than Arsenal’s previous options, and is comfortable taking risks to move the game on.
With Zubimendi now listed as an Arsenal player and producing 1,684 Premier League minutes already, the early-season bedding-in phase has turned into a platform for everyone else to play faster and with more freedom
Rice’s evolution
Declan Rice is no longer just the “security” midfielder; he is being encouraged to impact games higher up the pitch, which is reflected in his four league goals this season. Mikel Arteta has also publicly pushed the idea that Rice belongs among the best midfielders in the world, pointing to how his role keeps expanding.
The data-led case is strong: The Analyst noted Rice’s ball-winning (156 recoveries last season) and also highlighted how he is driving Arsenal forward through carries and line-breaking passes, underlining the “all-phase” argument.
Zubimendi’s imprint
At his simplest, Zubimendi has given Arsenal a calmer first build-up option, with Sky Sports noting both his forward passing intent and his ability to construct attacks from deep. The output has followed: FotMob lists him with three league goals and 1,005 successful passes at 89.4% completion in the Premier League this season.
In recent games, the eye test suggests Arteta has allowed him to roam and connect higher, and performances like the 8.3 FotMob rating against Aston Villa show how quickly he can take charge of a match’s tempo.
Odegaard’s lift
Odegaard’s return from injury has clearly raised Arsenal’s attacking ceiling, with Sky Sports noting interruptions from shoulder and knee issues but also emphasising the creativity he still brings. That same Sky Sports analysis has him ranked fourth for chances created per 90 minutes and third for chances created in open play, which speaks to sustained chance-making rather than hot-streak finishing.
When the Norwegian playmaker is hitting those creative notes, Arsenal’s attacks look less forced: there are clearer angles into the box, quicker combinations, and more consistent pressure after losing the ball.
Conclusion
Arsenal’s best sides under Arteta have always had one idea: control. This season that control is coming from a midfield that can change shape without changing identity. Zubimendi gives them a steady first pass and a reliable platform to build, but he is also comfortable stepping out of the ‘six’ slot when the game demands a second playmaker.
Rice then becomes the team’s accelerator: he can cover the spaces Zubimendi vacates, win the ball back, and still arrive late around the box often enough to swing tight matches. Odegaard is the glue.
Since his return from injury, he has restored rhythm, dictating where Arsenal attack and how quickly they move from pressure to penetration. Put together, it is a trio that allows Arsenal to play in phases: lock teams in, counter-press aggressively, and still have the legs to run beyond the ball when the moment opens.
Title races are rarely won by one star; they are won by units that survive bad days. If this midfield stays fit and keeps evolving, it gives Arteta the one thing every challenger needs across the league, Europe and the cups: a repeatable way to impose their game, whatever the opponent tries to do.
