Analysis: The tactics that defined Arsenal's title-winning season

Football writer Adrian Clarke looks at the defining elements of Arsenal's brilliant title-winning campaign.

Set-piece prowess

Arsenal supporters have revelled in singing their impromptu anthem, ‘‘Set-piece again, ole ole’’ this season, scoring a division-high 24 goals from dead-ball situations.

An incredible 18 have stemmed from corners, a Premier League record, of which 14 have provided a crucial 1-0 lead for Mikel Arteta’s side.

What has been the secret of this success?

Put simply, the quality of deliveries from Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka has been consistently world-class.

Eight goals have arrived off the back of a Rice inswinger (with three direct assists), with another six coming from Saka’s left-footed corners.

Remarkably, his pinpoint centre for Kai Havertz to score in the 1-0 win against Burnley in Matchweek 37 was Saka’s first direct assist from a corner.

How Arsenal have delivered from corners 2025/26

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The Gunners would not have won their first title in 22 years if they hadn't placed such a high emphasis on perfecting routines that have regularly exposed flaws in rivals’ marking.

It has been an absolute difference-maker.

Two clever short-corner routines (home and away against Newcastle United) are worthy of praise, but it has been Arsenal’s ability to crowd the six-yard box that has made the difference.

The near-post rush they have pioneered, with several players running from the back post towards the front, has caused mayhem.

So too has the movement of Gabriel Magalhaes, who has been directly involved in five goals from corner-kicks.

The movement and desire he showed when supplying this assist for William Saliba (below) in the 2-1 win against Chelsea typifies how hard he is to contain.

The Gunners cleared the space at the far post with some darting runs, and with Saka’s cross perfectly directed, Gabriel knocked the ball down for his defensive partner to score.

A combination of detailed planning, determination and quality decision-making saw Arsenal score so many goals like this one en route to the title.

Phenomenal defensive numbers

In all competitions, Arteta’s men have kept a remarkable 32 clean sheets in 2025/26, six more than any other team in Europe’s "big five leagues".

In Premier League terms alone, they have shut out the opposition in 19 of 37 matches.

These stats below, show how brilliantly Arsenal have restricted opponents.

Matchweek 37 opponents Burnley were the sixth side to register no shots on target against them in a game this season.

How Arsenal compare defensively 2025/26

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Collective desire to keep clean sheets

Physically imposing centre-backs Gabriel and Saliba have been imperious, as has the always-industrious Rice as the midfield lynchpin, but Arsenal’s defensive strength is built around a collective thirst not to concede.

Their defending often starts from the front, where Arteta’s side have pressed with real enthusiasm, winning the ball back in good areas on numerous occasions.

Most possession won in final third 2025/26

The team, although nervy at times, has also managed games well.

From 1-0 up, the Gunners have earned a league-high 2.73 points per match, winning 23 times, drawing twice and losing just once.

In a sign of how resilient they are, Arsenal have won 1-0 in eight different fixtures.

On that note, Coca-Cola Golden Glove winner David Raya also deserves credit for producing a string of stunning, game-changing saves.

The Spaniard may have been the division’s least busy goalkeeper, but at key moments he delivered with some amazing reflex stops.

WATCH: Raya's best saves in 2025/26

Impressive fitness and a deep squad

Arsenal routinely cover more ground than their rivals.

The Gunners push themselves to the max from a physical perspective and have outran 35 of their 37 opponents this season so far.

While covering more distance does not necessarily make you a better side, this athletic superiority has helped Arteta’s side overwhelm opponents.

Top 10 PL teams' running stats 2025/26

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High fitness levels can help you win matches late on of course, and that has also been a factor in Arsenal’s success.

With a very deep squad at his disposal, Arteta has been able to make changes without unduly weakening his team.

Their second-half record is fabulous, having scored 11 goals via substitutes (second behind Brighton & Hove Albion only).

Boasting a goal difference of +24 after half-time, double that of Manchester City, they have habitually finished games well.

Conceding just 16 goals in 37 second halves is very impressive.

Arsenal's second halves compared 2025/26

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Midfield options and Rice's versatility

Arteta showed a little more tactical variety during this title-winning campaign.

Rather than playing a 4-3-3 automatically (as he had done in previous years), Arteta chose 4-2-3-1 in 13 of 37 top-flight games.

The catalyst for change was the arrival of Martin Zubimendi. The Spaniard dovetails very well with the outstanding Rice, who has proven to be equally effective in any of the three positions he has been asked to play.

Early on in 2025/26, Rice showed his class as a rampaging box-to-box player, but towards the business end of the season he has either been used as a single defensive player, or as a partner in a double pivot.

Zubimendi, and latterly Myles Lewis-Skelly, have both shone alongside him in a solid-looking pairing that sometimes gives Arsenal a better balance.

Arteta’s willingness to play with a central duo has been his clearest strategic shift.

Rotating the pack

The spine of Arsenal’s starting XI has largely stayed the same, with Raya, Saliba, Gabriel, Rice and Zubimendi, featuring for the most minutes.

Yet outside of those five key men, no one has made more than 28 starts in the Premier League.

This is a far cry from their first title challenge under Arteta in 2022/23.

Players with +30 Arsenal starts in 22/23 and 25/26

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That season when Arsenal finished second, there were seven players who played from the start in at least 34 games.

Now, with two terrific options in each position, Arteta has been able to rest and rotate more freely.

This means we get different approaches more often from the Spaniard.

Depending on specific opponents or the game state, he can now switch between a more attacking or defensive full-back, a different profile of striker, or rotate between Eberechi Eze and Martin Odegaard as his chief attacking midfielder.

Arteta’s impressive development

Still in his first managerial post, the Arsenal boss continues to develop on the job.

Across 2025/26 his in-game decision making has impacted the side positively, on a more frequent basis than before.

There have been various standout calls. A double change at half-time helped the Gunners retrieve a point after falling behind at home to Man City.

The second-half introduction of Mikel Merino that turned defeat into victory at Newcastle.

The introduction of 16-year-old Max Dowman from the bench at home to Everton, with the teenager changing the game and becoming the Premier League’s youngest goalscorer.

WATCH: Dowman's historic goal v Everton

Starting Lewis-Skelly in central midfield for the first time as a senior player was an inspirational call in the 3-0 success against Fulham.

And most recently, Odegaard’s cameo display as a substitute at West Ham United inspired a dramatic 1-0 win.

While his players deservedly claim the plaudits, this title triumph is very much the culmination of Arteta’s brick-by-brick building process. This is his team, built in his style.

And year on year they have improved tactically, with defensive solidity the cornerstone of their growth as a side.

Without the ball, Arsenal are now arguably the best team on the planet.

Now that they are champions, he will look to implement the next phase.

To take this Arsenal side to the next level, Arteta will surely look to develop a world-class forward line from 2026/27 onwards.