Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Olympiacos at the Emirates—their second win from two matches in the Champions League league phase—is more than just a perfect start. It is a loud declaration that Mikel Arteta’s squad is better equipped than ever to navigate the treacherous waters of European football and exceed last season’s semi-final run.
The key difference between this campaign and the last lies in two interconnected pillars: Unprecedented Squad Depth and Enhanced Tactical Evolution. This combination suggests the Gunners have finally built the resilient structure needed to compete for the biggest prize in club football.
Part I: The unprecedented depth and the power of rotation
The core challenge in the demanding new Champions League league phase format—eight games against eight different high-calibre opponents—is not tactical planning, but player fatigue. Arteta’s strategic rotation is currently neutralising this threat, showcasing a bench that has evolved from being thin to being a genuine competitive advantage.
From youngsters to difference-makers
Arteta’s decision to make six “wholesome changes” against Olympiacos—bringing in Martin Ødegaard, Ben White, William Saliba, Mikel Merino, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Gabriel Martinelli—was a direct demonstration of this strength. Arteta himself recently contrasted this depth with previous seasons, noting the shift from relying on academy players with limited Champions League experience to now fielding international-calibre rotation.
- Midfield mastery: The rotation options in midfield are the engine of this resilience. The Spanish duo of Mikel Merino and Martín Zubimendi provide different dimensions of control alongside Declan Rice, allowing Rice to be introduced later to dictate the final stages of intense European fixtures.
- The bench as a weapon: The game was sealed by the introduction of quality like Rice, Eberechi Eze, and the goalscorer, Bukayo Saka. This ability to call upon multi-million-pound “finishers” to win matches—Saka’s late goal being a prime example—is a hallmark of elite, title-winning sides.
- Defensive reliability: The seamless introduction of young defender Cristhian Mosquera for the precautionary withdrawal of Gabriel Magalhães (after the collision with David Raya) highlighted the club’s defensive versatility. With seasoned options like Jurriën Timber and the emerging talent of Lewis-Skelly also ready, Arsenal no longer risks burnout on their key central defensive partnership.
Part II: The enhanced tactical evolution
While depth provides sustainability, the summer signings have fundamentally altered Arsenal’s attacking mechanisms, giving them tactical answers to the European elite’s varied challenges.
The Gyökeres factor: A new attacking reference point
The arrival of Viktor Gyökeres has unlocked new dimensions for the attack that were previously missing when utilizing a false nine or an injured Gabriel Jesus. Against Olympiacos, Gyökeres did not score, but his influence was profound:
- Target man gravity: Gyökeres’s powerful runs and ability to pin centre-backs force opposing defensive lines deeper and narrower. This, in turn, creates the crucial half-spaces that players like Martin Ødegaard and Gabriel Martinelli thrive on. Martinelli’s opening goal was a direct result of Gyökeres’s drive pulling two defenders out of position before hitting the post.
- Winger release: Gyökeres is a focal point who doesn’t statistic the attack. His link-up play allows wingers like Saka and Martinelli to aggressively attack the box—a dynamic missing when the centre-forward was prone to drifting wide. He turns high-pressing chaos into a controlled attacking thrust.
The set-piece dominance
In a competition defined by fine margins, dead-ball situations are non-negotiable. Under set-piece specialist Nicolas Jover, Arsenal has established itself as arguably Europe’s most dangerous team from corners and free-kicks.
- A consistent source: Since Jover’s arrival, Arsenal has consistently topped the Premier League charts for set-piece goals. This dominance is not based on luck, but on intricate, rotational movements that force defences to focus on blocking and marking, often creating space for aerial threats like Gabriel and Gyökeres (who adds another elite dimension to this area).
- Mental advantage: Opponents now dedicate significant time to stopping Arsenal’s set-pieces, an acknowledgement of the Gunners’ weapon. This simple pressure lessens the burden on the open-play attack, providing a reliable fall-back plan when attacking rhythms break down against a deep European block.
Conclusion: Ready for the next step
Last season, Arsenal’s Champions League journey ended in the semi-finals against the eventual winners, Paris Saint-Germain. That run was achieved largely on the back of a small, focused core.
This season, Arteta’s men have addressed those limitations with strategic investment, tactical sophistication, and an internal belief fuelled by competition for places. With an Opta Supercomputer rating them as the top favourites, the narrative has shifted. The two early wins are proof that the machinery of rotation is working, the tactics are evolving, and the margins are now firmly in their favour.
Arsenal is no longer just a contender; they possess the depth, resilience, and tactical quality required to go all the way and finally “change history” by bringing the elusive European Cup back to North London.