Arsenal’s next move after brutal Villa test: Gyokeres and Zubimendi fit the fix

A fierce, seesaw battle has sharpened Arsenal’s priorities. The game mirrored recent tests against Chelsea and Bayern in physicality, tempo, and game-state swings. Supporters are unified on one point: Arsenal need more punch in the box and cooler control in midfield when the rhythm turns chaotic. The clearest route is already on Arteta’s desk. Viktor Gyokeres offers penalty-box brutality and relentless pressing. Martin Zubimendi restores metronomic balance and press resistance. With Riccardo Calafiori now in the building and the core still elite, two smart additions swing fine margins. The path is obvious. Arsenal look set to act.

A high-intensity Premier League showdown featured long spells of direct pressure, frequent tactical transitions, and razor-thin margins, drawing comparisons to recent elite-level tests against Chelsea and Bayern. Post-match discourse among analysts and supporters focused on Arsenal’s need for finishing power and midfield control. The conversation quickly pivoted to recruitment targets that fit Mikel Arteta’s positional play, pressing triggers, and rest-defense structure.

Hell of a game. I said it would be just as difficult as Chelsea and Bayern for very, very clear reasons.

@EBL2017

Impact Analysis

The lesson from this game is simple: Arsenal are inches away, not miles. In matches defined by duels, second balls, and fast turnovers, the team still generates territory and shots, but lacks the ruthless final touch and the stabilizing pass when pressure spikes. Viktor Gyokeres directly answers the first gap. At Sporting CP he couples elite movement across the near post and back shoulder with a constant threat attacking cut-backs. His bodywork pins center backs, creating space for runners like Saka and Odegaard. Add his first-phase pressing angles and you protect Arsenal’s rest-defense by defending forward.

Martin Zubimendi addresses the second gap. When the contest becomes aerial and scrappy, he keeps Arsenal on the ball through clean scanning, one-touch layoffs, and calm circulation. His positioning in the 6 zone prevents the back line from being stretched wide, and his timing stepping out breaks counters at source. Place him behind Rice, who can then step into his best role as an 8 arriving, and the physical drop-off late in games softens.

With Calafiori already on board, Arteta has a left-side CB-LB hybrid who helps lock the weak side and carry through pressure. In short, these moves preserve Arsenal’s technical ceiling while adding the muscle memory of title winners: repeatable box entries, repeatable recoveries, and repeatable control.

Reaction

Fans were sharp, honest, and specific. One summed it up bluntly: “Arsenal need unstoppability for games like this. A Haaland, KDB, CR7 like player.” Another called it fairly: “Top game. Very physical and the crowd was on it. I don’t think Arsenal deserved to lose it, but Villa had the extra oomph.” That split-second edge became the theme.

Several posts pivoted to roles and selections. “Arteta needs to be brave…” wrote one, while another argued, “Maybe if we had not played for transitions all game we would have won.” The transfer thread lit up too: “Him on the wing with Gyokeres in the box would have won the game.” A different voice zoomed into midfield fatigue: “Rice and Zubimendi are gassed and not as effective,” treating Zubimendi as the archetype Arsenal still need.

There was also a nod to late-game errors and physical drop-off at the back, with one message lamenting a risky carry in the dying minutes. Some pushed back on the idea that every opponent is equally hard, others pointed to a single difference-maker on the other side swinging the contest. The consensus through disagreement was consistent: the margins are tiny, and Arsenal’s next market steps must target box efficiency and midfield stability.

Social reactions

Nah, you said Eze was better at LW. He was shit and cause Arsenal a goal. Damn you Mutu

Najm67 (@Bintangagama674)

Please explain to us how you are still bullish on Gyokeres after that. Look at the rice cross and how far behind the action he is. Couldn't trap a ball, couldn't win a duel, couldn't out run Konsa. What is his point in this side if unable to stretch a backline like this one?

ARTETAIRED (@ARTETAIREDDDDDD)

Why was Eze subbed out for Trossard? Makes no sense. Him on the wing with Gyökeres in the box would have won the game. Right now the only thing Arteta has to worry about is whether Calafiori or MLS starts for LB and Merino or Gyökeres for Striker, based on the team theyre facing

Alp (@AlpKartal_1903)

Prediction

Expect Arsenal to prioritize a striker and a controlling 6. Gyokeres is the natural front-runner: he scores all types of goals, holds up under contact, and fits Arteta’s press cues. Sporting will point to a premium clause, but Arsenal have paid for certainty before when the profile is right. The dressing-room need is obvious, and the player’s game is tailor-made for the Premier League’s direct phases.

Zubimendi remains the ideal anchor. Real Sociedad will resist unless the clause is met, yet the player’s tactical fit is so clean that Arsenal will likely keep that channel warm until a window opens. If the timing slips, a short-list of functionally similar options will sit behind him, but none match his blend of scanning, discipline, and tempo control.

Internally, Calafiori should lock the left channel, allowing Rice to step higher more often. That simple shift unlocks late runs and second-phase shots that were missing at critical moments. Stack those tweaks with one elite finisher and one elite first-receiver, and the swing from narrow losses to controlled wins becomes repeatable. The path to May goes through January’s decisiveness.

Latest today

• Arsenal’s structural wobble after Villa defeat fuels renewed push for Piero Hincapié
• Xabi Alonso hints Eder Militao could cover at right back for Real Madrid
• Cristhian Mosquera suffers suspected syndesmosis injury - Valencia braced for lengthy abse...
• Arsenal line up the Quintero brothers for first-team pathway - no loan, fast-track plan se...

Conclusion

Arsenal do not need a rebuild. They need precision. The Villa test exposed details, not defects. Add Gyokeres for penalty-box certainty and Zubimendi for composure under stress, and the team’s core strengths scale to title pace. Calafiori’s left-side security reduces chaotic scrambles, giving Odegaard and Saka cleaner platforms to decide games. Rice, who carries himself like a modern great, can spend more minutes where he hurts opponents most - stepping onto the final line instead of constantly firefighting.

Legends like CR7, De Bruyne, and Haaland set the standard because they reduce football to repeatable actions under peak pressure. Arsenal’s next two recruits should do the same. It is not a romantic idea; it is a technical one. Secure the box. Secure the first pass. The rest of the structure is already elite. If Arsenal move as expected, nights like this will turn from “hell of a game” into a routine three points, and the title picture will reflect it.